The authority of those who teach is often an obstacle to those who want to learn. - Marcus Tullius Cicero
Learning as an event
Learning is an active event. Not one that can be successfully completed by passivity or a lackadaisical approach. A student must be a part of the learning, and not imparted with the learning. I joined the education field in an indirect route. Originally going to school for veterinary medicine and subsequently working six years as a veterinary technician, I did not take many education classes on pedagogical practices and teaching norms. I am drawing from this when I look at learning as a whole. It is the practice of learning where learning takes place. Just as I had to do in any new veterinary practice, it was the hands-on task and observation I did with my coworkers that I learned the most. To be successful and become trusted by the veterinarian on critical care patients I had to actively involve myself in learning the expected skills and knowledge of the career. A student that invests their own effort to explore, question and discover their own truths will be the one to learn.
Teaching as a guide
As a teacher, I see my role as a guide to the resources of learning. Directing students to the vast locations of information that have been afforded to them. Students do not come into a classroom as a blank slate, but also they come into the classroom with access to numerous resources. As they do not come into my classroom with no knowledge, they too are a resource. It is my job as a teacher to extract that knowledge through dialogue, exploration of topics and experimentation with right and wrong understandings. Students come to a classroom with some misconceptions and assumptions about a specific topic of study.
Creating a learning environment where discovery and mistakes are allowed is critically important for this to occur.
It is important for a teacher to bring about these misconceptions and assumptions to the forefront of learning. Creating a learning environment where discovery and mistakes are allowed is critically important for this to occur. A safe education environment is where students feel where they are equal to one another and the teacher is learning beside them. Allowing students to know that the teacher does not have all the answers will allow them to feel more comfortable. Students have access to multiple resources through the internet. Sites like Wikipedia, YouTube, and blogs are points of references today. A starting point to see where a student’s interest lies or where a misconception may need to be checked. Although these sites have been scrutinized as not being academically viable or a proper resource, today’s student do not use them as one of the multiple sources to create their story of understanding (Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). With a focused objective of the learning goal, a teacher can allow their students to use sites like these as a place to achieve those learning goals.
Learning as myself
I do not stray too far from the students. I to bring in misconceptions and misunderstandings into the classroom and my own life. Rather it is reading the latest blog about a web-based learning tool or interactive app for the iPad, I look for resources for my students and staff on a daily basis. For example, recently a former colleague asked me about the app Achor. I had never heard about this app before. I read a few reviews on the app, downloaded the app myself to play with it, and then also the discussed the app with my former colleague and others in my various social networks. Self-discovery, play, and discussion help me learn at a deeper more complete level. It is these components for learning to occur. Giving time for discovery, experimentation, development of ideas, discussion, thought, and redevelopment of ideas that keeps me learning.
Teaching and learning
In my post entitled “Leaning Manifesto”, I posted about a bright future for education and what should occur for this to occur. Even though it was entitled a “learning” manifesto, it was more focused toward teaching and not learning. Focusing on the ways that teachers teach, with relevant examples and making the learning connected, and how a teacher should act, around students and other educators. This post was focused on the giving of the information and the creation of the learning environment. Teaching is just that. Making an environment where students are driven to learn in a safe, exploration-encouraged, learning culture. Learning is being a part of this environment as the collector, processor, and finally the curator of ideas and connections. Educators and students play a role in both aspects, teaching, and learning. As a team, a student and an educator can create a lasting culture of development.
Learning is being a part of this environment as the collector, processor, and finally the curator of ideas and connections.
Constructing Cognitivism
A part of the investment of self-driven learning is the development of one’s cognitive understanding and social discourse of the learning. Edward Tolman described this by an organization of information in one’s mind. A behavior that was intentional in by a cognitive process (Edward C. Tolman., n.d.). By collecting pieces of information during experimentation students are able to make connections to previous learning. Creating literal neural connections of neurons through dendrite growth. Connecting learning to a social aspect then creates the assimilation and accommodation, as described by Piaget (Tan, S. C., & Hung, D., 2002). Students are able to incorporate their’s and other student’s learning into multiple connections, reframing the learning into necessary connections to student growth of understanding. A student constructs their learning through an ongoing cognitive development.
Creating learning with experiences
Visit an upgraded science museum or an Apple store and the visit can be summed up in one main goal, play and experience. Visitors are encouraged to touch, explore, and interact with the exhibits, devices, and programs that are available. The same experience will assist in student learning. Piaget supports the museum’s and electronic store’s work by describing that learning takes place in two components, assimilation and accommodation. When a student explores an idea in the classroom, he is assimilating the information with what is previously known. Through the process of failures and successes, a student is able to accommodate these new experiences into a joining of what is correct and incorrect. Von Glaserfeld describes learning to be the learner’s responsibility, where learning is to be active (Glasersfeld, E. V., 1996). An active, busy classroom will lead to a more learning, than one that is sedentary and complacent. Students partaking in the learning are being a part of the experience as they would in an Apple store when playing with the latest iPad or iPhone. Using activities like Socratic seminars or a Harkness discussion increases the student’s assimilation with the topic (Harkness., n.d.). These activities shift the role of the educator from leader to a colleague. Learners are able to discuss and listen to other thoughts, ideas, and experiences. Thus, creating a total learning experience.
