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OET 2003 Talk 3

Learning and Teaching

Anita Pincas

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Why you would want to go online at all?

What we know and don’t know about learning?

What our common starting point ought to be?

What our online options are?

This talk

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Self-directed adult learners attempt to navigate in an information landscape without landmarks, and to make sense of (and impose order on) the profusion of stimuli they encounter in cyberspace.   This presentation develops a model for designing software and creating structuresto support lifelong learning through formal, non-formal and informal means.

Autonomous - self-directed

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Too many students Too few staff

Rich resourcesMake students autonomous

Students need helpProvide non-human support

Write better materials:Self-assessment, FAQs

Students still need helpProvide human support

              

 

The dilemma

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What do we know about learning?

1. Everyone can learn – no research needed; it is obvious

2. Everyone does it a bit differently,

3. Even if you are aware of different learning strategies you will not be able to predict them for any individual

4. An individual person’s strategies may change in different circumstances, for different subjects, at different times of the day!

5. Everyone needs some guidance – from parents, teachers, peers.

6. Expectations influence learning – own, and parents’ or teachers’ or peers’.

7. Cultural traditions affect people’s learning

8. Previous learning experience may be valuable, motivating, discouraging…..

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Learner

variables

1 Age2 Sex3 Previous experience4 Proficiency5 Personality6 Aptitude7 Attitudes 8 General intelligence IQ9 Sense modality preference10 Sociological preference

11 Cognitive styles12 Learner strategies

Difficult Terms…………

Sense modality preference: Preferring to learning by seeing vs. hearing, etc.Sociological preference: E.g. learning with peers vs. learning with the teacherField independence: Perceiving an area as a whole vs. perceiving the separate parts within the whole

1 Aptitude2 Motivation 3Strategies

4 Cognitive and effective factors a.extroversion/introversion

b. risk‑taking c. intelligence d field independence

e. anxiety

…………………………..

Empathy: ability to sense the feelings of other people

Reflexivity/impulsivity: Being reflective or impulsive

Analytic/gestalt: Seeing the parts vs. seeing the whole

Hemisphere specialization: Brain structures

1 Age2 Socio‑psychological factors a. motivation b. attitude c. anxiety3 Personality a. self‑esteem b. extraversion c. anxiety d. risk‑taking e. sensitivity to rejection

f. empathy g. inhibition h. tolerance of ambiguity

4 Cognitive style a. field dependence vs. independence b. reflexivity/impulsivity c. aural/visual factors d. analytic/gestalt5 Hemisphere specialization6 Learning strategies7 Other factors e.g. memory, sex 

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Interrelation of learning variablesIndividual learning differences

beliefs about learning

affective state

general factors

Learning processes

and mechanisms

Learner strategies Learning outcome

proficiency

achievement

rate of learning

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Learner strategies

 

 

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ActivistPragmatist Reflector

Theorist

Honey P and Mumford A (1982) The Manual of Learning Styles

Activists prefer

new experiences, problems and opportunities to be engrossed in the 'here and now' excitement change to lead the learning freedom in their learning

Theorists prefer

to organise learning within a personal system or modeltime for methodical exploration of ideas and situationsa chance to question and probeto be intellectually stretchedlearning with clear aimslearning that is logical and rationalto think, analyse and generalise to be required to understand.

Pragmatists prefer

to see immediate relevance to the learninglearning in practically biased waysto practise and apply their learningto copy or emulate a model or theory

Reflectors prefer

to observe and think about activitiesa 'back seat' roletime to reflect and considerto work in a detailed and painstaking waywell structured learning experiences  

     

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Individual learner differences  Hypotheses led Data collection led

  Real life settings A B  Theory‑led studies that examine Exploratory studies that examine IDs in how learners learn IDs in the way learners learn in  in real life settings. real life settings.

 

Controlled environments C D Theory‑led studies that examine Correlational studies designed to IDs experimentally, i.e. by investigate whether expected

assigning learners to special patterns of relation ships involving groups and by manipulating IDs and learning occur in their learning experiences specially selected groups of learners

   

A. Checking how people learn when self-motivated outside school/college Hypothesis: Strong self-motivation will improve learning.

B. Collecting data on different factors in people learning outside school/college C. Checking how people learn in control groups with different motivations in school/college

Hypothesis: Differences in motivations x and y will improve learning.D. Collecting data on different factors in people learning in control groups in school/college  

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-factual or knowledge-based associated with write, state, explain, show, compare, generalise, select, judge.

-skills based associated with try, experiment, correct, re-try, practise, drill

- affective, ie to do with people’s attitudes or feelings  associated with listen, perceive, answer, accept, relate, change, decide.

Bloom B. (1956 Vol.1, 1964 Vol.2) A Taxonomy of Learning Objectives

Kinds of Learning

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Factual What access your students have: Is paper easier than CD? Is CD easier than the www? Do email attachments solve the problem? What methods of clear presentation are best? - text - graphics - pictures - film - audio How much teacher explanation is needed? - Gradual blackboard build up: working through a maths problem - talking head: explaining, defining terms - Q/A session with real students: vicarious learning - lecture (classroom video or talking head) putting substance of text

materials into context, in own words, explaining things, linking them to the students’ interests and needs, giving more examples than are in the textbook…..

Case studies, video simulations…

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Do the skills need live training from a teacher, e.g. a sport, a machine to operate?

-illustrated online by moving film/cartoons before live training - samples by film analysed for understanding - practice still needed?- filmed simulations - videoconferencing, e.g. role play meetings, teacher trainees video own real class and get remote feedback Intellectual skills e.g. teaching people to use computer software

-programmed, step by step instruction online with self-assessments.- teach the rules of rule-governed behaviours  What about study skills, writing reports, research methods, critical analysis?

Skills

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How change people’s attitudes

-power of film to influence people

-power of the written word

- use of the internet to demonstrate factors in the wider world

-online loss of personal impact if merely writing?

Affective

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-quickly update texts and materials -cheaper and easier - for the provider

-Search across subjects, across books, etc., in ways that are not possible in a library or even on a CD because not enough space.

- communicate between people

Reasons for internet use

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Flexibility related to time:1. Times (for starting and finishing a course)2. Times (for submitting assignments and interacting within the course)3. Tempo/pace of studying4. Moments of assessment Flexibility related to content:5. Topics of the course6. Sequence of different parts of a course7. Orientation of the course (theoretical, practical)8. Key learning materials of the course9. Assessment standards and completion requirements Flexibility related to instructional approach and resources:10. Conditions for participation11. Social organization of learning (face‑to‑face; group, individual)12. Language to be used during the course13. Learning resources: modality, origin (instructor, learners, library, WWW)14. Instructional organization of learning (assignments, monitoring) Flexibility related to delivery and logistics:15. Time and place where contact with instructor and other students occur16. Methods, technology for obtaining support and making contact17. Types of help, communication available, technology required18. Location, technology for participating in various aspect of the course19. Delivery channels for course information, content, communication

FLEXIBILITY Collis B. and Moonen J. (2001) Flexible Learning in a Digital World

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•flexible learning

•constructivist teaching - peer group learning is important

•resource based teaching - learners discover information for themselves

•problem based teaching - learning starts not from given solutions but from students trying to work out solutions to problems set •activity methods -learners are more active than listening to lectures

•transformative teaching - students [and teachers] develop independence

•autonomous learning

Changing the approach

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(Before) Preparation by learners

(Predominately) Acquisition

(During) F2F event by teacher

Acquisition+Contribution

(After) Follow‑up by learners

(Predominately) Contribution

Study resources in the WWW site are partially from work, partiallyfrom the WWW.

*Prepare for upcoming face‑to‑face session by contributing new material, indicating preference for study focus during the focal session.

*Build on the preparation: Use session to focus on ideas indicated in the 'Before' period and also to prepare for follow‑ up activities.

*(Possibly) integrate remote participants.*Capture key aspects of thesession for re‑use via the WWW site.

*Re‑view and re‑use resources *Individually or as a group, develop or locate resources to contribute to the WW‑W site.

*Build professional networkvia contacts for just‑in‑time learning.

Before, during, after Collis and Moonen op cit p. 93, based on Figure 5.3)

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The activities in most college classes can probably be divided into a few large categories: •Instructor presentation: Typically lectures, simulations, charts, and graphs, computer‑assisted

pre sentations. (Guest lecturers included).•Discussion: Small group, guided discussion sections run by teaching assistants are common.

