A Deeper Understanding of Learning Theories and Learning Styles

After rereading my discussion forum post from Week 1 of our course, the opinions that I had then about learning styles, and about Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism, are still the same. However, my views on learning have expanded greatly with the additional exposure to Social Learning Theory, Connectivism, and Adult Learning Theory. I still consider myself a life-long learner, with a preference for solitary learning through independent study. However, that understanding is now enriched with the knowledge of how social networks and the presence of technology impact my own learning.

From Social Learning Theory, I now know that while I think I have a preference for solitary learning, the truth is that I do rely on a network of others, peers and mentors, to help in my learning. Learning is not a solitary endeavor. Social Learning Theory says that learning occurs through social interactions throughout a learner’s life, first with parents, then later with peers (Laureate Education, 2009). So, I have been learning from others my entire life, maybe without always being cognizant of that fact. In Social Learning Theory, “people learn through observing others’ behavior, attitudes, and outcomes of those behaviors” (Social Learning Theory, n.d.). Learners model their behavior after what they see in others. By paying attention and retaining what they have seen, they are then eventually able to reproduce those skills on their own (Social Learning Theory, n.d.).

From Connectivism, I now know that I learn through a network of technology and people. I didn’t realize how heavily I relied on 21st century technology in the course of my own learning until I read the work of George Siemens. I have “learned how to learn” (Davis, Edmunds & Kelly-Bateman, 2008). Thanks to George Siemens, I know that learning occurs through the ever-changing process of gathering new information from a variety of sources in one’s networks. I have heard this same idea expressed in another way: as Progressive Learning (“Primary ICT – Natural Connections,” n.d.). In this video, “progressive learning” is defined as a learner, starting from one place, then making connections by interacting with peers in a social network, interacting with information available through a technology network, as well as a variety of traditional sources, such as books and journals. Once the learner makes initial connections and takes on information and knowledge, the learner can proceed to acquire additional knowledge, which is added to the knowledge already acquired. Learning, then, becomes a gradual process of building upon previous knowledge through interaction with social networks and technology. I think the idea of “progressive learning” best describes my personal style of learning, and I am very excited to have a name to put on it.

Finally, our study of Adult Learning Theory  added to my growing understanding of learning theories by helping me realize the range of characteristics that tend to be unique to adult learners. While there are many commonalities among learners of all ages, adult learners have some unique characteristics (Conlan, Grabowski,  & Smith, 2003). Adult learners tend to be self directed and have a vast deal of life experiences; adult learners also tend to have a lot of extra responsibilities, such as jobs, families, and households to maintain, while going to school simultaneously. Adult learners can learn in many environments, from formal classrooms to the workplace. Adult learners rely on their life experiences, previous learning experiences, work experiences, and more to draw from (Conlan, Grabowski,  & Smith, 2003). I, myself, fit this bill of “adult learner” quite well. At 48 years of age, I am pursuing a second master’s degree, I work full time, I am engaged in consulting on the side, and I’m a single parent of an 11-year-old daughter. I am a busy, highly-motivated, and very much a self-directed adult learner.

The Role of Technology in my Learning Process

I really didn’t pay attention before to the extent that technology plays a role in my own learning processes. I think I always took the technology for granted – it was simply there. Now I understand the role that technology plays in learning, and I have a much greater appreciation for its presence. I, myself, am highly reliant on technology in my own learning process. For me, technology primarily offers me a conduit through which I can obtain information. I am constantly searching the internet for credible sources of information related to the topics that I am studying.... whether I am looking for books, journal articles, or informal sources of information. I use technology to record information... both in blogs and using a word processing application. I also use technology to create my own content, whether it is a written document in a word processing application, a narrated presentation, or a dynamic and fluid presentation, such as Prezi. Technology in the learning sphere is an empowering force. It also levels playing fields for learners. Nearly everyone can have access to technology to aid them in their learning quests, regardless of their financial resources. Technology is indeed the great equalizer, and in the future, the presence of our vast and global network of information will empower learners throughout the world to take control of their own progress and success.

References

Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K. (2003). Adult learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Adult_Learning

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Theory of Social Cognitive Development [DVD]. Baltimore, MD: Dr. Jeanne Ormrod.

