Week 2 Assessment Reflection

Engagement Activity 4: Blog reflection on wiki activity

In engagement activity 3, students were asked to participate in a wiki about mobile phones. Students were asked to use de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats as a scaffolding for the activity. Each coloured hat represented a different thinking perspective and this allowed students to formulate a balanced argument.

 

The forum is to a large extent reflective of the constructivist theory. Constructionist theory considers that meaningful learning occurs when students attempt to actively engage in making ‘sense of the world’ (Snowman et al., 2009, p.337). It focuses on how each student creates knowledge and distinctive interpretations of experiences, information and ideas from the sharing of multiple perspectives (Snowman et. al., 2009, p337). There are two major constructivist approaches: cognitive constructivism (hyperlink) and social constructivism.

 

Social constructivism in particular concentrates on how meaningful learning occurs through engagement with other student’s arguments and perspectives. Students are taught how to use psychological tools such as different ways of problem solving and then exposed to real life scenarios that allow students to create a shared understanding of an occurrence, event or trend (Snowman et al., 2009, p341). The wiki was reflective of this approach. The lecturers helped students through creating a scaffolding (de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats) in order to allow construction of ideas using the realistic scenario (should mobiles be allowed in schools). The wiki provided the opportunity for students to work collaboratively to construct new understandings, conceptions and shared meaning. Many students, such as myself, would examine what other students had written and then build upon this. In this way learning is initially influenced by the knowledge of other students. The discussions in the forum allowed students to then become more self-regulated and independent.  

 

However, Siemen’s argues that one drawback of this approach is that in spite of viewing learning as a social process, it still promotes the ‘principality of the individual’ (2005).  The theory does not examine learning that is collected and influenced by technology. He proposes connectivism as theory that brings these learning approaches ‘into the digital age’ (2005). With rapidly advancing technology, there is greater value in providing students with the means of accessing knowledge, as opposed to endeavouring to learn and experience ‘everything’.  Thus, the connections to knowledge are a more valuable skill. The wikispace provided students with a network to other student’s knowledge. The collaborative, network environment of the forum thus also highlights the connectivist theory.

 

One notable drawback of participation in a wikispace is that it did not provide an option for shyer students or students who are self conscious about their academic abilities, to participate anonymously. If students were extremely self conscious about what other students would have thought of their ideas, then they may be afraid to contribute meaningfully to the exercise.

Another limitation on the exercise is the fact that a misguided response could be given by a student, with little to no possibility of this being corrected. Although, it is a skill for students to examine the value and worth of information. This could have been addressed through the participation of a lecturer, tutor or mentor in the wikispaces.

 

References

Siemens, G (2004). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age Elearnspace. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

 

Snowman, J., Dobozy, E., Scevak,J., Bryer,F., Bartlett, B,.  &  Biehler, (2009).Psychology Applied to Teaching (1st ed). Milton Queensland Australia:  John Wiley & Sons.