Digital Learning Theory

Research Proposal

What Types of innovative online teaching strategies are most effective for teaching art in the digital world.  This research will look into arts education at the higher education level.  It will examine what it means to be an art educator and what it means to be a student learning art online. Finally, it will look into what is involved in online education as well as the arts learning experience in the digital world.

On Intelligence

1: In what ways can learning designers use these insights into how the brain works?  

A teacher teaches a subject to a learner, but a learning designer creates a plan for teaching something to someone or develops a plan for teaching.  A learning designer’s insight into constructing a well rounded approach to teaching the same subject from several different perspectives distinguishes them from a teacher.  By understanding some of the basic ideas of intelligence and the brain,  a learning designer can develop a plan for teaching that uses a variety of the learners senses as well as their memory, organization, prediction, and most importantly the neocortex’s most important element – pattern.  Hawkins seems to capitalize on these elements throughout the first three chapters.  He uses stories to draw parallels and to tap into our memories and patterns.  By using descriptive stories we are able to visualize the complicated biological information.  

2: Have these chapters changed how you view intelligence and the learning process as a whole?

These chapters really have not changed how I view intelligence and the learning process as a whole.  I see intelligence in the same way I see learning styles.  Everyone is different; everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and certain teaching methods that work well for them while other methods do not work for them.  Hawkins ideas on intelligence gave me additional insight into how people learn.  His examples of seeing with your finger tips and learning through our various senses were interesting analogies on how versatile our learning process can be.

On Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins

“On Intelligence” by Jeff Hawkins

1.  What is Intelligence and how does the brain create it?
   1. The Brain is a memory system

                                                             a.      Intelligence is based on Predictions        

1. Our predictions are based on Patterns
2. Real Intelligence
   1. Neural networks

                                                             a.      Connectionists

1. Real brains process rapidly changing streams of information. Nothing is static about the flow of information into and out of the brain.
2. Real brains are saturated with feedback connections.
3. Real brains have a complicated physical architecture. Most notably the neocortex.

                                                            b.      Functionalists

1. Organization
2. Artificial intelligence.
   1. Produces human like behavior
   2. Artificial neural networks
   3. Auto associative memories
3. N eocortex
   1. Contains memory and allows us to predict.

                                                             a.      Skills, memory, knowledge.

1. Patterns are the currency of intelligence.
2. Memory is auto associative.

Smart People or Smart Context

 I think gifted and accelerated programs are beneficial for students who have the capability of meeting the paper/pencil testing procedures that are used to indicate those students who qualify for the program. Those students who excell in these types of testing environments benefit and that is a good thing, but how do we identify those students who may not excell under these types of testing practices. How do we identify students who excell in other areas such as art or music. Many times the first programs to take cuts are visual arts and music. Those students who are gifted in these areas may not be identified because the learning environment does not stimulate or engage those talents. In addition many students do not excell in traditional agrarian type learning environments because they find them unstimulating and they may not find their interests and talents in the traditional school setting. The traditional testing procedures identify a specific type of “gifted” student and those students are stimulated in their interests and continue to excell while non-conforming students remain in the typical classroom structure where the environement may not be as stimulating. As Aaron mentioned it is impossible to teach to every persons learning style, but de-standardized testing practices may help to identify a variety of gifts and talents that could be stimulated by using a variety of teaching methods.

My ideal learning environment or experience usually has to do with hands on activities and directed learning. I generally excell in learning environments that have demonstrations and activities intertwined with lectures. Courses that stimulate creativitiy and use activities to foster learning work best for my learning style and are environments in which I generally excell.

Smart People or Smart Contexts by Barab and Plucker

Knowing Knowledge LRND6820

1. Siemens stated that “We cannot stand alone on our own knowledge we have to aggregate with other nodes (people, content, knowledge) in order to meet the challenges of a complex information climate”

How do you stay connected and on top of current information? What nodes or external entities do you use, (people, websites, books, databases, etc.) to collect information?

As Siemens points out it is impossible to stay on top of all of the information that is available today.  Years ago if you had a question you had to hold onto that question until you could make it to the local library or if you had a set of encyclopedias you could look up little bits of information on a variety of things.  Ultimately you would forget the question and wouldn’t follow through with getting an answer. Now days I rely on everything from web 2.0, to Cha cha, to texting a friend or family member to ask if they know the answer.  I rarely go to the library but I still enjoy paging through a book and I especially enjoy getting a new periodical to page through while sitting at home on the couch.  When I want information I count on the web and I often look at the posting date to get the most current information. 

