abcdE-learning

Week 9 - Instructional strategies leading to problem solving and affective learning.

2009-04-19T01:33:00.000-07:00

Problem solving= "the ability to use previously acquired skills and knowledge in a unique way to solve unfamiliar problems"

sounds simple enough.

In e-learning context that would mean, we as designer should try to engage and stimulate students into solving problem with previously acquired skills.

Just like the WebQuest project!

I feel that students should always be free to explore various methods to solve problems. Because thats what happens in reality. There's never a fix solution. There are hundred ways to build a building. We just have to keep exploring to find the most efficient one.

Therefore for our webquest, we gave the our target group (students in secondary three) a lot of freedom in how they want to present their research. They are to come up with an exhibition with the 3 ancient technologies (3 because we are kind enough to help them limit their scope)and come up with creative way to present their research.

Week 8 - Instructional strategies for procedures and principles learning

2009-04-19T01:03:00.000-07:00

Another 2 concepts of learning.

Procedures and principles.

Procedure knowledge is “knowing how” it involves a set of actions to achieve a goal. Tying back to the previous lecture. Learning to execute a procedure is an intellectual skill. Whereas merely learning to state the steps in a procedure is only a factual outcome.

Principles on the other hand are thought of as combination of rules, concepts and often facts. Principles are relational rules among concepts. They can often be expressed in the form of "if then" or "cause effect" statements.

Week 7 - Instructional strategies for Fact and Concept learning

2009-04-19T00:17:00.000-07:00

Fact and Concepts.

Fact = "knowing that" eg. Names of objects, composition of water= h20

Methods to remember facts

1] Chunking
eg. 62353535 -------->6-235-35-35 break them into chunks

2] memonics ----------> acronyms like PIE = pan island express way. KFC= kentucky fried chicken.

Concepts learned can be applied to a variety of circumstances, it is "knowing what is and knowing the meaning of.

there are 2 types of concept - Abstract and concrete.

Concrete= things that can be seem. Eg. all angles of triangle add up to 180 degrees.
Abstract = something like arts.

Week 6 - learning objectives

2009-04-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

Ok on this week's lecture agenda list

3 domains - Cognitive/Affective/Psychomotor

Cognitive - Aims to increase learner's knowledge. Makes them know more about certain topic eg. in the army we had to learn the various part of a rifle by and the mechanics behind it, the distance it can cover, the amount of bullets that can be loaded etc. etc.

Affective- Aims to change learner's attitudes.. forms include counseling delinquents to our familiar health education or 好公民 textbook or national education.

Psychomotor - Aims to build learner's physical skills. Again...the right way to hold a rifle, the breathing technique, how to leopard crawl with a rifle this are all psychomotor skills required for a soldier to be more proficient in combat.

Well....it noted that these domains often overlaps therefore it is important to design objectives from the 3 different domains... using the example of being a soldier again... a good soldier should have sufficient cognitive knowledge (fieldcrafts, weapon operation) and affective (patriotism, regimentation) and psychomotor skills (standard obstacle course, unarmed combat).

Goals setting!!---Fuzziessss

Simple! Goals should avoid using abstract terms like sense of pride/appreciate/favourable. Which are subjective to individuals. Instead goals should include terms that can see or heard when it is archieved. Eg. run 2.4km/ Pass IPPT.

To have precise objective we should use the ABCD format. Audience, behavior , condition and degree.

verbs able to demonstrate the sucessful achievement of objectives should be used. eg. are estimate, arrange , label and recall.

a good objectives is one that is specific in asking the A= Audience, to do something B= behaviour with something C= condition with certain proficiency D= degree eg. 95/100 marks.

Week 5 - Needs assesment

2009-04-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

In week 5's lecture we learned the Three Faces of Needs assessment.

(Problem solving model, discrepancy based assessment and innovation model)
Despite its intimidating look. This model is actually a simple and extremely systematic analysis tool.

It provides a linear way of analyzing learning models, identifying and rectifying problems or simply improve on the current system.

But to be precise, needs assesment is needed when......

1] There is a problem to the current system as evident by viable/identifiable proof. (eg. poor test scores, poor ratings from client, students dropping out in staggering numbers.

