Kolb v Siemens: Dawn of eLearning

Whenever we talk about any teaching/learning approach, applying some sort of principle to your approach is generally expected. We often tend to "stick" to a principle(s), or, for the purposes of this post, a theory(or theories) that seem to work or resonate. In (re) reading Kolb' Experiential Learning and being newly introduced to Siemens' Connectivism, I was reminded of another theory which I've referred to in other contexts involving technology application in education: Constructionism. Given the amount of creation that is going on in this class thus far, I thought it relevant to bring this theory in to this post.

Seymour Papert has used the term “constructionism” to describe the process of knowledge construction resulting from constructing objects. When learners function as designers of objects, they learn more about those objects than they would from studying about them. “Constructionism… shares contructivism’s view of learning as ‘building knowledge structures’ through progressive internalization of actions… It then adds the idea that this happens especially felicitously in a context where the learner is consciously engaged in constructing a public entity, whether it’s a sand castle on the beach or a theory of the universe” (Papert & Harel, 1991, p.1). “Because of its greater focus on learning through making rather than overall cognitive potentials, Papert’s approach helps us understand how ideas get formed and transformed when expressed through different media, when actualized in particular contexts, when worked out by individual minds. The emphasis shifts from universals to individual learners’ conversation with their own favorite representations, artifacts, or objects-to-think with” (Ackerman, 2001, p. 4).

Contextualizing instruction is important for learning, particularly in specialized fields of education. Teachers need to be able to apply their own skills and learning directly to the contexts in which they work. Teaching someone how to create a Smart Notebook lesson without considering the need to adapt such a lesson to specialized situations, like, for example, the special education classroom, can lead to inadequate applications of the technology. Additionally, technology in education often involves creating something tangible (digital or physical) for the use of others. Technology integration training often includes instruction on how to use very software or hardware, with the goal of creating (or constructing) a final product or project, whether it be a class wiki, or website, or blog.

Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning theory presents a four stage cycle of learning that considers concrete experience (doing - similar to Papert), reflective observation, abstract conceptualization (learning from experience), and active experimental (trying what was learned - also similar to Papert). According to Kolb, learning involves the acquisition of abstract concepts that can be applied in different situations. Over the course of time, we can use these situations to challenge our assumptions, thereby allowing learning to occur at the “interplay between expectation and experience” (p. 28). Every time a person experiences any sort of event, there is potential for learning to occur. One can draw connections between belief systems, reflect on the new information acquired, and apply learning in attitudes moving forward.

Siemens’ (2005) connectivism acknowledges that learning occurs outside of the individual and is influenced mainly by the learner’s connection with a wider network. So while connectivism still begins with the individual, “personal knowledge is comprised of a network, which feeds into organizations and institutions, which in turn feed back into the network, and then continue to provide learning to individual” (p. 6). Connectivsm’s knowledge cycle of knowledge involves not only individuals but their network and the organizations in which they are positioned. Connectivism lends itself to how learning occurs within the Internet and online classrooms because “We can no longer personally experience and acquire learning that we need to act. We derive our competence from forming connections” (p.4). Additionally, connectivism explores the question of not only the process of learning that occurs but the value of what is being learned. Siemens explains that “In a networked world, the very manner of information that we acquire is worth exploring” (p. 3). I believe examining the manner of how we acquire information is an important part of the learning process since there is an increase in the multiple ways that people can now access information.

I believe experiential learning theory and connectivism are not mutually exclusive since they both view learning as a process occurring within particlulr contexts. However, connectivism accounts for learning that moves beyond the individual learner by linking the individual to a network and organizations that are essentially their own unique learning objects.

References

Ackerman, E. (2001). Piaget's constructivism, Papert's constructionism: What's the difference? Future of Learning. Available: http://learning.media.mit.edu/content/publications/EA.Piaget%20_%20Papert.pdf

Kolb, D.A. (1984): Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development

Papert, S. & I. Harel (1991), Situating constructionism. Chapter 1 of Constructionism. Available: http://www.papert.org/articles/SituatingConstructionism.html.

Siemens, G. (2005) Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age

How do I learn online?

I have taken many, many, many (did I say many?) online courses, not only at TC but also at a community college and other similar training settings like Ed2Go. And I've noticed how the methods of delivery have changed over the years.

