ED 507 Learning Theories and Instructional Design

This was the first course I took in the Learning, Design, and Technology

program. I was introduced to the basic theories of learning, such as cognitivism,

constructivism, social cognitive, and the behaviorist learning theory. I was also

introduced to digital tools, what they are, and how to use them. Also, one of the

assignments that was of most interest to me was the Diigo bookmarking site

activity. I found this to be most useful in organizing and locating many of my

digital files. The final project in this course, which is the one on this page, afforded

me the opportunity to apply learning theories to instructional design in both the

online and face-to-face learning settings to improve student learning outcomes.

This project was designed using Google Classroom as the learning management

system.

I developed skills on how to effectively integrate technology into teaching

and learning and how to use differentiated instruction design principles to engage

diverse learners. Some of the digital tools I became familiar with are Quizlet,

Desmos, Nearpod, Pear Deck, and Scribblar. Teachers must carefully design

instruction based on the differentiated learning styles of their students. All

instructional design should promote critical thinking skills. Project-based and

collaborative learning should be considered as well.

To demonstrate cognitive learning, I developed instructional videos based on

multimedia theories of learning. There are some students who learn best by

watching videos and by reading the captions. Others who are visually impaired will

benefit from audio-based learning that is apparent in videos and in podcasts.

Videos can also be used to organize lessons that connect what students already

know to what they are expected to learn. Digital tools that supplement social

cognitive learning include Padlet, Google Docs, Jamboard, and Flipgrid.