Primary ICT - Natural Connections | SchoolsWorld. (n.d.). SchoolsWorldTV. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from http://www.schoolsworld.tv/node/1183

Social Learning Theory (Bandura) | Learning Theories. (n.d.). Learning Theories. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from http://www.learning-theories.com/social-learning-theory-bandura.html

Learning Connections - Connectivism and the Learning Network

George Siemens’ theory of connectivism is "a learning theory that integrates technology, social networks, and information" (Laureate Education, 2009). Siemens himself describes the origins of connectivism in relation to the major learning theories in existence today. "Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism are the three broad learning theories most often utilized in the creation of instructional environments. These theories, however, were developed in a time when learning was not impacted through technology. Over the last twenty years, technology has reorganized how we live, how we communicate, and how we learn" (Siemens, 2005). Siemens sees a need to update the framework through which we view how learning occurs in light of the impact that technology has on human culture. 


One of the key components of connectivism is "learning networks." Davis, Edmunds & Kelly-Bateman quote Siemens as saying, "We must create networks which, simply defined, are connections between entities. By using these networks - of people, of technology, of social structures, of systems, of power grids, etc. - learning communities can share their ideas with others, thereby “cross-pollinating” the learning environment" (2008). 

One of the key principles of connectivism is that adult learners construct learning networks through which they gain information and knowledge. These learning networks are made up of a variety of sources, both formal and informal. Below is an illustration depicting my own learning network. As you can see, some of the sources are formal ones, such as "Professional Activities" and "At Work" and "At School" and some of them are more informal sources, such as "Friends & Family" and "Internet."

My Learning Network

Connectivism is a learning theory that acknowledges the role of the self-directed learner. A self-directed learner is one who takes responsibility for her own learning. A self-directed learner is one who is highly motivated and an active learner. Self-directed learners create their own learning networks, through which they gather information and develop knowledge.

My learning network has certainly evolved and matured over the years. The advent of the internet and its wealth of sources of credible information, readily available, has made learning easier for those who seek it. As a young person in college in the early-to-mid-1980's, my sources for information were primarily my university professors, face-to-face classes, and the university library. Today, my sources of information have greatly expanded to include professional organizations and associations, colleagues at work, books and scholarly articles, friends and family, and of course the internet, with its vast resources of information. Having access to so many different sources of credible information has empowered me to become a self-directed learner. Whether I am studying a topic for school (I'm in graduate school once more, working toward a second master's degree) or work, or learning something for my own personal enrichment, I have access to a vast universe of information.

Connectivism is the learning theory that most resonates with me as an individual learner. As a highly motivated and self-directed learner, I certainly describe myself as a life-long learner.  When I am researching a topic, my first inclination is to go to the internet. I search for credible sources of information on websites, including personal and professional blogs, YouTube, and even social networking sites. From there, I gather some basic concepts and references to other sources. I track down these sources through research databases that I can access through my university affiliations, scholarly repositories on the internet, and books. I view my personal learning network as a web of connections and resources. I follow threads of information through that web, making connections, validating information, verifying sources, and testing ideas. One credible source often leads to several others, and so on, and the web of information expands.

The technology that is so readily available today makes self-directed learning easier than it has ever been in human history, and this access to information has changed the way many of us learn. "In today’s technology-rich society, it has become increasingly important to learn how to learn" (Davis, Edmunds & Kelly-Bateman, 2008). It's not enough to sit back passively and take in information from perhaps one single source. In order to have a rich and fulfilling learning experience, we need to take in a great variety of information from a multitude of sources. "New technology forces the 21st century learner to process and apply information in a very different way and at a very different pace from any other time in history. As a result, the span of time between learning something new, being able to apply it, and finding that it is outdated and no longer useful continues to decrease" (Davis, Edmunds & Kelly-Bateman, 2008). We must become what is known as a life-long learner -- which means that learning is a continuous endeavor, not a one-time activity that is done and over with in a single point in time.


My personal learning network illustrates Siemens' theory of connectivism very well. My style of learning has evolved along with the technology, so that I can take advantage of the access to information and knowledge that technology allows. While I am actively involved in formal learning (I'm in graduate school, earning a new degree), I am equally involved in informal learning as well, as there are a number of topics that I have great personal interest in and I am actively researching these topics as well. To me, my informal learning experiences are just as important as my formal learning experiences.  According to Siemens, "Informal learning is a significant aspect of our learning experience. Formal education no longer comprises the majority of our learning. Learning now occurs in a variety of ways – through communities of practice, personal networks, and through completion of work-related tasks. Learning is a continual process, lasting for a lifetime. Learning and work related activities are no longer separate. In many situations, they are the same" (Siemens, 2005).

