633 Learning Theory Blog for 12/10/2009

My final project will be in Second Life. I've decided to create something that would depict my Learning Theorist. I was trying to make a 'Targetesque" object in Second Life and found it hard to align the rings. Nick M and I was trying to tweak it, but ultimately, if I changed locations, or camera angles, the object would be all misaligned. Although it's a 3d object, I can not make it right. Perhaps I need to upload a picture of the object or "Target" and then "play" with it as Vygotsky would say. I did take a snapshot of what it looked like (or should look like) from the frontal angle. So it was supposed to represent the 4 stages of the Zones of Proximal Development.

Stage 1, children rely on others for outside regulation of task performance.

In stage 2, the learner takes over the rules and responisbilities of both mediator and learner, and the tasks are carried out without assistance.

Stage 3 internalizes and automatizes the task, and performance is "fossilized", according to Vygotsky. This is the "once you know it, you know it forever" stage.

Stage 4 addresses de-automatization and recursion, These occur so regularly, that they need to be incorporated into the developmental process.

To be continued this weekend...

633 Blog for 12/3/2009

I've given some thought to my project and am a little stumped on what to do. I do want to either do 1. ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) or Vygotsky's other (amongst many) theory of Play. The ZPD I could creat an action plan of (something) and then have a person look by the plan and do the work by themselves, and note how they perform the plan without assistance from anyone. Perhaps I can do this with Volleyball? Write down how to play, and give the person instructions on how to do so? Record them? Then with my help, see how the learner do with my specific help.

Secondly, the Psychology of play. Less known is Vygotsky's research on play, or children's games, as a psychological phenomenon and its role in the child's development. Through play the child develops abstract meaning separate from the objects in the world, which is a critical feature in the development of higher mental functions. I was hoping to do the project and use this theory of 'play' so that I can record this somehow (my niece?)

I am leaning towards the ZPD. I need to figure this out soon!

MT

633 Post for 11/26/2009

Happy Thanksgiving first of all...and Yes, I am doing school work on Thanksgiving. 633 has a new question as well as assignment.

Make a connection between learning theory and your action research. How will (or can) your AR be guided by the theories we have studied in this class? Make specific connections, where you can.

Final Project

Ok, the SL project is off (unless you really wanted to do it - then go ahead)

Here is the alternate:

1. Choose something that people learn how to do. Could be anything, from baking a cake to snow skiing. Something you know how to do, to something you know little about.

2. Create a lesson or lesson plan for learning to do the thing from #1 that represents how your theorist would teach someone to do it.

3. You will be graded on the following:

• How well does it reflect the theory?
• How creative is it?
• How cool is it?
• Does it represent your best effort for a class at this level, given the number of days you have to invest?

4. I'll leave it to you as to how to present to everyone. Please let me know how I can be of assistance.

I will answer the first set of questions on the Moodle by this weekend, but I wanted to reflect on my AR and Learning Theory first. Definitly have some ideas of how to respond to the question. (Individual learning vs. social) Why people don't collaborate at work. Vygotsky? Piaget? not only on the 'kids' development sense...but for adults too.

As for the Final Project, the SL looked 'easier' to do, (harder to code) now Let me think first of what I can do now...I might still do the SL object....

To be continued...

MT

633 Blog for 11/18/2009

Today is a good day, let's start with 633 first. I am currently looking and thinking of ideas with Scott Mortensen on how we can create and Item in Second Life that would represent Lev Vygotsky. I was initially thinking of some sort of hammer, or Vodka bottle, or something. That might be too stereotypical so, perhaps we'll make a *target* symbol, and make that represent the (Zone of Proximal Development)...I like that Idea. I'll run it by Scott. Next is to spend some time to read up on how to do such a thing. I would like to get it out of the way, so that I can focus on the next project!

As for Junior Achievement, I had a GREAT time, I love my 3rd Graders (most of them) their innocence, their curiosity and just their enthusiasm for me being there. It's so nice to see that. (Unlike work)

I also like the way the classes are relational to each other. Papert, Piaget, Vygotsky et. al..

633 Post for 11/11/2009

This week has been interesting to say the least. We did however have class for 633 so that was a nice break from the other 2 classes. Second Life is fun to be in. Malibu Island is still interesting, but yet 'strange' somehow. The whole concept is really strange somehow. LOL.. Anyways, we are now tasked to create an "item" that resembles our Theorist. I think I will somehow relate Vygotsky's image/item to something 'Russian' ooo so creative. Perhaps something 'hoovering' in a circle...similar to Vygotsky's ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) hmm...I think that's a GREAT Idea. I'll need to collaborate with Scott and see what he thinks...We now have to 'link' our theorist to another theorist..Not too sure what that means..perhaps it's linking the same thoughts/teachings and also linking UNRELATED items too? I know Piaget and Vygotsky saw some similar things, but they also saw things differently as well.

