Fitting the Pieces Together

Seven weeks ago in my initial blog post I felt that the Constructivist theory of learning seemed to encapsulate how I learned. I liked how Constructivists placed a major role on how we interact with what we learn and how individuals create meaning from his or her own experiences (Ertmer & Newby, 1993).

Now that I have arrived in week seven of this course, and have had time to explore the learning theories and styles on a deeper level, my thinking about how I learn has slightly changed. I still see great value in the Constructivist theory of learning. However, I now see how the Constructivist viewpoint cannot support all thinking and learning. In the Bill Kerr Blog, I learned that each “ism” (Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, etc..) offers something useful but none can stand alone in their own right (Kerr, 2007). I think there is a lot of truth in this, and I now believe that how and what I learn are factors that cannot be ignored when considering a theory that represents the learning. For example, perhaps when I memorize something I am using the Behaviourist theory and when I am problem-solving I use the constructivist theory or a combination of the two.

As new technologies emerge, the way I access, interact with, and use information changes. Although, I am not convinced that Connectivism is an actually learning theory. It is certainly true that each day I establish more “connections” in my learning network. As those “connections” prove to provide me with the sought after instruction, I rely on them more and more.

I use technology to collect information and to relay information in a variety of ways. I no longer just look up websites to find answers. Now I have wikis, blogs, videos, podcasts, applications, and social networks that provide me with a constant barrage of information. As I become more adept in using this technology, I also become better at sorting out how the technology can be used to actually improve my life and not just be the next new thing to distract me.

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50–71.

Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). _isms as filter, not blinker [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html