Running head: LEARNING THEORY PROJECT

Learning Theory Project James Call University of Tennessee

LEARNING THEORY PROJECT Learning Theory Project Project Description This project was a lesson plan that I developed in another class in order to teach my fellow graduate students about the subject of technology in education and to present a learning activity related to the subject. As I reviewed the original project, I found that there was no attention given to motivation or a motivational theory to draw my classmates into the learning activity. The activity was to present a slide show of several images that were new or theoretical

technologies and to poll the class on how they thought the technologies could be used in relation to education. As each image was shown, every student would choose whether the technology could be placed into three categories: sending information, displaying information, or storing information. A fourth choice of other was also available which meant that the technology could have multiple uses. At the end of the activity, I discussed how each item related to education in my own opinion as part of my closing statements. Content of Project For the practice project, I decided to change the lesson plan to include ideas that I discovered while attending this course. The original project only involved two theories of motivation interest and effect and social cognitive. Without understanding the interest and effect theory, I wanted to create a learning activity that interested my classmates. Our readings describe personal interest as a general liking for a topic or personal importance/significance related to the topic (Schunk & Meece, 2014, p. 214). I simply assumed that because my classmates were in an instructional technology program that they would enjoy learning about new technologies and that their associations with education would be personally significant to them.

LEARNING THEORY PROJECT The social cognitive theory was inadvertently present in the original lesson because I wanted the students to participate based on the social comparison theory, which states that people are motivated to evaluate their abilities and opinions and that they often do this by comparing themselves to others (Schunk & Meece, 2014, p. 155). I wanted students who did not feel comfortable discussing their opinions about each technology slide in the presentation to volunteer to discuss as they noticed their classmates who did feel comfortable beginning to volunteer. As I made changes to the original lesson plan, I included a group dynamic by creating

small groups of four and dividing the students so that they could discuss each item together. The students would discuss the items and choose which category they fit into and when the group returned to the main room one spokesperson from each group would provide the reasoning for the choice. After the spokesperson presented one choice, a new member of each group would have to volunteer to present the next image. This was to integrate the social cognitive theory more fully into the lesson plan. I also developed feedback into the lesson so that I could take advantage of the intrinsic theory of motivation. Theories of Motivation The group dynamic was missing in the first lesson plan, but after learning about the social cognitive theory I decided to form small groups for the activity. I wanted the group members to learn from each other using modeling. As the students discussed the items, they could see how their peers describe them and this would lower their inhibition to share their ideas. As the group provided positive feedback to the members (or lack of negative feedback) they would gain confidence. They could also possibly be more willing to share because the others in the group were sharing, creating a social prompt (Schunk & Meece, 2014, p. 130).

LEARNING THEORY PROJECT Feedback was something that I had not considered in the original project, but it is very important for the intrinsic motivation theory. As we learn we require feedback to inform us whether or not we are performing a task to the desired standard. It is much easier to become motivated about doing something that you are interested in if you are doing it well. As the learning activity progressed, I would provide positive feedback at the beginning, during the

activity, and at the end of the activity and this would encourage students that they were correctly performing the tasks I had given them and cause them to more openly share their ideas (Schunk & Meece, 2014, p. 247, 264). Lessons Learned I learned a very valuable lesson while editing this lesson plan and it is that instructors must consider motivational theory before they develop material for their students. It is difficult to revise a finished product to include motivation without completely changing it. I had learned in a prior course that accessibility must be included before a lesson is created because it determines how one will present the lesson and motivation is exactly the same. As I continue on in my career, I will strive to create lesson plans which have clearly defined sections that describe the motional theories to be used. Many of my classmates in this course suggested that to me and in their own presentations and this is an excellent idea to carry forward. Once a theory has been chosen, the flow of the lesson plan can be developed to include activities which will take advantage of each theory used. This will make lessons more enjoyable to teach and more enjoyable to learn.

LEARNING THEORY PROJECT References Schunk, D. H., & Meece, J. L. (2014). Motivation in Education: Theory, Research, and Applications (4th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.