Learning By Doing and Using Instructional Technologies Research Paper

Learning By Doing and Using Instructional Technologies - Research Paper Example   Introduction of microcomputers and internet has greatly influenced teaching and learning. Technology motivates students to learn since it encourages use of hands-on-technology activities making learners more autonomous. Appropriate use of technology in teaching motivates students since encourages creative methods of learning and enables students to remain attentive. Use of technology for teaching affects the learning process in different ways. The instructional methods are affected since teacher or educators act more like facilitators (Hung, 2001; Candace, Sheri, & Lane, 2011).Several theories relate the theories of learning to use technology in teaching. Educational theories embrace any phenomena that contribute to education in either philosophical or general approach. Instructional theories deal with aspects pertaining to instructions. The four main models of learning which include social constructivism, cognivitism, behaviorism, and constructivism form the framework of learnin g and teaching. The learning theories are distinct from the instructional approaches. Behaviorism and cognitivist models showed that the manner in which instructions are given determines the ease of learning. This is because the mind acts as an information processor. It is thus important to use technology base instruction approaches to encourage learners to reason.Constructivism and social constructivism models focus on the influence of interactions on learning or assimilation and accommodation of knowledge. People tend to interpret ideas depending on how they perceived them. Use of technology to provide instructions can thus aid learners in constructing knowledge as opposed to acquiring knowledge. Technology increases the level of interactions between teachers and students as well as amongst students (Clark & Mayer, 2008; Tennyson, 2010). Instructional technologies should consider the learning theories to encourage practice and feedback, promote self-regulated learning, employ cogn itive learning approaches, and provide frameworks that enable students discover different perspective and meanings of concepts (Candace, Sheri, & Lane, 2011). The theory of Project-Based Learning, which is based on John Dewey’s philosophy of learning by doing, supports use of instructional Technology. This theory promotes learning as a social activity that takes different context but encourages students to use previous experiences to explore, create, and interpret. Use of instructional technology encourages learners to use the different intelligences, which include musical, logical-mathematical, linguistic, body-kinesthetic, spatial, and interpersonal as well as the intrapersonal ones. The theory of Multiple Intelligences is another theory that encourages use of technology as a teaching tool. This theory encourages educators to adjust their teaching designs to incorporate facets such as use of instructi