Learning Technology - A User's Perspective

Dewey's (1944) declaration that change is constant, is everywhere and is therefore the function of education is as relevant today as it was when he wrote it. In light of the rapid rate of change in technology, how to learn from it and with it becomes paramount. As constructivists do we use our prior knowledge and experience in one form of technology to predict outcomes in others? There is certainly a large amount of confusion, anxiety and uncertainty when we experience a massive influx of new technology. Prior knowledge also becomes the basis for transference. We don't learn in isolation but are dependent on using acquired knowledge and skills in later situations. Dewey's phases of reflective thinking bring us back again to meta cognition. I can see how his five phases can easily be overlayed onto five steps of information literacy. Phase 1 - suggestion - is when we're confronted with a problem. Phase 2 - intellectualization - is looking at available sources of information for possible answers including prior knowledge. Phase 3 - the guiding idea - is deciding which information will be useful. Phase 4 - reasoning - is collecting the appropriate information and Phase 5 - testing by action - is using this information to solve the problem. Prior knowledge and experience gives us the ability to make predictions about unknown situations and to anticipate the possible outcomes. Kelly (1963) called this the Personal Construct Theory and considered it to be an "endless opportunity for change". To continue the example of developing technology, Kelly was correct when he stated that the threatening effect of the unknown was a natural part of the constructive process. Aren't I glad to hear that!