e-chronicle

How do I think about learning? Setting down a baseline view.

A very powerful learning experience I have had
e-Learning Experiences, Models and Theories 1 (hereafter EMT1) is one of the two subjects that I am undertaking this semester. We had our first 4-hour weekend workshop a few weeks ago, and that was the first time the class of about 30 met face-to-face. The lecturer started off by asking us to come up with three tags (adjectives) to describe ourselves, which gave us the opportunity to learn a bit about each other (background, frame of mind, experience, expectations, aspirations, apprehension, etc.). She then went through the subject outline and opened the floor to questions about the subject, and made connections between EMT1 and this subject. She went on to outline the technological framework of EMT1 (the usage of and participation in UTSOnline, Ning, weblog, del.icio.us, and netvibes), which to some of us, was virgin territory. We were given the time and equipment to set up the technological framework, with guidance and assistance from the lecturer and some other students who were already familiar with the above-mentioned. After a break, we resumed the session with a series of discussion on terminologies, the required readings, and the various medium of interaction (face-to-face, asynchronous and synchronous online communication). The discussions were lively and non-threatening under the facilitation of the lecturer, and members were keen to share their views, reflections and experience, and build on each other’s contributions. At the end of the session, I left the class feeling overwhelmed, but I was also feeling in control of the learning journey, with the knowledge that there would be on-going, constant interaction and support from the lecturer and members of the class through the technological framework.

A very disappointing learning experience I have had
I recently attended a 2-hour Site Manager (UTS content management system) training session, regularly held for UTS staff members who are directly or indirectly involved in managing (e.g. writing, editing, updating) online materials at faculty/department/unit level. The training session was held in a computer lab, with six trainees in all. The instructor explained and went through a detailed handout given at the start, and demonstrated how the Site Manager worked on a projected screen. Instructions and explanations were clear, and opportunities were given for us to raise questions specific to our work area, but it was a very one-sided affair. No attempt was made for us to acquaint ourselves with each other as a group; no connections were made to our prior knowledge or experience with a content management system (if any); no hands-on opportunities were give – although we were in a computer lab; and no system was set up so that we, as a group, could interact and communicate with each other after the training session. After the session, I was armed with the theoretical knowledge of Site Manager, but I went away in lack of practical experience. I could email or telephone the instructor if and when I run into any problems after having had the training, but it would be more enriching if there was a community of Site Manager users so we could interact, exchange ideas, and learn from each other.

What made these experiences powerful or disappointing
Meaningful learning is “active, constructive, intentional, authentic, and cooperative” (Jonassen, Peck & Wilson 1999, p. 7, cited in Redmond & Lock 2006), and the social constructivists describe “(1) learning as an active process of constructing rather than acquiring knowledge, and (2) instruction is a process of supporting that construction rather than communicating knowledge” (Duffy & Cunningham 1996, p. 171, cited in Redmond & Lock 2006). The emphasis on social learning in many current education practices, based on compelling research and evidence, is in contrast to the traditional Cartesian perspective of knowledge acquisition (Seely Brown & Adler 2008). However, Sfard (1998) rightly pointed out that each of the two learning perspectives (acquisition vs. participation) has something to offer that the other is lacking, and “it is essential that we try to live with both” (p. 10). In the above-mentioned powerful learning experience, there are subject matters and technological tools to acquire and master, and much of the learning process is self-directed. However, a safe, non-threatening, respectful and supportive learning community/environment has been created to complement the acquisition process during this learning journey. Members of the group are able to asynchronously ‘meet’ online, to interact and support each other, to learn from each other through self-disclosure, feedback, conversations, social comparison, modelling, with the active facilitation from the lecturer (Saunders 1999). On the other hand, the disappointing learning experience mentioned above was dominated by the acquisition process, where the instructor was merely transferring the theoretical knowledge to the trainees. Apart from the question-and-answer (between the instructor and the trainees) during the training session, there was no other social interaction at any level. There was also no attempt to measure any meaningful learning outcomes at the end of the training. It was merely a 2-hour transference process, period. As an educational experience, there was (a not-too-inspiring) teaching presence, some cognitive presence, and no social presence at all (Garrison & Anderson 2003, cited in Redmond & Lock 2006). There were no opportunities, nor time given/devoted, to think about the subject matter at hand and the learning that came with it, no discussions to promote the learning, and no attempts to make any form of association or connection to make the learning more effective and long-lasting (Papert 1993).

A clear statement of what I think learning is – my view of learning
Learning is a process of acquiring and constructing knowledge and skills. Prior knowledge and learning must be recognised, and can be utilised to make meaningful associations and connections to promote more effective and deeper learning. Appropriate time and social space must be provided so that effective social learning can take place. The social space has to be a non-threatening, supportive environment for learners to interact, share, and exchange their ideas, reflections, learning, anxieties, etc., so that they can work together to acquire and construct a more meaningful learning and educational experience.

References
Papert, S 1993, The children’s machine: rethinking school in the age of the computer, Basic Books, New York.

Redmond, P and Lock, JV 2006, ‘A flexible framework for online collaborative learning’, The Internet and Higher Education, vol. 9, pp.267–276.

Saunders, S 1999, ‘Social psychology of adult learning’, in J Athanasou (ed.), Adult educational psychology, Sydney Social Press, Katoomba, pp. 25-71.

Seely Brown, J & Adler, RP 2008, ‘Minds on fire: open education, the long tail, and learning 2.0’, Educause Review, January/February.

Sfard, A 1998, ‘On two metaphors for learning and the dangers of choosing just one’, Educational Researcher, March.