Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

Social networking like Facebook, Myspace, and text messaging is fluent in today's society among young people. This social networking allows students to communicate more ways then ever before. With technology being at the forefront of education, teachers should be able to take advantage of such a vast communication devices.
Social learning theory is a way for students to collaboratively work together to create an artifact to share and teach others. This theory allows students to be active in learning because are doing the research, compiling the information, and creating an artifacts that can be shared with classmates to teach. Social learning is a great way to connect all learning theories into one process.
Connecting all learning theories is a great way to incorporate collaborative learning. Learning occurs when students are able to connect all the different networks of knowledge together. Technology gives students the opportunity to connect and share information in more ways than at school. Connecting the different theories allows students to learn by doing so they are able to teach each other. Using social learning theories in the classroom is a great for students to collaborate and develop that social interaction skills needed to be successful in life after high school.
In my classroom, social learning keeps the students active because I like to let my students present information to the class. I like to give students topics on a particular concept and allow them to compile the information and present the information to the class, creating an artifact collectively in preparation for assessments like test and quizzes. Social learning allows teachers to get all involved with learning because all students must participate and work collaborative to create an artifact that contains all the correct information to teach each other. When students are able to gather information and teach to each other, learning is achieved.

Constructionism

Constructionism is a great learning process because students are able to be active learners to create artifacts that can be shared with others. Project-based learning gives students the opportunity to create powerpoints, wiki pages, and other projects to present to the class and be active in the learning process. Project-based learning allows students to use personal experiences and knowledge of technology to create something they can present to the class, use to study, or a create way of remembering the information. This type of learning is far from the traditional way of listening to the teacher lecture, answering questions, and taking test. Now students are able to be active in learning by using technology to conduct research, create an artifact, and present to the class. This can be promoted by a sense of ownership from the student in that they are responsible for providing the material for their classmates.
Generating and testing hypothesis allows students to expand their knowledge and understanding how to use programs like excel. When generating and test hypothesis using technology, students are able to create a working spreadsheet while experimenting and finding ways to reach a particular solution. Project-based learning works along side of generating and testing hypothesis in that students are developing ways using technology to solve a particular problem or situation. Students are generating news ways and ideas of how technology can help solve or create an artifact.
Using technology to help with testing hypothesis science class or generating charts and graphics for math classes are all great ways to gain knowledge on using excel, powerpoint, or other programs that help create an insightful and meaningful project. Integrating technology with project-based learning allows students to find new and interactive ways to focus on the results and outcomes rather than compiling and recording the information (Pitler, 2007). Teachers provide more learning opportunities when students are able to be active and provide evidence of learning through project-based learning.

Cognitivism in Practice

When dealing with cognitive learning, it is important for teachers to present information in ways that students can moved from short-term (working memory) to long term memory. Dr. Orey states that "integrating multiple senses in presentation improves learning"(Orey, DVD) and instructional strategies introduce during week 3 is a great way to start. Organizing information and limit the amount of information is important for cognitive practices. Not enough information will not help the students on assessments and to much information the student will forget and will not be able to process in an efficient way.
Concepts map, virtual field trips, summarizing, and note taking are all great tools for teachers to deliver information in short and organized way to maximize learning. Concepts maps, students are able to group ideas that relate to the main idea. This strategy can help students break down information into small segments where students can use their short term memory to process and move it to long term memory for future recalling. Summarizing is a way for students to process information from one teacher lesson and put it the major concepts into their own words. This helps with the process of elaborating because students are able to connects ideas and information in words they can associate with. This goes back to cognitive learning theory because students are able to create a mechanism for storing information into long term memory.
Virtual field trips are a great way to practice cognitive learning because are able to see images and see artifacts from the exact place without being there. Students are able to experience more with this type of technology in the classroom. Images help students moving information from short term memory to long terms. Virtual field trips gives students information as if they were on a field trip. With the interaction features, students are able to go in depth with learning about a particular place or an event and relate it to personal experiences. All these strategies are multiple ways of delivering information to students in an organized manner to help students process the information from their working memory to long term memory. Using a variety of these different strategies, allows teachers to reach students of all learning types.

Behaviorism in Pratice

Teacher do some kind of behavioral learning each and everyday. Lesson begin with a presentation or a tutorial and a question is asked for comprehension. The presentation followed by a questions is what Dr. Orey labels as "programmed instruction" (Laureate, 2009). Technology helps with the reinforcing aspect of behavioral learning because it allows students to review material and give immediate feedback on follow up questions. The immediate feedback, right or wrong, gives the teacher an idea of the students are comprehending and what needs to be re-examined.
Technology, also, allows for teachers to do more with drill and practice and reinforcing the material. With drill and practice, the students are able to get more repetition and remediation because the technology is able to monitor the students more efficient than the teacher. The technology is able to increase the difficulty or remediate question by question but the teacher has to be continuously checking over the student's work. So technology helps with that aspect of behavioral learning because it is able to check for learning and give a positive or negative feedback much quicker faster than a teacher.
Each resource does a great job with reinforcing and remediation of student's learning. With all the tutorial and explanations for a right or wrong answers, students are consistently learning the material. With all the fun graphic, students are learning while having fun which goes back to the concept of active learning. Behavioral learning does not have to be a teacher lecturing and at the end ask questions for comprehension. With technology in education today, it allows for a vast supply of resources to help with presentation and questioning of behavioral learning.

Resource:
Orey, M. (2009) DVD. "Behavioral Learning Theory." Laureate Education, Inc.