After reading Chapter 11, āBehaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, ā fromĀ Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology, I found the differences between these ideasĀ interesting, particularly how they can affect real-life learning experiences. Here are my thoughts and experiences related to the ideas from this unit.
A Concept I Found Tricky: Differentiating Cognitivism and Constructivism
At first, I had difficulty figuring out cognitivism and constructivism apart. Both focus on how people think and learn but approach it differently. Cognitivism is about managing and structuring knowledge, while constructivism focuses on learning through hands-on experiences and making connections. I made a simple mind map to sort this out and compare the two.
My Best Learning Experience
One of my favourite learning experiences was during a CO-OP placement, where I worked on designing an electronic health record (EHR) training module for clinical staff. What made it special was having the freedom to experiment with different ways of presenting the material and collaborating with healthcare professionals to customize the content for their needs. This works with constructivism because I was not just following a document. I was actively learning and creating something that managed real-world challenges in health informatics. It felt significant and helpful, and the hands-on work helped me better understand the technology and the learning process.
Designing Learning in Different Ways: Climate Change Scenario
If I were teaching a lesson on climate change to high school students, hereās how I would approach it using each theory:
- Behaviorism: I would focus on repetition and rewards. Students could watch a short video on climate change and then take a quiz. They would accumulate points for correct answers or participation.
- Cognitivism: I would use tools like graphic organizers to break down information into simpler terms, effects, and possible solutions. This would help students process and memorize the material.
- Constructivism: I would plan a group project where students research how climate change affects their community. They could present their findings through posters or presentations, connecting the lesson to their lives.
Examples from My Life
Looking back, I can see how these theories showed up in my own education:
- Behaviourism: I remember learning multiplication tables in elementary school through drills and earning rewards for getting them right.
- Cognitivism: During university, a lecturerās clear outlines and rubric helped me understand complex health informatics topics.
- Constructivism: Volunteering with local soup kitchens and family dinner services taught me leadership and teamwork through real-life experiences like planning events and fundraisers.
My Current Teaching Style
My teaching style is more constructivist. I try to make learning a more hands-on experience and connected to real life, encouraging students to explore and think critically. For example, I would design group activities where students figure out problems or work on projects to learn from one another, collaborate, and improve their communication and creativity.
Linking toĀ PeersāĀ Posts
Reading Dawson Charles’ blog post gave me new ideas about how to approach learning. His method of starting with practice, organizing information to understand it better, and finally using hands-on experiences made sense. It got me thinking about how to use these strategies in my own day-to-day tasks and studies, specifically in topics like health information systems. I also liked his idea of using mind maps to link ideas, and I would love to try that to make complicated information easier to understand.
