Understanding Learning

1. Understanding Learning An overview for online instruction Mary Beth Pozdol Sept. 10, 2012 EDU 232 Prof. Renae Buss

2. Objective • Participants will gain an overview of what learning is • Differentiate three approaches to how students learn • Differentiate three types of learning (learning domains) • Draw correlations with how this impacts online education design and implementation

3. What Is Learning • Making sense of our world by synthesizing new experiences into what we have previously understood • A relatively permanent change • In behavior • Or in mental representations • The change is brought about by experience • Can be subtle or observable change • Change will last for some time

4. Learning is • Learning is a process that results in • a change in behavior, • an improvement in performance, • in the acquisition of knowledge, • in a disposition to act in particular ways

5. Three Approaches to Learning • We want to understand these approaches in order to understand how to best achieve learning • Behaviorism – focuses on changed behavior • Cognitivism – focused on change in mental representations and associations • Constructivism – learners use their prior knowledge to construct a personally meaningful understanding of new content

6. Which Approach is Best? • NOT advisable to follow only one approach • A blend of approaches is needed for successful e-Learning design and implementation • Variety of learners: learning styles, multiple intelligences • Variety of contexts • Variety of types of learning – cognitive, affective, psychomotor

7. Behaviorism • New behaviors are learned through conditioning with no regard to mental processes • Focus is on external events that cause changes in observable behaviors • Shaping behavior through classic and operant conditioning • Classic – two stimuli simultaneously • Operant – response is followed by reinforcing stimulus • Learners are like blank slates

8. Cognitivism • The increase in knowledge causes behavior change • Learners are not passively influenced by their environments but active participants in their own cognition • The mind works like a computer, learning takes place by applying set-in-place algorithms • Information processing, problem solving, memory, pattern recognition • Formation of judgments, critical thinking, decision making, creativity, emotions

9. Constructivism • Constructivist approach emerged since 1990 • Roots in both psychology and philosophy • Knowledge is constructed by learners as they attempt to make sense of their experiences • Learners are not empty vessels waiting to be filled, but active organisms seeking meaning • Learners use prior knowledge to construct a personally meaningful understanding of new content

10. ConstructivismDriscoll’s summary • Embed learning in complex, realistic, relevant environments • Involve social-relational activities as part of learning • Support multiple perspectives and multiple modes of representation • Encourage ownership in learning • Nurture self-awareness of the knowledge construction process

11. Merrill’s First Principle • Learning is promoted when students are engaged in a problem-centered instructional strategy. • Learning is promoted when learners • Observe a demonstration • Apply new knowledge • Engage in task-centered instructional activity • Activate prior knowledge or experience • Integrate their new knowledge into their everyday world

12. Bloom’s TaxonomyCognitive Domain • Cognitive domain: describes six levels of knowledge to be considered when planning learning events, writing objectives, or making assessments • Levels range from remembering without understanding to evaluating and making judgments • Knowledge • Comprehension • Application • Analysis • Synthesis • Evaluation

13. Affective Domain • Affective domain deals with emotional responses and reflect the commitment level of the learner • Least committed to most committed • Five levels: • Receiving • Responding • Valuing • Organizing • Characterizing value

14. Simpson’s Psychomotor Domain • Psychomotor domain deals with physical abilities and skills from basic to more skilled • Perception • Set • Guided Response • Mechanism • Complex overt response • Adaptation • Origination

15. Understanding Learning • As we understand how the human mind works • We need to allow this understanding to impact the way we design and implement e-Learning • Successful e-Learning is based on understanding different perspectives in learning approaches • Different learning approaches provide insights into how people learn • Use a blend of perspectives for a variety of learners and variety of subject matter

16. Resources • Allen, Michael W.. Designing Successful e-Learning: Forget What You Know About Instructional Design and Do Something Interesting, Michael Allen's Online Learning Library . Pfeiffer & Company, 5/11/07. • Brown, A. & Green, T. (2011). The essentials of instructional design: Connecting fundamental principles with process and practice. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson. • Learning. (2008). In Key Concepts in Sport & Exercise Sciences. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/sageuksport/learning

17. Resources • Merrill, D.M. (2008). Merrill on instructional design [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_TKaO2-jXA • Merrill, D.M. (2009). M. David Merrill- Utah State University [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=xORZynFKsG4