So are question‑ and answer sessions as adjuncts to lectures, labs, and exams. In seminars, instructor presentation and discussion are often combined.

•Group‑oriented work and student presentation: Collaborative, cooperative, and other peer activities: a group project, peer‑reviewed compositions, independent project presented to the class.

•Research: conducted by individuals or in groups; practical applications, experiments, fieldwork, interviews, and apprenticeships.

•Assessment: exams, essays, projects; portfolios that combine different types of work; and evaluation and credit for participation.

Instructor Presentation: Classroom teaching, or lectures. These are probably the most common method of presenting content in school or college classrooms, with transparencies, slides, blackboard writings, or computer‑assisted PowerPoint presentations. To translate this type of activity into an online environment, you can use several different online formats alone or in combination. Here are some notes on these possibilities, along with their advantages and disadvantages.

Elements of teaching Ko S. & Rossen S. (2001) Teaching Online A Practical Guide

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Panel 1 Effective Teachers:

Panel 2 Pupils achieve more when a teacher:

> are clear about their instructional goals; > are knowledgeable about their content and thestrategies for teaching it;> communicate to their students what is expected of them ‑ and why;> monitor students' progress and check their understanding; > are knowledgeable about their students, adapting teaching to their needs and anticipating misconceptions in their existing knowledge;> teach students ‘meta‑cognitive strategies' and provide opportunities to master them;> address higher as well as lower level cognitive objectives> monitor students' understanding by offering regular, appropriate feedback;>integrate their teaching with that in other subject areas;>accept responsibility for student outcomes;

> are thoughtful and reflective about their practice.

> emphasises academic goals; > makes them explicit and expects pupils to be able to master the curriculum; > carefully organises ;and sequences the curriculum;> clearly explains and illustrates what pupils are to learn> make expert use of existing teaching materials in order to devote more time to practices that enrich end> frequently asks direct and specific questions to clarify the content until it is over‑learned or automatic;> provides pupils with ample opportunity to practise;> gives prompts and feedback to ensure success;> reviews regularly and holds pupils accountable for work.> corrects mistakes end allows pupils to use a skill

Effective Teaching

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Three options Replication of existing practice

Simply re-create, or replicate, the kind of course you are most familiar with.

Improvements

Use the capacity of the internet to add value to the kind of course you are familiar with.

Innovations

Use the internet to change the way you organize teaching and learning.

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The 3 elements of teaching new knowledge of some kind presented to them

either abstractly or concretely,

often called input

active exercises in which they are guided to come

to grips with this new knowledge

often called uptake

application of the new knowledge in the real world

often called consolidation

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Presentation – teacher gives information - input

Practice – students work on the information through exercises - uptake

Production – students use what they have learned - consolidation

The three Ps

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1. Lecture – Teacher provides new knowledge, information or instructions Examples: an explanation, a demonstration

2. Lecture follow-up: Activity workshop or seminar Teacher sets guided or controlled exercises Examples: writing a definition, doing/reporting an experiment, a field trip.

[3. MonitoringTeacher comments on or corrects the exercises.]  4. Application Teacher sets open tasks Examples: essay, project, research.

[5. FeedbackTeacher comments on the work and offers encouragement.]

 

Components

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TUTOR moderates provides feedback

New knowledge Lecture Video Text

Reflectionstudent follow-up byreading, etc.

Active exercises Tasks Problems Research

Workshops or seminars Collaboration Co-operation Sharing ideas

Application[Assessment] Tasks Problems Research

Individual work

TUTOR supports assesses provides feedback

Reflectionstudent follow-up

Reflection by student

Traditional Teaching sequence PRESENTATION PRACTICE PRODUCTION

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Active exercises Tasks Problems Research

Workshops or seminars Collaboration Co-operation Sharing ideas

New knowledge Lecture Video Text

ReflectionStudentfollow-up on lecture

Active exercises Tasks Problems Research

Workshops or seminars Collaboration Co-operation Sharing ideas

Application[Assessment] Tasks Problems Research

Individual work

TUTOR supports assessesprovides feedback

TUTOR moderates provides feedback

Reflectionstudent follow-up by reading, etc.

Reflection by student

Alternate Teaching sequence PRACTICE PRESENTATION PRACTICE PRODUCTION