Two Views of Learning: Being Controlled vs. Self-controlling

1. Two Views of Learning:Being Controlled vs. Self-controlling EDIT 732 / Summer 2009 George Mason University Ed Lane / Tom Sakell :: June 23, 2009 GMU EDIT 732 / Spring 2009 / Ed Lane / Tom Sakell

2. Introduction Objectivism presents the view is that the world is an entity external to, and containing structure that can be modeledfor, the learner1. With that underlayment, the theories of objectivism guide the learner through an objective reality to teach about the real world2. The concept of a world “completely and correctly structured”3, theorizes that to learn one simply needs to be supplied with “information frames or production rules”4. GMU EDIT 732 / Spring 2009 / Ed Lane / Tom Sakell

3. Introduction Constructivism postulates there are many ways to structure the world, and there are many meanings or perspectives for any event or concept. Thus there is not a correct meaning that we are striving for5.Meaning is a function of how the individual creates meaning from his or her experiences and actions6. GMU EDIT 732 / Spring 2009 / Ed Lane / Tom Sakell

4. Definitions Objectivism, an epistemology supported through underlying foundations of Behaviorism and Cognitivism, postulates that “knowing and learning are processes for representing and mirroring reality”7. Learning is based upon exposure to an external existing reality and the identification, understanding, and response to that reality.8 GMU EDIT 732 / Spring 2009 / Ed Lane / Tom Sakell

5. Definitions • Constructivism, an epistemology that argues the placement of reality is internal, that the learner “constructs a reality, or at least interprets it, based upon his or her apperceptions (the process whereby perceived qualities of an object are related to a learner’s past experience).”9“Learners do not transfer knowledge from the external world into their memories; rather, they build personal interpretations of the world based on individual experiences and interactions.”10 • “...allow students to seek out a solution to the problem. There is no single right answer or single solution for a problem using this approach.” 11 GMU EDIT 732 / Spring 2009 / Ed Lane / Tom Sakell

6. Features • Constructivist • Multiple perspectives are supported • Learning occurs in context • Learning is mediated by tools/signs • Learners are distributed, multi-dimensional participantsin a sociocultural process13 • Emphasis is on learners who interpret and construct meaning based on their own experiences and interactions. 14 • Objectivist • Learner works alonein specified environment • Specific information supportinglearning goal supplied to learner • Specific objectives pathto learning followed • Teaching generally occursin didactic manner • Practice focusedon supplied information • Results must adhereto supplied objectives • Assessment is testing for acquired knowledge/understanding12

7. Objectivist • Learning is presumedto have occurred when: • A change in the observable performance is present • Attention to stimulus has occurred • Practice has occurred • Knowledge mastery is evident • Typical Sequence of Learning • Objectivist learning, whether Behaviorist or Cognitive, follows a general pattern of attack: • Learners are told what they are to learn • Learners are given specific information to support that required learning • Learners are encouraged to practice satisfying the objectives • Learners are exposed to either external assessment, self-assessment, or both. • Assessment • Reality check of whether learning has occurred • Can be internal or external • Can be in stages or at completion, or both • Can be through questioning or demonstration • Is always focused on the problem being addressed Real-life Example • Objectives to be met • Understand the task • Overview • Prepare the area • Cover floors and hardware • Sand all surfaces • Fill in gaps and holes • Paint the walls • Cut in around edges • Run line of paint along wall • Roll walls • Content • Specific to problem • Linear • Results oriented   • Creation of the learningenvironment • Introduction of the topic • Overview of the expected

8. Real-life Example Constructivist • Most Popular • Not in Brooklyn! • Photographers • March 2008 • Blind, open call • 100-word statement • 389 photographs submitted • Judges • all are welcome • self-evaluate • 5-point Likert scale • register online, with only an e-mail address • Creating an online community • The Brooklyn Museum needed to find ways to retain their audience beyond the exit door.How can the museum include users in the museum experience? Most Popular Everyone likes this view of Brooklyn • Most Discussed • Not in anyone’s top 10 • Most Popular (Brooklyn) • How Brooklyn sees itself • Evaluators • April - May 2008 • Evaluators: 3,344 • Evaluations: 410,089 • Full evaluations: 575 • All photos appeared randomly • Demographics • Brooklyn 38% • New York City 17% • Tri-State Area 10% • United States 28% • Outside U.S. 7%

9. When Learning Occurs • Objectivist Example • Learning, in this example, occurs when the learner is able to show that the terms of the objective have been met and can be replicated. This occurs on an objective by objective level, with the ability to achieve and replicate the training goal the final assessment. • Constructivist Example • Through participation in this example, the online museum experience, and immersion in the media-rich environment, learners are exposed to multiple characteristics of photography and acquire information. As they are able to assimilate this information and use it to form the basis for perspectives in future decisions, learning has occurred.

10. Comparison Matrix(Paint a Room and Library)

11. Comparison Matrix(Paint a Room and Library)

12. Conclusion • So it comes to this: Two simple statements • Objectivist (Behaviorist or Cognitive) learning is based on the need to structure the manner in which the learner receives and uses information. • Constructivist learning provides the learner with a rich environment in which he or she is provided opportunities to determine how best to use it. GMU EDIT 732 / Spring 2009 / Ed Lane / Tom Sakell

13. Group Exercise During this time, we have discussed two epistemologies and offered examples of each. As we have set the stage and populated it with characters, you have had a chance to view and reflect on this presentation. Let’s Flip! GMU EDIT 732 / Spring 2009 / Ed Lane / Tom Sakell

14. Thank You For Your Attention! GMU EDIT 732 / Spring 2009 / Ed Lane / Tom Sakell

15. References (1 of 2) • (Jonassen, p. 5) • (Duffy & Jonassen, p. 2) • (Duffy & Jonassen, p. 2) • (Duffy & Jonassen, p. 03) • (Duffy & Jonassen, p. 05) • (Jonassen, 1991) • (Jonassen, p. 05) • (Duffy & Jonassen, p. 03) • (Jonassen, p. 10) • (Ertmer & Newby, p. 63) • (Jonassen, 1999) • These features based on information gleaned from the following sources:Jonassen, D.H. “Objectivism versus Constructivism: Do We Need a New Philosophical Paradigm?,” Educational Technology Research and Development 39 (1991) 5-14Ertmer, P.A. and T.J. Newby. “Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing critical features from aninstructional design perspective.” Performance Improvement Quarterly 6.4 (1993) 50-72Thomas M. Duffy, David H. Jonassen (Eds.). “Constructivism and the Technology of Instruction: A conversation (1992)

16. References (2 of 2) Duffy & Cunningham’s Constructivist Criteria Constructivist Learning Environments (CLE), who’s the author, what’s the year? http://www.accesswave.ca/~hgunn/special/papers/hypertxt/cle.html