Posted by: Christopher Fulton

This last task was by far the most interesting. First of all, the term “technology affordance” was a bit perplexing. This concept appears to have originated in 1979 (Gibson, J.J. 1979. The Ecological Approach to Perception) and means, very loosely, the usefulness with which we perceive an object. An examination of the concept is given further consideration by Hutchby (“Technologies, Texts and Affordances”, Sociology 2001 35: 441).

I was impressed with how different members of the group saw the collaborative mind mapping tool. Some members felt it wasn’t conducive to getting learners to discover more about learning theories as the technology got in the way of the learning. Others found the mind map to be a fine tool for note-taking and reflection. Might ones’ perception of the technology have any relationship to ones’ inclination towards a particular learning strategy?

First , I would add a few words on how I might use this tool. The mind map took a bit of getting used to. I think I would certainly introduce it with a demo or a video. Such a visual introduction might make it much more appealing to a large class. Again, is this in part because of my preference for one learning style? Or, could I be hardwired to learn primarily from visual stimuli?

I would also provide my learners with a clearly defined task. A task might focus on searching and listing links for each theory using 5 different sources, i.e. Google, Wikipedia, books, peer-refereed journals, and media sources. The mind map could be used for a variety of purposes: one group member suggested that we find and document criticisms of each theory. In any case, a couple of us thought the mind map would provide a very collaborative tool that could be used for a range of learners, although any activity conducted with this tool would require additional support, whether such support came from a video a teacher.

Did the mind map technology play a role in developing my understanding of learning theories? I do believe it provided an excellent platform that allowed me to take notes, research, document and share ideas. In my research I thought up several ideas on how I could use this tool in teaching, shared my notes with others, and even read about what my peers have expressed on this topic. I did not only focus on texts, but my research took me to audio sources. Indeed, one of the most thoughtful discussions on learning styles I heard last week on BBC4 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rm072). I would highly recommend it. For those who are pressed for time, I have transcribed a few key passages.
Extract from “Inside the Brain of a Five-Year-Old”
“Learning styles... Well this is the idea that some children are visual learners, other children are kinesthetic learners, so that they learn best through manipulating things, and I'm some children are auditory learners, so they best they learn best through language-based instruction Whereas in fact all of those systems in the brain will be active all the time.
Well because the brain is a multiple interacting system you can ever isolate one component. That's the kind of neuro-myth. We can say that a neuro process goes on in the back of the brain. It doesn't mean that those are the only systems that are active when you're looking. This is because then you need to interpret what you're looking at or listening to, so other systems will be in play.

Then there's the scientific question, is it a preference something dictated by of the brain.”
What has not been shown by many studies, is that there is any educational advantage to having your learning advantage learning preference identified. There are various reasons why not. The brain is very interconnected. The second thing is that if you're are better at processing in one modality that there might be something said for getting practice in the other modalities. And when something becomes something more difficult we remember it better.

In fact a psychological study showed that some learners had done better in the learning style that they had not been identified as possessing. And yet it's very very popular.
There's so much in the popular media that teachers, like anybody else, are caught up in the media.”

What I found so fascinating was that this discussion on the radio ended with a conclusion that was very similar to a conclusion that my peers reached.

“When designing a teaching or learning activity it is also important to bear in mind that the teacher may play several parts (simultaneously or not): The teacher may be a facilitator, a leader, a role model or an active learner after all, in order to understand which activity best suits a group of students the teacher must learn something about them.” Hopwood & KopkeDonado

This activity has given me the chance to learn about my peers, and various views on learning theories. I also have a few hints about my professors’ research on related topics. I only hope they have somehow learnt a bit about me in the process.

Christopher
Shenzhen, 2010