Alexis Johnson
  • Home
  • Resume
  • Muscianship
  • Leadership
  • Scholarship
  • Engagement
  • Portfolio Index
  • Student Teaching

Scholarship

Developmental Theories 2

2/18/2017

0 Comments

 
Bowlby's Attachment Theory
This theory describes the types of attachments that we form at birth, and how the effect our development. He states that babies need attachment for survival. When they are first born they need someone to feed, bathe, an clothe them. Aspects such as crying, or smiling, show parents what their child need. This helps them survive by being able to communicate what they want. He believes that the most important attachment is to ones mother. He states that if students aren't able to make these attachments they can become aggressive, depressed,  and even unable to express affection. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfnzLon90C4 

Vygotsky's Social Development Theory 
 Lee Vygotsky believes that most people get their cognitive skills from social environments. By watching how adults act and their habits children discover what is right and wrong. They also learn these skills from interaction in the environment. He states that students learn social skills before cognitive skills, so it's important that a child develops so they don't have trouble later in life with their cognitive skills. Part of  Vygotsky's theory is the zone of proximal development. This means that students can determine when they need help, and when they are able to work something out on their own. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p_-0n2f35o

David Kolb's learning theory
Kola's theory can be described in 2 parts, the Experimental Learning Cycle and the four learning styles. The Experimental Learning cycle is the process where knowledge comes from reflection and analysis of experience. There are four stages; Concrete experience, Reflective observation, Abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. He believe that students learn through repetition of these four stages. The second part of the theory is the four learning styles; Diverging, assimilating, converging, and accommodating. The important part about this portion of the theory is that learn differently, using a combination of these different styles. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObQ2DheGOKA



0 Comments

Developmental Theories

2/12/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
For this assignment I chose to research Jerome Bruner' and his stages of representation theory. Bruner's theory focuses more on student centered learning, meaning that they will have more participation in their own learning process. He explains that cognitive developments involves an interaction between basic human capabilities, that can be amplified by technology. There are three aspects to Bruners theory; Enactive, Iconic, and Symbolic representation. Enactive representation involves ending action based information and storing it in our brain to use later. The next level is known as Iconic representation where information is stored in images. This could be in the form of a chart of diagram, that accompany's a lecture, to help students better understand the material. The third and final is called Symbolic representation. This involves using symbols, such as language, to store information. That good thing about symbolic representation is that it can be manipulated, or classified so it's easier to memorize and store information. What is different about this theory than other theorists, such as Piagets, is that while these are technically in a series of stages, they can be applied to learners of any age. This theory is useful in a classroom because teachers can ask as a facilitator to student's learning by creating activities that allow students to explore on their own. This theory also allows a more open communication between students and teachers, so instead of just listening to a teacher lecture, they can get involved in their own learning. However, I think that this theory won't work for all students because some will need that direct instruction from a teacher, otherwise they'll end up confused.  While Bruner's Stages of Representation has a few drawbacks, I believe it is effective when used in a classroom.
Additional resources: 
www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-methods-tips/76645-pros-and-cons-of-constructivist-learning-theory/
http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/constructivism/bruner/
​www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/constructivism/bruner/

0 Comments

Campbell, P. S. (2008). "Theories of musical thinking and doing" (pp. 104-124) in Musician and teacher: An orientation to music education. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 

2/6/2017

0 Comments

 
  1. I agree with this quote about theories because I think teaching without having any idea about how students learn will make you unprepared for the classroom. If you don’t know the different ways that children learn, I don’t believe that you can have a very affective classroom. You will be designing lessons that apply to one type of student instead of creating one that will touch all the different types of learners in your classroom.
  2. Throughout this chapter the author references several developmental theories. For example, Jean Piaget explains that as individuals go through life they use their own experiences to interact with other people and in certain environments. Jerome Bruner how students willingness and ability to learn changes as they mature, as well as how they apprehend what they are learning. This also mentions Lev Vygotsky’s theory that the parent, or any other adult figure, is the main influence on a child’s learning. Reinforcement theory, or operant conditioning, states that behaviors that are rewarded, or reinforced, are more likely to recur. Teachers are more likely to keep students on task, or get work accomplished if there is some type of reward at the end. The author also mentions constructionism, which is similar to what we did with Dr. Alsupp. It means that while teachers act as a facilitator for learning, they also step aside and let students lead their own activities so they are able to make discoveries on their own. The theories learning style includes several different aspects. First it describes how some people are left brain thinkers (verbal, sequential, linear) while others are right brain thinkers (nonverbal, spatial visual, and simultaneous processing).  A second aspect of the theory is that there are three sensory channels, Visual, auditory, and tactile, that students identify and learn best from. The last theorist the author mentions is Robert Gagnes’. This explains how there is a process, usually 8 steps, that allows students to perceive and understand the concepts they are learning. Some of the steps include: preparing and presenting instruction, having students respond to instruction, and assessing the student’s retention of the instruction. I think all of these theories contribute to how students learn and retain information.
  3. Several of these theories were familiar to me, such as Vygotsky’s and Piagets, but it was interesting hear about other perspectives on development. I think that it’s important as instructors to take into account all the different ways student’s process information, as well as all the ways we are able to deliver information. I think it is so interesting that each brain is unique, and retains information in different. The fact that we as teachers get to facilitate that learning is exciting, as well as incredibly scary. It’s difficult in an instructional setting to reach all different types of learners, but it is possible. I think that learning how students develop, and having a deeper understanding of ways we can facilitate learning will make us better teachers. I really enjoyed this article because it allowed to explore different theories about development and learning that I hadn’t thought of before.
0 Comments

    Author

    I will share reflective essays, and philosophical documents on this page. 

    Archives

    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015

    Categories
    ​Mued 273 

    ​

    All
    EDUC 300
    Mued 273
    MUED371
    MUED 380
    MUS 150

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Resume
  • Muscianship
  • Leadership
  • Scholarship
  • Engagement
  • Portfolio Index
  • Student Teaching