Technology & Student "Learning Actions"

Within all instructional technologies lies an intended use for improving instruction. On the surface, these "uses" may drive student work and curriculum planning, but understanding the deeper learning process that is fostered by using these tools is essential to creating a well-balanced instructional plan. Historically, Bloom's Taxonomy (1956) has been the accepted standard for the articulation of learning domains, but many have since modernized this body of work to reflect new trends, research, and technologies. Applying the digital layer onto Bloom's work is nicely articulated in this work by Andrew Churches, as an example.

Without being too scientific or hierarchical, the list below outlines 5 fundamental "learning actions" (albeit simplified and modernized) that can result when students use instructional technologies. The learning actions can be used to categorize and analyze technology integration activities for the purpose of better instructional planning and implementation.

So, think about the technology applications, software, tools, and other activities used in schools today, then consider the learning actions that result from their use. To make things easy, just complete this sentence: "By using this technology, students are...."

1. Searching
Searching has been redefined in the last decade with the advent of the Internet, accessible content, powerful indexing, and search engines. Research, inquiry, and information gathering are the foundation for the most basic learning skills.

2. Sharing & Collaborating
Blogs, wikis, video, email, Twitter, instant message, chat, web pages, and other web 2.0 tools encourage global connections, communication, feedback, peer review, and team work.

3. Organizing & Producing
Word processing software, spreadsheets, calendars, presentation tools, and popular educational software applications like Inspiration, allow students to organize thoughts and content, improve efficiency, and increase productivity.

4. Creating
Programming, web development, robotics, game development, computer-aided design, virtual worlds, Scratch, and others require creativity, trial and error, processing, planning, and problem solving. Many would argue that creating is the learning action we need more of in schools today.

5. Acquiring
While all the learning actions outlined above result in knowledge acquisition, a separate learning action is needed to accommodate those tools where skill development and the dissemination of facts is the primary focus. Research-based software applications, many in the area of early literacy development and phonemic awareness, are good examples...although often criticized as mere electronic versions of the "sit and get" style of learning.

The nice thing is...many instructional technologies encourage multiple learning actions, fitting nicely into the body of work on multiple intelligences, and accomodating a plan for differentiated instruction. How about other learning actions? Please share!