633 Blog for 11/5/2009

what a week. Lit review was due last Friday, and finally got a breather from that beast. I was definitely behind because it's been years since I had to do such a thing. Good thing for Dan Wood, and DJ Benjamin. I took a look at their work and it helped me move forward with mines. (Also thanks Bill Moseley for giving us some breather room)

I just completed my Vygotsky Essential questions and sent them to Scott Mortensen. We will both combine our 'findings' and answers so that we can submit them to Moodle. I found Vygotsky extremely interesting, smart and powerful. I would have loved to meet him, but unfortunately he died at such a young age, and lived long ago. I believe that I am 'somewhat' caught up with Learning Theory, but you never know. I need to get back in the grooove of things. (not that I was ever out of it) but when you have these online courses, it tends to Creep up on you FAST if you are behind a little. I just hope I can keep this up for a prolonged period of time. heck it IS November, just another month and a half and I get xmas break!

MT OUT!

633 Post for 10-28-2009

All I can think of is Vygotsky and how much of a genius he is. I have been reading his work more closely now, and with the assignment at hand, I will have to be "Vygotsky" himself in answering the Four essential questions, and looking at my classmate's answers to reply to their answers with "Vygotsky" in mind.

On the other hand, we just got our first taste of the 'wave' and have started talking amongst each other. It's pretty cool, but i feel that it's just another 'email' client. It is however cool to see people type in real time. Other than that, I really don't see much hype about Google Wave. Oh well, lets go as far to say that no one else is doing anything like it, so BAM! haha..

More to come once I start answering the Essential questions.

633 Post for 10-21-2009

This will be the first time i'm using my Amazon Kindle for school reading. Vygotsky and the Social Formation. So far so good, just getting through the introductory stuff. it's crazy that he died @ such a young age of 38.

Although his main work was the Zone of Proximal Development, he also did alot in his studies of cognitive development, child 'play' which was a critical feature in the development of higher mental functions.

Perhaps Vygotsky's most important contribution concerns the inter-relationship of language development and thought.

I'm getting very interested in Vygotsky. More to come next week!

633 Post for 10-15-2009

For my learning theorist, I choose Lev Vygotsky. His major work included the Zone of Proximal Development. (I will have to go into further details later, not in my post!) Initially, after choosing Vygotsky, his name was thrown out in all of our books. Apparently his Zone of Proximal Development is a major theory for learning development. For now, we are going through all types of learning theories. Is it me or do they all say the similar things? I guess I will soon 'filter' out the different types of theories and that will clarify my understandings better. I'll need to buy another book to start reading it.

633 10-8-2009 Blog

So after all the headaches, I finally posted my 'Community of Practice' (CoP) project online. I lost the last slide, but i'll keep on plugging so I can do it 'right' Working with the volunteers was fun, and it was for a great cause. (South Coast Children's Society) We gardened, and painted the exterior and interior of the home. The children were taken to 'Raging Waters' (a waterpark) while the volunteers did their work.

It was a great experience for me. I realized that people that have nothing in common can come together for 1 cause, and then help each other out. They plowed, shoveled, painted, weeded etc. Sometimes you can't even get that participation from your own Family or Friends!! Strange....why is that? =) Besides that point, I felt that even without a supervisor, teacher, head honcho, people with experience were leading those without much experience, and those who were handy in other areas helped all those who weren't so handy. Even the younger children came out not really knowing why they were there, but knew that it was for somewhat of a good cause. The indirect learning and direct learning was evident. Everyone helped each other out, instructed each other and made it a successful morning of comeing together as a whole community, and making it better for those who were not so fortunate.

MT

10-1-2009 633 Blog

We are now tasked with Ethnography of a CoP (Community of Practice) I need to figure out where to go, how to observe, and what notes to take! I had a couple of ideas, but they are 'grey'. I initially wanted to go out the driving range (golf) I also wanted to hit the 'firing range' to see if we had some 'communities of practice' going on. I think i'll focus on some sort of club activity. I need to research some area Volunteer places where I helped out earlier in September. I know they have some CoP there. Going to look to 'team' up with a Cadre mate. Looking like i'll have to be a little 'more' creative this time around! =)

9-23-2009 633 Blog

So now i've 'fudged' around with Second Life a little bit, and we've talked about WWFSS? (What would Frank Smith Say?) about the first and second essential question. I would like to think more of the NOW aspects and how to move forward with my life. How do I learn NOW? At work, I learn from my co-workers, what they have to say, and how they do things. We are independent for the most part and do not share the same projects, but however we interpret the same Corporate Policies and Procedures. (Same but different) How do I learn from school? Well, our cadre is almost self run, with input from our professors. They 'stimulate' or stir the pot, and then the ingredients 'naturally' co-mingle and do their little chemical reactions then whoa-la...we have a dish. We generally try to cook at least once or twice a week. =)

