Kirsten’s E-Learning Blog

Its a shame I won’t be continuing this subject while I’m doing my work experience at QBE because I found out on Wednesday (at the meeting I had with a couple of the staff there who will be superivising me) that I can have access to a number of QBE’s e-Learning programs and see how well they fit with the e-Learning design principles we have discussed this semester…

Anyhow, bed is calling (more loudly this time)

So I’ve written up as many blogs as I possibly could have in the past week or so without losing my sanity (okay, did I have it in the first place? haha) and my brain is at a point where it just hurts.

Maybe thats the lack of sleep though… I reckon I’ve had 10-12 hours sleep in the past 2 days, plus worked full 8 hour days… I’m exhausted! I NEED this break, except I’m not going to really get one because I have work experience starting next Wednesday, which is happening 3 days a week for the next 5 weeks. Inbetween all that I’ll be working at my paid job (so I can have some money ), so I could quite possibly be working 6 days a week (I can’t work Saturdays because I have netball).

I have enjoyed this subject, although I probably didn’t put as much effort into it for a number of reasons. Firstly, I overloaded myself and took 5 subjects this semester (and I’m also doing it next semester) so I can finish this year and graduate next Autumn. Secondly, I focused on my other subjects which had major assignments worth 60% or more over this one. Thirdly, I had to combine my uni timetable with work, netball, a social life and time to do my assignments. And finally, my procrastination habits HAVE NOT changed

I think its time for me to go to bed… I’m really looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow

This learning theory combines behaviourist reinforcement with cognitive processes in order to understand the behaviour of others.

The actions of observing and modelling are very important in the social learning theory, as are experience and expectations, which both relate to each other.

I know a bit less about the social learning theory, but I aim to look into it further in the future…

One of the first constructivist theorists, Bruner, based his theory on learning by discovery.

He also states that the learning environments should promote problem solving, as well as stressing more group work than individualised work.

The constructivist learning theory is based on a number of assumptions, namely:

• knowledge is constructed from experience
• learning is a personal interpretation of the world
• learning is an active process in which meaning is developed on the basis of experience
• conceptual growth comes from the negotiation of meaning, the sharing of multiple perspectives and the changing of our internal representations through collaborative learning (Mergel, 1998)

* Bruner, 1966 cited by Burns, R., 1995, The Adult Learner at Work, Business & Professional Publishing, Sydney

* Mergel, B., 1998, ‘Instructional Design & Learning Theory’, Occasional Paper, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/mergel.PDF