Introduction

            This essay is based on the Social Cognitive Theory written by Albert Bandura. My goal is to explain his theory in a way that makes it easier to digest and simpler to understand. I summarize the learning theory and how it relates to eLearning while highlighting concepts and comments from key theorists. I explain why I selected this theory and identify the role of the learner and instructor. Three instruction examples are chosen to illustrate what Social Cognitive Theory would look like as taught in my eLearning/online course.

 

Social Cognitive Theory Highlights

            In the 1950’s, a number of learning and instruction theories were being developed for both children and adults. One example was Julian Rotter’s Social Learning Theory, published in 1954. Rotter integrated learning and personalities, stating that individuals considered the likely consequences of their actions in any situation and that their behavior was based on their beliefs.

In 1961, Albert Bandura recognized that many theories overlooked an important aspect of learning: the observation of others. This analysis formed the basis for Bandura’s Social Learning Theory.  “Of the many cues that influence behavior, at any point in time, none is more common than the actions of others.”[1]

Bandura believed that traditional learning theories overlooked social influences on learning. This support was felt by other theorists of the day who believed that observation and imitation of behavior were not enough for ‘total learning’ to occur.

In 1986, Bandura revised his theory and added the major role cognition plays in interpreting and performing behaviors. There needed to be an element of behavior including the cognitive component. (Hergenhahn & Olsen, 2005).   “Social Cognitive Theory defines learning as an internal mental process that may or may not be reflected in immediate behavioral change.” [2]

 

 

Merriam & Bierema say:

“Social cognitive learning theory highlights the idea that much human learning occurs in a social environment. By observing others, people acquire knowledge, rules, skills, strategies, beliefs, and attitudes. Individuals also learn about the usefulness and appropriateness of behaviors by observing models and the consequences of modeled behaviors, and they act in accordance with their beliefs concerning the expected outcomes of actions.”[3]

Bandura suggested that the learner processes information (cognitively) when learning, and while observing others, the learner models the behavior (social) which can be positive or negative.  An example of use in eLearning would be using live educational videos of the learner’s performance to ensure the task was performed correctly.

The aspect of Bandura’s social cognitive theory that I find most useful for my future eLearning instruction is modeling. Two types of models explained by Bandura are 1) real-life, such as teachers, peers, and parents and 2) symbolic models, which may be living or like characters in fictional books, movies, and television.  The model must be competent and must have power due to the learner looking up to the model for behavioural cues, whether positive or negative. An example of use in eLearning would be movies, television, Blogs, YouTube, and other educational videos.

Social Cognitive Theory in a two-minute YouTube video.

https://youtu.be/QeE5XVJ3NWg

 

Why I chose the Social Cognitive Theory

Bandura discusses self-efficacy beliefs, which refer to a person’s confidence in engaging in specific activities that contribute toward progress to their goals (Bandura, 1997). Combine that with modeling and mentoring… that is the formula for success in my courses.

It is important for me to engage my students in a learning environment which is challenging but also rewarding. The Social Cognitive Theory has a research base demonstrating the predictive impact of self-efficacy beliefs on exercising control over choices and pursuits of one’s goals in life. It motivates learners to be confident. For over 30 years, extensive research has shown the effects of self-efficacy beliefs on a wide variety of human activity.[4] Examples are: academics (Schunk, 1991, 1996); career (Betz, 2006); health (Bandura, 1991); athletics (Bandura, 1997).  My teaching may result in a new career for my learners or help learners in their current career.

 

Role of the Learner

The learner must understand what the outcome may be if that behavior is repeated and anticipate similar outcomes when performing the behavior. These are called outcome expectancies, and therefore modeling involves cognition and behavior.

Bandura suggests the learner must have four aspects present to develop modeled behavior: attention, retention, motor reproduction, and motivation. (Isom, 1998) Simply stated, the learner must be paying attention, they must remember the behavior, they must be physically able to model the behavior, and they must feel there is a reward for that behavior. In eLearning and the use of interactive activities, the learner’s responsibility would be to actively interact, discuss, connect, and participate.

 

Role of the Instructor

            The role of the instructor is to provide guidance and to help the learner see the outcome of a specific behavior. The instructor must make it clear to the learner that when a behavior is successfully learned, the outcomes are meaningful and valuable to the learner.

The instructor must allow the student to perceive their performance by providing feedback to help them understand their level of proficiency. The instructor must ensure that the learners have the knowledge and strategies they need to complete the tasks. Learners become more active, pay attention, more motivated, and are better learners when they perceive that they have mastered a task.[5]

The instructor should be aware that adult self-efficacy is specific to each situation and that it is based on performance in past experiences. It affects all learners and the instructor should know that underprepared learners are particularly vulnerable. Bandura makes it clear that self-efficacy beliefs are stronger predictors of adult behavior than self-concept and self-esteem.

By providing the learner with positive communication, feedback to help improve comprehension, and assisting with managing anxiety, instructors will help build self-efficacy, self-confidence, and self-esteem. (Rutherford & Henning, 2012). The instructor must respect the learner as a person and genuinely care for and encourage the learner.

Strategies I use while teaching in my classroom are Modelling, Peer Learning, Storytelling, Role Playing, and Dialogue. At the conclusion of my courses, a personalized Certificate of Achievement is presented to each learner.

I will continue examining the content, intention, and curriculum of my course with the goal of considering the purpose of the content taught and expectations placed on learners. Understanding these differences will help me as an instructor to better communicate valuable information to adult learners in my class. In eLearning, sharing of knowledge is encouraged so I will continue with real-time “instructor to learner” and “learner to learner” presentations.

 

How can the role of learner be manifested in the role of online learning? What would be important for an instructor to do in his or her online course?

Every subject that I teach offers opportunities for critical reflection, so I make sure to include such critical reflection in all my classes. My classes include real problems and issues. Critical reflection is a great compliment because it involves observation, asking questions, and putting facts, ideas, and experiences together to derive new meaning. It also provides my learners with an opportunity to examine and question their own personal beliefs, opinions, and values. This results in my learners improving their academic skills and having a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Learners can take what they learn in my class one day and use it immediately for personal development, increased self-awareness, and professional presentation in whatever vocation they choose.

Critical thinking skills fit perfectly with peer learning and role-playing strategies for written statements, interviewing techniques, report writing, and notebooks. This strategy is where learners are assigned a partner so that they interact and help each other attain the same learning goal. With the help of written course material, the learners ask each other ‘open-ended’ questions, make notes, and take written statements from each other. The big six questions are identified: who, what, where, when, why, and how. At the end of class, learners compare and read aloud their work to the class. Learners feel there is comfort in numbers, and they know they are in an environment where they can have an expectation of experiencing learning success.

I have an opportunity to substantially increase the use of technology in my classroom. For example, Rutherford (2010) states “Education can be enhanced by the use of social media to strengthen the relationship between students, classmates, and instructors.”^[6] It is clear to me that uses for social media tools in my teaching process can allow learners to access the information from laptops and mobile devices during class, as well as before and after class. This will give the learners a positive and effective relationship with the materials, their peers, and myself.

The technology I intend to incorporate in my eLearning classes may include educational videos, PowerPoint, a live video of the learner’s performance, video conferencing, storytelling, discussion boards, and instant messaging.  I must learn to embrace Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Wiki, Blogs,  Vlogs, and Ted Talk videos, a task I take seriously.

I will continue to add to my blog on WordPress and have information available to my learners for classroom instruction and general interest. I will introduce Ted videos, Utube videos, and scan over 350 course related photographs. I will look at recording my lectures where they can be added to the learner’s homework assignment.

 

Three Classroom Examples

            My course is a practical application of social justice.  The curriculum introduces learners to a competency-based approach to the concepts and practices of law enforcement.  Bandura suggests the most effective way of developing a strong sense of self-efficacy is through mastery experiences. Successfully completing a task strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failing to adequately complete a challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy.[7]  My eLearning course will include ‘social modeling’ which is witnessing other people successfully completing a task. I like the Social Cognitive Theory because it allows learners to accumulate new skills and knowledge, maybe without actively engaging in the event themselves. Examples used in the classroom may be role-playing or simulation games which would allow learners to problem solve, make decisions, practice skills, reflect, and evaluate. (Burke & Muncuso, 2012).

 

Example 1 – Traffic Direction and Control

During a career in law enforcement, learners will periodically be assigned to manually direct and control vehicular and pedestrian movement. Such assignments may be performed at congested intersections, accident scenes, athletic events, disaster areas, races, fairs, social, and political events. Learners will be expected to indicate to drivers and pedestrians how, when, and where they may move. The learner must analyze the situation and determine what course of action is necessary to establish the smooth flow of traffic and prevent delays. This job is impossible using only verbal commands. A type of sign language must be used which is clearly understandable to all persons being directed.

In my eLearning course, I will include theory in the morning – Cognitive (knowledge, expectations, attitudes), and practical training in the afternoon – Behavioral (skills, practice, self-efficacy) and Environmental (social, community, influence). The learners are aware of my career background and experience and feel comfortable with me as their model. I am aware of my learner’s experience and feel comfortable knowing what challenges they may face in the day.

I will include external aids and props such as plastic laminated posters with engineered diagrams using examples of Kelowna’s street intersections. I have the basic single lane street, four-way intersections’ and others while working their way in difficulty to the major highway intersections. The equipment for day and night use is identified and their use demonstrated. The subject is discussed including public relations, types of traffic control, duties, and responsibilities, and more. My style of instruction is participatory with lots of questions and discussion knowing the anticipated expectations will be to stand in the middle of a busy intersection with real vehicles and people to direct traffic. In a practical setting, stress and anxiety vary greatly with each learner.