2] There is something new that need learners need to learn. (eg. new guidelines, new system)

3] No problem is apparent, BUT organization wishes to evaluate program to see if GOALS and REALITY are congruent. ( if they are up to the standard, or if goals are met)

So.. if any of the conditions above are met we can proceed to use the 3 face assessment model.

Problem solving model

step 1: Determine if there's really a problem (same as part 1 from above)

step 2: Determine the cause of the problem. Is it related to employees performance or learner's achievement in work and educational settings? (Eg. some people do better for tests but are poor in applying the skills they learned)

step 3: Determine whether the solution to the performance/achievement can be solved by learning. (some problems cannot be solved by learning. (eg. disabled people without arms wouldnt be able to learn to play basketball)

step 4: Determine whether instructios are already offered.

If no= innovations model. (Its something new to the employees therefore they need to learn it) If yes= Discrepancy model. (instruction is not clear enough to archieve desired goals)

Discrepancy model.

Step 1: List the goals

Step 2: Determine the performance gaps (between goals and actual results)

Step 3: identify which gap are appropriate for design and development instruction.

Innovation model.

Step 1: Determine the nature of the innovation or change.

Step 2: Identify the learning goals that accompany this innovation.

Step 3: Determine whether these goals are appropriate and mission critical in the learning system

Assignment 3

2009-02-28T22:04:00.000-08:00

For assignment 3. My group is working on the cab drivers case study.

The problem identified in the case study is that, cab drivers caught making traffic offence or getting complained for such are on the rise.

Statistics revealed that every 4 out of 10 taxi drivers were getting booked compared to 1 out of 10 private car users. An opinion poll on 100 motorist concurred with the result that taxi drivers were generally considered bad drivers. Common offence include cutting across lanes and picking up passengers at the bus lanes.

Our group identified this problem due to ineffective learning as drivers were clearly instructed on traffic laws as part of getting their driver's license. Further more drivers were sent to road safety training programme.

Our group further identified that the utilizing of a demerit point system act as a form of behaviourism learning. The taxi companies assume that drivers will be deterred from breaking traffic law if their year end bonus or job is threatened.

However, it is important to note that this system of demerit point infact act as a gauge for taxi drivers to estimate "how much more" offence he can make. By having enough points for deduction, taxi drivers will infact be embolden to make offences such as cutting across lanes to get to customers.

The resulting loss of a portion of bonus from demerit point deduction can be easily recuperated by getting more customers.

Despite the problem being identified as a behavioural problem. We believe this can be overcome with an instructional objectives.

Objectives (Audience, Behaviour, Condition, Degree format):

1) Given monthly customer service and road safety practical, taxi drivers will enforce quality service and road courtesy. Successful achievement rate will be a better rating of drivers from a monthly survey of 100 motorists.

2) Given a monthly test on road safety and the demerit points system, taxi drivers will enforce quality service and road courtesy. Successful achievement will be a 60% decrease in reported offences and demerit points.

3) Given a video advertisement on road safety commuters will demonstrate road safety behaviour by not flagging taxis in bus lanes, double yellow lanes and at traffic junctions. Successful achievement is indicated by a 50% decrease in taxi drivers getting booked for such offences.

4) Given road etiquette and customer service guidelines, taxi drivers will attain knowledge on customers’ needs and road safety. Successful achievement will be a 25% decrease in monthly complaints.

Learning design - Baking a cake.

2009-02-28T21:30:00.000-08:00

Baking a cake without utilizing blog.
Baking a cake with the help of blogging technology.
Blogs can be a great venue for learning, due to the sheer volume of its content. A simple search on how to bake a cake reveals thousands of results. The good thing is that the result can be further narrowed down, with more specific words like "mango cake" "banana cake" or "black forest cake".Despite its excellence in providing huge quantity on information. The quality however, cannot be guaranteed. Due to its user generated nature and the lack of monitoring. The accuracy of information provided on blog must be carefully evaluated by the individual.

The benefit of living in this age of high speed internet is that users can post their instructional video for free on YouTube. Visual images depicting step by step instructions on baking a cake can be access for free. These videos like the one above can be embed onto blogs with easy "copy and paste" source code. Reliability of information can be checked through users rating and comments left by others.

