Reflection

 Reflection

 

According to Schmit & Gallegos, “distance delivery is, and will continue to have an impact on education in the years to come”. In the future distance learning will be widely accepted a lot more than it is in the present time. In the job market now, when employers see your degree was obtained online they tend to be a little skeptic about hiring you but I believe as time goes on those issues will not be a factor.

Times definitely have changed from having to rearrange your schedule in order to accommodate going to school full time and putting your job on hold or cutting work hours just to meet the demands of being a full time student. Situations such as that will slowly become a thing of the past within the next 5, 10 to 20 years. People will still have the opportunities to have their educational needs met but will have the advantage of being able to maintain their busy lifestyles (work, family and school) and have access to their courses anytime, anywhere. As pointed out by Dr. Siemens pointed out, students find that online learning is “a preferable medium of learning” (Siemens, G. because students will develop a sense of comfort and naturally take to the environment. How can you as an instructional designer be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning?

Ways I can contribute to improving societal perceptions of distance learning is by first designing an online learning experience that will ease doubts, fears, and frustrations about online courses being too difficult. When students get the perception that distance learning is hard, it makes them lose their drive and motivation to participate in course (s).

The next thing I would consider in my design would be taking the constructivist approach. The course should be “relevant, interactive, project-based and collaborative, while providing learners with some choice or control over their learning”(Jeep-Kim, K. & Bonk C.J., 2012).

I could definitely be a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education because I can use the experience gained through this degree program and provide suggestions and ideas on what would make the online learning experience more effective for the learners that come after me. As an instructional designer, you have to put yourself in the mindset of the learner and think of how you would want to be taught the content. Once you have obtained that, apply the concept to your design.

 

 

References

Jeep-Kim, K. & Bonk C.J., (2012) The future of online teaching and learning in higher

Education. Retrieved from: .http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/TheFutureofOnlineTeachingandLe/157426

Schmidt, E., & Gallegos, A. (2001). Distance learning: Issues and concerns of distance learners. Journal of Industrial Technology, 17(3). Retrieved from http://atmae.org/jit/Articles/schmidt041801.pdf

 Siemens, G. (2010). The Future of Distance Education. [Video Presentation]  Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved from:https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2095296_1%26url%3D.

 

Converting to a Distance Learning Format

This post discusses steps that should be taken when coming from the traditional learning environment and transitioning to a blended or hybrid approach to learning. Essentially the instructional methods are similar but the structure needs to be restructured a bit to accommodate the environment conducive to online learning. In order to convert to the online format effectively, learning has to be student-centered; therefore the student can actively participate and take responsibility for their own learning process.

 

Scenario: Consider the following scenario: A training manager has been frustrated with the quality of communication among trainees in his face-to-face training sessions and wants to try something new. With his supervisor’s permission, the trainer plans to convert all current training modules to a blended learning format, which would provide trainees and trainers the opportunity to interact with each other and learn the material in both a face-to-face and online environment. In addition, he is considering putting all of his training materials on a server so that the trainees have access to resources and assignments at all times.

 

Question 1:

What are some of the pre- planning strategies the trainer needs to consider before converting his program?

 

Some  pre-planning strategies the training manager could consider using in making the transition from face-to-face to a blended format is to re-vamp his approach from teacher-led to student centered instruction in order to promote and increase student motivation, active learning and trainee interaction. He should also use resources that provide visual representation such as streaming video, slide share, prezi, Google docs, etc. He would also want to illustrate important concepts and topics through the use of a discussion forum so that the trainees can interact and collaborate with each other.

It is definitely important in pre-planning to make sure the trainees have the materials they need in order to make the transition from F2F to online learning so that the process does not become frustrating for them. Technology is the primary source in online learning so it would be beneficial for him to remember to have a backup plan just in case something goes wrong. Alternative means of communication should be offered through phone, fax and email addresses.

While discussing communication efforts, taking time to get to know the trainees interests and finding out what they need to learn from the training goes a long way. According to the text “knowing the students and their interests or needs will help the instructor plan useful learning experiences to ensure transfer of learning” (Simonson, M., et al., 2012).

Question 2:

What aspects of his original training program could be enhanced in the distance learning format?

Initially, the training manager was very frustrated with the lack of communication amongst trainees within the F2F format, therefore he needs to consider re-evaluating his instructional approach and think of some strategies to engage his trainees. Outlined below are steps that could be taken that would assist him and they include:

Ø       Creating a learning community where he and his trainees “must take an active role in the development of a collegial learning situation” (Simonson, M., et al., 2012).

Ø       Including icebreaker activities as a means for learner interaction, so that they can get to know each other. According to the text “by gaining knowledge about each member of the class, the opportunities for communications and collaborations are enhanced” (Simonson, M., 2012).

Question 3:

How will his role, as trainer, change in a distance learning environment?

 

His role would change from being a face-to-face instructor or traditional lecturer; to becoming more of a facilitator. This is because more responsibility will be placed on the learner. He also needs to:

Ø       Make sure goals, objectives and expectations are clearly aligned and trainee have an understanding of them.

Ø       Be there as a source of guidance for the trainees to facilitate them through the process.  According to Dr. Piskurich “each learner learns at their own pace and in their own way” (Laureate Education,  n.d), so as a facilitator it is important to keep that in mind because everyone will not work at the same level.

Ø       Provide them with various tools and resources

 

Question 4:

What steps should the trainer take to encourage the trainees to communicate online?

 

Steps that could be taken to encourage the trainees to communicate online with each other are:

Ø       Having them participate in discussion board activities and work in small groups. Using the discussion forum gives learners the format to communicate with each other regularly and discuss various topics. Even learners that are usually more passive in the F2F environment feel comfortable participating in discussions because they don’t have the feeling of intimidation and feel more confident about expressing themselves.

Ø       Developing a tool such as a Wiki or a blog where students can collaborate on assignments, share points of views, ideas and resources.

 

 

 

 

References

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., Zvacek, S., (2012) Teaching and Learning

At a distance. Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) p. 194-205. Pearson education Inc.

 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.). Facilitating Online Learning [Video Presentation]. Baltimore, MD. Dr. George Piskurich and Jacqueline Chauser.

 

 

Open Courses

Application: The Impact of Open Source Week 5

 

In order to fully understand this assignment, I needed to examine what exactly and Open Course was. Its defined as “free educational software that’s maintained by users who implement, even modify, and ultimately support their systems to meet local, specific needs” (Simonson, M., et al. 2012). Out of the open course sites provided I chose to look deeper at Yale University’s courses. Their program is designed for people that  are not seeking a degree or certificate but are self-directed, life-long learners. The courses are optional and the learner is not required to register.

The African American history course taught by Professor Johnathon Holloway caught my interest the most. Looking at the course; the layout was organized very well for each session lecture. The sessions included recorded video lectures and each one was specified by time frames and  events that took place within those times. Chapter readings and other resources were also provided with each lecture and you also had the ability to playback the parts you needed. This course appears to be carefully pre-planned and designed for the distance learning environment because learners taking the course are already self- disciplined and motivated to seek additional knowledge on the topic of African America history. They can also structure their own learning process by using the course resources  and remixing the course content  breaking it down into strategies that can help them to understand it. The syllabus is a great tool to assist in planning and design. It is the  “glue that holds the course or learning experience together” (Simonson. M., et al. 2012)  because it gives a clear outline and understanding of what the course is about before making the decision to take it and the learner would also know what kinds of materials and resources would be needed to start the class. The grading and course requirements are outlined as well so the student knows what is expected of them.

At the beginning of each session there’s an overview. It consist of the content the professor covers throughout the recorded lecture. A transcript is also provided so the learner can  read through and take notes if necessary. An audio or mp3 version is also available. This can be downloaded to an iPod or mp3 device.

These courses seem similar to the “talking head” approach to distance learning by using prerecorded media because Holloway is giving the lecture in the classroom setting and the learner has reading material, self-help and video resources for independent study to go along with the lesson. The course layout was very basic and fairly easy to follow but I am not sure if it follows the recommendations for online instruction according to the text because opportunities are not provided for students to become actively engaged and there is no interaction. It’s like having the F2F classroom where the instructor is talking the whole time and there is no opportunity to participate.

In this particular open course site setup there were no activities that could maximize active learning for students because the format is geared more toward self -help but what students could do to maximize their learning experience is create strategies of their own to assist in active learning.

 

 

 

Resources

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., Zvacek, S., (2012) Teaching and learning at a distance. (5^th e.d.). p. 162

Yale University, (2012) Open Yale Courses. African American history: from emancipation to present. Retrieved from: http://oyc.yale.edu/african-american-studies

 

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

 

In this scenario there is a high school History Teacher located on the west coast of the U.S. and wants to show her students new exhibits from two New York City museums by way of virtual tours where the students also are able to interact with the museum curator.

As a novice designer, I would have to make sure the method of learning is student centered “ because it so strongly promotes active learning, collaboration, mastery of the course material, and student control over the learning process” (Simonson, M., et al. 2012). The hybrid/blended learning approach would most likely be the best choice to use in this situation because students will be able to view and participate in the presentation and gather together back in the classroom to collaborate and critique. They would use a web conferencing software tool such as Blackboard Collaborate or Elluminate which “provides an online learning environment with Voice over Internet Protocol (Vo IP), video and collaboration options that allow teachers and students to interact as if face-to-face” (Laureate Edu., 2013). It can also be integrated into CMS’s such as Schoology. Using this CMS the instructor will be allowed to “adapt students learning strengths, differentiate instruction and easily develop new methods of instruction” (Schoology, 2013) as well as get her students to think and question things on a higher level, spark debate and increase participation. Within the museum tour the Curator will be able to interact with the student while giving the tour virtually and they will be able to get instant feedback to questions as well as participating actively in the session as if they were actually there. “Participants are also able to draw, write, and collaborate on the displayed content simultaneously” (Blackboard Collaborate, 2013).

Since Blackboard Collaborate can be used in conjunction with Schoology, this helps in boosting student engagement because the teacher can post pictures of the two pieces of artwork that she had chosen for the critique and the students can respond to what they see via instant messaging among each other. Then once the learners return to class within the face to face environment, the discussion can be continued and they can form their groups to critique the two art pieces the teacher had posted for them to talk about.

 

 

 

 

References

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Blackboard Collaborate, (2013) Sharing content in a web conferencing session. Video Presentation.

                Retrieved from: http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Collaborate/Resources/Recorded-Demos.aspx

Laureate Education,  (2013) Menu of technologies.  Discussion technologies. Video Presentation

                Retrieved from: https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2095296_1%26url%3D

Schoology, (2013)  Schoology’s teacher tools.

                Retrieved from: https://www.schoology.com/classroom-management.php

Mind Map

Defining Distance Learning Mind Map

Prezi link:

http://prezi.com/ivhldkca8e99/copy-of-distance-learning/?kw=view-ivhldkca8e99&rc=ref-28805207

Defining Distance Learning

Week 1 Application

 

The actual definition of distance learning is an “institution based, formal education where the learning group is separated and where interactive telecommunications are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors” (Simonson, M., et al 2012). My definition of distance learning is being able to have access to courses and learning material from a remote location. Also having the ability to communicate via email, phone, or through online discussion forum.

In my experience as a distance learner I’ve been exposed to three types of distance learning. The first was a hybrid course during my undergrad studies about 13 years ago. I was able to have the F2F instruction from the professor for part of the course and the other part of the course was to be completed online. With this format you get the best of both worlds because you have the instructor to guide you along if you encounter any issues and it allowed for more flexibility, but one of the drawbacks was that it meant having more work and making sure to meet the requirements for weekly F2F class time and log in time outside the classroom.

The second experience I had was through synchronous learning. All of the courses were online so there was a lot more flexibility than hybrid but with this format the class was scheduled to meet at specific times and days. There was also the use of video conferencing and instant messaging with the instructor and classmates; this was a great idea for participation and engagement but when having to meet a specified times it could conflict with work schedules and be an issue for students in different time zones. In my case it began to conflict with my work schedule and family at the time.

The last approach I took to distance learning was the asynchronous format here at Walden. Out of them all, this one is best suited for me because I am able to work on my own time, participate in discussions where I’m able to formulate my thoughts when responding, unlike the synchronous approach where you are chatting live and others seem to overpower the discussion.