I will design a video where my learners learn by observing me in the classroom first and then on the street.  The learner’s belief in their own self-efficacy and ability influences how well or poorly the learner reproduces the desired observed behavior. Nonetheless, their confidence builds from easiest to the hardest intersections. The experience always changes my learner’s behavior towards directing traffic in a positive way. The learners regulate their own learning and behavior by choosing a more difficult or less difficult intersection to control due to their own comfort level.

At the end of the day, the reinforcement included a “job well done”. Traffic control is dangerous, and my goal is always safety first. In my eLearning course, Media sources such as YouTube and compact disc movies will be presented, and I may have to modify learning to include hybrid face-to-face learning.

 

Example 2 – Critical/Tactical Communication

            I give my learners real life or death examples which I have experienced over my forty-two years of law enforcement. I demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitude required. I reinforce the rules, strategies, and results of knowing both critical and tactical communication techniques.  As a competent model, I teach my learners effective strategies for dealing with challenging and/or threatening situations. The learners are told that it is important to accept working conditions and to know there will always be conflict in the workplace. Verbal resistance and conflicts are ok and, when you expect it, you will be better able to deal with it.

Some topics that we discuss are the social influence theory, factors of influence for authority roles, beneficial outcomes, proxemics, speaking skills, toxic communication styles, and more. Learners find the delivery script for tactical communication interesting because they can use the techniques at home or work immediately. The steps include bonding, purpose, listen carefully, showing empathy and feelings, involvement, resolution, and decision making. In my eLearning class, perhaps through live video, I role play with every student and demonstrate how many ways they can communicate with people.

The students are paired up and an assortment of scenarios are suggested for role- playing. I have experienced all the scenarios and there is no one best tactic for success. The skills are explained and demonstrated. I tell my students, “If you are still getting verbal resistance then you are communicating. When the talking stops, that is the time to re-evaluate your tactics.”

It is amazing to watch the increase in self-efficacy and confidence of the learner building through the week. The learners observe each other, evaluate the role play, reflect on the results, and learn from each other. In my eLearning course, I will use photographs, YouTube, and Google video to transfer real-life situations, so learners develop personal meaning and contextualize the information.

 

Example 3 – How to Testify as a Professional Witness

            Testifying as a witness in court is probably the most stressful portion of the course for my learners.  Court testimony is on the last afternoon of the week. I start the week by helping learners feel comfortable in knowing that giving evidence in court is nothing more than telling a story. Also, by the time to give evidence, 95% of the work is finished.  For example, the investigation is complete, the paperwork submitted, court documents prepared; all before you arrive at the courthouse. Going to court and giving a few minutes of evidence is minor in comparison to the work that has already been done.

            The week prior to court, through video conferencing, the learners will be taught how to write a report to Crown counsel; how to present, defend, and enter evidence; and understand the procedures and outcomes. The day before attending court, learners receive a talk discussing topics such as preparing 24 hours before the court, case preparation, and cross-examination. Learners will receive eleven scenario examples of what to say when giving evidence to an assortment of criminal offenses. Some learners who have been successful in previous classes allow me to share their graded written reports with current learners. These provide new learners with realistic examples of successful performance and help learners strengthen their expectations for success. Next, learners are paired up: one learner is the accused, and the other the law enforcement officer. They practice providing evidence and get the chance to witness each other model different scenarios.

            For eLearning and simulation examples, I can utilize Zoom and arrange the use of a courtroom in the Kelowna Provincial Court. Learners will be divided into groups and choose a scenario of their own while having the evening to prepare their case for court. The learners are told that I will be the acting judge. Prior to court, I know which students are better prepared and capable of performing to a higher standard. As a result, I have the experienced students start first, with the less experienced students later in the day. This allows time for the learner to learn from the modeling of their peers.

            The learners give their verbal testimony, enter documents into court, question the accused, and hear the verdict. The presiding judge, peers, and I would give feedback. Although, over the years, I have had sitting judges, sitting judicial justices of the peace, and a defense attorney preside as the role-play judge. The learners are always surprised, and a lesson well learned. Always expect the unexpected in law enforcement.

 

 

 

Conclusion

Social Cognitive Theory is based on the premise that learners learn not only through their own experiences but by observing the actions of others and the results of those actions. Learners are influenced by their environment and the belief in their own self-efficacy influences whether they will or will not reproduce an observed behavior. This theory appeals to me because it combines behaviorism with cognitive learning.

Watching learners in my courses successfully perform the learning activity through modeling and observational learning, while at the same time taking a step toward enhancing their self-efficacy and confidence, to me, is what teaching is all about.

 

References

Anderson, Terry. (2002). Towards a Theory of Online Learning. Saint Paul University. Retrieved on July 2, 2020 from             https://ustpaul.ca/uploadfiles/DistanceEducation/TOWARDS_A_THEORY_OF_ONLINE_LEA RNING.pdf

Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. 1^st Edition.    New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. 1^st Edition     [Image]. Retrieved on June 30, 2020 from           https://www.esourceresearch.org/printfriendly_html#

Badura, A. (1993). Perceived Self-Efficacy in Cognitive Development and Functioning. Educational         Psychologist. 28(2): page 117-148. Retrieved on June 30, 2020 from    https://doi.org/10.1207%2Fs15326985ep2802_3.

Bandura, A. (1994). Self-Efficacy. Encyclopedia of Human Behavior, Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York:        Academic Press.

Bauri, Songbedna. (2020). The Relevance of Social Cognitive Theory to Online Learning. Retrieved on    July 3 from https://www.proprofs.com/c/lms/unravelling-relevance-social-cognitive-theory-  online-learning/

Borges, Federico. (2008). The Role of the Online Learner: Onsite Students Becoming Online Learners.     Retrieved on July 3, 2020 from          https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2ffc/f60ec11987989c829e40f846dab9bdae8b5f.pdf.

Erlich, Richard. (2011). Applying Social Cognitive Theory to Academic Advising to Assess Student           Learning Outcomes. NACADA Journal. Sacramento: Sacramento City College.

Herlo, Dorin. (2017). Connectivism, A New Learning Theory. Retrieved on June 30, 2020 from             https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317155829_Connectivism_A_New_Learning_Theory

Knowles, Malcolm S., Holton III, Elwood F., & Swanson, Richard A. (2015). The Adult Learner. New     York: Routledge.

Laing, Robert. (2005). Competency Based Curriculum and RCMP Training. Retrieved on July 2, 2020 from             https://opus.uleth.ca/handle/10133/1250.

Lutz, Heather & Conley, Quincy. (2014). Creating Participatory Online Learning Environments:  A Social             Learning Approach Revisited. Retrieved on June 30, 2020 from             https://members.aect.org/pdf/Proceedings/proceedings14/2014i/14_16.pdf

Mirriam, Sharan B. & Bierma, Laura L. (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. San           Francisco: Jossey – Bass.

Parmley, Lisa. (2020). Incorporating Cognitive Learning Theory Strategies in Your Next Online Course. Retrieved on July 2, 2020 from https://coursemethod.com/cognitive-learning-theory-strategies- online-course.html

Rutherford, C. (2012). Using Social Media to Support Student Engagement. Retrieved on July 3, 2020      from             http://www.drcamillerutherford.com/2012/02 /using-social-mediato-support-student.html

Sattar, Ed. (2017). Cognitive Learning and Its Relationship With Online Education. Retrieved on June 28,            2020 from https://edsattar.com/cognitive-learning-and-its-relationship-with-online-education/.

Spencer, Ruby. (2015). How to Apply Social Learning Theory for Effective E-Learning. Retrieved on June            29, 2020 from https://trainingindustry.com/blog/e-learning/how-to-apply-social-learning-theory-       for-effective-e-learning/

Siemens, George. (2005). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved on June 30,     2020 from https://jotamac.typepad.com/jotamacs_weblog/files/Connectivism.pdf.

Staines, Z., & Lauchs, M. (2013). Students’ engagement with Facebook in a university undergraduate po

YouTube. (2019). [Video]. Big Sister Helps Puppy Through Staircase Struggle. Retrieved on July 3, 2020            from https://youtu.be/QeE5XVJ3NWg

Wikipedia, Social Cognitive Theory. Retrieved on July 2, 2020 from             https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Cognitive_Theory.

Zimmerman, B. (1989). A Social Cognitive View of Self-Regulated Academic Learning. Retrieved on

November 28, 2018 from             https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e1ff/53e710437e009f06bc264b093a9523879.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] (Bandura, 1986, pp. 206)

[2] (Bandura, 1986)

[3] (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, pp. 35)

[4] (Erlich, 2011, pp. 5)

[5] (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2015)

[6] (Rutherford, 2010)

[7] (Bandura, 1994)

Social Cognitive Theory in a two-minute YouTube video.

https://youtu.be/QeE5XVJ3NWg

 

I chose the social cognitive theory because it is used in eLearning. It is a theory based on the idea that people learn by observing others (social learning) and each behavior witnessed can change a person’s way of thinking (cognitive behavior learning) and assess learning outcomes. Albert Bandura discusses self-efficacy beliefs which refer to a person’s confidence in engaging in specific activities that contribute toward progress to their goals (Bandura, 1997). Combine that with modeling and mentoring… that is the formula for success in my classroom.

It is important for me to engage my students in a learning environment which is challenging but also rewarding. My teaching may result in a new career or help in their current career. The Social Cognitive Theory has a research base demonstrating the predictive impact of self-efficacy beliefs on exercising control over choices and pursuits of one’s goals in life. It motivates learners to be confident. For over 30 years, extensive research has shown the effects of self-efficacy beliefs on a wide variety of human activity.[1] Examples are: academics (Schunk, 1991, 1996); career (Betz, 2006); health (Bandura, 1991); athletics (Bandura, 1997).