References

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Connectivism [DVD]. Baltimore, MD: George Siemens.

Siemens, G. (2005, January). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology & Distance Learning, Retrieved November 03, 2008, from http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm

Exploring the World of Left Brain/Right Brain Thinking

Wayne Morris, in his 2010 article "A Whole Brain Is Better Than Two Halves," published in Education Today, says that the argument about left brain versus right brain is a "distraction from what really matters. We want our students to learn and our teachers to teach using all of their brain!" Instead, Morris proposes more emphasis on "Whole Brain Thinking"  (Morris, 2010, pg. 9).


Morris begins his article by defining "Whole Brain Learning." He also acknowledges that we, as humans, each have preferences for how we think. "We all have preferred ways of thinking," he says. "Some people focus on facts, others look for relationships. Some like detail, others prefer the bigger picture. Whilst our personal 'thinking preferences' can sometimes help us in certain situations, they can also inhibit our ability to function fully and effectively" (Morris, 2010, pg. 9). 


Morris then goes on to explain why it is important to understand what the thinking preferences are of those involved in the learning process -- both students and teacher. To better understand individual preferences, Morris recommends taking an online brain profile quiz to help one identify his or her thinking preference. 


Morris provides an example in the manner of a scenario featuring a teacher and two students. One of the students thinks in a similar way to the teacher. This student does well in class and is perhaps seen as the "teacher's pet." Another student is struggling with frustration and not doing well. Morris explains how the teacher and the first student share the same thinking preference, and the discourage student has a very different thinking preference. The point of Morris' scenario is that understanding how individuals may think differently helps everyone be more successful in a learning situation. And while no one way of thinking is better than others, Morris reiterates that it is important to understand how these differences influence our learning. Understanding the differences among learners is especially important for teachers, Morris says, as it allows them to address student's questions more effectively. Understanding thinking preference is also particularly helpful when group work is at hand, so that group members can work more effectively together.


I found Wayne Morris' article to be of particular interest. I, myself, am definitely a right-brain thinker; and I have a dear friend and colleague who is a poster child for left-brain thinking. We often tease each other about our different modes of thinking, and we find great humor and enjoyment in testing and comparing our left- and right-brain qualities. The whole idea of left-brain/right-brain is a strong area of interest for me. I wish Morris' article had been longer, and had gone into more detail about the subject. Otherwise, I found it to be well written and very accessible.


For fun, here is a link to an online left-brain/right-brain quiz. How do you score? I took the quiz, and my results are posted below. I scored more middle range than I expected. Interesting... 

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others. Left Brain Dominance: (10) Right Brain Dominance: (13) Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

References


Morris, W. (2010). A whole brain is better than two halves. Education Today, (4), 8-10.

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz. (n.d.). Intelliscript net - Custom Perl Scripts. Retrieved March 11, 2012, from http://www.intelliscript.net/test_area/questionnaire/questionnaire.cgi

New Perspectives on the Existence of Learning Styles

David Kelly is one of a growing list of instructional design professionals who are questioning the usefulness and validity of "learning styles" as the field has always known them. Just last week, David Kelly posted My Learning Styles Awakening on his blog. In his post, he declares that he sees no value in designing learning to individual preferences - in particular, he is addressing the theory of Visual-Auditory-Kinestetic learners. "Let’s get this out of the way quickly. I don’t believe there’s value in designing learning experiences to cater to individual learning styles" (Kelly 2012). Kelly goes on to describe his experience as an instructional designer with this theory of learning styles. He says that as a beginner in the field of instructional design, he heard and believed this particular theory of learning styles, assuming it was true based on the fact that nearly everyone else believed so, too. He says that the theory makes sense and it sounds "right," so it must be true. However, according to his experience, he eventually began to have doubts. Kelly says, "I don’t think I’m a unique learning and performance professional in making that mistake, and it’s a mistake we make in plenty of areas outside of Learning Styles. We tend to do things because it’s always been done, or because someone ‘who knows’ said it’s what we should be doing. We’re quick to accept theory and put it into action without verifying or tracking if the idea translates in practice."

As David Kelly progressed in his profession, he began to hear similar thoughts expressed in his wider circle of professional networking. "As I connected with more and more professionals, established professionals with credentials and experience that dwarfed my own, I noticed a common thread in some of their posts that conflicted with my position and beliefs about learning styles. While the verbiage varied, the core message was essentially the same: Learning Styles Don’t Exist" (Kelly 2012).

Ultimately, Kelly concludes that designing learning based on perceived preferences in "learning styles" does not have value. To that end, Kelly says that the argument about whether or not learning styles exist is not the point. Instead, he gives his readers three pieces of advice: don't do things that don't have value, nurture your "Personal Learning Networks," and stop debating learning styles. "We have more important and impactful work to do as a field," he says.

I found David Kelly's blog to be very intriguing and enlightening - and he certainly got me thinking more critically on the topic. I, myself, had not heard anyone make such claims before. Like many others in my field, I assumed that the theory of learning styles is universally accepted. It is very interesting to me to find out that that might not be the case. Further searches led me to a number of other well-thought-out posts that address the same issue and the same questions, so obviously David Kelly is not alone.

References

Kelly, D. (2012, March 1). My #LearningStyles Awakening. David Kelly. Retrieved March 10, 2012, from davidkelly.me/2012/03/my-learningstyles-awakening/

A Survey of Three Instructional Design Blogs

This week I located several instructional design blogs that I think are worth following. I have subscribed to these blogs, as well as to some others, on my RSS feed software.

Cathy Moore: Let's save the world from boring elearning

The first blog I would like to profile is that of Cathy Moore. Cathy is a consultant and speaker on instructional design and the creation of exciting and engaging learning. Her goal is to save people from "boring instruction," as she calls it. She has been in this field for 28 years, and she has a long list of prestigious and well-known clients in fields ranging from retail to government to higher education to nonprofits, and just about everything in between. Cathy's blog is titled "Cathy Moore: Let's save the world from boring elearning!" The title of her blog will give you a good idea of Cathy's personality and style. Cathy's blog is a collection of engaging and energetic posts (approximately one each month) that cover a range of instructional design concepts. Her articles are well written, well structured and nicely illustrated. Her postings provide practical, hands-on activities that instructional design practitioners can use in their own projects. I think Cathy's blog will be one that I will refer to again and again, to gain new insights and generate new ideas for designing courses more effectively.

Tom Kuhlmann: The Rapid e-Learning Blog

Tom Kuhlmann's blog presents "practical, real-world tips for e-learning success." One of the first things that I noticed about Tom's blog is that it is very colorful and engaging. Tom uses a lot of vibrant colors on his site, including cartoon motifs, photographs, illustrations, and videos. While these elements in themselves do not guarantee quality in the content, they are an indication that the author is making a concerted effort to make his content visually engaging for the audience. Upon deeper examination, Tom's content holds up well to scrutiny. His posts are very specific and useful, presenting a lot of practical and thoughtful ideas that instructional designers can adapt immediately and easily to their own projects. Tom's blog is very well written, presenting very articulate and practical ideas.

The Upside Learning Blog

The Upside Learning Blog is a company -sponsored blog that features the work of multiple authors. Upside Learning is a consulting company that offers business performance improvement inspired by innovation and technology. It appears that the blog is written by multiple authors within the company, including Abhijit Kadle, Aneesh Bhat, and Vivek Garg, to name a few. At first I was hesitant to use this blog, as it is sponsored by a business, and that begs the question about whether or not the content is truly useful, or simply propaganda for the business. However, upon closer inspection, I found myself really impressed with this collection of targeted and specific articles. And, Upside Learning is located in Pune, India. I like the idea of keeping up with trends in learning around the world. I think reading a blog sponsored by an elearning company in India is a good way to keep up to date with global diversity, which is an increasingly important aspect of elearning. Upside Learning is a high-tech, innovation company, with customers in 13 countries. Most of their articles deal with technology issues in elearning. For example, they have a recent article on "The Future for Flash," which I know is a subject of intense debate in my elearning development team. They also have recent articles on mobile learning and gamification, which are two areas of intense interest in the elearning field right now. The Upside Learning blog is an excellent addition to the selection of learning blogs that I am following, as it provides a unique outlook on the technology and innovations that are driving elearning.

Welcome to my blog!

Hello. I'd like to welcome you to my blog. I hope you find some interesting reading inside. I've been an instructional designer for 18 years, first in corporate America, and now in higher education. I currently work as an instructional designer of online courses at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. I also teach online courses in composition and research writing. I'm a Certified Peer Reviewer in the Quality Matters organization, which is a faculty peer-based quality assurance program for online courses, K-Higher Education.