5368+Week+1+Reflection

Completing the Pre-Assessment Inventory and Post-Assessment Inventory, resulted in the same results. My responses were pretty varied, reflecting my feeling that all learning theories have some validity. During my early academic studies, my teaching philosophy was greatly influenced by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Coming from a background of deficiency--physical (poverty) and emotional (alcoholic parent)--I really related to Maslow’s belief that there are certain needs that must be met, before students can positively respond to a learning environment. According to the article at Learning-Theories.com, “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs … is a motivational theory in psychology that argues that while people aim to meet basic needs, they seek to meet successively higher needs in the form of a hierarchy.” I am not sure if the needs progression is strictly sequential or if we necessarily always seek to obtain a higher level of need. But I do believe, from personal and professional experience, that in order for you to be open to higher achievement, a least your most basic needs must be met.
 * Reflective Analysis of Pre- and Post-Inventory Learning Theories Assessment Inventories **

In my responses, I agreed with Behaviorist psychologists when it comes to rewards and consequences. I know it sounds simplistic, but I believe at the base of human behavior, whether consciously or unconsciously, we are continuely making decisions to move away from the unpleasant or move towards the pleasant. I think this kind of relates to Thorndike’s trial-and-error principal, where if you get a negative response, you change your behavior.

Two responses had me agreeing with Humanistic psychologists. Even though I believe you can use Behaviorist methods to elicit academically positive student behavior (e.g. Accelerated Reading program), in order for learning to take root and become a lifelong resource, learners need tonfeel the content or skill, has real relevance to their lives. I also believe with Vygotsky as he “considered the determining factor of a child’s psychological development to be social development…” (Dabbagh, 2006), though my childhood experiences instilled in me a sense of independence and self-reliance, looking back on my life, and reading about the impact of emotional intelligence (Goleman, 1995), I realize that social interaction is important for overall growth and schools do have a responsibility to help students develop positive relations with their peers.

My other two responses, were based on the principals of Cognitive psychologists which I think are closely related with Humanistic principals. You have to understand (as well as help a student understand) a student’s thinking, in order to implement some of the Humanistic instructional models. Plus, some students need academic order and structure, to attain their desired academic results.

Sources cited: Dabbagh. N. (2006). The instruction design knowledge base. Retrieved on April 16, 2010 from [] Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books Dabbagh, N. (2006). The Instruction Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2010, April). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved April 16, 2010 from http://www.learning-theories.com/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs.html


 * Reflection on Teaching Style Inventory and the Student Learning Inventories **

The Teaching Style Inventory results were a little surprising. My Teaching Goals results landed on the Quadrant C, which described the instructor as preferring analysis to rote learning. This part was no surprise, as I prefer for my students to learn by examining and analyzing instead of just receiving and reviewing information. But the other description of Quadrant C instructors was that they do not focus on practical applications. I was al little surprise with that description since in our Multimedia Class, we are project-based oriented with the purpose of sharing our products with appropriate audiences. I thought that was focusing on practical applications.

My Teaching methods results landed right in the middle of Quadrants C and D. Quadrant C describes the instructor as preferring to have student learn individually, through manipulatives and Quadrant D type instructors prefer to have students learning through hands-on activities completed collaboratively (Quadrant D). The common thread in both descriptions is the tactile experiences. This is a nice surprise, as I typically tend to do all my personal learning thoroughly engrossed in my wonderful, adventurous mind, but I understand that some students require the manipulation of objects and the collaboration of others to reach their optimum potential.

As for the learning styles of students I was surprised to find that my students landed pretty evenly across learning styles. I was certain that I was going to find the visual style coming out on top as that is what I have usually found in the past, plus that is my dominate learning style. I am wondering if my class is just made up of unique individuals or if our multimedia world, that is filled with text, imagery, audio, and sometimes tactile experiences (check out SeaWorld’s 3D movie), is starting to produce more students who are equally dominant in all senses.