The aspect of Bandura’s social cognitive theory I find useful for my future eLearning instruction is modeling. Two types of models explained by Bandura are 1) real-life such as teachers, peers, parents and 2) symbolic models that may be real or like characters in fictional books, movies, and television.  The model must be competent because the learner will not likely want to do something poorly. The model also must have power because the learner looks up to the model for behavioral cues. An example of use in eLearning would be the use of movies, television, Blogs, YouTube, and other educational videos.

            In my classroom, the instruction is competency-based for police and law enforcement training. The curriculum introduces learners to a competency-based approach to the concepts and practices of law enforcement.  My learners’ range in age from late teens to mid 60’s. Bandura suggests the most effective way of developing a strong sense of self-efficacy is through mastery experiences. Successfully completing a task strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failing to adequately complete a challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy.[2]  My classroom has ‘social modeling’ which is witnessing other people successfully completing a task. I like the Social Cognitive Theory because it also allows the learners to accumulate new skills and knowledge, maybe without actively engaging in the event themselves. Examples used in the classroom may be role-playing or simulation games which would allow learners to problem solve, make decisions, practice skills, reflect, and evaluate. (Burke & Muncuso, 2012).

I will be using some form of learning theory in all my eLearning classes. My recipe for teaching will include a cup of social cognitive, a dash of humanism, a splash of behaviorism, a pinch of constructivism, and a smidgen of connectivism. If I truly desired a buffet of learning theories, I have a cornucopia of learning theories to choose from.

Behaviourism is based on the idea that knowledge is independent and on the exterior of the learner. In a behaviorist’s mind, the learner is a blank slate that should be provided with the information to be learned.

 

Cognitivism focuses on the idea that students process information they receive rather than just responding to a stimulus, as with behaviorism. There is still a behavior change evident, but this is in response to thinking and processing information.

Constructivism is based on the premise that we construct learning new ideas based on our own prior knowledge and experiences. Learning, therefore, is unique to the individual learner. Students adapt their models of understanding either by reflecting on prior theories or resolving misconceptions.

Vygotsky’s Theory of Learning suggests social learning is an integral part of cognitive development and it is culture, not developmental stages that underlies cognitive development. Learning varies across cultures rather than being a universal process driven by the kind of structures and processes.

Blooms Domains of Learning proposed three domains of learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. It focuses on the idea that objectives that are related to cognition could be divided into subdivisions and ranked in order of cognitive difficulty. Knowledge, understanding, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Gagnés Conditions of Learning discusses the analysis of learning objectives and how the different classes of objectives require specific teaching methods. His 5 conditions of learning, all of which fall under the cognitive, affective, and psycho-motor domains above.

Bruner’s Spiral Curriculum is based on the idea that “We begin with the hypothesis that any subject can be taught in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development”. Even complex topics can be taught to young children if structured and presented in the right way.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is that students progress through a set of sequential needs from physiological to self-actualization. As they move up through the levels, they feel more comfortable in their learning environment and have the confidence to push further. Making sure students feel safe and secure is of the utmost importance as they will find it hard to move to the upper levels.

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences is a list of criteria used to judge possible contenders for the title “intelligence”. Candidates had to satisfy a range of the conditions on his list and be able to solve genuine problems of difficulties. Linguistic, mathematics, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.

Erikson’s 8 Stages of Psychological Development states we experience eight stages of development during our life span. Within each stage, there is a dilemma that we must resolve in order to feel a sense of competence and will allow us to develop as a well-adjusted adult. Trust Vs. Mistrust (Age 0 – 1.5). Autonomy Vs. Shame (Age 1.5 – 3). Initiative Vs. Guilt (Age 3 – 5). Industry Vs. Inferiority (Age 5 – 12). Identity Vs. Role Confusion (Age 12 – 18). Intimacy Vs. Isolation (Age 18 – 40). Generativity Vs. Stagnation (Age 40 – 65). Ego Integrity Vs. Despair (Age 65+).

Kolb’s Experiential Theory built on the premise that learning is the acquisition of abstract concepts that can then be applied to a range of scenarios. Each stage in the cycle both supports and leads into the next stage. Learning is achieved only if all four stages have been completed, however, a learner may travel around the cycle multiple times, further refining their understanding of the topic.

The Peter Principle was supposed to be a satirical view on how people are promoted in organizations dealing with four levels of competence. However, they could give a teacher a framework to use when thinking about how students progress. Unconscious Incompetence. Conscious Incompetence. Conscious Competence. Unconscious Competence.

Laird’s Sensory Theory states that learning occurs when the senses are stimulated. The research found that 75% of an adult’s knowledge was obtained by seeing. 13% was through hearing, the remaining 12% was learned through touch, smell, and taste combined. Providing visual prompts for students will enhance their learning and by making lessons a multi-sensual experience, learning is enhanced even further.

Skinner’s Behaviourist Theory proposed that behaviors that are followed by positive responses are likely to be repeated and those that are followed by negative responses, not repeated. Skinner introduced “reinforcement” and suggests those behaviors that are reinforced are repeated (strengthened) and those not reinforced tend to dissipate (are weakened).

Rogers Humanist Theory suggests facilitative learning is a humanistic approach to learning and contrast to cognitivism and behaviorism. The key perspectives are: People have a natural desire to learn to achieve self-actualization. It is not the outcome that is the most important part of education, it is the process of learning itself. The students themselves should be in control of their learning and it should be achieved through observing and exploring. The teacher should be an encouraging role model, motivating, guiding and supporting students on their own personal journey.

Canter’s Theory of Assertive Discipline is a structured system to enable teachers to manage their classrooms. It focuses on the teacher developing a positive behavior management strategy rather than being dictatorial. Canter’s proposition is that the teacher has the right to decide what is best for their students and that no student should prevent any other from learning. The teacher should very clear boundaries as to how they expect their students to behave and work, the students should know what these boundaries are and any deviation should be met with an assertive action from the teacher.

Dreikur’s Classroom Management Theory proposed that mutual respect should be the basis for discipline and that this mutual respect motivates learners to display positive behaviors. Students have an innate desire to feel like an accepted member of a group and to feel like they have value and confidence to contribute to that group. If students are unable to achieve this goal, they start a series of goals of misbehavior by gain attention, gain power and control, gain revenge, display feelings of inadequacy.

Siemens and Downes Connectivism Theory explain how Internet technologies have created new opportunities for people to learn and share information across the World Wide Web and among themselves. These technologies include Web browsers, email, wikis, online discussion forums, social networks, YouTube, and any other tool which enables the users to learn and share information with other people. Much learning can happen across peer networks that take place online. A teacher will guide students to information and answer key questions as needed, to support students learning and sharing on their own. Students are also encouraged to seek out information on their own online and express what they find. A connected community around this shared information often results.

 

REFERENCES

Bandura, A. (1994). Self-Efficacy. Encyclopedia of Human Behavior, Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press.

Downes, S. (2010). New technology supporting informal learning. Journal of Emerging Technologies in       Web Intelligence, 2(1), 27-33. Retrieved on July 4, 2020, from                 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/51ef/dda34e611885f8ff2a6d1bd22685af6bf1a9.pdf

Erlich, Richard. (2011). Applying Social Cognitive Theory to Academic Advising to Assess Student Learning Outcomes. NACADA Journal. Sacramento: Sacramento City College.

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of      Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1), 3-10. Retrieved on July 4, 2020, from                 https://jotamac.typepad.com/jotamacs_weblog/files/Connectivism.pdf

Stevens-Fulbrook, Paul (2019). 15 Learning Theories in Education (A Complete Summary). Retrieved on July 4, 2020, from https://teacherofsci.com/learning-theories-in-education/.

YouTube. (2019). [Video]. Big Sister Helps Puppy Through Staircase Struggle. Retrieved on July 3, 2020, from https://youtu.be/QeE5XVJ3NWg

[1] (Erlich, 2011, pp. 5)

[2] (Bandura, 1994)

June 27, 2020

I am now in my fourth week of this course and the assignment requests my thoughts on this eLearning journey.

I am a learner learning to learn eLearning. If that sounds like it may be a lot of work then you are right. Although I will say I have learned a lot about online and eLearning and really looking forward to the upcoming research and assignments. I had a lot of fun with assignment 2 (Challenges and Opportunities of eLearning) which is posted on this blog.

I have always taught face-to-face (f2f) so eLearning and how to design an eLearning online course is really interesting to me. I have embraced social media and web-based resources in my personal life and learning/teaching. It was not too long ago when I feared all technical resources but like my daughter’s said, “If you want to know what we are doing in our lives, you have to have Facebook.” It grew from there.

My most important learning to date has been assignment 1 (Different Generations of eLearners) located on my blog. I had no idea there were such differences and I wished I knew them when bringing up my three children. I think there would have been far less yelling and temper tantrums both from them and my wife and me.

My goal as an online student is to complete the EDUC Certificate by the end of September. That is my challenge for the Summer because there are hundreds of much more enjoyable things to do during the Summer other than research, study, and essays. I will deal with this challenge by staying focused on my goal, work in chunks of time, have my assignments on a corkboard in my office, plan my days, and have fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://ontaskteaching.wordpress.com/

June 27, 2020

INTRODUCTION

A boxing match is a great metaphor for this second assignment. In one corner, you have the defending champion, face to face learning, which has historically been the teaching method of choice. In the other corner, you have the eLearning method of instruction, the challenger. To win the fight, the question must be answered, “What are the challenges and opportunities of eLearning and how can we maximize the benefits? Both learning methods have strengths and weaknesses.