Making connection to the experiences
A student does not just have an experience and then the learning occurs. There must be time for the experiences to be a part of the student's cognition. It is the cognitive development of the students that will make the experiences into actual learning. Making connection between what was previously known and the new learning. Tacit learning, as described in New Culture of Learning, is the “component of knowledge, which is the component of knowing...and understood as a product of experience” (Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011) Students make connections of this tacit learning with the new experiences that are being held. They do this through classroom observations or inquiry and now in social media and web resources like Wikipedia or YouTube. Many YouTube creators of education content understand this component and include it in their videos. The YouTube channel Veritasium first starts with the misconception, transitions to the experience through multimedia demonstration, and ends with an explanation and questioning for further research on the viewer's part. Derek Muller, the host of Veritasium, wrote how important this in addressing misconceptions and making learning connections in his doctoral thesis of “Designing Effective Multimedia for Physics Education”. He describes addressing misconceptions during lectures with multimedia can be an effective process of learning. Using multimedia to “to highlight key conceptual difficulties” and “to provide conceptual scaffolding” (Muller, D.A., 2008). This scaffolding of concepts is critical in the concept of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. Students that are properly scaffolding with their learning experience are able to create better connections between what was previously known to the new body of knowledge.
Learning with iPads
As a tactile, multimedia learning tool, a learner can both experience the learning and process the learning.
As seen above, learning is both the experience as well as the processing. It is the construction of ideas and thoughts, but also the focused development of those ideas and connection made. iPads can assist a learner in both categories. As a tactile, multimedia learning tool, a learner can both experience the learning and process the learning. Apps that allow a learner to explore worlds that were not previously possible, like Powers of Ten Cells or Google Expeditions, create a new learner experience. The learner is able to immerse oneself into the environment as if they were physically there. Just as Bandura observed during the “Bobo Doll” study (Bandura and Bobo., n.d.), just by observation students are able to learn as if being a part of the experience.
Apps that allow creation and augmentation of the learning can support the cognitive development of learning. Learners that create movies, websites, blog, or other project based learning are able to process the learning experiences. It was reported that “where students are engaged in higher level thinking activities such as problem-solving and discussion of complex ideas” (Shuler, P., Hutchins, G., & LaShell, B., 2010) a higher level of cognitive development could be had. These processes lead to an accommodation of the old and new material learned.
Annotated bibliography of resources
It is through writings and review of many researchers and reviewer that I have I have come to a philosophy of learning of constructing cognitivism. The following are the reading and resources I have used to come to this philosophy.
Cognitivism. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://mennta.hi.is/starfsfolk/solrunb/cognitiv.htm
Explanation of cognitivism and the theorist involved. Looks at the practical application of the theory too.
Cognitivism. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://teachinglearningresources.pbworks.com/w/page/31012664/Cognitivism
A Wiki supporting the understanding of cognitivism. Well developed explanations of the theory and key theorist that supported its development.
Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/
From WNET, this site is designed to encourage more constructivist approaches in the classroom. It gives a good overview of the ideas in constructivism and ways to implement these ideas in your classroom.
Cooper, P. A. (1993). Paradigm Shifts in Designed Instruction: From Behaviorism to Cognitivism to Constructivism. Educational technology, 33(5), 12-19. Retrieved November 23, 2016, from http://www.unhas.ac.id/hasbi/LKPP/Hasbi-KBK-SOFTSKILL-UNISTAFF-SCL/Mental%20Model/Shift%20paradigm%20Behaviorism.pdf
An Educational Technology article describing both cognitivism and constructivism in the classroom. It also relates how these theories relate to the current and needed educational tools available.
Stevenson, M., Hedberg, J., Highfield, K., & Diao, M. (2015). Visualizing Solutions: Apps as Cognitive Stepping-Stones in the Learning Process. The Electronic Journal of E-Learning, 13(5), 366-379. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://www.ejel.org/issue/download.html?idArticle=470&usg=AFQjCNGKgPOg2570aZYiYD4oW--ZOWRFVQ&sig2=_ibaRnnYiv7jcBr0MB541A
An article specifically focused on using mobile devices for the cognitive development of students. Looking at studies and research done in this field.
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective.Performance improvement quarterly, 6(4), 50-72. Retrieved November 23, 2016, from https://www.uwplatt.edu/files/ttc/idarticle.pdf
Looking at behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism and how they can be practically applied to the classroom. This article looks at planning and instructional design with these theories.
References
Cognitivism. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://teachinglearningresources.pbworks.com/w/page/31012664/Cognitivism
Cognitivism. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://mennta.hi.is/starfsfolk/solrunb/cognitiv.htm
Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/
Edward C. Tolman. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/tolman.htm
Glasersfeld, E. V. (1996). Radical constructivism: A way of knowing and learning. London: Routledge.
Muller, D. A. (2008). Designing effective multimedia for physics education (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Sydney, Australia. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/super/SUPER-Publications.htm
Harkness. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2016, from http://iws.punahou.edu/user/bschauble/ct/harkness.htm
Shuler, P., Hutchins, G., & LaShell, B. (2010). Student perceptions of tablet computers in a cooperative learning environment. NACTA Journal, 54(2), 11-17.
Tan, S. C., & Hung, D. (2002). Beyond information pumping: creating a constructivist e-Learning environment. Educational Technology, 42(5), 48-54.
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace
