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Teaching with Technology Week 1 Reflection

The key concepts I learned in week 1 are the learning theories, which are constructivism, connectivism, and cyborg theory. Cyborg theory is based on an idea of machine merging with human. The idea seemed far fetched to me because I’ve only seen this in sci-fi movies, but when I saw the video on YouTube of Keven Warwick and his implants of computer chips in his arm I saw the possibility of it’s use. Warwick explained how he could control things with his arm being connected to a computer. Although Warwick focused on the chip being implanted in the brain in the future I can see this tool opening up a world of possibilities with paraplegics and other handicapped people today. I had a student few years ago in my art class who was in special wheelchair because he had severe neurological problem. He had difficulty controlling his limbs and he also had severe speech problem. He relied on his aid to do almost everything. With this cyborg technology he could be more independent and be able to communicate more. Connectivism is based on the idea that learners create connections between resources of information. Learning is built through networks. George Siemens explains that knowledge is gained internally through brain in typical instructional environment, but learning does not stop there. Learning is a continual process. We also learn externally through experiences such as in social interactions and technology-based databases. Constructivism theory is based on the premise that learners begin with individual’s base-line knowledge about a subject. New information is gained from variety of sources such as instruction, reading, hearing, or collaborating. Learners construct new knowledge by adding to the base-line knowledge. Constructivist model considers “learning to be an individual and personal event [1] .” Learning happens through experiences and social interactions. Constructivism encourages project-based learning that supports problem solving skills with encouragement in creativity. “In a constructivist classroom, students are more actively involved than in a traditional classroom. They are sharing ideas, asking questions, discussing concepts, and revising their ideas and misconceptions… Constructivist teachers encourage student inquiry by asking thoughtful, open-ended questions and encouraging students to ask questions of each other. The questions are designed to challenge students to look beyond the apparent, delve into issues deeply and broadly, and form their own understandings. [2] ” Integrating the Web 2.0 tools such as wiki, blogs, Google tools as part of instruction would encourage student learning to be interactive and social. “What is now known about learning provides important guidelines for uses of technology that can help students and teachers develop the competencies needed for the twenty-first century. Because many new technologies are interactive (Greenfield and Cocking, 1996), it is now easier to create environments in which students can learn by doing, receive feedback, and continually refine their understanding and build new knowledge. [3] ”

[1] Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, (1999). Learning as a personal event: A brief introduction to constructivism. [|//http://www.sedl.org/pubs/tec26/intro2c.html//] [2] Sprague, D. & Dede, C. (1999). If I teach this way, am I doing my job: Constructivism in the classroom. Leading and Learning, 27(1). Retrieved January 28, 2011 from the International Society for Technology in Education at [] [3] Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School (Expanded edition). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Online at [] McPheeters, D. (2009, March). Social Networking Technologies in Education, Tech and Learning. Retrieved August 8, 2009 from [] Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, new schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.