 

Round 1 – What are the instructor-based challenges of eLearning?

Punch. Fans/learners pay the bills and the fewer there is the

less money generated. As a future eLearning instructor, my challenge

would be job availability and security. My career goal is to design and teach an online criminology class at College/University. This is my recent reply from the head of the Criminology and Social Justice Program in Penticton sent Sun, Jun 14, 2020, 1:03 PM. “Hi Laurie, Great to hear from you! Your idea for a course sounds really interesting. Unfortunately, right now the college is reducing the number of course offerings rather than increasing them. This is because of the enrollment effects of the covid-19 virus. I hope this will change soon enough. So, please get in touch with me again if you are still interested in pursuing the course. Cheers.”

Counterpunch. Losing your employment, or in my case potential employment, can be a stressful experience. Aside from the obvious financial anguish, it can cause, it can also take a heavy toll on mood, relationships, and overall mental and emotional health.  I do feel somewhat betrayed by the college, but not powerless over the direction of my life, and do not blame myself for some perceived shortcoming or mistake. Time to get off the mat after a knockdown and follow these steps.

• Always have a feeling of control over my life
• Do not forget my professional identity
• Work on my self-esteem and self-confidence
• Keep a daily routine
• Pursue purposeful activities
• Build healthy friendships and social network

            Punch. It may feel unnatural for instructors to engage students via social media platforms. Counterpunch. Social media allows instructors to reach learners in new ways. Instructors must look at social media as a complement to current teaching and communication methods.

            Punch. Learners may lose motivation because they find the articles, discussions, and content boring so they do not motivate or engage the learner. Counterpunch. Learners learn from one another solving problems and working collaboratively and it is the instructor who must validate and encourage the learner.

Punch. How to engage online students in activities that push them to go beyond reading, interpreting, and interacting. Counterpunch. Learners need to develop a sense of technology competence and may require a scaffolding approach. Learners work in pairs and send text-only messages. Next, learners could collaborate using Skype or Adobe Connect.  Finally, the narrative of a case could be supplied, and learners could respond by answering questions from the knowledge base covered in the course. Technologies such as Adobe Captivate https://www.adobe.com/products/captivate/  or Articulate Storyline https://articulate.com/ would add a visual component to the experience Gamification creates interactive content at https://www.edapp.com/ or Brightspace https://www.d2l.com/products/ .

Punch. The learner is not understanding the concept or information taught at the time. Counterpunch. Invite the learner to pause the video or think about or conduct further research prior to carrying on. This allows learners to learn at their own pace.

 

Round 2 – What are the learner based challenges?

What can learners do to manage some of the challenges

of eLearning?

Punch. Many learners do not have the technical resources or knowledge. In eLearning you are responsible for troubleshooting computer problems and getting technical help when you need it. Some learners are not experienced with online learning. Counterpunch. The instructions on the VCC website for eLearning makes it clear learners should have all the tools to take this online course. Examples are high- speed internet, reliable home computer, portable laptop computer, email, and texting. Peers, friends, colleagues at work, Utube, and Google are great resources for learning or helping with computer challenges.

            Punch. Some learners may have social anxiety issues and online learning enables the learner to hide from their mental health issues. Face to face learning helps the learner deal with that issue. Counterpunch. Thorough discussion boards and chats interact with peers online and clear any doubts about the course if any and ask questions about assignments or course material. Personal counseling VCC site is https://student.vcc.ca/services/services/counselling/personal-counselling/index.html.

Punch. There is a lack of human contact whereas the “e” stands for electronic and eLearning is delivered through computers and mobile devices. The learner may find this learning alienating and the lack of interactions may be a demotivating factor. Counterpunch. You can include emails, live lectures, videoconferencing. These enable all learners to share their views on a topic and discuss them further.

Punch. The lack of relationship with their instructors. Counterpunch. Connect with technology like live instructional video, audio, or presentation connections simultaneously with your instructor to instantly react to your comments, concerns, and questions.

Punch.  Challenges of maintaining motivation and time management after reviewing the course content for the first time can feel overwhelming. Counterpunch. Do not panic.  Utilize a cork/whiteboard, scheduled completion dates for each module in the course content, and check off once complete. Use chunks of time with plenty of wellness breaks. Come to terms with the motivation and self-discipline required for eLearning.

Round 3 – What can instructors do to manage some of the

challenges of eLearning?

 

I believe that the characteristics of a great eLearning instructor are the same as a great boxing coach.

 

 

• Experienced and Competent
• Organized and Prepared
• Analytic
• Available
• A Motivator and Optimist
• Clear Communicator
• Provides valuable feedback
• Creative

 

Quick punches!

Punch. Have high-quality eLearning content that engages and emotionally connects the learner with the eLearning course

Punch. Make use of a Wiki platform dedicated to educational applications such as   Zoho Wiki https://www.zoho.com/wiki/features.html, and Wikidot https://www.wikidot.com/.

Punch. Ensure all learners know how to access all learning online resources and encourage them to join in discussions with their peers or online discussion boards. Use a pre-course video with orientation information and quiz to ensure learners have understood.

Punch. Guide, coach, and facilitate learners through the online learning experience. Encourage independent thought and greater engagement with the material.

Punch. Create a balance between instructor workload vs learner workload and course workload. Adapting course materials and assignments. Ensure all instructions are easy to follow and no detail is overlooked.

Punch. Make intentional efforts to communicate encouraging messages to individual learners or groups.

Punch. Promote positive messages along with critiques. Post weekly announcements.

Punch. Coach the learners to find ways to research the subjects and have the learners do something with it such as applied projects or papers. Control the content of the course in smaller segments.

Punch. Adapt your classes using the greatest things about eLearning which is software and technology. They easily evolve according to new pedagogical theories. Gamification – no problem.

 

 

Round 4 – What advantages does eLearning have over face to

face learning? 

Left jab – ELearning can start with a computer or cell phone.

ELearning is mobile learning.

Right cross – Elearning can offer flexibility, reduced costs,

networking opportunities, greater instructor/learner time.

            Left hook – ELearning eliminates or reduces time constraints whereas learners can customize their learning by logging in almost everywhere any time of the day or night.

            Right hook – ELearning tools provide educators and students with access to resources they could not have had otherwise, no matter their status or location. Learn from anywhere anytime. “…in India although one-half of the population owns cell phones only one-third has access to toilets. This data juxtaposed economic status, technology innovation, and health practices.”[1]

Right uppercut – A learner in Kelowna could learn from an

instructor in Vancouver and can do so in their own time while balancing

a full life and family at home. No waking up early, no commute, no

specific class time, and no distractions from other learners in the class. That example is me.

Left uppercut – Learner fatigue varies from learner to learner and it cannot be adjusted in a real-time environment. Online learners can hit the ‘pause’ button and take a break at any time. Once back, the learner is ready to go, hits the play button – or better yet, the replay button.

Right jab – E-learning tools give the instructor precise and clear feedback on how a learner is engaging with the material. Instructors see quickly where learners may get lost in a lesson and grade assignments with a click of a button.

Right jab – Promotes active and independent learning which are skills needed in the real world.

Left hook – Many online learners are taking self-instruction courses because it is cheaper, and they cannot afford the brick and mortar tuition. The chart reports average per year tuition costs in Canada. [2]

            Right uppercut – Online learners have more control over their advancement and can consume the material faster and build skills faster. Self-discipline and self-motivation are acquired skills in the real world.

Right hook – Great f2f vs eLearning video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGERvPmGLd4

 

Round 5 – What are some of the key best practices for instructors

and learners to gain the most benefit from eLearning?

Professional boxing bouts are limited to a maximum of twelve rounds, most are fought over four, six, eight, or ten rounds depending upon the experience of the boxers. We are in the twelfth round and the following ten best practices for instructors and learners (Boettcher & Conrad, 2016, pp. 44) are coming fast, hard, and furious.

Be Present – Communicate to the learners that you care about who they are and their questions and concerns. Actively interact and engage learners while developing a learning community. Show you are there at the beginning of the course and multiple times a week using email, texting, or virtual classroom.  Create a Community – Use balanced dialogues of an instructor to the learner, learner to learner, and learner to the resource. Interactive features today allow for all the social elements that face to face learning offers. Examples would include minilectures in text, video, or audio podcasts; weekly coaching, announcements, and interactions with learners; Facebook groups, personal introduction posts; open student forum; small learner groups; and problem-solving forums or discussion and messaging boards. Your instructor still knows your name and learners can still talk with learners.

Ensure clear Expectations for the Instructor and Learners. – Include on the course site a clear set of expectations for the instructor to learner and learner to learner communication. Responses can be personal or shared with everyone depending on the program used. Learners appreciate the instructor being clear on the time and effort required on a weekly basis for the assignments.

Use small and large groups and individual work experiences. – Utilize a variety of work activities and experiences with learners having the option of working together or individually. The work can be more enjoyable, effective, and maybe even fun. For example, gamification.

Use synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. – Online courses can create so many types of effective learning environments. Almost everything can be accomplished online rather than face to face and that includes the requirement to think, plan, write, and summarize. Online courses allow learners to complete assignments at their own pace.

Ask informal feedback of learners early in the course. – I have course evaluations at the end of my one-week face to face course, but I ask my learners for input throughout the week. Many of my quizzes and talks have been modified to fit the needs of my learners.

Use discussion posts inviting questions, discussions, reflections, and responses. –  Remember that discussion posts in an online course are the equivalent to class discussions in a face to face class. The learner responses require written or audio responses but provide time for thought and reflection. I encourage discussion having on the whiteboard the words who, what, where, when, why, how, and action is taken.

