As a learner I value the profile wiki because it has allowed me to get to know other students studying the Graduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching (GDLT). I have befriended students that are similar to me whether it be their teaching areas or previous experiences in life and I hope that I can refer to these friendships through the course for assistance with studying and even as support once I have completed the diploma and teaching full time. As a high school accounting and business education teacher, the profile wiki activity can also easily be implemented into any of my classes to support the learning of students. The profile wiki can be completed by students at the start of the year so that all students get to know each other, even those that have intrapersonal traits and find it difficult speaking to large numbers. The same profile wiki would also include relevant questions to display the different learning styles of the students so that as the teacher I can ensure all lessons support these styles.
The learning theories, constructivism, cognitivism and connectivisim are visible in the following elements of the profile wiki:
Constructivisim
Students can utilise the profile wiki to identify others that may have similar mental processes due to prior experiences and this can further assist other activities such as the scaffolded learning theories wiki.
Cognitivism
The word template provided to create the profile wiki acts as a concept map for the students. It organises information, such as distinctive qualities of other students, chunking and linking it to transfer to long term memory of the students so that they can recall the information when required, for instance deciding on partners for group work (Fasso, 2011).
Connectivism
The connectivism theory presumes that learning occurs as part of a social network of many diverse networks and ties (Drexler, 2008).The profile wiki contributes to both social and formal networking between students to help strengthen the learning process.
In order to complete the profile wiki students were asked to view a word template displaying a form of profile, construct their own profile and share it through the wiki link. This is a clear indication that the engagement theory framework had been placed in the activity as the students, related, created and donated their profiles. (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999) The word template also acted as a form of scaffold as it demonstrated what kind of information that could be placed in the student’ profile.
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