Category: edci335

Question: Consider the learning environment for your current design. What potential barriers can be reduced or eliminated to provide more pathways for learner success?

The learning environment for my group’s current design is google classroom. We chose this because it is diverse in that we can assign assignments with due dates while being able to receive submissions. If you have used google classroom you know it’s pretty user-friendly with easily accessed features. The topic is healthy cooking, which is a harder thing to present online vs in person.

One thing we can do is make sure that we are providing concise but clear instructions on what we want the learner to do, that could be having step by step layout or an assignment tracker for due dates.

Many people have trouble seeing what the benefits are of using technology to learn so having learning outcomes (benefits) at the beginning of the resources will be helpful in seeing the whole picture of what is in store!

Creating assignments or tasks that are easy to do. Originally I had an idea to get the learner to send in a video of them cooking a meal, however, that may not be the best strategy for everyone as even I (who has used technology quite a bit over the past years) have trouble uploading something like that.

Creating an open channel of communication with the learner is also vital to their success in the learning outcomes. This could be in many different forms for example email, mattermost or on google classroom. Giving an option of different forms is also helpful as some people might not be willing to set up a mattermost account and would rather email as they know how to access that communication and use it with ease.

Finally creating activities that are not only learning-focused but fun to do! Sometimes online learning can be so tedious as there are a million different things to do and it gets not only confusing but boring. Creating fun little quizzes or brain-break activities can keep the learner engaged for longer while still learning. Or even just presenting the information in a fun and creative will make such a difference in the long run, not only with the learning of the current topic but they may be willing to pursue future online learning opportunities.

Topic: Cooperative learning

Cooperative learning is group work where there are small groups that are used to maximize both their own and each other’s learning. (Brame & Biel 2015). Just like in most classes throughout middle school, high school, and university, you will encounter some form of a group project. This is cooperative learning and has many benefits, one of which is that others can strengthen your learning when working together to solve problems.

This form of learning can be used at all different levels to create small groups of learners and have them work through a task together. The learning method “think-pair-share” used in classrooms is one of my favourites. It allows students to think on their own, then share with a buddy that they are comfortable with, and then finally share with the whole group, where others can then see other people’s opinions. This approach is often after a teacher uses Tell and Ask and then gets the students to think for themselves similar to Do as they have to do their own thinking and reflecting, and then their sharing with both their peers and large group is Show because they are showing what their knowledge is of the topic or question (Merril 2018). Small groups are fantastic because it is less daunting for children who may not be ready to share with the whole class quite yet, but still be heard and comfortable.

Having goals is important when deciding if this learning method is a good choice for the task and information at hand. Thinking through ideas such as, who will work best with who, what conclusion I want the students to come to, and how big of a group size should they be … etc. Having these goals can contribute to the method to stay on task and get what you want the learners to get out of the form of learning.

In terms of the three learning methods from the last blog post, cooperative learning falls into the category of constructivism. Working together as a group creates new learning opportunities as people think through ideas differently and can share different opinions, causing others to think from new perspectives.

Cooperating in groups also teaches basic life skills by interacting with peers in a learning setting. I think cooperative learning is a fantastic way of involving more learning methods for students as they learn in different ways. With this being said, I believe that a number of different learning methods should be taught, not only for maximizing students learning, but allowing them to learn which method works best for them so that they can learn to the best of their abilities in the future.

Sources:

Merrill, M. D. (2018). Using the First Principles of Instruction to Make Instruction Effective, Efficient, and Engaging. In R. E. West, Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology: The Past, Present, and Future of Learning and Instructional Design Technology. EdTech Books. Retrieved from https://edtechbooks.org/lidtfoundations/using_the_first_principles_of_instruction

Brame, C.J. & Biel, R. (2015). Setting up and facilitating group work:
Using cooperative learning groups effectively. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved from http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/setting-up-and-facilitating-group-work-using-cooperative-learning-groups-effectively/.

Question: Describe an example from your life of when you were taught using each method described in this article: behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism. 

The behavisorim method example I will focus on is when I learned to row in a scull. In the summer of 2020, I decided to learn how to row to get into sports again. It was a completely unnatural instinct for me to be going backwards on the water. This new skill had to be broken down into basic steps, using “instructional cues, practice and reinforcement” (Ertmer & Newby, 1993). I first started out being taught the concepts behind rowing, such as the movement of the boat and the oars and after the concepts were discussed, I went on a rowing machine that sits on the dock to get a feel for the oar in the water. I started every practice on the dockside rower before going out on the water to deepen my understanding. For this whole learning process, there were plenty of cues, practice and reinforcement used in the behaviourism learning method. 

In university, students are constantly using the cognitivism method in their learning. This blog post is a great example, we are being asked to reflect on what we just learned to see deeper into the topic and make connections. Any time we are moving through the cognitive method, we are expanding on what we just learned to understand it, because “knowledge does not equal understanding” (second vid).

One approach to the constructivsm method is learning in pairs and teaching one another, which I have done in the swimming pool. I loved doing this with my peers in the water because while watching someone else do a skill such as a flip-turn (somersault), I would give them feedback and then when giving that feedback I can apply it to myself too, and critically think if I needed to fix that as well. This method helps see the learning from an alternative view and therefore helps you learn in a different way. 

I believe that not only one method helps a person learn, but it can differ for different areas of learning. Learning these methods will help in deciding which learning method helps me best, and which learning methods I can use to strengthen understanding when teaching someone. 

Sources:

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. (1993). Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism. Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology, Chapter 11. 

SmarterEveryDay. (2016). The Backwards Brain Bicycle- Smarter Every Day 133. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0.