Saturday, September 17, 2011

MODULE 1

The following blog post is for Module 1.  I posted to the following two blogs for this module: Toni Duke’ blog http://MomTech-eEducatorBlogger.blogspot.com and Linda Hutchison’s blog http://hutchisonedt550.blogspot.com

2 comments:

  1. It seems that the more blogs i read concerning the initial topics, the more it appears that a definite correlation exists between connectivism and standardized testing. Do you see a correlation between the two? If so, do you think that this is a product of education's leaders being out of touch with the classroom and Acts like No Child Left Behind stifling education for both the student and the teacher?

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  2. Ron,

    Thanks for your insightful post. I will have to read further to determine whether there is a correlation between connectivism and standardized testing. Based on what I have read so far, connectivism as the fourth learning theory, is the view of knowledge as composed of connections and networked entities (Siemens, 2008, pp. 3-9). Standardized testing on the other hand is seen in kindergarten to 12th grade where educators seek to implement these tests in a uniform manner under highly controlled conditions (eHow.com, 2011). This sounds more like behaviorism to me, since behaviorists explored the laws that govern learning by observing learners’ behaviors and manipulating environmental variables surrounding such behaviors (Driscoll, 2005, p. 34).

    However, there is so much more to all this, especially in this digital age where “classroom walls are increasingly permeable” (Siemens, 2008, p. 3). Students have the power of the Internet; therefore we have to learn how to adapt accordingly. As Dr. Moller mentioned in the threads, information can be passed along like a thing or a product where as knowledge cannot be passed it has to be built. I would say then, that in this digital age, as educators, we will have to adapt as networks grow and change by finding new learning theories to build our very own knowledge as well as our students’ knowledge.

    References

    eHow. (2011). What is the definition of a standardized test? Retrieved on September 18th 2011. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/facts_6025250_definition-standardized-test_.html

    Siemens, G. (2008). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers Retrieved from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper105/Siemens.pdf

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