Assessment One - Learning Design Brief

To gain a deep understanding of learning theories in this course and indeed e-learning design at the beginning of the GDLT Program is crucial.  It is helpful to have a deep understanding of the foundations of our own learning journey as flex students particularly as Moodle is our on-line classroom. Also, technology based learning is quickly becoming popular in many schools across Queensland and in order to teach it, we must understand it.

In the readings and activities we explored Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, Connectivism and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. We have been asked to learn within a learning theory framework that is built around Constructivism and Connectivism.  It is Connectivism due to the online nature of this program and that given our lives generally revolve around the World Wide Web, various information and communication technologies (ICT’s), there is knowledge and learning in the world around us.  It is Constructivism because we as students are actively seeking out new knowledge and solving problems on our own or with limited support. 

Constructivists believe that learning is personalised per individual and that no two individuals have the same learning experiences (Fasso, 2011). Further, Constructivists believe there “is an active, contextualized process of constructing knowledge rather than acquiring it,” (Learning Theories Knowledge Base, 2011). 

The Constructivist nature of the course mixes well with Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory.   According to Gardner’s theory people learn in different ways (Smith, 2002, 2008). The scaffolding nature of Constructivism and indeed the structure of the recent wiki activities have reinforced the theory that while students may learn in different ways, based on a number of different factors (including previous experiences and beliefs), teachers can support or scaffold our learning by encouraging us to think in certain ways  (Fasso, 2011).

Online learning spaces and the use of associated web-based technologies that encourage collaboration and networking have proven to be effective (University of Melbourne, 2008). Just as this course has been meaningfully designed to ensure students collaborate and feel valued in a public forum, we are also reflecting on our learnings allowing the tutor to see our thinking. This is another important component of scaffolding (Fasso, 2011).   Further, it is where ICT tools such as wiki’s and blogs can be successful. The tools are a way of engaging the learner.  In this instance I was excited about designing my own blog and spent a lot of borrowed time getting the first two weeks activities done, just so I could finish my blog!

Clark (2010) discusses Blooms Taxonomy as revised by Andersen in the mid 90’s as a classification of learning ‘steps’ from low order thinking (Remember, Understand, Apply) to critical higher order thinking (Analyse, Evaluate and Create), (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Blooms Revised Taxonomy

The revised taxonomy is a framework supported and used by educators across the world because of its focus on higher order thinking and also because it is easily understood.

In a presentation to Kurwongbah State School in 2003, Denise Tarlinton stated that “Questions at higher levels of the taxonomy are usually most appropriate for:

• Encouraging students to think more deeply and critically, 
• Problem solving,
• Encouraging discussions, and
• Stimulating students to seek information on their own.”

What would I understand about Multiple Intelligences if I was just given a document to read?  The answer would be not much. My current understanding of learning theories is a result of being given a problematic activity to solve. By participating in the Learning Theory wiki on Multiple Intelligences, I needed to analyseevaluate (higher-order thinking) the Multiple Intelligences theory in a public forum, with a partner, using a scaffolded activity (PMI).  Table 1 outlines the learning outcomes of the scaffolded activities. and

Table 1: Learning Outcomes

People are unique – as discussed by Gardner, we all learn in different ways.  Some are visual, some are auditory and some are kinaesthetic.  We need to engage in a number of activities to gain a deep understanding of information. Not only do we need to progress through the taxonomy framework, but Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999) also believe we need to collaborate with our peers and ensure the learning activity is project based and realistic. 

When in a virtual classroom, it is important to ensure these same principles are transferred to the learning (web)site. There is value in scaffolding the activities using a wiki space in e-learning.  Group activities that apply thinking routines such as PMI and de Bono’s Six Hats provide a true collaboration experience (the ‘relate’ component of Engagement Theory.) It encourages us to work with our peers to think ‘outside the box’ and impress our peers with our knowledge.  Project based wiki’s such as introducing mobile phones into schools provide the ‘create’ component of a learning activity and by having a client and an authentic purpose, i.e. our tutor and peers for an assignment provides the ‘donate’ principle. Students cannot be expected to have a deep understanding of a subject by trawling through readings and watching a few you tube videos alone. Students need to apply, analyse, evaluate and create the new knowledge in order to gain a deep understanding of it.

By creating our own Learning Design Framework we would have a "recipe" that can be changed, moulded, and selected from to underpin consistently good unit design. (Discussion forum response from W.Fasso, March 7, 2011.) When I become a teacher, my framework will:-

• Support scaffolded activities that encourage certain types of thinking,
• Support multiple intelligences, constructivist and connectivist learning theories,
• Embrace Blooms Revised Taxonomy and encourage problem solving and critical thinking,
• Embrace ICT’s as a way to engage students, and
• Incorporate engagement theory principles.

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References

Atherton, J. S. (2011). Learning and Teaching; Bloom's taxonomy. Retrieved March 15, 2011 from      http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/bloomtax.htm

Clark, D. R. (1999,2010) Blooms Taxonomy of Learning Domains. Retrieved March 8, 2011 from  

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html

Fasso, W. (2011). A Brief Overview of Learning Theory. Retrieved March 7, 2011 from CQUniversity 

e-courses, EDED20491 Active Learning.

Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: a Framework for Technology Based 

Teaching and Learning. Retrieved March 7, 2011 from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2011). Constructivism at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved March 

15, 2011 from http://www.learning-theories.com/constructivism.html.

Smith, Mark K. (2002, 2008). 'Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences', the Encyclopaedia of 

informal education. Retrieved March 14 2011 from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.

Tarlinton, D (2003) Blooms Revised Taxonomy. Retrieved March 15, 2011 from 

www.kurwongbss.eq.edu.au/thinking/Bloom/bloomspres.ppt

The University of Melbourne. (2008). Wikis, Blogs and Web 2.0 Technology. Retrieved March 14 2011 

from http://www.unimelb.edu.au/copyright/information/guides/wikisblogsweb2blue.pdf