I am looking forward to creating a PLE and will use that to organize information for my thesis as well as teaching material and resources.

1. According to Siemens – Understanding that a different view exists is very different from seeing the different view. (p.34)

Talk about an experience that you’ve had that relates to this statement.

My experiences in education relates to this statement.  Since I have entered the Learning Design program at BGSU, I have read a ton of information about how we learn, different ways people learn, different ways to teach, etc.  Many of these studies and theories have been discussed and researched for centuries.  I would have to assume that some component of a teachers education addressed and discussed teaching theories and strategies. Teachers must know that people have varying learning styles yet they do not know how to teach to reach those with different learning styles.  The majority of my education has been presented in the agrarian, sage on the stage format, and many learners struggle because this format/structure was not suited to their learning style.  I guess most teachers know this, but few understand how to adapt their lessons to reach varying learning styles.

LRND6820 Understanding E-Learning

After reading and reflecting on your own ideas concerning e-learning, how would you define your own personal philosophical orientation, and how doe it effect your e-learning? Is it a “purist” acceptance of one of the philosophies outlined in the reading or is it a conglomeration of several?

  The article was a little hard to digest at first, but the personal reflection of the discussion question helped me to absorb the content.  I would have to say I am a conglomeration, and bits and pieces from each of the philosophies defines my personal philosophical orientation.  

By educating ourselves we open our minds to examine information and ideas without bias and this allows us to move from knowledge to wisdom and with this I identify with Liberal/Perennial philosophy. However, I do not believe that educators should impose their own morals and values onto their students.  Instead, present the information and let the students examine it and conclude on their own.  I am also not a huge fan of the sage on the stage presentation format. however I accept it as a reasonable form of presenting class material when organized and efficient.

The Progressive philosophy also has useful components.  For example the teacher is there to consult and to encourage.  I find this type of environment very productive. 

The philosophies I define with the least are behaviorist and radical.  The behaviorist philosophy seems to rigid and almost discouraging and the radical philosophy seems well just too radical, but I can see its use in a philosophy class.  I see the behaviourist philosophy as potentially detrimental and discouraging in the learning environment. 

Like some of the other philosophies I can accept some components of the analytical philosophy, most notably the idea of life long learning for human development.  This is especially true today and today’s technology makes life long learning easier to attain.

I can also define myself closely with the humanist philosophy and my teaching style seems to be geared in that direction.  A good part of my teaching strategy centers around group dynamics, group relations and self directed learning.  This is curious to me, because as a student I am generally shy and at times found these environment a bit intimidating. 

As an e-learner a mix of these philosophies works well.  I prefer a mix of the  liberalist, progressive, humanist and analytical philosophies.   As an e learner I want certain thing spelled out so that there is direction.  Next, give  feed back as I go, so I know if I am heading in the right direction, third, encourage a bit of self directed learning, and finally define skills and knowledge to continue my quest for knowledge. 

 2) What latest trends in e-learning or social networking do you think are more damaging to e-learning in the long run, if any?

The most damaging trends in elearning is the need to trump the latest technology.  While I fully embrace learning new technology, at times it becomes too overbearing and cumbersome and obstructs the learning process and the end goal. 

 As far as social networking there are the obvious risks of identity theft and even some safety concerns.  I think we will see more problems with this as younger generations enter the professional world.  Often times things that are posted never really go away and that could hurt some young people in the future.

Role and Function of Theory in Online Education Development and Delivery LRND 6820

Describe an online learning module that you feel was most beneficial to you. Describe one that was not (may include training or seminars online as well as online classes.
What do you feel makes a good online learning experience?

Elluminate is a great online learning module that I have used in the past. It can be useful for online, blended and face to face classes. With Elluminate you can participate in a live session, which gives you a virtual face to face experience, and if you can’t make it to the live session you can review the recorded session. You can also use it to review information that you were present for, but did not quite understand. This is great for difficult subject matter.
Dim Dim was another version of a virtual live learning, but the program did not work very well. The computer kept jumping back to the top of the text and it was difficult to follow the conversation. I would still consider it a good learning experience though, because I had the chance to see how technology can be a problem in online education.
A good online learning environment is similar to a face to face environment. Good organization of the material, a sensible flow of material, interesting material and presentation and the learner must come with an open mind for learning. Personally, I prefer some interaction and a little eye candy (graphics, images, diagrams, etc