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The first blog site I am discussing is eLearning Technology (http://elearningtech.blogspot.com/2006/02/what-is-elearning-20.html). This site seems to have an extraordinary abundance of articles, information, and links to the on-line learning industry. It is owned by Tony Karr, CEO/CTO of TechEmpower, an on-line learning service bases in Los Angeles, California. One article in this blog is on ‘personal learning environment’. Personal knowledge management is interesting for me because I am in the process of planning the implementation of a long-range training plan to provide in-service training for my 25 medical instructors. The idea of individual knowledge management seems like an idea worth looking into. Too often we provide company sponsored in-service training without seeing the benefits to efficiency within the program. I am interested in introducing the idea of self-managing knowledge to my peers. (http://elearningtech.blogspot.com/2007/05/personal-learning-environment-ple.html#ixzz0cGUFE8Qa)
The second blog site is IDEAS: Instructional Design for eLearning Approaches (http://ideas.blogs.com). This site is owned by Mr. Ferdinand Kraus of Ontario, Canada.What I found most interesting was an introduction to the ‘Seven Principles of Effective Teaching’ attributed to Chickering & Gamson (1987). These seven principles include: 1) encouraging contact between students and faculty; 2) developing reciprocity and cooperation among students; 3) giving prompt feedback; 4) emphasizing time on task; 5) encouraging active learning; 6) communicating high expectations, and ; 7) respecting diverse talents and ways of learning. Another interesting post concerns the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI) from the University of Toronto which “conducts research in all areas of knowledge media design”. KDMI is described as “an exemplar for the design, production and sharing of knowledge” with a “human centered design philosophy”. Our school, Southwest Career College, has earned the necessary monetary resource for implementing state of the art technologies. However, the human factor must be paramount when we consider how we will spend these resources.
The third blog site is entitled ‘Living In Learning’ (http://livinginlearning.ning.com). This site caught my attention because I have recently discovered the concepts of “knowledge workers” and “learning organizations”. It appears to have posts from medical experts discussing various issues in clinical medicine as well.
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The two articles I have selected for this assignment are Cognitive / Learning Styles (
http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/) and A Transactional Model of the Teaching / Learning Process (http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/materials/mdltlp.html).
Cognitive learning styles is on individualized learning and processing of information. This article reads that cognitive swtyle “simplty denotes a tendencey to behave in a certain manner”. Attitueds, values, and social interaction are noted as the dimensions of the cognitive style. Two cognitive styles described are “feld dependent”and “fiel independent” which basically has to do with the way in which a learner approaches his or her environment. Field independent learners learn more effectively by self-study methods whereas field dependent learners require more social reinforcement.
In addition to the field dependent and independent learning styles, other cognitive styles are also identified. These include “scanning” which describes the “differences in the extent and intensity of attention resulting in variations in the vividness of experience and the span of awareness”. A difference is explained between cognitive styles of leveling and sharpening which deals with memory and “the tendency to merge similar events”. Other cognitive styles described are reflection, impulsivity, and conceptual differences, concrete experiences, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.
The second resource, “The Transactional Model of the Teaching/Learning Process by W. Huitt (1994) attempts to answer the question “"Why do some students learn more than other students in classroom and school settings?" Four reasons explained in this model include context, input, classroom process, and output. Contexts are influencers from outside of the classroom. Inputs are characteristics or qualities that both teachers and students bring to the classroom. The classroom processes are described as variables such as teacher/student relationships, classroom climate, as well as student and teacher behaviors in the classroom. Output is described as the measurement of or resulting levels of student learning.
Competencies are what we focus on at Southwest Career College. Terminal behavior as prescribed by our national accreditor, the Accrediting Board for Health Education Schools (ABHES). These learning and training outcomes are the desired end results for our graduating students. One finds them listed categorically in chapter six of the ABHES Manual (ABHES Accreditation Manual, 15th Edition, Ch. 6, Medical Assistant Program). Competencies are at the central core of our training programs.
New program development at SWCC has focused upon providing an impressive number of competencies at the highest level of proficiency. Each course is six weeks long and range from 30 to 60 contact hours which requires an above average level of efficiency, effectiveness, and engagement for the desired learning outcome. The desired outcomes require that the student must be present 100% of class time and participate in every presentation, demonstration, and practice session of the course.
I associate the concept of the “end goal” and (Ormrod) and the sequences that lead to the end goal as comprehension progression. I associate this with the process of identifying prerequisite courses. In developing certificate and associates degree courses, prerequisite courses provide assurance that a learning progression will build student learning from the introductory level courses to the intermediate level and then to the advanced level courses. Progression is extremely important for our course planning and scheduling. We have discovered that scheduling errors in the past have had a negative impact on student progression and training outcomes.
In terms of classroom events where the instructor and the students are engaged in teaching and learning, the behaviorist theory is employed by using such methods as contracts, consequences, reinforcements and extinction(Standridge). At SWCC the contract may take the form of an agreement to participate in scheduled tutoring sessions that address specific concepts or skills with which the student may be experiencing difficulty learning. For example, a student who may not be able to complete a specific task such as focusing a clinical microscope on a blood smear to analyze blood cell uniformity within the time allotted during a scheduled class session, may be provided with individualized instruction. However, as Standridge suggests, the student complying with the contractual agreement for participating in tutoring sessions must be rewarded for his/her participation to prevent extinction of this learned behavior.
Today, I took over an introductory class in pharmacology because the previous instructor was chronically noncompliant with school policy and was consequently dismissed. I saw it as an opportunity to use apply a situated cognition approach to teaching this subject. Whereas most instructors focus on medication category memorization and generic / trade name matching, I decided to try the situation cognition approach (Smith, D.) After demonstrating the use of website utilization to find specific information on current medications, I divided the class into groups with specific drug names to research. This was a big change from the strict lecture format they had experienced. I explained that it was more important to learn how to find the relevant information on a particular medication than to memorize it. In real world application, Medical Assistants are expected to know how to find drug information that is accurate and current than simply relying on memory. Students completing this particular course in introductory pharmacology will benefit from this approach because they will research as necessary an acquire the most current information. Memorization will fade but practice in retrieving up to date information will only improve with continued practice.
I agree with both Karl Kapp and Bill Kerr in that no one single learning theory contains all the answers to effective instruction for all. The idiosyncrasies particular to individual learners are too complex in my opinion. However, the behaviorist ideas are extremely effective when teaching the vocational courses common to occupational programs such as keyboarding and basic computer skills. As instructors, we should structure our lesson deliveries by considering a progressive application from behaviorist theory to a metacognition level.
References:
Kerr, B. blog. Can be found at http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html
Kapp. K., blog. Can be found at http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational.html
Smith, D. S. (2008). A case study in situated cognition. Can be found at http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=A_case_study_in_situated_cognition
Standridge, M. (2001). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Can be found at http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Behaviorism
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