Joseph D. Novak Cornell University and the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition jnovak @ihmc University of Urbino

1. A Half - Century of Efforts to Improve Education Joseph D. Novak Cornell University and the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition jnovak@ihmc.us University of Urbino May 12, 2006

2. On our 53rd wedding anniversary, July 2003

3. Graduate studies in education and biology 1952-57 Teaching and research assistant in the Botany Department University of Minnesota

4. Can Education be more like science? Guided by principles Based on valid theory Evolving constructively

5. Changes in Epistemology 1950’s Positivism and Logical Positivism are Dominant 1960’ to 1980’s Constructivism and Realist philosophies emerge

6. Theory of Knowledge: • All knowledge is constructed by human beings. • The process is influenced by idiosyncratic differences and the cultural milieu.

7. Changes in Psychology 1950’s -- Behavioral Psychology is dominant, especially in USA 1963 -- Ausubel’s Psychology of Meaningful Learning published 1980’s Cognitive psychology moves to dominance

8. David Ausubel (1968): If I had to reduce all of educational psychology to just one principle I would say this: The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly.* * Epigraph, Educational Psychology: A cognitive view

9. Learning may vary from highly rote to highly meaningful

10. A Theory of Knowledge Concept: A perceived regularity in events or objects, or records of events or objects, designated by a label

11. A Theory of Knowledge Proposition: Two or more concepts combined to form a statement about something: a unit of meaning

12. My first effort to present a Theory of Education, 1977

13. Instructional Technology 1950’s - Movies, overhead projectors, slide projectors, microprojectors 1960’s - Audio-tutorial instruction developed 1980’s Computer assisted instruction begins to emerge

14. Postlethwait’s Audio-tutorial Learning Center

15. Sam Postlethwait - Botanist and Educator

16. Published by Burgess, 1964, 1972

17. Audio-tutorial carrel units in introductory physics at Cornell

18. Audio-tutorial lesson on plant growth with 6-year old

19. Audio-tutorial lesson on energy transformation

20. Audio-tutorial lesson on particulate nature of matter

21. Rowell interviewing a 6-year old child

22. A Theory of Knowledge All knowledge is built up from Concepts and Propositions

23. A Theory of Knowledge Concept Maps: A tool to represent the structure of knowledge. A tool to facilitate Learning.

24. Concept Maps: A tool developed by our research group in 1972 to represent the knowledge of students prior to and after instruction.

25. Concept Map about Concept Maps

26. New Theory of Learning Key idea: Each person must construct her/his own meanings for concepts and propositions from experiences over time, building her/his knowledge structure

27. A graduate student interviewing a 12th grade student

28. Concept map for Paul drawn from an interview in grade two

29. Concept map for Paul drawn from an interview in grade twelve

30. Students instructed using Audio-tutorial methods at ages 6 to 8 had more valid concepts and fewer invalid concepts about the nature of matter and energy as they progressed through 12 grades in school.

31. Conclusions from our 12-year study: 6-7 year old children can begin to learn basic science concepts. Early meaningful learning facilitates later learning Concept maps can be used to track changes in conceptual understanding over time. 4. Concept maps are a valid, robust tool to represent knowledge

32. Learning Denny, a six year old, is asked to draw a map that shows his understanding of 8 common concepts Concepts: Water Solid River Vapor Steam Ice Liquid Gas Evaporate Denny’s knowledge does not include a meaning for vapor

33. Learning Concepts: Water Solid River Vapor Steam Ice Liquid Gas Evaporate We can easily teach Denny the meaning of “vapor” and a new concept, “evaporate”, by showing how they relate to his current knowledge.

35. Published by SEI, Torino, 1989

36. IHMC in Pensacola Florida

37. Ken Ford, Director - IHMC Using computers to leverage human capabilities

38. Alberto Canas - Associate Director, IHMC Leader of the CmapTools team

39. The IHMC CmapTools team

40. Concept Map about Concept Maps

41. “Expert” concept maps can “scaffold” learning.Internet and other resources can be attached creating a knowledge model.

42. “Expert Skeleton” concept maps can be prepared to aid study

43. Sample of concept maps that might be built using the “skeleton”

44. Today it is possible to create a New Model for Education

45. Schema for a New Model for Education

46. A concept map can serve as the backbone for a Growing “knowledge portfolio”

47. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) must be considered to optimize meaningful learning. Large Video clip omitted in e/merge 2006 version of presentation

48. Proyecto Conectate children with hand drawn concept maps

49. Proyecto Conectate students in computer lab

50. Proyecto Conectate children’s map showing two resources attached