At the moment my teaching style is a mix of both the behaviorism and the cognitive leaning theories. I plan to extend existing knowledge using existing schema ( the national curriculum and learning resources made by other teachers), previous experiences (I relate learning to real life and my experiences as a learner), rewards and punishments.
In my classroom, learners are provided with a stimulus to respond to . They are given clear objectives for each class and use problem solving skills to respond to the stimulus provided. A lot of the activities presented by me for the learner to engage in are task based. The learners are organised around a task and work intently together for a specified period of time to produce a product and knowledge that benefits them (Riel & Polin, 2004).
Learning in my classroom consists of note taking, listening to lecture styled explanations, interaction with text books and the internet and discussions. At the moment, learners in my classroom do not engage or use participate technologies such as wikis and virtual learning to communicate and collaborate.
As a teacher I collaborate with learners by discussing relevant information and guiding them towards sources that give easily understood information. I create and find questions that are relevant to the topic that is being covered and direct students in completing those questions using information that I have given or helped them find.
I agree with what Rebeccawhite has said about there always being a role for teachers but also agree with Murra Mumma’s suggestion that in the future the teachers role will not be in the classroom but in the virtual world of learning. I then worry how will educators keep up with the extensive network changes that pop up daily. I guess that we as educators will also become learners and collaborate to create new knowledge and connections.
Lastly, I want to acknowledge that learning never stops, it just changes into a different form. At the moment we are leaning towards learning via networks and collaboration with other learners. However, tomorrows learners will create new ways of learning and knowledge creation – a more proficient way of leaning that will create successful and educated people and as educators we must adapt and apply this new way.
Riel, M., & Polin, L. (2004). Online learning communities: Common ground and critical differences in designing technical environments. In S. A. Barab, R. Kling, & J. Gray (Eds.), Designing for Virtual Communities in the Service of Learning (pp. 16–50). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Siemens, G. (2008). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. ITFORUM for Discussion, 1-26.
Sharonngl 