EDUC 8845 Module 5 Blog - Affective Learning Theory

It is indeed safe to assume that one will encounter people in the workplace who have low self-efficacy in experimenting with new technologies. In my own workplace, when our school transitioned over to a new technology-based method of teaching, there was much resistance, namely by those who had no secure comfort zone when it came to utilizing technology on a daily basis. The attitudes these people exhibited were those of initial insecurity, which instantly became attitudes of rejection, criticism of the new model, and doubt of the entire program. Their behaviors were very elusive; people who did not feel secure with the new program were very negative and even began to refuse to utilize the new program and relied heavily upon the traditional models of teaching instead of the new technology-infused models.

Using Keller’s ARCS model, I could change the motivation of these people to encourage to success. I could gain their attention and demonstrate the relevance of the new model by actually demonstrating the model in a live, real classroom from our school. In this fashion, the teachers who were not comfortable can be persuaded in a more positive way by visually and hands-on observing how it would work and perhaps see the utility in the process. Confidence could be endowed upon the teachers by providing a “training wheel” of sorts. By this, I mean that in-class assistance could be utilized to show the teacher how to specifically implement the model in their classroom, first by a trainer doing the process, then gradually weaning the teacher into the process with a training wheel, then finally, once the teacher is confident, allowing them to successfully move forward and explore and learn on their own. Of course, there would be mistakes to be made in the future, but the ideas of the new model would no longer be rejected and it is through the mistakes that the ultimate learning would take place.

Responses were posted to:
http://janedewitt.blogspot.com/
&
http://carollee387.blogspot.com

Educ 8845 Module 1 Blog

Topic:
What are your beliefs about how people learn best? What is the purpose of learning theory in educational technology?

Response:
People learn best when the learning takes place on a need to know basis. By this, I mean that only necessary information or wanted information is truly learned. All other means of intaking information are simply stored as facts or bits of knowledge. True learning exists in a classroom for example when a student sees a problem and requests special information to deal with said problem. In life, when one enters a foreign country, true learning comes about of new languages, cultural norms, etc. as a matter of need to survive.

The purpose of learning theory in educational technology is to serve as a solid foundation. Learning theory is to be the basis of all actions taken in an educational technology environment. Learning theory supports educational technology in that as technology is being utilized to enhance an educational environment, virtual or real, learning theory serves as the scaffold along the way. As new technologies improve the learning/educational environment, learning theory is being proven, tested, and enhanced. As Siemen states, "boundaries are being tested."

Two colleagues whose views I found insightful and interesting are:
http://digitalworldlearning.blogspot.com
http://charlottevaughn.blogspot.com