This is your first required post for EDCI 335 and will be assessed for your Individual Community Contributions grade (each worth 5%). After completing the activities for this unit, including reading Chapter 11, ‘Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism‘ from Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology and Chapter 17 (Connectivism) from 25 Years of EdTech, please complete the following task:

  • Create a post on your own blog and address one or more of the prompts below.
  • Make sure you do not simply restate the views of the authors of the readings, but try to write about how you would apply what you read about to your own context.
  • Make sure you use the category edci335 and Post 1 on your post!
  • Make sure to visit your peers’ posts to comment on their ideas (throughout the course, you’ll need to comment on at least three)
  • Aim for 300-400 words in your post.

Blog Prompt Options:

Option #1: Motivation Autopsy

To explore motivation as a design issue, complete this short reflective activity as your Blog Post #1. You can write a blog post about this if you like for your Blog Post #1 (it will be included as one option) or you can just freely reflect on this and share it with our class in the Mattermost Course Discussion channel (or keep it private and personal – up to you!)

Think of a technology-mediated learning experience that you started but didn’t finish. This could be:

  • An online course or MOOC
  • A professional development module you’ve wanted to complete
  • A learning application that you were faced with learnig
  • A course delivered through a Learning Management System
  • Any open or self-directed learning experience – the possibilities are limitless~

Reflect on the following:

  • What initially motivated you to begin?
  • When did your motivation start to shift?
  • What aspects of the design contributed to disengagement?
  • Which learner needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness, relevance) were not well supported?
  • How might the experience have been designed differently?

Option #1: Mixed-bag of options (feel free to choose one)

  • What is one idea from the readings or videos we’ve looked at so far that you disagree with, and why?
  • What concept did you find difficult to understand? How did you approach learning the concept?
  • Share a story about how you overcame a learning challenge. Why was it a challenge? What strategies did you use?  Use the language you learned in this unit.
  • Share a story about your best learning experience (could be a formal course or something more personal). Why did you enjoy it?
  • How would the learning be designed differently by a behaviorist, a cognitivist, a constructivist or a connectivist? Scenario: A high school social study teacher is planning a class on climate change.
  • Describe an example from your life of when you were taught using one or more of the methods described in the reading: behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism and connectivism.
  • Based on your reading, would you consider your current instruction style more behavioralist, cognitivist, constructivist or connectivist? Elaborate with your specific mindset and examples.