Module 6 Responses

For module 6, I responded to:

Roger Williams:

http://rogeronblog-roger.blogspot.com/2011/11/learning-in-digital-world.html

and

Brandy Collins:

http://bcollins-learningtheoryeducationalte.blogspot.com/2011/11/module-6-learning-in-digital-world.html

Learning in a Digital World

The nature of my profession as a filmmaker and my profession as a college professor has forced my hand in technology-based learning. Studying video production, I used technology to write, shoot, edit, and distribute my college assignments. The lack of a local graduate program to study Educational Technology has led me to take courses online, using the Internet and computer technology. This technology has affected the way I learn by creating a global network of informational sharing and collaboration. In many ways, I have become more social because of technology. When I was studying video production, I was so immersed in my work that I never spent any time face-to-face with anyone. While I was editing on the computer though, I would share my stories, and videos with filmmakers anywhere from Los Angeles to South Korea. Graduate school at Walden University has been no different. I may occasionally talk about my assignments with my neighbor, wife, or a coworker, but most communication is done online. Face-to face, I think there is a lot more empathy in learning. By observing physical cues, educators and learners can help determine problems and solutions in a personable manner. Online learning though, helps contribute to more openness in discussions and communication. I find that I contribute more to the class in an online environment instead of just keeping my head down in a face-to-face classroom. 

Regardless of face-to-face or online learning, connecting social and intellectual experiences is critical and non-negotiable in learning. Face-to-face, I always felt more dedicated to tasks and the subject matter. I could put faces to the names on the class roster and the work that was being shown. I would not communicate as much in class because I always thought someone else may have something more important to say, I did not want to sound stupid, or I did not want to hurt anybody’s feelings. Online I do not have these inhibitions, if someone finds my questions or points of view useless, they could just click on. Both ways of learning need a focus on individuality of the learner and a focus on their experiences, both social and intellectual. Online, the collaboration in blogs and discussions allow a network for social experiences to connect to our past experiences. Face-to-face, oral communication is the key to our social experiences. The use of social experiences and networking contribute to a constructivist theory of learning influenced by interaction (Jaramillo, 1996). 

Reference

Jaramillo, J. A. (1996). Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and contributions to the development of constructivist curricula. Education, 117(1), 133. 

Module 5 Responses

For module 4, I responded to:

Brandy Collins:

http://bcollins-learningtheoryeducationalte.blogspot.com/2011/11/module-5-new-technologies.html

and

April Carpenter:

http://april-carpenter.blogspot.com/2011/11/module-5-technologies.html

New Technologies

ARCS

Teaching college courses in a small department, I get to know all the students pursuing our Digital Media Arts degree. Additionally, the students get to know all four of our full-time faculty, including me. Students constantly complain to me that the other professors do not use Blackboard. They explain how easy it is to follow their schedule, access slides and video lessons, and to keep up with their grades. Why are the other professors not using it? 

They are not using Blackboard because they do not have to. I have tried to teach them how to use it and explain that students want to use it. I held a workshop and no one showed up. One of them said he had no time for it. Another one told me he was retiring in 2 years; why would he start using it now? The other one just blew me off. 

Using Keller's ARCS model described by Driscoll (2005), I could plan my attack for getting the other professors involved. Keller's model focused on attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. 

Attention

To get the other professors' attention, I could talk about all the time I have been spending with my family due to time saved at the office. All of our faculty meeting start off with everyone talking about the semester taking up all of their personal time. They have to grade and work on their lesson plans at home, because they cannot finish it all during their office hours. Talking about free time always gets their attention. A typical question I get asked at any staff or faculty meeting is, "How do you have time for that?" I work work smart, not hard. I use educational technology: Blackboard. Attention grabbed.

Relevance

The relevance to the other faculty is that they want free time too. They know what it is like to enjoy off time, and learning Blackboard can help. 

Confidence

I would show them how easy the software is to use, by showing them how I create tests, perform my grading, and link other online resources. I would have them set up one of their classes using Blackboard to see how easy it is. 

Satisfaction

After setting up the class and inputting a small amount of data, I would show the professors grade reports and summaries that usually take hours and a calculator to perform without Blackboard. Here they would start seeing the benefits of Blackboard and satisfy their yearning for more free time.

Resource

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