Fitting the Pieces Together

Now that you have a deeper understanding of the different learning theories and learning styles, how has your view on how you learn changed?

Based on the information we learned throughout this course, my view has slightly changed regarding how I learn. In the Week 1 Discussion, I mention that I am a visual learner who likes hands on projects. However, I did not follow these learning styles throughout this particular course.

For example, a visual learner would probably watch the video in each Week’s Resource folder and be able to retain more of the information, where I preferred to read the video transcript. I was not able to work on hand-on projects either within this course.

I learned the material by reading the resources, asking questions, and discussing the material in our weekly discussions. I do not believe that having limited visual learning material has limited my learning in this class.

What have you learned about the various learning theories and learning styles over the past weeks that can further explain your own personal learning preferences?

I feel my online learning experience is in line with Connectivism Learning Theory and Adult Learning. I have learned how to create a network of learning resources in which the learning is in my own hands. We were not given lectures or told only to read from the course material. We were encouraged to create and use our blogs, read other blogs, post comments, and given sources to find relevant learning material on the Internet and online databases.

What role does technology play in your learning (i.e., as a way to search for information, to record information, to create, etc.)?

The use of technology plays an important rule in my learning. I use the Internet and online databases to search for information, communicate with me peers, post discussions, and become involved in an active learning community available online. I use software to compile my discussion posts, blog posts, and our Learning Theory Matrix assignment. We have used the chat feature to obtain clarity to our class project. Technology is involved with almost every step of this learning experience. Even when I read from the course text, I record my notes on the computer and upload it to Google Docs (cloud computing!) so I can access it anywhere: work, home, my husband’s computer, etc.