Learners must easily access content resources, applications, and links. – Learners of all generations are often comfortable with the technology and a student-centered learning environment.  Learners can watch video lectures on-the-go while commuting, having coffee at Starbucks, or doing dishes in the kitchen. For example, VCC library resources https://student.vcc.ca/college/newsevents/news/news-items/one-stop-access-new-service-desk-at-vcc-library.html I have found the learners sometimes know of the best and most up to date high-quality content on the internet. Google and Bing are the best of friends.

Combine core concept learning with personalized and customized learning. – I instruct my face to face class in a linear fashion presenting concepts individually and in clusters. I apply concepts within case studies, problems, and analyses that combine concepts and principles within a context. I had no idea I was following the concepts from Vygotsky (1962, 1978) but they work for me. I will ask my learners to “think visible” which would require them to create, talk, write, explain, analyze, judge, report, and inquire. I like the idea of stimulating my learner’s growth and will include discussion forums, blogging, journals, and small group work in my course.

Have a good closing for the course. – Plan the end of the course experience which will provide opportunities for reflection and the integration of the newfound knowledge. It is good to leave with a positive social and cognitive experience. In my Bylaw Enforcement Certificate Level II course, the course experience is a tour of the Provincial Courthouse on Friday morning and mock trials in a courtroom in the afternoon. The learners had the full week to prepare for defense and prosecution. At the conclusion of the court, we return to class and discuss how we could do better, what useful knowledge learners were taking away, and review the week’s core concepts and valuable takeaway information. I will have to discover a way to implement the court experience into my online course. A possibility is a hybrid model.

 CONCLUSION

Technology is becoming so advanced and the Covid 19 pandemic is closing campuses everywhere. As a student, my first experience going from face to face learning to eLearning was like getting punched in the face. Does it need to hurt that much?

Elearning relieves the pressure by giving learners the ability to learn whatever they want, from wherever they want. Elearning will not replace all face to face instruction but it is clear most points in this fight were scored by eLearning.

Winner by a knockout!    eLearning

 REFERENCES

 

Angelis, Dario De. (2014). [Image]. eLearning Challenges and Opportunities. Retrieved on June 19, 2020 from https://elearningindustry.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-elearning.

Bell, Bradford S. & Federman, Jessica E. (2013). E-Learning in Postsecondary Education. Retrieved on June 22, 2020 from https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/articles/928/

Boettcher, Judith V. & Conrad, Rita-Marie. (2016). The Online Teaching Survival Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Brown, Mark. (2018). [Graph]. Average Annual Cost of Post-Secondary Education in Canada. Retrieved on June 18, 2020 from https://www.macleans.ca/education/the-cost-of-a-canadian-university-education-in-six-charts/

Bull, Bernard. (2013). Eight Roles of an Effective Online Teacher. Faculty Focus. Retrieved on June 22, 2020 from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/eight-roles-of-an-effective-online-teacher/

Cantu, Paty & Kazen, Hayley. (2020). Engagement to Autonomy: Four Strategies for Face-to-Face or Online Learning in First-Year Experience Courses. Retrieved on June 20, 2020 from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/engagement-to-autonomy-four-strategies-for-face-to-face-or-online-learning-in-first-year-experience-courses/

Classic Boxing Bell. (2020). [Image]. Retrieved on June 26, 2020 from https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/classic-boxing-bell

Coldrun & Smith. (2012). [Video]. Teaching Online vs. Face to Face. 6 min, 29 sec. Retrieved on June 22, 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGERvPmGLd4

Cooke, Georgina. (2020). Online Learning vs Face to Face Learning. Retrieved on June 22, 2020 from https://www.elucidat.com/

Deciding the Winner of a Boxing Match. https://sports.stackexchange.com/questions/1172/deciding-the-winner-of-a-boxing-match#.

England, Darren. (2018). [Image]. Retrieved on June 26, 2020 from

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/dec/01/jeff-horn-secures-devastating-victory-in-anthony-mundines-final-fight

Focus Education Staff. (2020). How Does Online Instruction Measure Up to Face-to-Face. Retrieved on June 24, 2020 from https://www.focuseduvation.com/how-does-online-instruction-measure-up-to-face-to-face/#:~:text=Synchronous%20vs.,instructors%20interacting%20in%20real%20time.&text=This%20allows%20students%20to%20learn,no%20one%20is%20left%20behind.

Hankins, Amy. (2016). Five Ways to Help Students Succeed in the Online Classroom. Retrieved on June 24, 2020 from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/five-ways-help-students-succeed-online-classroom/

Heller, Martin. (2019). [Image] Visual Studio Code vs Visual Studio: How to Choose. Retrieved on June 21, 2020 from https://www.infoworld.com/article/3436860/visual-studio-code-vs-visual-studio-how-to-choose.html

King, Kathleen P. (2017). Technology and Innovation in Adult Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Lee, Kevin. (2018). [Image]. Best Punch to Face of All Time. Retrieved on June 22, 2020 from https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/is-this-the-best-punch-face-of-all-time.3782923/

Lin, Jimmy. (2020). [Image]. Beyond Boxing. Retrieved on June 22, 2020 from https://beyondboxing.com/about-boxing-gym-vancouver/

Lombardi, Vince. (1960). [Image]. It’s not whether You Get Knocked Down. It’s Whether You Get Up. Retrieved on June 26, 2020 from http://statusmind.com/smart-quotes-2912/

Orso, Donald & Doolittle, Joan. (2012). Instructor Characteristics That Affect Online Student Success. Retrieved on June 23, 2020 from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/instructor-characteristics-that-affect-online-student-success/

Perry, Eric J. (2017). Engaging Students in Online Courses: Adding Experiential to Asynchrony. Faculty Focus. Retrieved on June 23 from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/engaging-students-online-courses-adding-experiential-asynchrony/

Schroeder, Ray. (2018). Why Online Learning is Better Than Face to Face Learning. Retrieved on June 22, 2020 from https://www.studyinternational.com/news/online-learning-better-face-learning/

Shutterstock. (2020). [Image]. Boxing Coach Images. Retrieved on June 26, 2020 from https://www.shutterstock.com/search/boxing+coach

Smith, Melinda, Segal, Jeanne & Robinson, Lawrence. (2020). Job Loss and Unemployment Stress. Retrieved on June 22, 2020 from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/job-loss-and-unemployment-stress.htm

University of Saskatchewan. (2020). [Video]. Introduction to Teaching Online: Teaching Online vs. Face-to-Face. Retrieved on June 23, 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGERvPmGLd4

[1] (King, 2017, pp. 206)

[2] (Brown, 2018)

At the end of each best practice, I have added at least one example of how I might incorporate the best practice with the course I expect to design and teach.

http://www.designingforlearning.info/services/writing/ecoach/tenbest.html.

Here are ten best practices for anyone just getting started in the online
environment. Research and experience suggest that these practices contribute to
an effective, efficient and satisfying teaching and learning experience for both
faculty and students. Using these practices can help develop confidence, comfort,
and experience in teaching online.

Best Practice 1: Be Present at the Course Site

Liberal use of a faculty’s use of communication tools such as announcements,
discussion board postings, and forums communicate to the students that the
faculty member cares about who they are, cares about their questions and
concerns, and is generally “present” to do the mentoring and challenging that
teaching is all about.
When faculty actively interact and engage students in a face-to-face classroom,
the class develops as a learning community, developing intellectual and personal
bonds. The same type of bonding happens in an online setting.
We have learned to quantify what it means to “be present.” The “best online”
faculty – according to students – are faculty who show their presence multiple
times a week, and at best, daily. Setting clear expectations – as to when you will
be present and when you will not – at the beginning of a course with course
policies is very helpful, however, and can reduce the need for daily presence if
that is not your particular style. Setting regular times when you can meet in a
virtual classroom or be available by email or texting, and thus be available –
almost in real time similar to office hours, can be invaluable.
Note: Students who feel abandoned or who feel alone may even post questions,
such as “Is anybody there?” This is a very clear and unambiguous signal that not
all is well. I will have set times and days for contact with students and an open invitation for them to contact me anytime.

Best Practice 2: Create a supportive online course community

A good strategy for developing a supportive online course community is to design
a course with a balanced set of dialogues. This means designing a course so that
the three dialogues of faculty to student, student to student and student to
resource are about equal. In most online courses, the dialogue of faculty to
student is provided with (1) mini-lectures in text or video or audio podcasts, (2)
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weekly coaching and reminder announcements and (3) explanations/interactions
with the students.
Here are three strategies that can be used to encourage peer-to-peer, studentto-
student engagement and thus the building of a course community. Note that
an online instructor wants to develop three types of presence:social presence,
teaching presence, and cognitive/content presence.
Launch the class with a personal introduction posting so that students can
get to know one another and you get to know “where students’ heads are.”
The types of info often shared by faculty and students include info on
professional experiences, personal information such as family/friends/pets,
and a photograph. Faculty also often include a note about their teaching
philosophy and research projects.
Encourage use of a general open student forum for students to post and
request help and assistance from each other through the various studentto-
student tools, such as discussions, help areas, etc.
Set up small groups where students can assume responsibility for
supportive mentoring of fellow students and summarizing key points of a
class assignment. The students might work in groups of 2, 3 or 4. This
strategy is similar to a study group.
Set up problem-solving forums or discussions boards, and assign students
or student teams to monitor and support or direct questions.
Note: Learning within the setting of an online course community will work better
for some students than for others. Some students may choose not to participate
very actively at all; other students find it is the best way for them to learn in an
online setting. The point of this is that for those students who need it, it is an
essential part of how they learn. Vygotsky’s theories remind us that we learn as
social beings within a social context. The online community is part of what makes
this happen for some students. I will definitely have an initial meet and greet with the learner. I can see small groups working along with chat lines.

