EDLD+5364+Week+1+Reflection

As I reflect back on Week 1 of my course, EDLD 5364-Teaching with Technology, I recognize that there are three learning theories that hold much relevance to teaching digital natives today. The first theory, constructivism, is based on the idea that learners begin with a base knowledge and through interactions with new information, create new knowledge. Because of their limited ability to access sites and information on their own as Kindergarteners, I am more limited in ways that I can use the constructivist theory of technology integration. I pull up pictures and video clips from the internet as a whole group and then attempt to pull in real world objects for them to hold and "examine" in order for them to construct their own meaning and build knowledge. I do believe that the constructivist theory is a valuable teaching theory and even more applicable with students who are able to access the internet and navigate it on their own. I was not familiar with the second theory of learning, connectivism. The basis of this theory is that learners form connections with other people or things. (databases or other sources of knowledge). The network that these connections make becomes the learning. An example of this learning theory that I have experienced involves connecting 4th and 5th grade students. I set up a writing eportfoloio for my colleague to allow her 5th grade students to login, read, and critique compositions of her 4th grade students. The connections made between these students provided an environment by which both grades could learn from each other. The knowledge that I have gained about the third theory, cyborg theory, opened my eyes to the possible idea of implanting knowledge into students through a microchip insertion. The Warwick video was both fascinating and somewhat disturbing all at the same time. The thought of implanting knowledge into a student via a computer chip still seems like a long way off, but offers possibilities for future generations of students. Overall, there is much to be said for these learning theories and their impact on future student learning and on technology integration. I hope to play a role in that integration in the future.