We also learn from the environment, who we run into, what we see, how we interpret certain stimuli. So we do learn from each other, as well as learn from ourselves. I can sit here and 'browse' the web all by myself and learn from it. I can pick up a book, read it and learn from 'it'. Now we can say that SOMEONE wrote the book, so i'm learning from someone else...(fair to say) I guess I can 'read' instructions on how to make a paper airplane, and then eventually make one myself..or just experiment with a piece of paper, and make an airplane by myself..it's the NOW aspect of learning im interested in remember? I've learned what an airplane is, so I can 'improvise' on it.

I hope to see things in the gray, but sometimes it's not a 'bad' thing to see things as black or white. I just need to figure out when to do this and when not to.

638B Blog 9-18-2009

So with all that's going on right now in the other classes, we've finally set up a time to meet with our learning circle. Tuesdays 5:30Pm PST. I will now take a look at other's Action Research work and for now, i'll be collaborating with Scott Mortensen and Juan Flowers.

I have kept in contact with Dan Wood, from Cadre 11, so I will be taking a look at his AR project. "Building Thriving Communities of Practice with Social Learning Technologies" (http://danieljwood.com/action-research) I'll need to focus on outlining a plan for my AR Project. I have an idea of what topic of interest I have, (Utilizing Wikis in the workplace to further advance collaboration) of such...

The first step is for me to develop this outline, and then the other pieces should fall into place, although I will still need to keep those objectives in the rear view mirror because it's coming up soon as well...gosh how time flies.

633 Learning Technology Blog 9/16

I will try to create my blogs on a weekly schedule. I'll promise to make it as reflective as possible so that it's 'educational' or at least somewhat enjoyable! We just had our first meeting this past Monday. I completed 'Situated learning Legitimate peripheral participation' by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger. I wasn't too impressed initially, but then after reading more into the experiences of the Midwives, Tailors, Quartermasters, Butchers, and Nondrinking Alcoholics, I started to understand a little more on what Lave and Wegner was talking about. By definition, (authors) they mean to draw attention to the point that learners inevitably participate in the sociocultural practices of a community. "LPP" provides a way to speak about the relations between newcomers and old-timers, and about activities, identities, artifacts, and communities of knowledge and practice.

What I got out of it was we all learn differently. Why is this important? Does this relate? Well, we talked alot this past Monday 9/14/2009 about THEORY. What is Theory? What is MY definition of theory? What is my style of learning theory. I must admit, I was using the word in a different manner than what it was supposed to be....When I say, well, in THEORY if you put gas into an automobile, it SHOULD work. Or the Cause and Effect method, etc.

Why is it called Situated learning? Is it because we learn in different situations? Like the Midwives, Butchers etc? That finally made sense to me. Each learning opportunity is unique. It's how we make the best of the opportunities. We need to be observant in different scenarios in order to 'take away' the most out of the situation. Midwives had to learn by watching, apprentices to tailors had to start out cutting templates, Quartermasters had to go step by step in their training, Butchers had to do the 'grunt' work prior to doing anything significant and finally Non-drinking alcoholics had to go through a process of telling stories, receiving support etc in order to move forward as well.

This was what I've learned this week... Do what it takes and learn from all situations, whether it's from reading a book, listening to people, reading someone's texting, responding to online posts/forums and so on and so forth. I am beginning to believe in the 'process' of reflection. As I read today: John Dewey says: ''To reflect is to look back over what has been done so as to extract the net meanings which are the capital stock for intelligent dealing with further experiences. It is the heart of intellectual organization and of the disciplined mind'' Experience and Education Pg. 87

Amen

Force Field analysis???

That's what i said before I really put it down on paper. Here are the things i'll need to keep in mind...

The Force Field Analysis is a method to:
- investigate the balance of power involved in an issue
- identify the most important players (stakeholders) and target groups for a campaign on the issue
- identify opponents and allies
- identify how to influence each target group

I'll be attempting to implement a WIKI in my work, and will also need to induce participation somehow. I'll need prayers from all my Cadremates... =) I have a plan of action, so let's try to get this party started! One more week of Summer School...lets go!

MT

8/17/2009

Starting a headache...there's alot to read, and alot to do. Who says this was easy? ? ? anyways, I'm happy to report that things have been busy, but manageable. I hope to start doing more 'reflective' work. I really need to put some thought into what i'm doing so that the end product will be solid. I don't want to just 'reply' anymore without first taking a step back to realize what was said previously, and what I can contribute that's worthwhile.

