Theories of Online Learning

 Welcome to my first blog post! In this post, I will be exploring a variety of online learning methods and theories, as well as the impacts of online learning on one’s school experience. 

The first learning theory that I would like to discuss today is behaviorism. In the model of behaviorism, emphasis is placed on outward behaviors, rather than internal mental and physical processes. Managing an online classroom from the perspective of behaviorism would be fairly difficult due to the fact that students are not in-person and therefore cannot be as closely monitored for behavioral actions and their outcomes. This difficulty especially holds true in situations when students are experiencing a variety of learning barriers or disabilities. For example, it is widely known that early diagnoses for students with ADHD and similar conditions can dramatically change their educational outlook. However, from an online behaviorist’s perspective, it would be quite difficult to see outward markers and behaviors that are characteristic of those with ADHD, prolonging the undiagnosed period of this disorder. 

Through the perspective of cognitivism, importance is placed on the mental processes that occur in one’s mind. This means that logic and reasoning are focused on as the main elements of cognition and learning. This theory can be pretty well-integrated as instruction and guided thinking can often be used in an online learning environment. For example, a teacher using cognitivism for a math lesson could include short-response questions prompting thoughts about how and why the order of operations works in a given context. This prompts students to think deeper about the methods that they are using and the way these processes impact other connected topics. Although one’s cognitions cannot truly be consciously and outwardly explained, prompting students to slow down and think further into the methods that they use for solving all kinds of problems is quite important. In doing this, teachers can aid in their students' brain development and higher thinking processes overall. 

Constructivism when used as an online teaching practice certainly has some pros and cons depending on the way in which it is used. The theory of constructivism is largely based on prior knowledge, where the teacher is focused on providing an environment for the student to explore educational topics- rather than lecturing over basic procedures or concepts. For some higher-ed classes where students are expected to have prior knowledge (usually from prerequisites), this model of learning can be highly efficient as it eliminates much of the instruction over content that is already learned. However, using constructivism to teach an online class of first-graders by expecting them to already know how to count would simply not work. Knowing the specific context in which these theories of learning are to be used is critical when deciding which theories to use in the classroom or online classroom. 

A few other terms that are used frequently in regard to online learning are synchronous and asynchronous. These terms can essentially be thought of as opposites of each other as synchronous means that instruction is given at a certain “meeting time” in which students and teachers connect virtually, often with online video-communication technologies such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. The latter- asynchronous learning- means that there is no structured meeting time and assignments and communications are completed at one’s own pace, or with fewer paced deadlines or checkpoints. While asynchronous learning is more flexible in terms of allowing students to manage their own time, this can also be a downside for students that are not as motivated and cannot manage their time in order to successfully complete their assignments. Both learning models, however, offer flexibility and promote some degree of self-guidance for one’s own unique learning experience.

If you ask any current high school or college student to discuss their experiences with online classes, it is almost certain that they will make reference to the way that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the world of online learning. Through my personal experience during the pandemic, I was one of the students that did not necessarily thrive in the online learning model. I found that many of my teachers’ constructivist teaching styles left me with so many questions throughout assignments with no way of getting help. This was especially difficult because of the intense course load that I was taking, especially in the areas of math and science in which instruction is pivotal in mastering concepts. Despite my past experiences, many of my peers now find that these online modes of learning can fit their schedules better while balancing outside commitments like jobs. Also in regard to jobs, children practicing digital citizenship skills and using online technologies while learning can better prepare them for a variety of careers and more formal online interactions in the future. Since society is moving towards a very digital world, I anticipate that the prevalence and successful integration of online learning will only get better with time.