aura Engaged Excellence in Research Teaching Practices Mood

aura Engaged Excellence in Research & Teaching Practices Mood Monitor Experiencing Learner-Centred Training Approaches Teaching Course 1, Day One, Session 2

Session Learning Outcomes By the end of this session, you will: • Identify the application of socio constructivist theory to learning through experiential activities • Analyse and produce a key resource that summarises the behaviourist, cognitivist and connectivist learning theories • Identify how different learning theories can be incorporated into your teaching practice • Reflect on learner outcomes and consider how to foster critical thinking

Activity 1: Experiential learning task You will be asked to create a structure: • The envelope contains a diagram of your structure • In groups, you have 10 minutes & paper only to make your structure • Listen out for the trainers instructions • To complete the task, your structure must stand independently for 1 minute

Group A: Create a Castle Structure Tony. Hammond/Flickr. com

Group B: Create a Tower Structure Michael Slonecker, Wikimedia

Group C: Create a Traditional African Dwelling/ Hut Create as many as you can within the time permitted

Group D: Create a Tower Structure Using a Computer Michael Slonecker, Wikimedia

Activity Purpose “People only deeply understand what they have constructed 1” The activity requires you to: 1. Use existing knowledge of construction 1. Was this easier with stimulus image? Did the image influence your design? 2. 3. 4. 5. Highlights the importance of teamwork Alerts you to different roles people play in a team (achieving a task) Stresses importance of listening & communicating Stimulates creative & problem solving skills 1. Learning Theory - Constructivist Approach, State. University. com

Constructivism Nationaal Archief, Flickr

Social Constructivist Theory • Prior knowledge & experiences play a central role in learning • Ideas are formed and re-formed through settings (e. g. social, work, or education) • Collaboratively constructing knowledge • Bring shared ideas to learning process • Learning is an iterative process • Process of repetition, with each ‘iteration’ informing the basis of the next • Building scaffolds

Social Learning Theorists • Learning is situated within culture, history and context • Learning happens through interaction rather than passive observation • Test and synthesise ideas • Builds a deeper understanding of learning concepts • Ability to generalise & transfer concepts • Promotes higher-order thinking skills • Meaning arrives through discussions rooted in everyday realities • Ability to communicate ideas, solve problems & find solutions

Group Activity Create a group resource providing details of the key principles of the following learning theories: • Cognitivist • Behaviourist • Connectivism (20 mins)

Activity 2: Learning Theory The purpose of this activity: 1. Define the characteristics, activities and limitations of: • Behaviourism (Skinner and Thorndike) • Cognitivism (Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner) • Connectivism (Siemens and Shore) 2. Reflect on the students response to different learning theories 3. Conclude how different learning theories can be incorporated into your teaching practice

Learning Theory – Concepts Table Theory Definition/Characteristics Types of Activity e. g. Socio/constructivism - Problem-solving - Collaborative learning - Emphasis on social, meaningful exchanges - Co-construction of knowledge - Acknowledges learner has prior knowledge Limitations - Group-based problems - Students can lack or projects direction (due to - Discussions based on limited guidance of reflection, or educator) evaluation - Problematic with - Peer error checking or certain students with feedback disabilities - Co-operative learning - Without guidance, students can reach unclear/untrue conclusions

Learning Theory – Concepts Table Theory Definition/Characteristics Types of Activity Limitations e. g. Behaviourism - Shaping and changing - Memorisation - A focus on observable behaviours activities, rewards or outcomes or - Stimulus-response positive reinforcement behaviours is a limiting (Conditioning an on completion (e. g. and shallow approach expected response) instant feedback) - May not take account - Observable behaviour - Useful in transforming of new information, - Teacher reinforcement or modelling and their impact on - Teacher-modelling ‘acceptable behaviours - Student-repetition behaviours’ - Rewards & positive - Teacher reinforcement demonstrations - Teacher-led inputs (e. g. lecturing without interactivity)

Learning Theory – Concepts Table Theory Definition/Characteristics Types of Activity e. g. Cognitivism - Reaction to behaviourism in 1960 s - Focus on inner mental activities or mental processes - Knowledge is viewed as a ‘schema’ & learning is changes in a person’s schemata - Problem-solving - High-level cognitive skills Limitations - Problem-solving - Cognitive processes activities may not be easily - Examining problems observed - Cognitive games - Large scale - Sorting games implementation can be - Experiments problematic as the - Lab-based experiments educator has to invest time on a per student basis - Duplicates knowledge of ‘knower’

Learning Theory – Concepts Table Theory Definition/Characteristics Types of Activity e. g. Connectivism - Emphasises the role of social and cultural context - Learning as a network - Learning as a process of pattern recognition - Learning evolves through student enquiry and empowerment activities - Topics defined at a high level by ‘educators’ - Acknowledges complexity/diverse opinions Limitations - Individual investigatory - May be unstructured activities without educator - Student could define guidance learning - Complex learning may outcomes/goals not suit the learning - Peer discussions style or expectation - Expert discussions (requires autonomy - Network forming and self-motivation) processes - Maintaining - Suitable for technology connections is based learning, essential to facilitate connecting to nodes learning (people) or resources - Communities of practice

Critical Thinkers & Effective Information Users Are the best problem solvers, because they: • See a complex problem through multiple lenses • Are innovative thinkers • Are willing to ‘disagree’ • Able to deconstruct ideas & problems • Are willing to test deeply held assumptions • Are debaters http: //www. inc. com/paul-schoemaker/4 -secrets-of-great-critical-thinkers. html

Session Learning Outcomes You should now be able to: • Identify the application of socio constructivist theory to learning through experiential activities • Analyse and produce a key resource that summarises the behaviourist, cognitivist and connectivist learning theories • Identify how different learning theories can be incorporated into your teaching practice • Reflect on learner outcomes and consider how to foster critical thinking

The content is authored by: Siobhan Duvigneau, AURA Programme Manager, Institute of Development Studies, S. Duvigneau@ids. ac. uk This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution. Non-commercial Share. Alike 3. 0