Assessment 1- Conclusion

This essay is the conclusion of previous reflection and research. It will briefly explore the different learning theories and discuss the implications of constructivism underpinning eLearning design. It will evaluate my personal reflections and research in participating in collaborative online activities, and discuss how these activities support eLearning. It will further discuss the importance of scaffolding activities and guiding students towards higher order thinking within a primary school context.

To begin a brief explanation of learning theory will be addressed.  Behaviourism argues that the mind is a black box promoting learning through repetition, practice and positive reinforcement to achieve learning gains (Mergel, 1998). Cognitivism explains learning through mental processes, of memory capacity and the formation of schemas (Sweller, 1998), and followers of connectivism contend it is the ability to learn, adapt and create connections that are most important for modern learners (Siemens, 2004). Constructivist theory argues that learning is an active, constructive process, where students relate to learning within their previous experience and amongst peers. Given this, constructivists use the technique of scaffolding to guide teaching practices (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2011).

While these theories provide some insights on how people learn, I have chosen constructivism to provide the platform for discussing my own teaching practice and eLearning design. Drawn from experience with the online activities, it was clear that successful completion of the course activities was dependent upon on them being appropriately scaffolded. That is, the learning is to be broken in to small but key steps in order to ‘build’ learning while decreasing the level of assistance by the teacher as the learner gains knowledge and skills, culminating in higher order thinking (Dolittle, 1997). Scaffolding is reflected in my blog entries as a very important step in the learning process. To complete the tasks of the “profile, phone and learning theory” wiki, the eLearning design must address both content (subject matter) and practical skill (navigating the wiki/blog).  The concept of the wiki and moodle tutorials addressed the hands-on aspects, and different readings and collaborative works aided in learning the content. It became apparent that to successfully create effective eLearning design, the educator must have an in depth knowledge of each. Both skill and content need to be strategically placed beside each other, and appropriately scaffolded in order to guide the student towards desirable learning aims (Fasso, 2011).

Within a primary school context a constructivist approach supports eLearning provided that the activity is appropriate for that particular class. Given this, I would need to understand the level of declarative and procedural knowledge of the class in order to design an effective learning activity. It became clear that any activity I would include in the classroom would need to cater for younger minds, and perhaps use pictures and sounds to aid reading and comprehension. Within scaffolded tasks, thinking routines such as De Bono’s Six Hats or a PMI could be moulded to suit the topic and comprehension levels in the class, providing a new approach to problem solving and encouraging higher order thinking.  Implementing constructivism and ICT’s within a young learners’ environment may involve greater effort because of the age groups, however the underlying principles still remain. 

Other appropriate tools, such as small screen entertainment devices or interactive white boards, could provide the space for collaborative learning, using scaffolded activities to solve problems, introduce new concepts or engage the class in literacy or numeracy play based games (Prensky, 2005). Free online resources are available now, with the potential to transform lessons in the classroom from chalk and talk to interactive and collaborative. Wikis can accommodate many types of forums, and suit all age groups. With the advances in modern technology, incorporating digital devices in the classroom should no longer be considered a novelty, but a necessary part of school life. Finding the appropriate technologies and applications are key to engaging the class and successfully nurturing higher order thinking in young learners.

The wiki format gives students the opportunity to direct their own learning. Its flexibility allows students the space to form collaborative works of interest to them, engaging students and providing a sense of satisfaction of the works done (Kearsley & Shneiderman, n.d.). My own experience of collaborative work invited and motivated me to engage in the content, forcing me to think critically and analyse how these experiences could translate into a young learners’ environment. However, my experience has showed me that the wiki format does have its limitations. A number of my peers, experienced in using wiki’s voiced disinterest and felt unchallenged by the task, regardless of the content. Some of my peers disliked the wiki format, and were reluctant to engage, and as my classmates had the freedom to complete work to their schedule, the wiki was often empty or incomplete when viewed. It became tedious to check the progress of the wiki especially when time is at a premium (personal communication, April, 2011).  Another potential drawback is the nature of the wiki. As an online collaborative space, participants can add any content they wish. This content may prove to be untrue or incorrect and may disadvantage other learners; however some may argue that this is constructivism in action, an essential step of the learning path. Here the role of the teacher would come to the fore, redirecting the learning towards a desired outcome.

Other observations I have made during reflection of my learning experience is that the greater the transparency of the teaching process the deeper my own learning became. As I encountered obstacles working with ICT’s the transparency of the resolution process provided as much learning as the course content. An example of this is where the class encountered technical difficulties with the profile wiki. Technical problems can facilitate a transformation the student-teacher relationship into a partnership of learning (personal communication, W. Fasso, 2nd March 2011). In a primary school classroom, I believe transparency of the teaching process would give young minds the opportunity to contribute to and create their own learning, forming a partnership with the educator and nurturing higher order thinking. It is the nature of a partnership that sets higher expectations of the participants, and perhaps makes the journey enjoyable.  

The twenty first century classroom requires an evaluation of how new technologies are placed in context to learning and their underpinning theories. A greater awareness of learning and learning how to learn are now taking precedence over traditional methods of teaching and assessment. Personal observation and reflection upon my learning experiences illustrate that learners retain knowledge and develop skills when engaged in the course work. Activities that are scaffolded support students learning. Within an eLearning environment, strategically placed scaffolded activities with digital devices must work in tandem. The online spaces of wikis and blogs allow students to collaborate and control their research in a direction that has meaning to their reality. New approaches to critical thought, such as the thinking routines allow students of any age to engage in higher order thinking. Combined, ICT’s and constructivist principles support students in a new way of education.




Reference List

              Doolittle  P.E. (1997) Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development as a theoretical foundation for cooperation learning.  Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 8 (1), 83-103.
              Fasso, W. (2001, March 7). Effective eLearning Design. Retrieved from CQUUniverstiy moodle  EDED20491 ITC’s for Learning Design, http;//www.moodle.cqu.edu.au
              Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2011). Retrieved from Learning-Theories.com from http://www.learning-theories.com/
              Mergel, B (1998) Instructional Design and Learning Theory. Retrieved from http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda.htm#The%20Basics%20of%    20Behaviorism   
             Prensky, M. (2005). Engage or Enrage Me, What Today’s Learners Demand. Educause review, Sept/ Oct, 60-64.
             Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivivsm: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

            Sweller, J. (1998) Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12, 257-285. Retrieved from http://tip.psychology.org/sweller.html