MT

Class day

Today starts our first synchronous meeting. I'm excited! I've completed my Action Research readings for the week, and have an idea of what I want to do it on, just need to 'fine' tune it to address all the necessary components that make up the AR. I'm still wondering how we'll be 'graded' upon...I guess that's the ultimate question! Checkin in for now! MT

Tuesday Thoughts

did i say my head hurts?? anyhow, i hope i'm heading in the right direction with my Action Research topic. I'll need to read up more on what makes this a good topic/or not...Having my classmates collaborate on our assignments are very helpful. (grammar) This bunch doesn't miss a beat! yay!! anyhow, i'm just focusing on the week ahead, trying to 'read' and grasp the 'main' points of all the readings. MT checking in..

Getting ready for Launch!

As I sit here pondering what i've gotten myself into, i've just completed lunch, and my first webpage (for school). It's nothing fancy, nor 'high tech', but it represents me in some ways. Cutting and pasting stuff together, making it easier for myself, and along the road, learning a thing or two. =) I've been receiving alot of emails lately, and as I stand, i'm actually trying to lean on a pole or something to keep me from falling. It's a little overwhelming, but I think this is where i need to shake it off and focus on the immediate, and not the future. What do i need to do now to get to the later? What's due soon? What do we have to read now? What do we need to complete by mid august? end of august? wow...buffer overload. I think i'll need to start staying up later...or something in order to complete what I need to do. All I know is that we are having discussions about a shared calendar, aggregating emails, phone numbers, and all the other fluff. NOW---> Webpage in launch mode, but continuously improving...

Michael checkin in...

Final Virtcamp reflections

we've finally finished our last day at Pepperdine. i got alot more out of this than i've ever thought i would. i've learned about the 'whys' of all the activities that we've participated in. i can honestly state that i've learned so much more about my classmates in 4 days than i would have hypothetically in a semester. it also seemed like all of my classmates also felt the same way as i did. they were appreciative, trusting of one another, had confidence and was comfortable with one another. this would make it easier to open up, collaborate and ask questions of one another. as Tanner told us, this experience is like his skydiving experience...scary, fast, but at the end there's a soft landing...i will utilize the contacts that i've made to make this a successful year. Michael checking in...

Friday Relection Blog...

Its friday and we are still here trying to get our Legos to work! what did i learn today? Trust is critical in the development of social networks. i've realized that once you trust the members in your social group, it makes it easier to get things accomplished, and learning, collaborating occurs voluntarily. I would normally do things that would be more beneficial to only me. I'd help out as much as i could as long as it did not get in the way of my own personal time. but now, i'd keep on working with my social network, cadre, learning circle and cohort.
i'm trying hard to put thoughtful thoughts on here, but i presume i'll 'get better' at it in a bit...(days weeks?) I did feel the 'stages' of learning...in the beginning, it's the 'omg' how do i do this? Then it goes to ok, it's not THAT bad...Then comes the failure, and fixing of the failure and then relearning. this process seems to be part of life, it's just emphasized more that i'm here now at Pepperdine. it feels great...we feel like a team, a family, and most importantly, leaders of the future...people that WILL change the world...even if it takes days, months, years!!
I'm michael, i'm checking IN!!

reflection 7-16

its late, but time to blog....who controls a discussion? I think YOU do! as disussed about the topic in 'refelections', i felt like yes, anyone could talk about whatever they wanted to talk about, (in the group setting)

something also on my mind...designs of other group's before and after you determines what YOU have to do. so really, do i need to design my robot yet? i guess the moral of the story is that you MUST collaborate with your community...thanks Pepperdine for the guidance... =) GOOD NITE...

Reflection Wed July 15th

as my cpu utilization dwindles down (my brain) for the day, I find myself mentally exhausted. my view on the 'community' has changed somewhat. From Jonathan Harris's video to creating a 4-step Lego drop off, to Iron Chef'ing...

I find myself relying alot on my community of cadremates. Today was a mentally challenging day. There were so many things that I needed to co-ordinate with my peers, tasks to be performed and processes to follow. Not everything is 'cookie cutter' or 'templated' in these exercises as some of life is. I think i've learned to 'trust' more on other people's ability so that I could do the things I need to do for the team to succeed. (Vice versa)

Last thoughts: I hope tomorrow is just as challenging if not MORE!! I LOVE IT!! =) (after some sleep that is...)

Reflection 1.0

Instead of thinking of ways to earn more money when i initially journeyed to Malibu, i am thinking of ways that our cadre can change the world!!! when i was asked initially of why i wanted to do MALT it, my answer was for 1.the degree, 2. the experience 3. money?
Now my answer would be "to learn, learn, and eventually do good for the world!" Also all the FRIENDLY CADRE'mates...LOVE IT...