It is amazing how quickly you forget all the theory connected to learning once you become a teacher. Everything that is done in the classroom is eventually as if you are on autopilot. The methods that are used to get children to learn and to pass are eventually second-nature. I do not think teachers ever stop to think about which learning theory they are implementing at any given moment. All the more reason for us to think about how we set up any learning to be done on-line.
If you believe that children already have knowledge structures, you need to design your lessons in such a way that those structures are organised properly and that children improve their skills and abilities by drill and practise. There must be systematic instruction.
If, on the other hand, you believe that children learn through social interaction with peers and the rest of society, you need to design your on-line material in such a way that you facilitate that learning. Learners need activity-based programs.
If you take the connectivists' approach to learning, you need to be the manager of any collaborative learning environments that you allow the children to access. The knowledge that is available to learners is instantaneous. You need to teach learners how to recognise information that is superfluous, in other words, how to be discerning when searching for information. Social networking is important for children to learn, and the teacher needs to manage this kind of interaction very carefully.
I think most teachers combine parts of each theory when they teach. As I said earlier, we teach without thinking too much about which theory is being implemented.
