Learning Theories

1. Behaviourism

1.1. Behaviourism is the belief that subjects will learn through the introduction and repetition of stimuli. The addition of positive and negative reinforcement also helps in creating the behaviour that is wanted and curbing unwanted behaviour in the subject or student. This education theory, as with the Cognitive load theory also maintains the importance of memory in learning and using repetition to educate the student.

1.2. Teaching through modeling as well as offering rewards and punishments in the classroom would be a form of behaviourist learning put in practice. The modeling allows for the student to copy the teachers movements and react to environmental stimuli. Rewards or punishments let the students know that certain behaviours are desirable verses others and therefore they must be correct.

2. Social Construction of Technology

2.1. SCOT is a theory of technology that explores the idea that society shapes and molds technology to work within the context of that society. A subject cannon begin to understand technology without first understanding the society that shaped it for specific needs.

2.2. This theory also deals with researching the success or failure of certain technological innovations, their popularity depends heavily on the need for this technology or the ease of use.

2.3. This technology theory appears to go hand in hand with the Connectivity learning theory. The need and use of online information networks putting aside the need for traditional teacher centered education. When society becomes more technology based, it begins to create a new and alternate learning theory to keep up with online learning and networking.

3. Connectivism.ca (n.d.). About — Connectivism. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.connectivism.ca/about.html [Accessed: 25 Jul 2013]. En.wikibooks.org (1995). Learning Theories/Behavioralist Theories - Wikibooks, open books for an open world. [online] Retrieved from: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Learning_Theories/Behavioralist_Theories [Accessed: 25 Jul 2013]. Im404504.wikidot.com (2011). Cognitive Load Theory - Learning and ID. [online] Retrieved from: http://im404504.wikidot.com/cognitive-learning-theory [Accessed: 25 Jul 2013]. Slideshare.net (2000). Constructivism Basics. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.slideshare.net/olupo/constructivism-basics-presentation [Accessed: 25 Jul 2013]. En.wikipedia.org (2009). Social construction of technology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_construction_of_technology [Accessed: 25 Jul 2013].

4. TPACK

4.1. The main idea behind the TPACK framework is that teachers have a knowledge of technology, course content, and pedagogy or how to teach the subject.

4.2. How these spheres of knowledge intersect with one another creates that teachers TPACK framework. The intersections of each sphere of knowledge also creates different information bases: Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Technological Content Knowledge, and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge.

5. Philosophy of Teachnology

5.1. The teachers own professional opinion of technology and its uses in the classroom. Whether it should or shouldn't be used in certain scenarios and if it is helpful to the pedagogy. Usually created as written statements, these outline the teachers beliefs and are available to administrators either as PLNs, or listed in course outlines for students.

6. Connectivism

6.1. the process of collecting information from a network of resources to influence their own learning or another persons learning by sharing information. This process is informal education and stresses the importance of finding out information rather than knowing information.

6.1.1. Recruit Project Sponsor

6.1.2. Recruit Project Manager

6.1.3. Review Related Projects and Lessons Learned

6.1.4. Prepare Project Initiation Plan

6.1.5. Brief the Initial Project Team

6.1.6. Review Project Kick-off Plans and Presentation Map

6.1.7. Hold Project Kick-off Meeting

6.2. This method of learning is student centered rather than teacher centered, the student becomes in charge of their learning network and the amount of information they wish to seek out. The creation of the network is just as important as the learning of the information and this accounts for the students responsibility in his or her own education. The criticism of this learning theory is that traditional learning theories are swept by the wayside in favor of self guided learning. Where do educators then draw the line between the curriculum and student information networks.

6.2.1. Determine Project Approach, Stages and Steps

6.2.2. Estimate Project Duration

6.2.3. Establish Resource Requirements

6.2.4. Prepare Project Schedule and Budget

6.2.5. Prepare Work breakdown structure

6.2.6. Document Success Criteria

6.2.7. Review Project Schedule

7. Constructivism

7.1. The theory that one learns through building upon a base set of knowledge and common information to improve their understanding.

7.1.1. Establish checkpoints

7.1.2. Acquire team resources for stage

7.1.3. Conduct stage kick-off meeting

7.2. This contrasts itself with Connectivism due to the fact that the learners construction of information is key not just the absorption of information. However with Constructivist learning, it is also self directed as much as Connectivist learning. Educators expect their students to use their base knowledge of learning to build new concepts and understanding.

7.2.1. Determine Frequency of Meetings

7.2.2. Schedule Meetings

7.2.3. Brief Project Board

7.2.4. Prepare Meetings

7.2.5. Conduct Meetings

7.2.6. Follow-up Meeting

7.3. Teachers would approach students with course work that starts with base concepts and move on with projects that deal with more complicated aspects of the subject. Therefore the student has a foundation of support to gain more knowledge in that area of study.

7.3.1. Schedule Quality Review Meeting

7.3.2. Prepare for Quality Review Meeting

7.3.3. Conduct Quality Review Meeting

7.3.4. Follow-up Quality Review Meeting

8. Cognitive Load

8.1. The basic idea of Cognitive Load Theory is that the brain has three information storing a facilities. The working memory, the long term memory, and schemas. The ability of the brain to convert working memory into long term memory depends on the structure of the course of study as well as the students commitment to learn. The schema is essentially a structure that comes from working memory that is transcribed into long term memory, once the brain is no longer able to produce working schemas based on that subject, the working memory has been overloaded. It is the educators job to make sure that does not happen when planning the lesson.

8.1.1. Prepare Product Evaluation

8.1.2. Conduct Product Evaluation

8.1.3. Initiate Maintenance Process

8.2. As with constructivist learning it often helps the working memory convert information to long term memory through repetition and an eventual building of base knowledge of he subject. Having background information also makes it easier for the subject to be learned and memorized.

8.2.1. Prepare for Project Closure Meeting

8.2.2. Conduct Project Closure Meeting

8.2.3. Follow Up Project Closure Meeting