DBR Phase 2 - The Theory

One of the main learning theories/ design principles that the session follows is constructivism. Each of the parts of the session are about constructivism and incorporating these principles in to the design.  Social constructivism, problem-based learning and adult learning theories also inform on the design.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison talks about Blended Learning theory and Design Principles. The implications for constructivist blended learning are listed below:

• Keep learners active by engaging them in meaningful activities that result in high-level processing.
• Learners should construct their own knowlege rather than accepting that which is given by the instructor
• Collaborative and cooperative learning should be encouraged
• Learners should be given control of the learning process
• learners should be given time and opporutnity to reflect
• Learning should be made meaningful for students
• Learning should be interactive to promote higher-level learning and social presence, to develop personal meaning.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Technology Solutions for Teaching and Research, Blended Learning Theory and Design Principles (2011)     http://academictech.doit.wisc.edu/blend/design/principles

The session with the students (both Blackboard and forums) have been set to follow these design principles.

The survey prior to the session (using Google forms) gives the learners a chance to bring their own knowledge to the session. The Wordle activity then gives the students a visual representation of their existing thoughts, so that it is meaningful to them, and gives them a chance to speak about their own knowledge.

Slides with expressions prompt students to express their feelings towards PBL, which gives students a chance to reflect, and have a meaningful activity, which prompts them to think and evaluate their own attitudes and understandings.

Underpinning theory slides promote understanding, and give the students a base knowledge, so that they can assist their own contexts from this base knowledge.

Examples of real-life uses of Problem-Based Learning, and the travel activity that gets students to use it, work with the key principles of being meaningful, engaging them, constructing their own knowledge and having control of the learning process.

The Moodle forum then gives the students time and opportunities to reflect upon what they have learnt, and to be interactive, collaborative, and to promote a higher-level learning and social presence, to help develop their own personal meaning for their learning and their own teaching contexts.