Best Practice 3: Share a set of very clear expectations for
your students and for yourself as to (1) how you will
communicate and (2) how much time students should be
working on the course each week

This best practice cannot be overemphasized. Include on your course site a set of
expectations for how students communicate and dialogue online and how they
communicate with you. For example, many faculty tell students that they can
expect a response within 24 hours during the week. Often before a major test or
assignment, faculty will agree to hold special office hours by computer, being
available either by chat/live classroom or email, or phone. In the interests of
time and community, it is best to use a tool where responses and content can be
shared with everyone and archived for flexibility in access and review.
This basic expectation of response time can easily be modified – so long as the
change is communicated to the students. It is easy to know what to do, if we
think about the students as family for the term. Students are very accepting of a
faculty member’s time and life requirements if they know what is going on. And
students often step in and help each other even more when they know a faculty
member is sick, traveling or otherwise not available.
Often students can agree to monitor course questions posted in the Open Forum
or in the discussion boards for a week for example.
Online learning is just as intensive as learning face-to-face, and time to do the
work needs to be scheduled and planned for, just as if one were attending
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face-to-face classes. Being clear as to how much effort and time will be required
on a weekly basis keeps surprises to a minimum. My formatting and information to my learners will follow the example of the PIDP and EDUC programs.

Best Practice 4: Use a variety of large group, small group, and individual work experiences

A community works well when there are a variety of activities and experiences.
Online courses can be more enjoyable and effective when students have the
opportunity to brainstorm and work through concepts and assignments with
either one or two or more fellow students. At the same time some students work
and learn best on their own. So, building in options and opportunities for
students to work together and individually is highly recommended.
Working in teams is particularly effective when working on complex case studies
or scenarios for the first time. Team and group activities are perfect for my ethics and witness statement courses. I will definitely include some examples of this activity.

Best Practice 5: Use both synchronous and asynchronous
activities

When online courses were first introduced, they were almost totally
asynchronous – an updated version of the distance learning courses by
correspondence. Now we have course management systems and virtual live
classrooms and audio tools that make it possible to do almost everything we do
in campus classrooms. Plus we can often engage learners in more collaborative
and more reflective activities, and what happens is recorded and archived and
there for review and occasionally revision.
Sometimes there is nothing better than a real-time interactive brainstorming and
sharing discussion; other times the requirement to think, plan, write and
summarize is what makes learning most effective for an individual. The variety of
activities that are now possible online makes it possible to create many types of
effective learning environments.
For example, in many financial and statistical courses, real time problem-solving
and question and answer review sessions can be very effective learning
experiences. While working professionals often choose to complete advanced
degrees online so that they can make use of the asynchronous, anytime,
anywhere features of a program, these same learners enjoy getting together
from anywhere at a specific time to interact in real time. Reflective activities, brainstorming, sharing discussions, and others are all part of my program and they will be blended into the learning activities.

Best Practice 6: Early in the term – about week 3, ask for
informal feedback on “How is the course going?” and “Do
you have any suggestions?”

Course evaluations have been called “post mortem” evaluations as they are done
after the fact, and nothing can be changed to increase satisfaction or facilitate
learning. Early feedback surveys or just informal discussions ask students to
provide feedback on what is working well in a course and what might help them
have a better course experience. This early feedback is done early in the course
so corrections and modifications can be made. It is an easy opening for students
who might have comments or suggestions or questions. Although my experience teaching has only been face to face, I have always asked for early feedback from my learners. Also, after each quiz and exam, I ask my students how they felt about the questions asked and if or how I could improve the assessment. 

Best Practice 7: Prepare Discussion Posts that Invite
Questions, Discussions, Reflections and Responses
Discussions in an online course are the equivalent of class discussions in a
face-to-face class.

A key difference, of course, is that these discussions are
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asynchronous, providing time for thought and reflection and requiring written
/and or audio responses that become part of a course archive.
Discussions might be designed for one of the following purposes (Painter, et al.,
2003; and Goodyear et al 2003, cited in Grogan, 2005):
Provide an open question and answer forum
Encourage critical or creative thinking
Reinforcing domain or procedural processes
Achieve social interaction and community building – have the students get
to know each other personally and intellectually
Validating experiences
Supporting students in their own reflections and inquiries
Here are a few hints for discussion postings culled from many conversations with
experienced online faculty.
Quick One-Liner Hints
Create open-ended questions that learners can explore and apply the
concepts that they are learning
Model good Socratic-type probing and follow-up questions. Why do you
think that? What is your reasoning? Is there an alternative strategy? Ask
clarifying questions that encourage students to think about what they
know and don’t know.
Stagger due dates of the responses and consider mid-point summary and
/or encouraging comments
Provide guidelines and instruction on responding to other students. For
example, suggest a two-part response: (1) what you liked or agreed with
or what resonated with you, and (2) a follow-up question such as what you
are wondering about or curious about, etc.
Provide choices and options for students. Providing choices for students in
questioning follows the principle of providing options for personalized and
customized learning for students and a way of validating and affirming
knowledge and skills. Working professionals are often grappling with many
issues – providing choices and options makes it possible to link the learning
more directly with their work experiences and needs.
Don’t post questions soliciting basic facts, or questions for which there is
an obvious yes/no response. The reason for this is obvious. Once one
student responds, there is not much more to say! Very specific fact-based
questions that you want to be sure that you students know are best used
in practice quizzes.
Reminder: Log in to your course at least 4 times a week – answer email,
monitor discussions, post reminders, and hold online office hours.
You may also want to peruse some of the hints about questioning from other
ecoaching hints available at http://www.designingforlearning.info/services/writing
/ecoach/index.htm. Discussion posts will be vital in the course I am writing. Ethics, policy, report writing, interviewing techniques, are good examples where I will incorporate critical and creative thinking.

Best Practice 8: Focus on content resources and
applications and links to current events and examples that
are easily accessed from learner’s computers

If content is not digital, it is as if it does not exist for students. This means that
the content that students will more likely use is that content and applications
that are available from their computers. Students want to be learning anywhere,
anytime and often while they are doing other things, such as driving, exercising,
etc. Carrying around large, heavy textbooks and even laptops sometimes feels
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like an anachronism. Content that is mobile and can be accessed via
smartphones, ipads, ipods, and mp3 players are welcome additions for many
students.
For many courses and disciplines, however, textbooks are not yet available in
digital form, so this best practice applies mostly to supplementary resources and
to library resources. A reference document with detailed instructions on
accessing library resources is included in most courses. Additionally, a key
member of the instructional team is the library reference person assigned to
supporting online learners.
Students enjoy seeing how what they are learning links to current news events.
Thus, building into a course discussions and links to current events is often
motivating to learners. So, this best practice includes the following: “Encourage
students to help make the best use of the world of Internet resources.” Here are
some ideas.
Enlist student assistance in identifying high quality content that is available
online. This can include tutorials, simulations and supplementary stat
material online.
Incorporate into assignments and discussions how the various statistical
tools are used in professional situations and in decision-making. Include
examples of when and why they helped and perhaps when they went awry. Considering what is occurring worldwide pertaining to the black lives matter movement, I will have an enormous amount of material to choose from for student engagement, debate, and discussion.

Best Practice 9: Combine core concept learning with
customized and personalized learning
This best practice combines a number of basic learning principles, explained in
length in other resources.

Very briefly, it means that faculty identify the core
concepts to be learned in a course – the performance goals – and then mentor
learners through a set of increasingly complex and even customized projects
applying these core concepts. Many online learners within professional certificate
programs are working professionals. Supporting learners with their professional
goals that are closely linked to the performance goals of a course and even
beyond the course parameters is a win-win for the learners individually and as a
class. How does one do this? Building in options and choices in assignments and
special projects is a way to do this.
Another key principle that aids in concept learning comes from Vygotsky (1962,
1978). Vygotsky notes that concepts are not words, but rather organized and
intricate knowledge clusters. This is a simple, but profound principle. This means
that while we must teach in a linear fashion, presenting concepts individually and
in small clusters, we need to apply concepts within case studies, problems and
analyses that combine concepts and principles within a context. Effectively
learning concepts – as we know from novice and expert studies – requires a focus
on patterns and relationships and not individual facts or vocabulary.
When faced with a new field or discipline, students often focus on learning the
vocabulary of a discipline, but this activity is often done in isolation from an
understanding of the concepts that give the words meaning. Without the
underlying concepts, words are akin to isolated “weeds” and “seeds” likely to be
blown away by the winds of time, usually mere hours after an exam.
A popular new teaching and learning mantra advocates making students’
thinking visible. Making our thinking visible requires students to create, talk,
write, explain, analyze, judge, report and inquire. These types of activities make
it clear to students themselves, to the faculty, and to fellow learners what
students know or don’t know, what they are puzzled about and about what they
Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online http://www.designingforlearning.info/services/writing/ecoach/tenbest.html
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might be curious. Such activities stimulate student’s growth from concept
awareness to concept acquisition, building in that “series of intellectual
operations” that Vygotsky believes is required for concept acquisition.
Discussion forums, blogging, journals and small group work are all excellent
strategies for engaging learners in clarifying and enlarging their mental models
or concepts and building links and identifying relationships. Most of my learner’s goals will be to either seek employment or improve their opportunities in advancement in law enforcement or social justice. To talk, create, write, explain, analyze, judge, report, and inquire are perfect goals to be used in my course.

