Connectivism

       My network has changed the way I learn in a tremendous way. With the collaboration tools that are in my network, I am able to collaborate with other classmates in order to complete assignments, gather and gain information. The social networks also allow for collaboration with my peers which brings us together as if we were in a face-to-face classroom. The presentation tools are awesome. They take you away from the normal PowerPoint presentations that everyone is use to and open the door for more lively, animated presentations. 

       At this time, I don't have a specific tool that best facilitate my learning. If I had to lean towards one, it would be the wiki. Over the years, the use of the wiki has allowed me to create presentations, collaborate with my peers and design projects all on one site. When I have questions, I learn knowledge through my peers by using social and collaboration tools. I also ask questions by using different search engines. When using search engines to gain knowledge, it's important to use credible sites that gives the correct answers and knowledge. When I type in a question, There are a million different sites that comes up and I try my best to narrow down the sites that are most credible.


Post I responded to:

daoprish.blogspot.com
wojoedtech.blogspot.com

Collaboration

I do believe that humans have a basic instinct to interact and work as a group. It’s human nature for people just to interact with other people and is found as acceptable behavior.  “Human nature can be most fundamentally described as a mask of acceptable behavior with regards to the other people with whom one chooses to interact” (Hubpages, 2012). In the video with Rheingold, he explains the prisoner’s dilemma and how humans must work together in order for everyone to achieve. If we as humans do not trust each other and work together, it can be detrimental to everyone. Rheingold (2005) explains how a person with goods and a person with money are not going to make an exchange because they can't trust each other. If they were able to work together and agree, then both parties win. Rheingold uses the example of wikipedia and how thousands of people came together to create a free encyclopedia. This is an example of how humans interact and work together for the good of mankind.

Based on constructivist principles, technology can facilitate collaboration amongst learners in several ways. There are technologies such as wikis that allows for group collaboration through shared knowledge. They also support collaboration in such ways that encourage development of group projects. Project management tools is another technology that facilitates collaboration. “Project management tools are multi-functional systems that often deal with logistical issues, like scheduling, time tracking, task management, resource allocation, collaborative writing or edit­ing, communication, file sharing, and process documentation” (Deal, 2009).

A research study that supports collaboration as an effective tool for learning is called “Collaboration Tools.” This study was conducted in 2009 by Ashley Deal. This study can be found at: http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/resources/PublicationsArchives/StudiesWhitepapers/CollaborationTools_Jan09.pdf

 

References

Deal, Ashley. (2009). Collaboration Tools. Carnegie Mellon. Retrieved from http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/resources/PublicationsArchives/StudiesWhitepapers/CollaborationTools_Jan09.pdf

Hubpages, (2012). Animal instincts in human reactions. Retrieved from http://notpc.hubpages.com/hub/Animal-Instincts-and-Human-Interaction

Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html


Blogs I responded to:

http://learningtheoryeducationaltechnology05.blogspot.com/


http://corablades1.blogspot.com

Cognitivism as a Learning Theory

As I read the two blog post that compares the learningtheories, valid points were made that makes it a great argument.  I think that all three men Bill Kerr, Stephen Downes & Karl Kapp are correct through their points of views but do not realize that learning does not happen in one single way. Cognitivisim and behaviourism are the main two learning theories that are still raising questions on which theory is the right theory or the best theory. I believe there is no wrong or right theory. I also believe that all learning theories are interrelated. They are connected in ways that they need each other to basically have an existence. Once we end the war on wrong and right and move towards connecting the learning theories, then we can focus on how we as people are actually learning.

 http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html

http://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/



Post I responded to:

http://corablades1.blogspot.com/

http://www.learningsquared.blogspot.com