180° - The Mobile Wiki

Mobile Wiki in the context of learning theories

When analyzing the Mobile wiki in the context of the learning theories of behaviorism, constructivism, cognitivism and connecivism it is clear that there are elements of each within this learning but  I found the activity to be mainly connectivism and constructivism. The constructivism part of the activity being the six thinking hats which allowed us to analyse and collaborate on a topic which we would normal respond to in one sentence. The connectivism lies in the WIKI part of the activity, learning from many different opinions to one subject. My graphical interpretation of the activity in terms of the learning theories is as follows:

Personal participation

On personal reflection I come to one huge conclusion – I am a hypocrite. I have not been in favour of my children having mobile phones and did not advocate mobiles been allowed to be taken to school. I read the articles for this exercise and my viewpoint did a 180-degree turn. For the first time I thought about how mobiles can be used in schools in a positive manner. The opportunities excited me as I have been in the poorest areas in Africa and the contrast that I have often pointed out is that of children running in the streets with no x-box, no computers, no classrooms, no text books but most of them seem to have a mobile. This must be utilized to bring these children into the world of technology. Is there somebody doing this? And if so can I help? These two thoughts immediately popped into my head and I will research this further. I was blind but now I see comes to mind.

As far as De Bono and his six thinking hats I had ironically given a creative thinking presentation in Czech Republic years ago illustrating this technique and how it can be used in Lean manufacturing implementations. Which brings me to my next point – by using techniques like these we send our students into the working world with tools that they can use to the benefit of their employers. I find the fact that tools that I have learnt in the business world can also be used with students very exciting and I will ensure that my students leave my class having used these analyzing techniques and know how they can be used in their workplaces.

Swot analysis of mobile wiki

The main contribution to a students learning of doing a activity like this is that an activity like this moves a student into the higher order thinking of blooms taxonomy.

In conclusion as Karen Stephenson states:

“Experience has long been considered the best teacher of knowledge. Since we cannot experience everything, other people’s experiences, and hence other people, become the surrogate for knowledge. ‘I store my knowledge in my friends’ is an axiom for collecting knowledge through collecting people (undated).”

References:

Stephenson, K., (Internal Communication, no. 36) What Knowledge Tears Apart, Networks Make Whole. Retrieved March 12, 2011, from http://www.netform.com/html/icf.pdf.

Siemens, G. (2004, December 12). Connectivism. Retrieved March 12, 2011, from Elearnspace everything elearning: http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm