Blog Post 6: Learning Theories, Learning Styles, and Intelligences

Learning theories are interesting because they attempt to explain the way people learn, and take into account the fact that all people have different styles of learning. The three main learning models are behaviorism, which includes systems of reinforcing positive behaviors and punishing negative behaviors, information processing, which suggests that the mind works like a computer to process information, and constructivism, which states that humans construct their own versions of knowledge based on their experiences. Although their are criticisms about all of these types of learning, all of them have validity and are ways in which people learn.

In education, it is extremely important to know different models of learning. A model that works for one person may not work for another person. Also, the strategies for retention discussed in the presentation are good for teachers to know. Rehearsal, organization, elaboration, imagery, and schemas are all ways that teachers can show to their students in order for them to remember ideas and facts. I would use the information about learning styles to help cater to individual students and attempt to give each child a fair and equal chance at learning.


I chose this video taken from Youtube to display an example of both operant and classical conditioning, which are aspects of behaviorism.

Webspiration

I chose to use Webspiration because I really liked the rapid fire tool. It was the easiest tool for mapping, and I think I will use this tool again in the future.

Here is my webspiration map link about technical tools in education.

Blog Post 5: Podcasting

Podcasting is a word I had heard before, but I never knew what it meant or understood the concept. Podcasting allows listeners to access and hear digitally recorded audio shows. Anyone can create one, however they are time consuming and a bit challenging to make. The idea of podcasting is one that could change a lot about education, and make learning easier. I have never used a podcast, but I had some experience using my iPod for learning over the summer. I took Introduction to Music Literature, and we were required to memorize songs and artists. I put the songs on my iPod so I could listen and study wherever I went. In the same way, podcasts could be used to learn subjects such as music and foreign languages more easily and quickly.

Overall, I think podcasting is extremely applicable to the field of education. They would allow teachers to record lectures for students to review, and students who were absent could access the material they missed. Moreover, podcasts could be useful in teaching English to students who are from a different country, as education is become more and more diverse every year. Even more importantly, assigning students the task of creating a podcast could help muster creativity, research skills, and effective communication. While there are negative aspects, such as the amount of time podcasts require, the benefits far outweigh the issues.


Podcasting
I chose to look up a website that contains actual podcasts. I liked this website because it easily and simply lays out for the user different podcasts that they can listen to and a place where they can upload their own podcasts. It also has convenient features, such as the "Top 10 Podcasts" as determined by the listeners. I found this website by searching for "podcasting" on google.

Blog Post 4 - Digital Technology

Digital Technology is something that we are all used to in this day and age. Digital photography and digital video are what our society is accustomed to and we do not think twice about them. However, there is a lot to learn about them. Digital photography actually uses light-sensitive film to convert images to slides or paper. It is convenient because it eliminates costs and allows photographs to be instantly viewed and digitally altered on programs such as Photoshop. Digital video is also useful because it allows us to capture moving images rather than just still shots. Something I found interesting is that videos move at a rate of 30 frames per second, while motion pictures move at only 24 frames per second.

Overall, digital photography and digital video are not specifically designed to be used in education. However, there are some uses for them in the classroom. For example, using digital photographs could help create a personalized classroom that includes photographs as decoration. Furthermore, I have personal experience with digital video in the classroom. My second grade teacher filmed each student reading a book in the beginning of the year, at the middle of the year, and at the end of the year. It gave us a chance to track our progress and be encouraged by how far we had come. Digital technology can certainly have a place in the classroom if the teacher implements in creatively.


I chose to find a video on digital photography equipment, because I do not know much about cameras other than how to take a picture. Knowing the different parts of a camera can really help to utilize digital technology in the best way possible, because you know exactly what you're dealing with and the functions of all the parts. I found this video on YouTube, searching for "Digital Photography Help."

Blog Post 3 - Visual Literacy

Visual literacy, like verbal literacy, comes from the idea of taking smaller parts and combining them into a whole in order to form or understand a concept. In verbal literacy, the parts we use are well-known and include the alphabet, grammar, and words. These components add up to a language in which we can use to communicate. As for visual literacy, the parts used include dots, lines, shapes, color, texture, scale, and dimension. These elements may not be as well known to people, but they are the constituents that make up the images we see in every day life. Being visually literate can help us to understand the meaning of images that we come across.

In education, visual literacy is very important. When children are young, they often use pictures as a way to help them understand words, such as seen in picture books. Although they do not realize it, children begin to become visually literate at a young age. It is important for teachers to display pictures around their classrooms and expose their students to images regularly so they will be more competent in their visual skills. Also, as a teacher, it is important to be visually literate; when making presentations, power points, or posters, teachers should understand and know the components of the images they use so they can best convey information to students and give them understanding of the images.





I chose to include two bubble maps- the first shows important elements of visual literacy, because it is important for people to know the components. The second is a map of how visual literacy is useful, because teachers should know how visual literacy can positively affect their students. The first was found on portals.studentnet.edu.au/ and the second was found on learninglive.co.uk