Module 1 Blog Post

Module 1 Blog Assignment

1.    What are your beliefs about how people learn best?

I believe people learn best by when given proper instructions, demonstration, and adequate practice. If you are learning how to read then you must practice your reading skills. If you are learning how to play an instrument then you must practice. When people are able to practice a skill they can learn it. I believe in the saying “Each One, Teach One”.  Meaning if someone has mastered a skill they should be able to teach someone else how to do the skill. I also believe people learn best when the learning is catered to their learning style. I have used the VARK Assessment with my students to understand their learning styles. There are many other assessments that can be used to determine how students learn.

2.    What is the purpose of learning theory in educational technology?

I think educational technology provides the tools to deliver the many different instructional strategies. Educational Technology can enhance a student’s learning experience. Learning theory is centered on the observation of changes in performance. There are a set of constructs that link the changes in performance (Driscoll, 2005). Educational Technology can be used to gather performance data that would provide the answers to the different questions about the learning process. This question can be answered in many different ways. The beauty of learning is seeing the diversity in how questions such as this can be answered.

Here are a couple other views about the purpose of learning theory in educational technology.

http://sandra-sandradykes.blogspot.com/

https://sites.google.com/a/boisestate.edu/edtechtheories/Home/emerging-theories-of-learning-and-the-role-of-technology

Reference:

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.