The definition of distance learning is always changing because DL is going to continue to evolve. There will always be ways to make improvements as technology continues to change.

In looking at the history and evolution of DL, it started out with correspondence study stemming way back at least 160 years ago, then eventually evolving into audio recordings, teleconferencing, video conferencing, computer technology and the internet, even the use of mobile devices. “Distance education provides the opportunity to widen intellectual horizons, as well as the chance to improve and update professional knowledge. Further, it stresses individuality of learning and flexibility in both time and place of study” (Simonson, M., et al. 2012).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at   a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Cost and Allocation of Resources

The first site I found to be helpful in gathering information on cost and allocation of resources is: http://www.cognitivedesignsolutions.com/Information/ProjectMgt.htm#Build. Since the "costs are compromised of all the resources to carry out a project"(Cognitive Design Solutions, 2003), the goals are to first estimate the costs by developing approximate tasks and/or resources that are needed; next is to define and share cost information, and lastly prepare to manage costs by tracking them to make sure you stay within budget.

As for managing resources tou have to track the progress on tasks, identify and resolve allocation problems and manage shared resources to make sure the project is cost effective and flexible as possible.

The second site I found is: http://university.uog.edu/cals/people/pubs/mgt/f217.pdf. The article is called "Understanding, Allocating, and Controlling Overhead Costs". It discusses ways to control overhead costs by departmentalizing and performing a break even analysis.


References

Kenkel, P., (n.d.). Understanding, allocating, and controlling overhead costs. Oklahoma State University.

Cognitive Design Solutions, (2003). Project management. retrieved from: http://www.cognitivedesignsolutions.com/Information/ProjectMgt.htm#Build

Effective Communication

   

Email

The email just gave the basic information of what needed to be done in order to meet the deadline. It was written with a very professional tone and got straight to the point.

Written communication such as emails should start with a clear purpose, keep a respectful and business friendly tone and should also be used a backup to live communications so that there is no misinterpretations to what was said.

Voicemail

The VM included the same information as the email. The speaker’s tone was very nice and they were very specific about what they needed without being rude.

Face to Face

With this method of communication the person is very professional she smiles she’s calm and looks to gain eye contact with the other party to let them know it’s a serious matter that requires a sense of urgency and needs to be taken care of. According to Dr. Stolovich its best to deliver important information live and with all of the people present.

References

Laurete Education Inc., (2012). Communicating with stakeholders (Video Presentation) Presented by Dr. Stolovich.

Project Yearbook

At the beginning of the school year I was given the project of teaching a yearbook class to a group of 12 eighth grade students. The goal was for them to design and create the yearbook for the school year, under my direction. I was given the project because the person that originally had this task of putting the book together suddenly quit and left the school. They did not ask me if I wanted to do it they basically told me I was doing it. I was chosen to take over because I had a fairly strong background in graphic design so they thought those skills would make the transition easier for the students and that the book would be completed in a timely manner... I basically went into this assignment blind because I had no knowledge of the software they were using or how to add photos, articles or anything for that matter. I was very nervous at first because I did not know how I was going to teach this course to a group of kids and I wasn’t familiar with the software at all.

 I had about a week to familiarize myself with the software and learn the functions. There were video tutorials included so that I could grasp the concept of how to use the program but it did not cover every detail, it covered just enough for basic navigation. I began to navigate different places within the site myself and learn the functions on my own in order to become more advanced in using it.

When the time came to start the course with the students I had learned quite a bit about the program, at least being confident enough to instruct a class on it. I was beginning to show them how to create various page layouts, insert article, and activity photos. I had a student who was doing a layout for grade level photos and she asks me “Ms. Wright how do I insert these photos because I’m not allowed to click and drag them like the others?” I’m thinking to myself, that’s a function I did not learn how to do yet. To assist her in solving that problem I went back to my computer and quickly viewed the tutorial on that function and went back over to the student and helped her navigate through adding the grade level photos.

In looking back at the course, things that contributed to its success even though it was a last minute project for me I still found a way to get through it by planning lessons for the students, assigning them specific roles and duties to make them feel as though they were a major part of the process, and learning the program. Also if I failed at this I would fail them and I didn’t want to be responsible for doing that.

Artifacts that were not included in the process that could have been were, providing more visual presentations to assist in the understanding of the software to the students. They had to learn it just as I did so for instructional tools I could have used the tutorials and created activities to assist them in learning verses me just giving direct instruction.

Distance Learning and Interactive Tours

Scenerio:


A high school history teacher, located on the west coast of the United States, wants to showcase to her students new exhibits being held at two prominent New York City museums. The teacher wants her students to take a "tour" of the museums and be able to interact with the museum curators, as well as see the art work on display. Afterward, the teacher would like to choose two pieces of artwork from each exhibit and have the students participate in a group critique of the individual work of art. As a novice of distance learning and distance learning technologies, the teacher turned to the school district’s instructional designer for assistance. In the role of the instructional designer, what distance learning technologies would you suggest the teacher use to provide the best learning experience for her students?



Suggestions:


As the instructional designer in a scenerio such as the one stated above; I would suggest using a technology that is very user friendly, inexpensive and something that students can actively participate in with their classmates. The course reading states , "taking tthe time to develop good visual media will enhance the quality of the learning experience" (Simonson, M. et. al., 2012). One of the programs I chose is called Prezi. This program comes at a small cost but there is a free trial with this  that gives you the feel of its features and allows you the opportunity to create your own presentation. A summary of the features include:

• The ability to zoom in close or pan out for better visualization of your ideas and concepts
• Being able to import images, youtube videos, PDF's and other types of media
• Adding a story line to go along with visuals
• Collaborating with peers in real-time
• The ability to present on and offline
• Customizable themes

This technology would be very beneficial in this situation because the presentation would be very professional, outline and emphasis key points and provide the opportunity for student critiques.

Features and interactive example:

Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gCmL0P5RNA


Another technology that can be used in combination with Prezi is Skype education. With this program students are allowed to communicate via video and voice conferencing as well as through instant messages. By using these two programs in conjunction with each other, students will be able to effectively communicate with the curator and they will become actively engaged in the learning process.


References


Simonson, M., et. al., (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) p. 159


Youtube, (2009). Prezi Demo 2. retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gCmL0P5RNA




One more technology I would like to share is called The Docent Tour, I I saw the video and thought it was pretty intriguing:

retrieved from: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeLuDol1XVo

Distance Learning continued

Distance learning is defined as a method of education where the learner is physically separate from the teacher (Simonson, M., et. al. 2012). The potential benefits of distance learning as an online student is having the ability to be flexible and work at my own pace. Although I am not in the traditional classroom setting, I can utilize various resources and effectively communicate with the instructor and classmates. In regards to benefits and opportunities within the k-12, higher education and corporate training; this method of learning has emerged through virtual schools, mentoring and tutoring, interactions with outside experts through the use of video or telephone conferencing and professional development courses.

Even though there are many benefits to this form of learning; there are also some challenges. People have very different learning styles and some are not able to learn effectively through distance learning alone and still require the traditional classroom methods. “Problems and barriers encountered by the student fall into several distinct categories; costs and motivators, feedback and teacher contact, student support and services, alienation and isolation, lack of experience, and training”( Galusha, J., 2008).

References

Galusha, J.M., (2008). Barriers to learning in distance education. Retrieved from: http://www.infrastruction.com/barriers.htm

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson. Chapter 2, "Definitions, History, and Theories of Distance Education" (pp. 32–41).

Distance Learning

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Reflections

Throughout this course I have learned quite a bit about how I obtain knowledge. Before this course I wasn’t familiar with the different learning theories and what they meant or how they applied to me but now my understanding has changed a great deal. Something that I found surprising in reference to how people learn was when I was able to identify myself as more of a constructivist type of learner versus before where I would just say im a visual learner or I learn more with hands on activities. As a constructivist you learn from everyday life experiences and are able to contribute what you learned to elaborate on something new and it goes along with being hands on as well as visual therefore this theory striked me because I thought it appealed to me a lot more than the behaviorist or cognitivist theory.