Best Practice 10: Plan a good closing and wrap activity for
the course

As courses come to a close, it is easy to forget the value of a good closing
experience. In the final weeks of a course, students are likely to be stressed and
not take the time to do the lists and the planning that can help reduce stress and
provide a calming atmosphere. A favorite image of mine is from David Allen of
Getting Things Done. Allen notes that making a list helps us to clear the “psychic
ram” of our brains and we feel more relaxed and more in control. Once we have
made our list and schedule, we don’t have to continually remind ourselves of
what needs to be done and when.
Here are a few hints for closing out a course experience with style and panache.
Take time to remind students of what’s next and when assignments and
readings are due. Announcements of this type provide a “To Do” list and
schedule for the learners. And by implication this list provides a helpful “To
Do” list and schedule for you. As always, it is good to post reminders and
make references to the planning list in your comments. And update as you
go.
Plan the ending of the course experience. A well-designed ending of a
course provides opportunities for reflection and integration of useful
knowledge. It is also a time to wrap up positive social and cognitive
experiences.
End-of-course experiences often include student presentations, summaries and
analyses. These reports and presentations provide insights into just what useful
knowledge students are taking away from a course and a final opportunity for
faculty to remind students of core concepts and fundamental principles.
Concluding Thought
Traditional courses have long focused on tools and techniques for the
presentation of content. Traditional concerns from faculty focused on covering
the material, getting through the book and meeting expectations so that faculty
in other courses won’t muse and wonder, “Didn’t you learn these concepts from
faculty X?” And “Didn’t you study the work and contributions of ____ (Fill in
your favorite who)”
A major drawback with designing for content as a priority is that it focuses
attention on what the faculty member is doing, thinking and talking about and
not on the interaction and engagement of students with the core concepts and
skills of a course. The new focus on learners encourages a focus on learners as a
priority. The new focus on the learner is to develop a habit of asking, what is
going on inside the learner’s head? How much of the content is being integrated
into their knowledge base? How much of the content and the tools can he/she
actually use? What are students thinking and how did they arrive at their
respective positions? My end of course work usually involves asking, “So, what have you learned over this past week?” I get the responses, receive the assessments, and we are all off to the pub for a beer. I will design a formal ending to my course whether it be a group project, individual learner presentation, or merely verbal summation of the learning experience.

References
Boettcher, J.V. & Conrad, R. M. (2010) E-Coaching Success Tips
http://www.designingforlearning.info/services/writing/ecoach/index.htm
Accessed May 30, 2011. A library of over 80 tips developed over 2006 – 2010.
Boettcher, J. V. (2007). Ten Core Principles for Designing Effective Learning
Environments: Insights from Brain Research and Pedagogical Theory.
http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=54. (February 16, 2009).
Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. M. (2010). The Online Teaching Survival Guide:
Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips (1 ed.). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Additional best practices added to The Online Teaching Survival Guide as of 2011.

Best Practice 11: Assess as you go by gathering evidence s of learning.

Best Practice 12: Rigorously connect content to core concepts and learning outcomes.Best

Practice 13: Develop and use a content frame for your course.

Best practice 14: Design experiences to help learners make progress on their novice-to-expert journey.

 

 

 

 

 

EDUC 4150 Online/eLearning: Principles and Processes 2020/21

Now that was fun! What a great way to learn new definitions and in this case the glossary of terms given to us by our instructor used in eLearning.  A spin on the crossword may be a word search game. Either way, I am sure to use this in designing my

course.

INTRODUCTION

 

Thank you for joining me on my journey while reflecting on the different generations of eLearners. This assignment is the first for the EDUC 4150, Principles and Processes, program at Vancouver Community College. As defined in the assignment description, “reflection through journaling provides concrete evidence of one’s evolving thought processes, documenting valuable insights and understanding.” Through the suggested questions and my own research, I will explain the different generations of learning, give some of my personal thoughts on the subject, and how the generations affect online eLearning.

This reflective writing entry will follow the ORID (objective, reflective, interpretive, decisional) focused conversation model. Further information about the ORID model is in, The Art of Focused Conversation: 100 Ways to Access Group Wisdom in the Workplace (2000) by R. Brian Stanfield.

I will begin with a learning example occurring today while my fiancé and I were purchasing car roof racks for our two kayaks. Once installed, we asked for a demonstration of the loading and unloading of the kayaks for safe traveling. Fortunately, my fiancé and I had previously watched the YouTube video so were aware of the mechanics of the technique. The employee was a male in his mid 20’s. While he explained the details to my fiancé and me, I could hear his thoughts screaming, ”Why can’t these people just look at the video, query the internet, or at the very least pick-up their smartphone and check out the myriad of sources on the installation of kayak roof racks.” As nice as he was, my fiancé and I made him earn his salary and asked every question we could think of about kayak roof racks. The question is, “Why did I get the impression and feel this young employee wanted us to stop asking questions and just go to some quick and easy type of technology to get the answer?”

Prior to completing the research for this assignment, I gave no thought to the different generations of learners let alone how or why I should vary my style or philosophy of teaching to accommodate their learning styles.  The five learning generations are Traditionalist, Silent Generation 1925 – 1945, Baby Boomers 1946 – 1964, Generation X, Gen X 1965 – 1976, Millennials, Gen Y 1977 – 1995, and Generation Z 1996 – TBD. (Center for Generational Kinetics, 2020)

 

I am a baby boomer born in 1956 with attributes such as being self-aware, a little self-centered, strong work ethic, lifelong learner, very social, dislike authority, and sensitive to criticism. My formal education was at a time before calculators and my math and physics classes in high school were with a slide rule only. The learners I have taught are a mixture of generations but about 70% millennial. I seem to meet all my student’s learning needs and I do not really care what generation they are. My student evaluations are generally quite good and as the proverb says, “If it is not broken why fix it?” Maybe I should think of adopting the saying, “You can always make a better mousetrap.” However, I have always known that my adult learners were fundamentally different than their younger counterparts. I have done my best knowing each class had a different set of challenges, demands, and expectations, and generally a different level of maturity. Take it apart and put it back together better than before.

 

OBJECTIVE: What have you learned about working with different generations of learners in an online forum?

            I have not taught an online course, but I have seen the generational differences among the students in the two online courses I have taken.  I resist technology due to a lack of familiarity with the technology and previous learning experiences.  Prior to taking the PIDP 3240 (Media Enhanced Learning) course, I feared using a variety of technology in the classroom because it might be more of a distraction than aid and it scared me to think it would not work properly. For example, when I teach face to face at the start of a new course on the Monday morning after introducing the class, I would ask my learner’s who was going to be my IT person for the week. In every class, there was one learner who would volunteer to ensure the compact disc in the personal video recorder was prepared and take care of any glitches in the guest speakers’ PowerPoint presentation. Yes, that learner was usually one third my age and glad to help. Up until now I have resisted the incorporation of technology in my classroom and had plenty of excuses. For example, I did not have the time to learn new technical knowledge, and do I really need WordPress, Facebook, and Twitter? Give me a flip chart and chalkboard and I was good to go.

For many young students of all generations, the idea of taking an online course is nothing new because they are often comfortable with the technology and a student-centered learning environment. My generation was used to a traditional, lecture-based learning environment and reluctantly enrolled in online courses only when there were no other options. For example, I have on my official Vancouver Community College transcripts an ‘F’ in the Media Enhanced Learning course in 2005 because I failed, pun intended, to grasp the importance of online learning. I was frustrated by the technology and did not withdraw from the course properly. I since completed it and received a final grade of “A-”.

I enjoy getting students from different generations to interact with each other. The younger students help the older students and visa versa. I Learned that understanding and appreciating different generations is critical for being an effective and productive teacher both online and face to face.

 

REFLECTIVE: How does this fit with your experience? What has your own learning been like related to interacting and learning with different generations?

 

Thinking back to my formal education experience, there was no concern from teachers for my style of learning. I was overweight, embarrassed easily, and had a girl’s name.  I failed at standardized testing and remember acquiring exam anxiety at an early age. I was not being prepared to meet the many challenges I may face in life or in my academic career. There was so much more to learn to become a well-balanced and healthy learner, but my schools were not designed to replace extended families.  My less than stellar grades showed I may have learned the basic concepts of formal education, but they did not consider me as a whole person. Some of my greatest challenges and obstacles were at school but so were some of my greatest successes

I am now more aware that understanding everyone’s opinions, views, and values will allow different generations to increase their appreciation of one another. People will then talk from a sense of appreciation and acknowledgment. We need people of all generations to help make education effective.

While watching the YouTube video by Michael Wesch (Wesch, 2007), it reminded me of sitting in the lecture room in 1982 at Simon Fraser University with two hundred other students listening to an elderly professor, pipe in his mouth,  old English accent, ramble on about Economics 101. Why did I take that class? How will I ever use the little bit of information I will remember? Why was I sitting there? How could the University pay this man for such pathetic teaching? In the video by Michael Wesch, I felt the student’s pain. It brought back so many bad memories from school for me. To me, teaching and learning must be fun. You can easily mix humor and enthusiasm into every class. They are so important and undervalued.

The students I teach are mostly millennials and I am now aware they are being taught by a digital immigrant. I speak an outdated language and struggle to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language.  Apparently, I am like many digital immigrant teachers who assumed learners are the same as they have always been, and what worked for me when I was a student will work while teaching my learners.

Thankfully, I have taken online courses and aware of communicating with my teachers online, participating in forums, dropping my assignments into a dropbox, and being disciplined enough to complete the assignments

 

INTERPRETIVE: What does this new learning mean to you? What new insights do you now have? How has your thinking changed because of this learning?

