Assignment One -- Write your Educational Philosophy

Due: September 4
Points: 50

RUBRIC

Assignment 1
Define Your Educational Philosophy

 

How do you think people learn? As an instructor or trainer, what do you do to facilitate learning? Is there a congruent relationship between the two? The purpose of this activity is to help you examine your educational philosophy. We all have assumptions about how people learn, even though we may have never articulated these assumptions. And, these assumptions, whether implicit or explicit, have a direct effect on how we teach. A clearer understanding of your teaching and learning philosophies will enable you to become a more effective designer of instruction.

First, we will look at these philosophies: Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism under the general framework of an epistemology.

Finally, you will generate a statement of your personal educational philosophy and how you believe people learn. Note: the treatment of educational philosophies and learning theories in your text is cursory. However, there is an enormous amount of research in both areas that I encourage you to explore. I have provided additional resources if you are interested in further information on these topics. See Google drive.

Review examples of previous assignments to estimate proper length.

---

Procedure:

1. Complete the assigned readings.
2. Consult the handouts prepared by your classmates as well as additional references. I have included some online materials as supplementary readings.
3. Compare the key factors associated with the epistemologies of constructivism, empiricism, and pragmatism.
4. Write a statement about your epistemological beliefs
5. Compare the key factors associated with the various learning theories.
6. Write a statement that expresses how you think people learn.
7. Write a statement that expresses what you think instructors should do to enhance learning. To be complete, your statement should be at least one page, if not more. Please prepare this assignment in Word or Google docs -- no handwritten submissions will be accepted.

Grading Rubric: Assignment 1. (50 points).

• Epistemological beliefs clearly stated
• Beliefs on how people learn clearly stated
• Beliefs on how instructors facilitate learning clearly stated
• Statements are congruent

Sample Educational Philosophies from previous students:

• student 1
• student 2
• student 3
• student 4
• student 5

Additional Readings:

Constructivism: an excellent collection of resources. See also this collection of articles from Teachnology.

Empiricism vs Rationalism from Stanford University.

Pragmatism - interesting discussion of John Dewey, by Vanderstraeten and Biesta, Utrecht University. Note: this is part of the Online Paideia Project, which has an extensive database of resources on teaching and learning. I recommend you bookmark this and explore it when you have time.

Behaviorism: a good discussion of this theory from Stanford University.

Cognitive Learning Theories (along with other learning theories) from asia euniversity.

---

Class Presentations from Fall 2012

• Behaviorism
• Cognitivism
• Constructivism
• Flow
• Dual-Coding