The starkest change has come in the way instructors engage their students; instructional methods seemed to start off by giving students the benefit of the doubt and trusting that they will have the capacity and fortitude to follow-up on the work without any sort of guidance or structure. Probably the one thing I believe online learners learn the hard way is how to keep motivated and on task. This “benefit of the doubt” makes it very easy for students to become silent observers... In my personal experience, if no one is actively monitoring me in some way, I found it easy to just "disappear." This unfortunately has happened to me on one or two occasions.

Nowadays, online instruction seems to heavily employ constant and consistent engagement, be it through synchronous discussions or regularly assigned discussion posts. Nowadays, it’s harder to become a fly on the wall hoping to fly away (or not!).

Now how have I used online learning to achieve my potential? Well… So while the bulk of my online learning has been for-credit courses to apply towards some degree program, there were a few instances where I sought online learning experiences strictly for edification purposes. Given my current role at the Business School, I’m tasked to be the steward in managing data requests from many constituents. Doing this well required that I learn how to obtain (query) data effectively and efficiently, as the tools that were already provided were canned reports already written by IT staff.

I turned to community college to enroll in courses that were designed for skill building. Learning how to query a database with programs such as Access and MS SQL Server were two examples, both somewhat different to each other. The former required the completion of graded homework and assignments; the latter expected students to complete examples and assignments, but ultimately – your performance on the final exam is what counted. For the former, there was some constructive feedback on my work; the latter was devoid of such feedback.

The one common element to each experience was what I believe to be the element of scaffold learning. You couldn’t move on to the next topic without mastering the prior skill.

I am also a solo student. What I mean by that is, I tend to shy away from courses (be it live or online) that require group work. I like to take complete ownership over assignments. That said, very recently I have come to appreciate group work within an online setting, and I’m not so quick to drop a course that requires group assignments. There is a ton of value in working with others, and that holds especially true given our remote/virtual lives.

Digital Minds

Technology has and continues to change us in so many ways... And I'd like to focus on communication and writing with respect to how our minds become more digital.

I remember getting my first e-mail account during my first year of college. I think my adaptation to e-mail has influenced my slight distaste for talking on the phone. I am able to pre-contemplate what I am going to say, so began communicating with all of my friends and colleagues through instant messenger. I continued to do so throughout college.

Nowadays I continue to  communicate mostly through electronic mail communications and texting. This certainly would not be as second nature to me, and I certainly wouldn’t prefer e-mail over phone communications if it were not for this technology.

Do emerging technologies focus our senses or distort them? I personally believe that technologies can focus our senses but without purposeful thought it will distort them. As I mentioned above, I prefer electronic communication. Many people prefer the voice contact because it is more personal. If I thought I was closer to someone simply because we have a lot of electronic communication , I might have a distorted view.

Despite the lack of the "personal," I think written communication has taken a giant leap. I believe that students today are much better writers than ever before. They e-mail, type letters, instant message, and text each other all the time. Even though there is slang that is used in these types of communications it is far more than they were used to writing when writing was solely done on a type writer or even pen and paper.

I would certainly say typed communications has focused our abilities to communicate effectively through written language.

Cool Things

The most beneficial part of today's class was learning to be aware of the simple (and inexpensive)things one can do to enhance learning in the classroom. It's OK to be creative with resources that are either inexpensive or, simply, ready for the trash heap (so long as these resources are safe).

Here's a cool thing...

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is the use of any method other than speech and writing to achieve functional communication. It can be used with residual speech and can be unaided or aided. Unaided communication may include gestures, signs, voice interpretation or just simply using the body. Aided devices can be either electronic or non-electronic and they are used to transmit or receive messages. Devices are further defined as low-tech and high-tech. Low tech devices are those that do not need batteries, electricity or electronics and include writing, pointing or using a communication book. High tech devices permit the storage and retrieval of electronic messages, with most allowing the user to communicate using speech output.

I would consider these systems as both instructional and adaptive technologies. I say this because:

1. they are used with individuals as alternative forms of communication other than the use of one's voice (in other words, adapting to a person's communication abilities) and
2. they can be used to teach students.

Incorporating Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems in the classroom requires a lot of planning. First, it is important for all classroom constituents (especially teachers and teacher aides) to be adept and comfortable with using the system with the student(s) so that the student gets the most use of of the educational exchange. Additionally, UDL approaches in these case can be beneficial for all students in the classroom. If other students in the classroom are made aware of the system and can hopefully use it effectively, this can improve and increase the amount of interaction with the student(s) who need the AAC.

Planning with Technology

Instead of thinking of students in categories that label abilities and success in the classroom, teachers can understand and reach their students more effectively if their strengths, challenges, and interests are considered. In addition, the incorporation of technology in teaching requires thoughtful planning and considerations.

This lecture touches upon three networks essential to learning: recognition, strategic, and affective.

Recognition networks are specialized to sense and assign meaning to patterns or objects we see or come in contact with. They enable us to identify and understand information, ideas, and concepts. “To support recognition learning, [one must] provide multiple and flexible methods of presentation” (CAST, Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age).

Strategic networks help generate and oversee mental and motor patterns. They enable us to plan, execute, and monitor actions and skills. Affective networks are dedicated to evaluate patterns and assign them emotional significance. They enable us to engage with tasks and learning and with the world around us. “To support strategic learning, [one must] provide multiple, flexible methods of expression and apprenticeship” (CAST, Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age).

Rather than falling neatly into these categories, learners differ within and across all three networks. Considering student strengths and weakness in the context of the three networks help teachers develop a more wholesome picture of their students, noticing strengths, needs, and interests that easily could be missed if students are considered in categories. “To support affective learning, [one must] provide multiple and flexible options for engagement” (CAST, Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age).

To start thinking about students’ challenges and potentials in the framework of the three learning networks, consider whether a given characteristic relates to their ability to take in information (recognition), to plan and execute actions or skills (strategy), or to connect and engage with learning (affect). Then determine whether ithat characteristic is a strength, a need, or a particular interest.

The Power of Assistive Technology

Curtis Article: Disabled Bodies, Able Minds

Curtis' article highlighted assistive technology and the role that it can play in the lives of students with special needs. It highlighted cases where technology has allowed students to advance far beyond the what people with the same disability could imagine from 25 years ago. The article introduces "DO-IT" (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) and TACLE (Technology and Augmentative Communication for Learning Enhancement) which are advocacy programs for students with disabilities. These programs help students obtain the technology that they need to communicate, move, and work through their academic lives. This technology allows students to function in a classroom on their own and even do activities that they may have never thought that they would be able to do.

Technology has brought many abilities to all students. The kinds of activities that can be done using technology is really quite amazing. This article gave us quite a number of examples, like systems that are sensitive enough to track the motion of eyes, eyebrows that can ultimately translate that into spoken word to modifying a musical instrument to be played with a joystick. Having this technology makes a world of difference to these students who may feel that they are unable to do anything on their own or accomplish anything.

A Personal Perspective on Adaptive Technology: An Interview with Dr. Richard Keller

One important aspect of this interview is understanding the difference between assistive technology and adaptive technology. I found Dr. Keller's description of adaptive technology to be an important one, as he believes in "changing the technology. Change the environment. Change the interaction" instead of changing the person with the disability. I have a more firm understanding now after hearing these points as they are brought from a personal perspective. I feel sometimes we take things for granted and maybe forget by trying so hard to "change a person with a disability" to adapt to the environment instead of changing the environment to adapt to the person's needs.

Another important aspect is when Dr. Keller talks about awareness. Awareness is an important piece that individuals must understand and appreciate when including people with disabilities in society. As a society everyone should try to make the environment as accessible as possible to include everyone and to have people with disabilities overcome any obstacles they may experience.

Dr. Keller also mentioned how many technological devices offered to people with disabilities often lack necessary training or information on how to use these devices. It is especially important to not only provide the technology, but to provide instruction and training in the use these devices.

Adapting Classrooms for AT Users: Challenges and Solutions

This presentation provided commentary by experts in the field of assistive technology as well as videos of students discussing their experiences in their schools/classrooms. The panelists stressed how it is not too complicated or challenging for teachers to make adaptations or utilize assistive technology with students who have disabilities in their classroom. The student interview videos were important as they exemplified that participation in any way is so crucial to student self-esteem.

The experts provided a wealth of information and recommendations related to assistive technology planning and use. They also pointed out that students are good at adapting on their own, so it is important for teachers and administrators to maintain open communication channels with students about assistive technology.

All constituents - students, parents, educators, administers - play an important role in this process. Teacher preparation and collaboration between all constituents and stakeholders effect successful implementation. Also, all non-technology environments should first be considered when thinking about adapting a classroom. If it is not possible to provide an inclusive learning environment without technology, then one must next consider minimal (or low-tech) technology before considering a full gamut of technology use/incorporation.