Educational Philosophy

My educational philosophy is rooted in Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky's theory of social cognitive development or social constructivism (Vygotsky  78, 62). I believe, as educators, we must encourage interaction and collaboration among learners, instructors, and social contexts to create meaning. The experiential, cultural and societal contexts that students and instructors bring to the classroom are essential elements in formulating valuable and relevant learning. The following sections outline four key concepts of my philosophy: student accountability, instructional technology, project-based learning, and leadership.

 

The power of collaboration is fundamental to the constructivist theory and is very prominent in my person philosopy. However, I believe that instruction should also include a means for individual accountability. I feel that the added accountability provides an opportunity for students to claim ownership to their own learning and develop their unique learning styles. I also feel that the added accountability creates an atmosphere where professionalism is encouraged. This doensn't mean that learning takes place in a vacuum, but learners us knowledge constructed from interactions with others and formulate their own understanding.

 

I believe that educational activities that incorporate instructional technology components can enhance individual interaction and collaboration, while creating learning environments that prove engaging and successful at facilitating learning. The flexibility of technology allows it to accommodate a multitude of learning styles while compensating for various physical and cognitive disabilities thus creating truly student-centered learning environments. Resources such as virtual worlds, wikis, blogs, and video/audio communications have great potential to create valuable learning communities to meet the growing demands in the local and global educational markets. According to Thomas Friedman (2005), we are a global society with global needs. Improvements in technologies have opened communities and experiences that might not have otherwise been known to our students. In response, faculty must be versatile and flexible in our methodologies to meet students in learning spaces that are only beginning to emerge.  The use of such technologies also creates environments that support a "just- in- time" approach to learning that caters to the needs of individual students.

 

I am also an advocate for individual and group project-based learning. The collaborative nature of project-based learning is valuable to improve learning and personal growth. Varying individual perspectives help to broaden the overall perspective of the group, helping to see the so called “Big Picture”. An important part of project-based learning should be a reflection process. Students should reflect on the project itself, but also the process and input from others.

 

A final aspect of my philosophy entails helping students develop their personal leadership styles. Our students will become leaders in their respective schools, administrative offices, or other institutions, and will lead initiatives and projects to advance technology integration. Our students will need to articulate their vision, acquire user and administrative buy-in, and plan accordingly for success.

 

In summary, my philosophy revolves around students and their engagement with one another as well as the content they are being asked to learn.  Students' interactions and the contexts in which they work and live create unique communities of learners. My philosophy encourages students' collaboratively work in project-based learning environments using the latest resources to develop global ideals, goals, and talents that will help them reach their potential as future instructional technology facilitators or school leaders.

 

 

Friedman, T. L. (2005). The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Thought and language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.