Learning Styles, Culture & Hemispheric Dominance

Learning Styles, Culture & Hemispheric Dominance

http://www.mathpower.com/brain.htm

Although this website is very simplistic it did address an important factor in that understanding learning styles is very important in understanding brain functioning. The left brain is considered analytic in approach while the right is described as global. Ellen Freedman states that “A successive processor (left brain) prefers to learn in a step-by-step sequential format, beginning with details leading to a conceptual understanding of a skill. A simultaneous processor (right brain) prefers to learn beginning with the general concept and then going on to specifics”. People think and learn in a variety of ways. In any group there will always be evidence of different learning characteristics.

I enjoyed the chart (posted above) that was made by Ellen Freedman to help the reader deduce what type of learning style they possess and which brain hemisphere is more dominant. 

What I found surprising in our 2nd week reading is that the left hemisphere is largely responsible for controlling the right side of the body and vice versa. About 80% of human beings have left and right hemispheres that are specialized in specific task. Occasionally, one hemisphere may take over the task of the other especially when there is damage to the brain. I feel that knowing the functions of the different hemispheres of the brain and their functions will help in instructional design.


Left and Right brain Hemispheres: retrieved from: http://www.mathpower.com/brain.htm

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson 

Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age.

Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age.

http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

This article written by George Siemens addresses the three learning theories, Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, and how learning through these theories have been affected by advances in technology.  In the last 20 years, technology has changed how we live, how we communicate with each other and how we learn. In today’s society knowledge is sometimes measured in months due to the rapid changing technology.

Some significant changes is learning now include:

• ·         Learning and work related activities are no longer separate.

• ·         Informal learning is a significant aspect of our learning experience.

• ·         Learning now occurs in a variety of different ways, personal networks, communities  of practice etc.

• ·         Technology is also altering the way our brains learn, including the tools we use to define and shape our thinking.

Behaviorism equates learning with changes in either the form or frequency of observable performance. Cognitivism, like behaviorism emphasizes the role that environmental conditions play in facilitating learning, and Constructivism states that humans create meaning as opposed to acquiring it. (Ertmer & Newby, 1993)

The author George Siemens also stated that many questions are raised when these established learning theories are seen through today’s technological advances. Theorist continue to revise and evolve these theories as conditions have changed, but at some point further modification is no longer sensible and an entirely new approach will be needed.

I found this article very enlightening since as a future instructional designer I will also have to evaluate the informational processing theories in correlation to the latest technological advances.

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.

Siemens, G., (2004) Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the digital age. In eLearnspace. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm.

Informative Instructional Design Blogs

Informative Instructional Design Blogs

Hello all, unfortunately and I am new at blogging I failed to post links to my informative instructional design blogs. Here they are:

 

The Ed Tech Guy: Technology in Education    http://edtechguy.wordpress.com/

Business, the Future and Emerging Technology http://archon236.wordpress.com/

The Knowledge Star Blog http://knowledgestarblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/the-best-100-of-2011/

I again apologize for not providing the links.

 

Informative Instructional Design Blogs

The Ed Tech Guy: Technology in Education – This blog was created by Scott Ford. Scott has a Master’s in education and works as an adjunct professor at Northern Virginia (NOVA) College and is a Senior Instructional Designer for the U.S. Government. In his blog he states that education is truly one of the great equalizers in our society. It does not matter your background, if you receive a college or trade skill education you can choose what type of life you want to live. I firmly believe in this statement and it was something that my parents instilled in me from early childhood. This blog is a great resource for information on writing program objectives, writing learning objectives that meet demanding behavioral criteria, and writing student learning outcomes.I plan to revisit this blog for future ideas on planning my objectives for future programs.

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Business, the Future and Emerging Technology: This blog was created by Lee Robinson Petzer. Lee is the executive director of GCSChile, a management consultant, entrepreneur, open networker, analyst, MENSAN, Transhumanist, space proponent and future astronaut. Although I found his introduction of himself amusing, Lee’s blog provides six emerging technologies in education which were very informative. He touches on Cloud Computing which has emerged as a tool that is helping students and educators collaborate online, the use of IPhones to gather and track information, experimentation through educational gaming for exploration, the use of learning analytics to help educators design systems and approaches to better measure student outcomes, and PLE or Personal Learning Environments. These environments will be individualized by design thus different from person to person. I will check back with this blog as I look to implement more technology into my classroom and online classes. 

The Knowledge Star Blog- This blog although it does not have any profile information on the exact blogger, contains a great link to Jane Harts top 100 learning tools of 2011. The blogger feels that Jan Hart is a great “go to” resource for all things learning. In 2011 531 learning professionals from around the world contributed their ideas for the top 100 tools for learning in 2011. This list was compiled and put into a Slideshare application. The top 100 starts with Twitter and has a plethora of learning tools in between such as drop box, Google docs, Moodle, Jing etc., and ends with OneNote. I plan to look through the Slideshare presentation and integrate some of this new technology into my own methods of teaching online

WoW my first Blog!

Welcome to my Blog!
My name is Jarice Risper, and I am the clinical coordinator for the Radiography program at Northern Virginia Community College. (NVCC) I am currently based at the  Medical Education Campus located in Springfield, Virginia. I have been at NVCC for 3 years. Previous to that I worked as a Radiological Technologist with the INOVA Health System. I must say I have enjoyed both of my jobs immensely.

I am not very familiar with blogs; this is something brand new for me. I am excited to embrace this technology and I believe it will open a whole new world of learning and knowledge for me. Since this is my first blog please be patient as I learn the ins and outs of the blogging world.