Week 2 Begins - Constructivism

The first week of my ONTL class went by quickly. I was surprised at how much was shared and learned. I enjoyed learning about my fellow classmates through their blogs and hope they too put up more photos since I like peeking into the lives of others :). Oh, I put up a couple of my own to share just for fun. They are the people who most inspire me

Now week two begins. Though I think of myself as digitally savvy, I'm not as well versed on teaching theories. Constructivism was a new word for me, though an old classroom friend. I had started using this teaching method last summer in my MCOM 660 corporate production class. I realized that the constant lecturing and "sage on the stage" approach was not as effective as sending students out to prove or disprove their project ideas through their own experiences, observing world around them and exploring new technology examples. Their discoveries taught me so much.

Now, I want to make sure I reach my student , both F2F and distance ed, in ways that are productive for them. I'm searching for more knowledge about various learning theories and the research of adult learning pioneer, Malcolm Knowles, was very informative. It helped me understand the differences between adult learners and younger students like my 18 year old daughter. One thing Dr. Knowles pointed out was how, "Adult learners have accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge that becomes an increasing resource for learning." Constructivism! I get it! This teaching theory can help all students take charge of their learning, and that's a good thing.I look forward to the information contained in week 2.