This course has deepened my understanding of my own personal learning process in a way that now that I know what my learning process is it helps me as a student by implementing different techniques in making sure that I am able to learn and understand information. It also helps me as an instructor because I have a much better understanding than before of the different ways students learn and how to appeal to the different learning styles as well as keeping my students motivated. There has to be a balance between the use of the theories and there should be bits and pieces taken from each one to achieve effective instruction.

As for things I can take from this course regarding the different learning theories, styles, educational technology and motivation pertain to how these factors are beneficial and important to us. In reference to the theories and styles, they are a huge benefit because it helps us to identify ways in which we learn and how it can be used to help others that could be different from you as well has how it can be beneficial within the instructional design field. In educational technology and motivation, I became acquainted with the term connectivism which is a learning theory geared toward the digital age as well as the term andragogy which has to do with adult learning, it is stated as the art and science of how adults learn. With that being said those two terms are connected because they represent a new style of learning which is through new digital technology as well as the use of social networks and the ability for adults to learn at their own pace the use of online classrooms and last but not least the factors that motivates adults to learn and they consist of; the need for instant feedback, having the control of their learning (learning at their own pace) and the need to advance themselves career wise or for personal educational gain.

In conclusion what I have learned in this course will help me further my career as an instructional designer in many ways because I will be able to utilize what I have learned to design instruction that uses effective strategies and motivational techniques to boost learner engagement and success.

References

Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K. (2003). Adult learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from: http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Adult_Learning

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.

Reference Info

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.

Fitting the pieces together

Before this course I was not very familiar with what learning theories were or how they worked but now as this course is nearing completion, I have learned a great deal about how we learn. In the beginning I described myself as a constructivist learner (learning from prior experiences and relating it to new knowledge as well as being hands on). I still think of myself in that way but I also think it could be a combination of the different theories we discussed because there are bits and pieces that could be taken from the different theories to assist in the learning process.

What I learned about the different theories and what distinguishes them from each other is how learning occurs within each one. For instance:

·         Behaviorist associate learning with response to stimuli

·         Cognitivist relate learning to receiving, storing and organizing information

·         Constructivist learn through past experiences and are actively engaged

·         Social learners learn through modeling, imitating and observing

Connectivism is a term that was brand new to me before this course and now that I am familiar with it I know how it’s applied. It’s used through technologies such as social networks and communication and it is also used in classrooms by the use of smart boards as well as online training courses on the job. Another aspect to the learning theories is Adult Learning. This allows learning to be self directed and self motivated. As an adult learner it’s useful and beneficial to me because I have the flexibility to go at my own pace and the ability to balance work, family and advancing myself educationally.

Reflections on Connectivism and Learning



1.     How has your network changed the way you learn?

It has changed the way I learn because there are so many resources

that can be accessed as an Instructional Design student and helps

with obtaining mastery within the field.

2.     Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?

In this case, what helps me to facilitate learning is to use the Instructional

design blog sites, e-books, and using resources in the e-library.

Other outside sources that assist in facilitating learning could be

Twitter or Google buzz.

Those would be more within the social realm and they are great

Forums to discuss and reflect on topics of interest.

3.     How do you gain new knowledge by asking questions?

You gain knowledge by asking questions because it helps you get a

clear perspective on whatever the issue may be. It assist in checking

understanding and broadening your knowledge.

4.     In what ways does your personal learning network support or refute the central tenets of connectivism?

My personal learning networks support the central tenets of connectivism

because there is an opportunity to appeal to people all around the world and share

experiences, strategies, skills as well as ideas.

Connectivism Map

 

 

 

 

 

Connectivism: Learning Theory for the digital age.

1. Social Networks

1.1. Facebook

General networking site

1.2. Twitter

General / social blog

1.3. Black planet

1.4. LinkedIn

Business and professional networking

1.5. Classmates.com

High school. college, military social networking

2. Education and Learning Networks

2.1. Teachstreet

Education / Learning / Teaching

2.2. Academia.edu

Social networking site for academics/researchers

2.3. Instructional Design Blogs (helpful links)

www.iddblog.org

www.upsidelearning.com

michaelhanley.ie