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Re-thinking iEducation : Considerations from Research in the Learning Sciences

Re-thinking iEducation : Considerations from Research in the Learning Sciences. Gerry Stahl. Opportunities. A faculty retreat on innovation Brainstorm — suspend reactions Technologies to support new modes of learning Research on how people learn. Dangers. Technology-driven thinking

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Re-thinking iEducation : Considerations from Research in the Learning Sciences

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  1. Re-thinking iEducation:Considerations from Research in the Learning Sciences Gerry Stahl

  2. Opportunities • A faculty retreat on innovation • Brainstorm — suspend reactions • Technologies to support new modes of learning • Research on how people learn

  3. Dangers • Technology-driven thinking • The inertia of culture: “That’s how we have always done it.” • Disincentives in the reward structures: for students, instructors, the College

  4. A pop quiz • As we learn more about something, • (a) The questions all get answered. • (b) The questions get easier and easier. • (c) The questions get more complex. • How can we promote deep inquiry by students?

  5. Learning sciences research • Cambridge Handbook on the Learning Sciences • International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning • Research papers at CSCL, ICLS, CHI, CSCW, GROUP, etc.

  6. Findings of learning sci & ed tech • Students must be engaged, motivated; construct their own understanding • Lectures are not generally effective as the sole instructional mode • Asynchronous threaded discussion has serious problems (timing, superficial opinions, asocial)

  7. Some of my research: asynch • Phidias - threaded discussion for design rationale (1990-1992 RA in computer science) • Hermes - asynchronous design environment (1991-1993 dissertation system) • Other educational software: Essence, TCA (1993-1997) • WebGuide (1997-2000 post-doc classroom system) • BSCL (2001-2002 visiting scientist EU asynch) • VMT (2003-2009 synchronous learning)

  8. My theory of group cognition • Vygotsky: inter-personal learning precedes as the basis of individual learning • Small groups have powerful learning mechanisms • Technology should be designed to support intense group interaction • Pedagogy should support collaborative knowledge building

  9. Collaboration is powerful! • Breaks passivity & asocial alienation • Students work together to understand assignments, course goals, material • Students help each other • Students make their knowledge visible • Students can judge themselves vs. peers • 80% of employees work in teams

  10. Synchronicity • Synchronous (e.g., chat) is more engaging • It has a stronger sense of social contact • It is far more efficient in building knowledge • It can support interaction & collaboration • It allows immediate feedback, deeper discussion, sharing, negotiation

  11. Blending it • Blended learning combines the advantages and overcomes many problems • Almost all online programs (outside Drexel) find that F2F contact near the beginning is necessary for meaningful asynch interaction

  12. Conclusion • A careful mix of individual, small-group and class work • A careful mix of reading, lecture, small-group tasks, class discussion • Use of technology as appropriate to pedagogical aims and processes

  13. An iSchool culture of innovation & collaborative learning • How can we change student resistance to innovation in instruction & learning? • How can we change student resistance to sharing knowledge & group work? • How can we blend our online courses? • How can we introduce synchronicity?

  14. References on the power of collaboration • Stahl, G. (2008). Chat on collaborative knowledge building. QWERTY, 3(1), 67-78. • Stahl, G., Koschmann, T., & Suthers, D. (2006). Computer-supported collaborative learning. In R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences (pp. 409-426). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Available in English, in simplified Chinese, in traditional Chinese, in Spanish, in Portuguese, in German, in Romanian.

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