Fitting the pieces together

To start off I am more open to using leaning tools to assist with me increasing my knowledge. The use of blog sites have truly helped me understand the course materials. By posting blogs myself I am able to give my point of view and possibly help others to understand the material by breaking things down. The more I read the better my comprehension got. The different blog sites assisted me more each time I read a different site. Instead of using rehearsal for memory, I just continued to read and relate the information together and process it to my memory by reflecting on my life experiences.  By using this learning method I am able to retain more information and understand when and where I can apply this knew knowledge.

I have discovered that I am a Social Learner. Each time I read the information it was stored in memory and I was able to recall it and use it when the time needed. I am still a cognitive learner as well. I am able to study and learn more information through different technology tools. Learning about the different learning styles helps understand yourself. I realized that I was set in my ways of learning and now I could have been a better student if i acquired more about my learning habits. It always good to know more then one way to do something. Now as I move forward with my masters I know how to comprehend, retain and restore my information so that I may be successful. I will use more then one resource to gain knowledge now. Before it was just me reading and trying to answer the questions giving to me, now I am reading, relating and giving my point of view of the material.

Technology is all around me and I will continue to learn rather I know it or not. Through the use of blogs, and google etc I am able to quick reference material and have multiple examples of the material to read and relate to. At work I use technology to record and store information for customers as well as calculate my check. There is no way around technology as it grows we must grow to keep up and maintain our knowledge or to simply enhance our knowledge. To be a better learner a person needs more then one way to accept the information giving to them. Technology offers many ways to assist with personal growth. I will do my best to continue to advance and learn as time goes on with use of technology.

Connectivism

     Online learning has giving me a chance to learn in different ways.  I am going to use this new learning experience and grow as an Industrial designer . My eyes are open more to the learning tools that my Walden classes will introduce to me.

     Learning through connectivism started facilitating my learning when I enrolled in Walden.  I connect information sources by relating it to existing network community or database. By connecting information it allows me to understand concepts in more than one way. Learning takes place in many different ways; through courses, email, communities, and conversations. Different approaches and personal skills are needed to learn effectively in today’s society. The ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.

      Online learning has made me a better researcher. I am able to find new information and connect them to my course my studies. This class particular has helped me expand my knowledge and share my knowledge through blog sites. This gives me a chance to view others ideas and relate information in other ways. Being able to read and comment on others ideas help gives a chance to see new concepts. Before this class I thought blogs was only for gossip. It has been a challenge in trying to research and apply the appropriate blogs to this class, but it was time well spent in order to gain new information. I have developed a new skill to assist with my learning resources.

     When I find that I have a question about assignments, I tend to use the web as a teaching tool. I look for concepts and ways to understand the subject at hand. I keep reading until the assignment makes since to me. In some cases I learn more about the subject. I am not one to ask questions when hard times come during my learning, so I try to use my life experiences and other networks to make since of the cloudiness in my head.

      I realize that the resources are out here for me to use them; I just needed to know how to apply them to my learning as a teaching resource. I am better at what I do, due to expansion of my learning tools at Walden Univeristy.



Evaluating and Identifying Online Resources

Understanding How The Brain Learns
http://nichcy.org/schoolage/effective-practices/brain101

     This site expresses what researchers have developed over the years. It discusses how the improvements will lead to educational programs and allow us to expand our knowledge as we learn about the brain. With the advancement of technology we are able to look inside of the head and see how the brain is function. It goes on to give extended resources to help give more insight on brain functions.

     This site allows people to understand the growth that has come with the development of how the brain works. It gives insight on where we have been and where we are going the more we learn about the functions.

How the Brain Learns Best
http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/brainlearns.htm

     This site explains how we are changing the brain and using this muscle to maintain and receive information. The brain needs to exercised with different learning tools. By knowing helpful learning strategies it gives the learner a chance to relate what works for them.

     It also describes how the neural system goes fatigue quickly. A person has to be able to pay attention in oder to learn. The mind has to take a rest in order to respond to the new information that is being taught. It gives ways to help children be more receptive to learning facts.

This is a great site for instructional teachers because it helps with pointing out what is going on when the brain is learning new material.

Instructional Design Concepts
This blog is to help ensure that your presentation has all its components when creating blogs. It suggest that a blogger uses the ADDIE Model to make sure it provides the readers attention. It stands for:
A-Analysis
D-Design
D-Develop
I-Implementation
E-Evaluation
This blog will take you step by stop in understanding design concepts and creating your story book.

Instructional Design Conferences
This blog provides an elearning software to help with distance learning. This site is collaborating growth developing and networking. You can review different trainings and gain performance improvements through the elearning guide. This blog also provides helpful ways of incorparting instruction though the use of technology. It gives insite on new enjoyable workshops, and education to improve different learning techniques.

Blogging and instructional design
This blog is explaining the improvement of learning through the use of blogs. Its the point of view of an instructor and his anaylis of how bloging is used to personalize the voice of students and use Instructional Design as a tool instead of just a task. The instructtor goes on to explorer how the blogs demonstrated how the students are developing through distant learning.

The blogs that I have choosen was helpful to me as I was creating this assignment. It provided me with helpful hints for my future assignments and a useful purpose of blogging and education.