Comments on: Constructivism in Workplace Learning and Development http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-in-workplace-learning-and-development/2010/03/10/ Michael Hanley's blog about e-learning, web-based elearning, technology in education, e-learning tools, learning 2.0 (blogs and podcasts), & continuous professional development. Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:09:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Nick DiNatale http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-in-workplace-learning-and-development/2010/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-1731 Nick DiNatale Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:40:19 +0000 http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-in-workplace-learning-and-development/2010/03/10/#comment-1731 Hi Michael, I think your post is very thorough and well written. As a student of Instructional Design, I had recently read about constructivism. Your posting has most definitely helped expand my knowledge on the matter. However, in reading your post, I couldn't help but wonder about a few things: 1) In Bruner's spiral shown in your post, do you feel that all five points must be met for learning to take place? Both professionally and academically, I have had times where there was minimal or no feedback whatsoever. This can also apply to those that are teaching themselves outside of a formal environment. To give an example: I can pick up a book on photography, buy a camera, and do as the book instructs me to do. Yet there is no feedback on my learning, so there would be no indication that I have truly learned anything. 2) According to Merill and Johansen, if learning cannot be measured and is not the same for all, then how can an individual (or a group of them) designing education determine if their means of education is not flawed or ineffective? As an instructional designer, I would like to ensure that I providing the best means possible for education. By Merill and Johansen's statement, there is no way to actually determine that. Sincerely, Nick Hi Michael,

I think your post is very thorough and well written.

As a student of Instructional Design, I had recently read about constructivism. Your posting has most definitely helped expand my knowledge on the matter. However, in reading your post, I couldn’t help but wonder about a few things:

1) In Bruner’s spiral shown in your post, do you feel that all five points must be met for learning to take place? Both professionally and academically, I have had times where there was minimal or no feedback whatsoever. This can also apply to those that are teaching themselves outside of a formal environment.

To give an example: I can pick up a book on photography, buy a camera, and do as the book instructs me to do. Yet there is no feedback on my learning, so there would be no indication that I have truly learned anything.

2) According to Merill and Johansen, if learning cannot be measured and is not the same for all, then how can an individual (or a group of them) designing education determine if their means of education is not flawed or ineffective? As an instructional designer, I would like to ensure that I providing the best means possible for education. By Merill and Johansen’s statement, there is no way to actually determine that.

Sincerely,
Nick

]]> By: Christine Freeman http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-in-workplace-learning-and-development/2010/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-1730 Christine Freeman Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:42:58 +0000 http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-in-workplace-learning-and-development/2010/03/10/#comment-1730 Michael, This is great. Constructivism has so much to offer, as we aim to translate it from the theoretical to the practical, and you've really contributed to making this approach accessible. As you point out, constructivism involves "more open-ended tasks where the results of learning are not so easily measured." How do we integrate this with designing digital learning experiences/objects/material? How do we make them sufficiently open-ended that the student does construct her/his own learning but tie it also to something digitally assessible? I've been working on branching paths as one approach. Other thoughts? Thanks, Christine Michael,
This is great. Constructivism has so much to offer, as we aim to translate it from the theoretical to the practical, and you’ve really contributed to making this approach accessible.

As you point out, constructivism involves “more open-ended tasks where the results of learning are not so easily measured.” How do we integrate this with designing digital learning experiences/objects/material? How do we make them sufficiently open-ended that the student does construct her/his own learning but tie it also to something digitally assessible? I’ve been working on branching paths as one approach. Other thoughts?
Thanks,
Christine

]]> By: Michael Hanley http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-in-workplace-learning-and-development/2010/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-1728 Michael Hanley Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:06:57 +0000 http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-in-workplace-learning-and-development/2010/03/10/#comment-1728 Hi Ellen, Thanks for your kind remarks. I originally authored a series of post on Constructivism way back in late 2007 / early 2008; I think you've hit on something regarding providing a permanent link to the series, and I'll do something around this very soon. In the meantime, here's the link to the first post in the series <a href="http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-pt1-2/2007/12/20/" rel="nofollow">http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-pt1-2/2007/12/20/</a>. Other approaches would be to use the excellent <i>Lijit Search</i> feature and the <i>Blog Archive</i> features in the right-hand nav panel (just below Recent Posts) to find the content by topic and date respectively. Best of luck with your project, and may I say "keep up the good work" on the alearing blog! Best regards, Michael -- Hi Ellen,
Thanks for your kind remarks. I originally authored a series of post on Constructivism way back in late 2007 / early 2008; I think you’ve hit on something regarding providing a permanent link to the series, and I’ll do something around this very soon. In the meantime, here’s the link to the first post in the series http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-pt1-2/2007/12/20/.
Other approaches would be to use the excellent Lijit Search feature and the Blog Archive features in the right-hand nav panel (just below Recent Posts) to find the content by topic and date respectively.
Best of luck with your project, and may I say “keep up the good work” on the alearing blog!
Best regards,
Michael
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]]> By: Ellen http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-in-workplace-learning-and-development/2010/03/10/comment-page-1/#comment-1727 Ellen Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:35:49 +0000 http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/constructivism-in-workplace-learning-and-development/2010/03/10/#comment-1727 Michael -- Wonderful distillation of Constructivism in this post. I looked for but couldn't find your earlier posts on this same topic and wonder if you have compiled them in such a way as to link to the full series? I'm working on a project related to my blog and would like to provide a link to something that provides the essentials of Constructivism to those who are not primarily learning professionals but who would benefit from understanding the fundamentals. Do you have or could you recommend such a post or Web page? Thanks so much! Michael — Wonderful distillation of Constructivism in this post. I looked for but couldn’t find your earlier posts on this same topic and wonder if you have compiled them in such a way as to link to the full series?

I’m working on a project related to my blog and would like to provide a link to something that provides the essentials of Constructivism to those who are not primarily learning professionals but who would benefit from understanding the fundamentals.

Do you have or could you recommend such a post or Web page?

Thanks so much!

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