Fitting the Pieces Together

The Learning Theories and Instruction course at Walden University has introduced me to the many different ways people learn.   With each new theory presented I felt sure that particular one was my style, but I felt that way with more than one theory.   Reading through the material presented I realize that I am not alone, and it really depends on the subject being taught and the students.   We were introduced to the various styles and strategies too, so much information to take into consideration when trying to educate and design curriculum's.   

The instructor made a comment “I’m not sure we should "endeavor to engage as many of the various learning styles and multiple intelligences as possible." Instead, there are many theorists who would argue that good learning environments have less to do with attempting to accommodate various "learning styles" and more to do with using methods and activities that are appropriate to the content being taught. So, if I'm teaching students about weights and measures, it might make good sense to have a hands-on lab where students work with different weights and measures. However, if I'm teaching about history, maybe it makes more sense to show a historical film. So, again, it's not about trying to accommodate each student's "intelligence" or “style” but instead it’s about matching the learning activity to the learning content/domain” (Artino, 2011).   This statement assured me about my own learning; it really does depend on what is being taught, and why more than one learning theory may apply.  Now, it makes more sense on why at times I need to relate to the material and understand concepts, and other times I just need to  memorize information, I did not realize they were different learning theories, now I know. 

As an instructional designer you do need to be aware of the different theories, styles and strategies, and find the relevance for the curriculum and audience you are designing for.   Going through this class has definitely made me aware of that fact, these past few weeks have been very enlightening and have motivated me to learn even more about the many ways people learn.  Also, I think we have to remember to monitor progress, and remain flexible enough to adapt when necessary.

Like most people these days, I frequently surf the Internet and browse the sites I am familiar with, or search using engines such as Google or Yahoo.  I cannot stress enough how my Internet time has changed.  The valuable resources and links I have got through this class have introduced me to much more efficient ways of getting information.   Through the feeds and blogs and the new ways of having your interests searched and presented to you rather than you searching and sifting through pages of results.   All of this information has saved me time on research, time that can be spent actually reading and learning.  The ways of storing information online so it can be accessed easily from any PC or location is another example of how I now use technology to aid in my learning.

Artino, A. (2011, June 10). Learning Theories and Instruction Discussion Posting. Walden University