On the same note, users can also provide videos or pictures of their own baking process or product for others to rate and comment on.

Blogs and youtube also provide a platform for the formation of online community where individuals can get together to discuss and provide feedback to others. Blog links, tagboards and "add friends" function facilitate such exchanges.

In conclusion, blogs provide users with large quantity of information, but these information have to be carefully evaluated. Instructional videos with decent sound and visual quality can be provided, however there is a lack of immediate feedback mechanism. Comments are often replied in an interval of days. The process of baking a cake is immediate and therefore requires immediate feedback and guidance not provided by blogs.

3 theories of learning.

2009-02-03T04:05:00.000-08:00

In week 2 we learned the 3 theories of learning. Namely behaviourism, cognitivism, social culturalism. These theories have different under lying assumptions on how people learn.

Starting from,

Behaviourism, which has been around for the longest time. This theory assumes that human

1] learn through their experiences with the environment.
2] Behavioural changes are the result of stimuli in the form of rewards or punishments.
3] With the former having a reinforcing effect on behaviour changes and the latter being a deterencing factor.

In this regard we are like ... chimps
We learn what are deemed desirable by the society through hard drilling. From something as simple as the scoldings from our parents to social or peer pressure of behaving within the society's protocol.

Cognitivism, on the other hand assumes that humans are

1] Active learner. We actively try to make sense of the things going on around us.
2] Every individual is unique and they perceive things in their own way.
3] Therefore hard drilling methods are unpopular among cognitivist.
4] Instead active thinking and exploration are encouraged.

Social culturalism focuses on collective learning. The under lying assumption is that

1] as a group human can learn better
2] and build upon each other's knowledge.

This theory assumes that 1 + 1 = 2

Therefore the product is always bigger than the sum.

After flipping through the readings the second time I realized that these theories shouldn't be applied in a mutually exclusive manner. Each of these theories does have its strength and some truth in its assumption.

Learning is a complex process and depending on the subject, it involves a wide variety of fields of differing nature. Certain things like math has to be hard drilled into us. It would take probably a million years for educators to "facilitate my thinking" for me to come us with something as simple as the Pythagoras's Theorem. Yet it takes less than 1 day to be hard drilled into me.

Same for abstract concepts like art and philosophy which no matter the amount of hard drill It wouldn't help elevate the "un-enlightened" ones. Just like having open-book exam for PH1101e didn't help a bit at all (for me).

Lastly, social culturalism sounds like a good idea in this age of wide accesibility to internet. However 1 +1 is not always equal to 2. Just like how in tutorial, classes are kept to a certain size in order for the less vocal to have a chance to voice their opinion, which they wouldn't be able to do so in a bigger class. And then there's issues like group dynamics and efficiency in decision making.

Therefore the 3 learning theories should be used depending on the context of the subject. And if necessary there could be overlap among them to maximize the learning experience.
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Finally, something I find interesting on the future trend on behaviourism. As popular culture continues to promote the ideal of "self" coupled with materialism/consumerism on the rise. These could have a positive effect on behaviourism.

As people become increasingly "selfish" behaviourism could work better. Of course in view of the increasingly liberal education system, it would manifest itself less in form of punishment but more in the form of incentives, like extra marks for test, work bonus, certification of recognition etc.

E-learning.

2009-01-18T01:54:00.000-08:00

E-learning always gives me the impression of being a product from students demanding an excuse to slack.

CNM had this e-learning week last semester, and I thought it was really a bad idea, simply because we still had to come school for other modules outside CNM.

I was really puzzled when one of the lecturer mentioned that "you can come to school to use the computer labs for your e-learning session", haha.

In one of the readings, it was stated that we are just merely at the beginning of another cycle of e-learning which may or may not suceed. I think that explains why we have to study e-learning not merely as a form of distance learning, but from the 3 different perspective stated in the readings as well.

As an educational methods and a learning technology.

Because afterall, the various reasons stated in the readings all points to a gradual increase in demand for Higher education, especially for people well over schooling age. These people needs to study at their own pace and of course they do not have the luxury to quit their job to attend a full time course, or even travel the distance needed to attain quality education.

I guess thats why we need to study E-learning to understand what works and what not. Because the affordances it provides are something that is valuable.