Week 3 -- Using the appropriate learning theory

Another interesting class and another confusion about Moodle.

Let’s start with Moodle...so in addition to posting assignments on Moodle and adding posts to the forum, we are supposed to reply to 2 other postings. I think now, dare I say, I understand what needs to be done with Moodle...next question...do we need hard copies of our assignments?

To begin class...well after our most recent Translation of the Moodle Language...we talked about learning, learning in general. Dr. Foreman talked to us about what learning is and how learning is most effective. We live in a information society where knowledge is abundant, almost to point of fault. That being said the most effective learning style is Affective Learning, which is learning that touches you emotionally. Without an emotive connection, learning becomes simply knowledge or behavior processing and is not retained.

We reviewed the Table 2.6 on page 36 of the textbook. This table gave an overview of the three major learning theories: Behaviorism, Information Processing, and Cognitive.

After a good review and discussion of each theory, Dr. Foreman gave us the task of putting together a 3 hour teaching session where we teach 5 professors from Japan about San Francisco. The only carrot she gave us was that these professors speak English.

My group decided to investigate our audience and gear instruction towards what we perceived were their needs. We decided to create a dynamic, multimedia, group discussion style instruction where we changed the instruction based on their needs. We thought that being professors they would see right through a behaviorist or cognitive approach. They just wanted to know about the city.

Other groups had some really interesting ideas...the best, in my opinion were the Scavenger Hunts. But I kept thinking to myself that the logistics and time crunch would get in the way.

My highlight of the week was our analysis of our audience. I think it is VERY important to gear your teaching to the audience and their needs, strengths, and preferences.

Thoughts?

NOTE: We will be skipping 2 Wednesday classes because we are going to be partaking in Digital Learning on a Saturday, TBA. During the 8 hour session we will learn how to provide content digitally using a video format.

Visit the ITEC 800 website at:
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~foreman/itec800/index.htm

Visit moodle at:
https://ilearn.sfsu.edu

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Matt Harris
Director of Technology
Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School