This week we explored outside resources to find new information related to the brain and learning. It's fascinating to me how many different layers are involved in learning and instructional design. We dip into science, psychology, education, design, and so much more. This week seemed heavy on the science side but I think it was good for me to learn about how much is really involved in processing and interpreting information in relation to the brain itself.
http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/127/4/851.full.pdf+html
The first article I found was very science-y, if you will. It's called, "Cortico‐striatal contributions to feedback‐based learning: converging data from neuroimaging and neuropsychology." There were a lot of terms referenced that I didn't necessarily fully understand however, I still found it interesting and useful because of its references to memory and the learning process. The article focused on the brain's functions of task performance and how it is affected by learning situations and by brain disorders. Much of the article referred to brains affected by Parkinson's disease as the learning disorder and focused on how memory and learning was influenced depending on the type of instruction and the role of feedback. The article made me realize how research on brain disorders can teach us a lot about normal brain functions and which areas of the brain are important for certain functions.
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/detail?vid=5&hid=125&sid=70051066-99f4-4648-ba75-74238868f4d5%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=eric&AN=EJ720663
This next article that I found through the Walden Database is titled, "Left Brain. Right Brain. Whole Brain." It was interesting because it discussed the left-brain, right-brain, hemisphere distinction in depth in relation to information processing and what appeals to students who fall into either category. I thought it was interesting proof that a lot of educational materials have this hemisphere-oriented education so valued when only a small blurb at the end of the article was devoted to "Whole-Brain" importance and the fact that both hemispheres are involved in the learning process. Granted, this article was geared toward library media specialists, but I think that many of the points discussed can translate to education at large.
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/detail?vid=8&hid=125&sid=70051066-99f4-4648-ba75-74238868f4d5%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=eric&AN=EJ926795
Another article from the Walden Database, "Feedback Specificity, Information Processing, and Transfer of Training," describes how learners respond differently to trainings depending on feedback and how specific the feedback is. This article attracted me because of its connection to the first article that I posted on, which also had to do with feedback and learning. This article differed from the first article in many ways however, where it actually goes into depth on the different types of feedback in training/education and its effectiveness or ineffectiveness in given situations. I found this article interesting also because I felt it gave some helpful insight to information processing.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Exploring the web of blogs
My first post! This is exciting. I am looking forward to exploring this new interaction with instructional design and technology. Let me start by saying that I do not have much experience with blogging. This will definitely be a learning tool for me and a great experience.
I started out by researching other blogs about instructional design and technology. I found a huge world of information that I was honestly a bit overwhelmed by. It’s exciting too, though, to know that there’s so much out there to explore. J
The three blogs that I found most interesting in my search are the following:
I really liked the first blog, “elearningtech,” because the author, Tony, seems very professional and knowledgeable in his writings. His style of approach seems very efficient, without unnecessary fluff or irrelevant banter. He seems to get to the point about technology and elearning and new approaches. I liked also that he had a “Getting Started” section, where new readers could ease themselves into his blog and find easy navigation tools to help them get started. I really appreciate this, as it can be overwhelming to approach a new blog at times and find a good place to start. I think this can be a helpful blog for me to follow because of all the technical references and the quick links to more information on given subjects.
I really liked the second blog, “blogoehlert,” because the author, Mark, seems to stress the design and artistic aspects of instruction. I really liked the aesthetics of this blog…it seems personal but also informative and creative. I think it’s a good blog to follow to help me remember that learning and instruction can be seen as art and explored in many different, creative ways. Instructional design and elearning are conglomerates of many different layers of theory, art, psychology, technology, and much more…it’s great to see explorations of these different layers.
I liked the last blog, “blog.cathy-moore.com,” because it was so different from the other two. Obviously this blog is catered more formally. It has a ton of little sections all over to explore the different topics with catchy pictures and great hooks to draw you in. It also functions as a larger website with different links available on the menu. I thought this could be helpful because it was so different and showed a side of instructional design that was still informative but definitely there for profit as well. The site shows clients and materials as well as giving suggestions to improve elearning and designing technology. I think it’s important to follow a blog like this to stay aware of all of the different avenues instructional designers can explore when it comes to career paths, interests, and professional development.
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