Okay, nerds and geeks unite! After such a nerds-and-geek-downer proposition last week that there is No Significant Difference in learning with or without the application of technology, a retaliation was in store.
This week the title of the article in question is, "The MYTH About No Significant Difference." The article that Oblinger and Hawkins write ultimately boils down to one question: "Difference in what?"
The authors emphasize that if we are to look at "learning" as the significant difference, we can break learning down into many facets: motivation, opportunities, active process, interaction with others, etc. Indeed, incorporating technology does not automatically guarantee an increase in learning, but the potential is there.
The final statement of the article says: Does using technology produce a significant difference? The answer depends on how the question is asked." Oblinger and Hawkins sound remarkably unbiased and balanced, but of course their article is all about the myriad ways that technology can transform the learning process. They give very few examples of technology not making a difference.
I resonate the most with learning as an active process. Learning is an experience - sometimes that experience comes through reading a book, sometimes through traveling to another country. I feel that if technology can enhance the active process of an experience, then by all means it is worth every penny of investment.
An example of meaningful learning is going through the steps to actually publish a book, while not-so-meaningful learning is to research how books are published and then give a presentation.
So if meaningful learning incorporates technology into an active process, then it means being able to create a product and be able to share that with other students and with the world. Technology is an incredible platform to expose one's work to the world for evaluation and growth.
Like this blog.
I know that this blog is simply a learning journal for a class, but I plan on putting a link to this blog on my Facebook and even on my other, more mainstream blog, Seed of Devotion. I figure I might as well apply the power of technology in its best way - the active process of sharing with others.
This week the title of the article in question is, "The MYTH About No Significant Difference." The article that Oblinger and Hawkins write ultimately boils down to one question: "Difference in what?"
The authors emphasize that if we are to look at "learning" as the significant difference, we can break learning down into many facets: motivation, opportunities, active process, interaction with others, etc. Indeed, incorporating technology does not automatically guarantee an increase in learning, but the potential is there.
The final statement of the article says: Does using technology produce a significant difference? The answer depends on how the question is asked." Oblinger and Hawkins sound remarkably unbiased and balanced, but of course their article is all about the myriad ways that technology can transform the learning process. They give very few examples of technology not making a difference.
I resonate the most with learning as an active process. Learning is an experience - sometimes that experience comes through reading a book, sometimes through traveling to another country. I feel that if technology can enhance the active process of an experience, then by all means it is worth every penny of investment.
An example of meaningful learning is going through the steps to actually publish a book, while not-so-meaningful learning is to research how books are published and then give a presentation.
So if meaningful learning incorporates technology into an active process, then it means being able to create a product and be able to share that with other students and with the world. Technology is an incredible platform to expose one's work to the world for evaluation and growth.
Like this blog.
I know that this blog is simply a learning journal for a class, but I plan on putting a link to this blog on my Facebook and even on my other, more mainstream blog, Seed of Devotion. I figure I might as well apply the power of technology in its best way - the active process of sharing with others.
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