            The research for this assignment made it clear to me the difference among the learning generations while the articles on digital natives/digital immigrant’s articles  made it clear how I must adapt to all my learners learning styles and not just the majority. Just because I have only taught face to face and my teaching style seemed to be adequate, I know more can be done to improve the class so my results are exceptional. Thirty years ago, the baby boomers were young adults in the 17 to 36 age range, whereas now they are in the 47 to 66 age range. I know my teaching of millennials cannot be the same as teaching three other generations of learners.

“Adult learners have much more variability of experience that needs to be considered in postsecondary instructional design. This diversity of personal perspective and history provides a rich medium for growth, interaction, reflection, and change when used for positive purposes.” (King, 2017, pp. 166). I believe in a holistic education which is multi-disciplinary. It may include reading and writing of poetry, photography, feature films, theatre, dance, or music. Traditional education puts the curriculum before the person resulting in learners with anxiety and social handicaps. As an instructor, I try to re-write the wrongs, so my learners are not anxious or afraid and they feel empowered to succeed.

As stated by J. Krishnamurti, “The highest function of education is to bring about an integrated individual who is capable of dealing with life as a whole.” It is clear holistic teaching should consider a learner’s emotional well-being and consider the whole person. I like the idea of transformative learning and changing the frames of reference of people including their points of view and world views. Teaching learners to reflect critically on how they come to know or understand information is an important skill set for personal growth. Holistic education promotes these strategies and addresses the questions of how to teach and how people learn. These paradigms apply to different generations of learners too. As stated by Marc Prensky, “Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.”

 

DECISIONAL: How can this new learning be applied in your online course?

I have a participatory curriculum and my learners can be involved in developing the course and objectives. I have always asked my learners at the end of a quiz or exam, what questions they felt were unclear or unfair so they can make suggestions for improvement. In the future, I can have my learner’s critique and modify the subjects to get the most benefit from the course and have my students guide me.

In my classroom, I will be concerned if what Dr. Rosemary Tannock in her video Knowledge Translation Stories (Tannock, 2011) says is true, “By the time Gen Z students enter the workforce, what you know will matter less than what you can find out and how you can use that information.” My students will have to know all the questions, who, what, where, when, why, and how and use the knowledge immediately upon completing the program. It will be challenging to hold the attention of Generation Z who are easily distracted and hard to reach and ensure Millennials receives quality instruction and high return on their investment.

Whenever I have a new group of students, I will have them do a learning styles assessment. It will identify how the students prefer to learn and identify things such as their ability to upload and download documents, view video clips, and other learning technologies. With my mixed age groups, I will group students with similar learning styles and experiences, so they become initially comfortable. As the course progresses, the students could choose their groups. I will respect the learner’s generational differences with respect to their attitudes, work habits, and motivators. However, I will be aware that ‘one size may fit all’ in my instructional designs and I may change some but not all different learning technologies.

My digital natives are used to receiving information fast and they like to multitask. My course is designed for that pace of learning and I will continue to challenge those learners. I will include networking with instant gratification and frequent rewards, whether it be a verbal job well done or an Oh Henry chocolate bar. I will purposely incorporate technology into the classroom and change activities often to stimulate my millennials. For my baby boomers and generation X, I will ask for their professional experiences and stories while working in a team environment, but they will receive more explicit instructions and guidance when learning with digital media.

I will continue to add to my blog on WordPress and have information available to my learners for online instruction or general interest.  I will introduce Ted videos, Utube videos, and scan my photographs. I will look at recording my lectures where they can be added to the learner’s homework assignment. I’ll continue using PowerPoint, videos, and television.

“There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it, or you can inspire it.”^[1] As an instructor, I will continue to be seen less like a person of authority and more as a mentor, coach, and facilitator with open and honest communication. Changes to the educational system will only take place if enough people are inspired to make the change to a more holistic approach towards education. I am inspired and I will make changes because I have a passion for teaching. I will learn to communicate in the language and generation style of my learners. I will think about how to teach both legacy and future content while adapting my course to the language of digital natives and immigrants. (Marc Prensky, Part I, 2001, pp. 4).

I will continue to treat my learners as the adults they are, be aware their classroom skills may be a little rusty, consider and acknowledge the technology gap, be efficient with lessons and activities, be creative, and above all – have fun!

 

CONCLUSION

            What I have learned from this assignment is newer generations can pay attention to the older generation’s lessons and knowledge, while older generations can learn from the younger ones. “Each generation has its own unique perspective, challenges, and contributions, and we can all grow by listening to and learning from people who are different than us.” (Mulder, 2018).

“I think there’s going to be some challenges for faculty to understand the differences across generations, and we have the responsibility to find ways to adapt our delivery and engage our students or we’re always going to have this core of students who are not going to be happy.”[2] My challenge will be trying to deliver a course on-line while creating engaging environments for all learners. Millennials prefer collaboration but Generation X wants to work independently. Traditionalists have a “getting the job done” attitude, Baby Boomers have the teamwork skills, Generation X is self-reliant, Generation Y (Millennials) are multitaskers, and Generation Z is entrepreneurs and have experience with online education. It will be important to explain the rationale on how teamwork will contribute to their overall success and handle any challenge to come their way and how the lessons learned will be transferred into their respective careers.

 

 

References

            Ahmad, Mohd & Tarmudi, Shafiee. (2011). Generational Differences in Satisfaction with E-Learning among Higher Learning Institution Staff. Retrieved on June 11, 2020, from https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/

Center for Generational Kinetics. (2020). Generational Breakdown: Infor About All of the Generations. Retrieved on June 14, 2020, from https://genhq.com/faq-info-about-generations/

Doherty, Brooks. (2012). Tips For Teaching Adult Students. Retrieved on June 12, 2020, from https:// https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/tips-for-teaching-adult-students/

Ferlazzo, Larry. (2018). [Image]. Nine Ways to End This Crazy School Year Strong. Retrieved on June 13, 2020, from  https://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2020/05/four_ways_to_end_this_crazy_school_year_strong.html

            Hoover, E. (2014). Techniques in Learning and Teaching, Teaching Across Generations – Part II, Retrieved on June 12, 2020, from https://uminntilt.com/2014/07/14/teaching-across-generations-part-ii/

Kelly, Rob. (2008). Teaching to the Learning Styles Across Generations. Retrieved on June 12, 2020, from https://facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/teaching-to-the-learning-styles-across-generations/

King, Kathleen P. (2017). Technology and Innovation in Adult Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Krishnamurti, J. (2020). J. Krishnamurti, Chapter 2 – The Right Kind of Education. Retrieved on June 14, 2020, from https://jkrishnamurti.org/content/chapter-2-right-kind-education

 

Mulder, Lotte. (2018). Lablogatory: Why is it Important to Learn About Generations? Retrieved on June 12, 2020, from https://labmedicineblog.com/2018/03/30/why-is-it-important-to-learn-about-generations/

Prensky, Marc. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. Retrieved on June 12, 2020, from https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Prensky, Marc. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part II: Do They Really Think Differently. Retrieved on June 12, 2020, from https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf

Sinek, Simon. (2009). Start with Why. New York: Penguin Books

Stanfield, R. Brian. (2000). The Art of Focused Conversation. Toronto: Canadian Institute of Cultural Affairs.

Tannock, Rosemary. (2011). Knowledge Translation Stories #3. Retrieved on June 13, 2020, from https://youtube.com/watch?v=Lsq5oeEunsw

Warren, Linda. (2012). Are Learning Differences Between Generations A Myth? Retrieved on June 12, 2020, from https://www.microassist.com/author/lwarren/

Wesch. Michael. (2007). A Vision of Students Today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] (Sinek, 2009, pp. 17)

[2] (Kelly, 2008)

I was driving the other day and read a funny bumper sticker on the car ahead of me.

Oh no, not another learning experience.

Part 3:  Post #3 – “Aha” Moment

How little do I know about technology and information – smartphones, web video, Skype, apps, virtual conferences, and flipped classes? Stop the insanity! I’ve relied too heavily on others for technical assistance in so many areas and it’s time to step up to the plate and learn the technology. For example, online learning has exploded in popularity and it’s offered everywhere in most school districts and post-secondary institutions. I find the technical aspect of learning online very challenging and stressful. However, I don’t have the time or desire to sit in a brick and mortar classroom participating in a lengthy, formal course.

Part 2:  Post #2 – Implications

The implications of these trends, and many others, in the way I will instruct is clear to me. The ‘old ways’ of teaching which my generation grew up with are no longer useful to deal with the challenges of tomorrow. Learners make more informed decisions and take responsible actions for their education. Lifelong learning must encourage changes in knowledge, skills, values, and attitude to enable future generations to meet their educational needs. The trends of today and future trends of tomorrow should be embraced and adopted into the classroom.

I have to learn as much as possible about these trends and the many not listed in this assignment.  New information and technology are being discovered at a phenomenal rate. Should I have any credibility in the classroom as an instructor I should have a general working knowledge of what they are and what they do. Should I not promote my own lifelong learning and constantly improve skill sets, I can’t imagine what challenges I will face and opportunities missed without the knowledge to deal with them.

I have to look at other popular forms of learning and instruction delivery. The education trends help determine how best to educate students and what technology should be invested in. Studies have proven trends such as game-based learning enhances learning and classroom interactions, helps students maintain positive attitudes to learning, and motivates students to do better.

To prepare for the trends, I must realize I can’t wait for the ‘right’ time and my education must be proactive starting now. I will learn new skills, find some creative ways to learn and embrace future challenges in my life. I recognize my strengths and weaknesses and will continue to build on my strengths.