Theoretical Foundations

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Theoretical Foundations
Teaching and Learning with Technology

• Chapter 1

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What is Educational Technology?

• Educational technology is any technology used by
  educators in support of the teaching and learning
  process
• Educators study educational technology in order
  to have a sound foundation in the technologies
  needed to teach
• NETS-T standards articulate what teachers and
  students should know about technology

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Educational Technology Instruction

• Educational technologies are the tools teachers
  use to create an effective instructional event
• An instructional event includes all activities
  that promote the transfer of knowledge and/or
  skills in the learning environment
• The learning environment includes the physical
  and non-physical aspects of the area in which the
  instructional event takes place

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About Learning

• A variety of theories explain how people learn
• Each theory offers a different perspective on
  learning
• Some theories may be contradictory
• Each teacher must personally decide which theory
  he or she agrees with

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Learning Theories

• Learning as Communication
• Knowledge is transferred by sending a message
  from sender to receiver
• Receiver then returns feedback to sender
• Sender receives feedback
• All messages are impacted by variables that may
  alter the pure meaning of the intended message

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Learning Theories
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Learning Theories

• Environmental Factors
• Any factor in the environment that may cause a
  learner to lose focus
• Environmental conditions can block communications
• Lighting, movement, temperature may all interfere
  with communications

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Learning Theories

• Psychological Factors
• Unique individual differences that define and
  impact reception of communicated information
• Emotional state may interfere with message
  reception
• Learning styles (preferred sensory gateways) may
  interfere with transmission

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Learning Theories

• Personal Filters
• Individuals values, heritage, and belief system
  that may alter intended messages
• May include attitudes, cultural differences, and
  opinions
• Filters are present in both sender and receiver

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Learning Theories

• Behaviorists
• All behavior is a response to external stimuli
• Students learn (acquire behaviors, skills and
  knowledge) in response to rewards and punishments
• Learning is a passive response to the environment

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Learning Theories

• Cognitivists
• Focus is on learning as a mental operation
• Information enters through senses, is mentally
  manipulated, stored and used
• Learning is explained in terms of how one thinks
• Believe learning is more complex than simple
  behavioristic responses

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Learning Theory

• Constructivists
• Knowledge is constructed as a result of the
  learning process and is unique to the person who
  constructs it
• Learning happens when knowledge is assimilated or
  accommodated (Piaget)
• Knowledge may be constructed best in a social
  context

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The Learner

• Cognitive Styles
• The manner in which one thinks and interprets the
  environment
• Myers-Briggs helps to determine cognitive
  preferences
• Understanding cognitive styles helps teachers
  create a supportive instructional environment

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The Learner

• Learning Styles
• Conditions under which one learns best
• Relates to individual sensory dominance
• Auditory learners learn best by listening
• Visual learners learn best by seeing
• Kinesthetic/Tactile learners learn best by doing
  and touching

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The Learner

• Intelligence
• Inherent capabilities to learn and understand
• Standford-Binet IQ tests emphasize verbal and
  mathematical abilities
• Howard Gardners Multiple Intelligence theory
  suggests everyone has some degree of each of nine
  types of intelligence

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The Learner

• Multiple Intelligences
• Verbal-Linguistic
• Mathematical-Logical
• Musical
• Visual-Spatial
• Bodily-Kinesthetic

• Interpersonal
• Intrapersonal
• Naturalistic
• Existential

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Teaching and Learning

• Teaching is a systematic planned sequence of
  events
• Teaching is a process that communication of ideas
  and skills
• Teaching takes into account individual and
  environmental factors related to the learner
• Skilled teachers are aware of learning theories
  and learner characteristics that impact the
  process

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Teaching and Learning

• Technology is a component of the teaching and
  learning process
• Educational technology includes any resource used
  to facilitate teaching and learning
• This view of technology has been an evolution
  consistent with the evolution of learning theories

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Educational Technology

• An Historical Overview
• The audio-visual movement began in the early
  1900s with the advent of movies
• Slides, radio, sound recordings were added in the
  1920s-1930s to support the wars
• Television drove audio-visuals in the 1950s

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Educational Technology

• An Historical Overview
• In the 1960s A-V was expanded to a broader
  systems view
• By the 1970s educational technology was redefined
  to include all types of learning resources and
  systems
• With the advent of the computer in the 1980s,
  educational technology entered the Digital Age

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Educational Technology

• Today
• The systems view of educational technology
  embraces all media and systems that support the
  teaching and learning process
• Each teacher must decide how to best utilize
  technology in support of his or her students