A Half Century of Efforts to Improve Education

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

On our 53 rd wedding anniversary, July 2003

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learning may vary from highly rote to highly meaningful

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

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

My first effort to present a Theory of Education, 1977

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

Postlethwait’s Audio-tutorial Learning Center

Sam Postlethwait - Botanist and Educator

Published by Burgess, 1964, 1972

Audio-tutorial carrel units in introductory physics at Cornell

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

Audio-tutorial lesson on energy transformation

Audio-tutorial lesson on particulate nature of matter

Rowell interviewing a 6 -year old child

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

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

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

Concept Map about Concept Maps

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

A graduate student interviewing a 12 th grade student

Concept map for Paul drawn from an interview in grade two

Concept map for Paul drawn from an interview in grade twelve

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.

Conclusions from our 12 -year study: 1. 6 -7 year old children can begin to learn basic science concepts. 2. Early meaningful learning facilitates later learning 3. Concept maps can be used to track changes in conceptual understanding over time. 4. Concept maps are a valid, robust tool to represent knowledge

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

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.

Published by SEI, Torino, 1989

IHMC in Pensacola Florida

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

Alberto Canas - Associate Director, IHMC Leader of the Cmap. Tools team

The IHMC Cmap. Tools team

Concept Map about Concept Maps

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

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

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

Today it is possible to create a New Model for Education

Schema for a New Model for Education

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

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

Proyecto Conectate children with hand drawn concept maps

Proyecto Conectate students in computer lab

Proyecto Conectate children’s map showing two resources attached

President Torrijos visiting Proyecto Conectate

Children’s concept map for local plants showing added resources

Conectate staff with Joan and Joe

Map made by three year old children in Costa Rica

A 4 -year old concept mapping relatives in Costa Rica

Dopo aver osservato bene e parlato tra di noi, abbiamo deciso di raggruppare le foglie così:

Mettiamo del cotone su alcuni piatti di plastica, poi su ciascun piatto distribuiamo semi di vario tipo: ceci, lenticchie e fagioli

Ora costruiamo una mappa

A concept map by Bowen showing Honda Strategic Plan

A concept map to show curriculum gaps in Lexington Schools

Published by Erickson, 2001

In Summary We need research studies with real learners in real schools and work settings using the New Model for Education

Grazie