Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Learning and the Brain
Understanding how the brain functions can aid an instructional designer immensely when it comes to creating meaningful materials for the classroom. In an effort to further my own understanding about the brain and how it functions, I have found the following Websites that contain pertinent research to support the role the brain plays in learning and learning theories.
The first Website, Cognitive Information Processing Theory, provides an in-depth look at CIP (Cognitive Information Processing) and how it impacts learning. Keys to CIP include information management, the two-way flow of information and governing the in-built genetic structures on our development. This Website also speaks to other theories of learning that include the Two Store Model and the Stage Theory. Each of these theories help us to better indentify what is happening within the brain.
The second Website, Problem-Solving Skills in Education and Life, presents several ideas when it comes to providing skills to learners when it comes to solving a problem. Specifically, this site differentiates between the critical and creative thinker as well as multiple intelligences and learning styles. One of the learning styles expanded on in this site include visual logic and visual thinking. This style encourages the use of diagrams and matrices. This is of interest to me as I am most certainly a visual learning rather then a critical thinker, though I believe it is important to understand all problem-solving methods.
Both of these Websites have expanded my knowledge of the brain and how the different learning styles impact the way in which we solve problems.
The first Website, Cognitive Information Processing Theory, provides an in-depth look at CIP (Cognitive Information Processing) and how it impacts learning. Keys to CIP include information management, the two-way flow of information and governing the in-built genetic structures on our development. This Website also speaks to other theories of learning that include the Two Store Model and the Stage Theory. Each of these theories help us to better indentify what is happening within the brain.
The second Website, Problem-Solving Skills in Education and Life, presents several ideas when it comes to providing skills to learners when it comes to solving a problem. Specifically, this site differentiates between the critical and creative thinker as well as multiple intelligences and learning styles. One of the learning styles expanded on in this site include visual logic and visual thinking. This style encourages the use of diagrams and matrices. This is of interest to me as I am most certainly a visual learning rather then a critical thinker, though I believe it is important to understand all problem-solving methods.
Both of these Websites have expanded my knowledge of the brain and how the different learning styles impact the way in which we solve problems.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog! It is my hope that this blog will become a resource for learning and understanding learning theories from many vantage points. By trade, I am a Technical Writer as well as a Trainer, though I started my professional life as a Teacher. I taught in a Montesorri setting which emphasizes the constructivism theory of learning. This experience formed many of my viewpoints on education and learning that I hope to carry forward in my professional development.
In an effort to further my understanding of learning and learning theories, I have chosen a few blogs to follow. They include:
E-Learning Queen. This blog emphasizes distance learning and how to use emergent technologies in an effort to provide a meaningful e-learning experience. Her interviews with experts in the field of e-learning are excellent resources when contemplating how to craft curriculum for an e-learning audience. This blog provides valuable insight to the many facets of my educational journey that I hope to pass on when developing curriculum and instruction in an online environment.
Instructional Design and Coffee. This blog provides a more humurous view on instructional design, along with a look at many tips and tricks you can utilize when creating training materials. I especially enjoyed her real life look at how to focus your training materials for the audience and how to make the subject matter more appealing. I hope to use this blog to discover many useful nuggets when it comes to creating engaging curriculum and training materials for education professionals.
Cathy Moore: Let's save the world from boring elearning! This blog poses several thought-provoking topics regarding instructional design and how students learn. Cathy Moore provides several scenarios that focus on creating courseware that benefits students and their quest in gaining knowledge online. Many of the topics on this blog focus on WHAT students need to know and then HOW to provide them with that knowledge.
My hope is that as I continue my education on learning and learning theories that this list of blogs will grow.
In an effort to further my understanding of learning and learning theories, I have chosen a few blogs to follow. They include:
E-Learning Queen. This blog emphasizes distance learning and how to use emergent technologies in an effort to provide a meaningful e-learning experience. Her interviews with experts in the field of e-learning are excellent resources when contemplating how to craft curriculum for an e-learning audience. This blog provides valuable insight to the many facets of my educational journey that I hope to pass on when developing curriculum and instruction in an online environment.
Instructional Design and Coffee. This blog provides a more humurous view on instructional design, along with a look at many tips and tricks you can utilize when creating training materials. I especially enjoyed her real life look at how to focus your training materials for the audience and how to make the subject matter more appealing. I hope to use this blog to discover many useful nuggets when it comes to creating engaging curriculum and training materials for education professionals.
Cathy Moore: Let's save the world from boring elearning! This blog poses several thought-provoking topics regarding instructional design and how students learn. Cathy Moore provides several scenarios that focus on creating courseware that benefits students and their quest in gaining knowledge online. Many of the topics on this blog focus on WHAT students need to know and then HOW to provide them with that knowledge.
My hope is that as I continue my education on learning and learning theories that this list of blogs will grow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)