Effective Learning Teaching and Research Strategies Using Concept

Effective Learning, Teaching, and Research Strategies Using Concept Maps Learning Strategies September 2017 Simone C. O. Conceição, Ph. D University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Beijing Normal University Beijing, China

Create Your Name Tag Write in the Name Tag the following: Name Major or Area of Teaching Both sides

Outline Icebreaker Needs Assessment Results Becoming a Critically Reflective Learner/Teacher What is a Learning Strategy? Studies Showing Use of Concept Maps in Different Disciplines • Undergraduate Education • Graduate Education • Economics Education • Science Education • Nursing Education Debriefing

NEEDS ASSESSMENT RESULTS

Majors Teaching Chinese as a foreign language (3) Foreign philosophy Curriculum and instruction methodology Teacher education

Group Characteristics

Group Characteristics Confident strong Listener, learner, thinker Learn very slow Diligent, brilliant but careless sometimes Tolerant, wise, knowledgeable, listener Love the world with a desire to explore it Prefer new research rather than old research

As a reader, you are… Lazy reader who has no idea about how to read Careful reader about the details, faster reader about the main ideas Slow reader if the content is in English Slow reader; repeat chapters or paragraphs when they are related to me Critical thinker who always finds some mistakes or questions after reading Choose the parts I am interested in

I think about group work… Fun and helpful (but sometimes is terrible when the partner is lazy) Discussing a topic with an opportunity for everyone to share their ideas or solve a problem A little hard because I don't know to get along with other people and to work with classmates not familiar with Very fun because we can share our ideas and our creativity A normal way for me to learn and practice Great and suitable for me; we can do different things that we are good at

Preference for Assignment Directions Consider instructor’s direction Think by myself first and then research references and communicate with other people Direct and detailed instruction Rethink and modify Think about the directions and modify assignment Complete assignments on time with high quality

Learning Philosophy self-directed Knowledge construction self-directed + construction of knowledge behavior emotions cognitive

ICEBREAKER

Critical Incident Technique: Understanding Our Autobiography • Think back over your recent learning experiences. • Choose an incident that made you say to yourself, “This is what makes learning so difficult, ” or that made you think about not being a student any more. • Write some notes about the incident. Include – – Where this event happened When this event happened Who was involved What it was that made the event so significant for you

Critical Incident Technique: Understanding Our Autobiography • Now, think back and choose an incident that made you say to yourself, “This is what learning is really all about” or “This was a great experience for me as a student. ” • Write some notes about that incident. – – Where it happened When the event happened Who was involved Why it was significant to you

(Brookfield, 1995)

Becoming a Reflective Learner/Teacher Autobiography • Helps us see ourselves, puts us in the role of the learner, personal self-reflection Classmates / Colleagues • Fosters seeing learning and teaching in a new light, new ideas, see aspects of our learning and practice that may be hidden (Brookfield, 1995)

Becoming a Reflective Learner/Teacher Theory • Helps understand experience by naming it in different ways Helping Our Teachers, Learning From Our Students • Helping teachers by evaluating how we are doing. • Seeing self as our students makes us aware of actions that confirm or challenge power relationships in the classroom (Brookfield, 1995)

Understanding our Autobiography with Our Classmates / Colleagues Similarities • in events • in significance Differences • in events • in significance

Understanding Learning Theories (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2006) Behaviorism Constructivist Social Learning Cognitivist Humanist

Behaviorism Operant conditioning • Behavior followed by a consequence likely to occur again Reinforcer a consequence having the desired effect • Negative reinforcers things the organism turns away from Struggle for freedom is to expect certain behavioral consequences • Discussion should be about what types of control we are exposed to

Behaviorist Perspective Learning Process Change behavior Locus of Learning Stimuli in environment Teacher’s Role Arranges environment to get response Manifestations in Learning n Behavioral objectives n Competency-based education n Skill development and training

Behaviorist Strategies Needs Assessment Design for Learning • Learning needs, Learning wants, Gap analysis, System analysis, Tests • Program focus, Program setting, Instructional goals, Instructional resources Program Objectives • Description, Conditions, Criterion Learning Activities

Behaviorist Strategies How can behaviorist strategies be used with concept maps?

Cognitivist Theory Human mind is not simply a passive exchange terminal system where stimuli arrive and the appropriate response leaves Person gives meaning to the events that impinge upon consciousness Learning = reorganization of experience in order to make sense of stimuli from the environment

Cognitive Perspective Learning Process Internal mental processing Locus of Learning Internal cognitive structures Teacher’s Role n Manifestations in Learning n Develop capacity and skills to learn n Structure content of learning Cognitive development, Critical thinking n Learning and memory functions of age n Learning how to learn

Cognitive Strategies How can cognitivist strategies be used with concept maps?

Humanist Theory We are free to learn what we wish as we wish Search for identity Realness or genuineness of the teacher • Non possessive, nonjudgmental caring • Ability to listen The group • Encounter, sensitivity • Learning with others Lifetime task of selfdiscovery

Humanist Perspective Learning Process Personal act to fulfill potential Locus of Learning Affective needs, self-fulfillment Teacher’s Role Facilitate development of whole person Manifestations in Learning n Andragogy n Self-directed learning

Andragogy: The Art and Science of Helping Adults Learn • Movement from dependent personality to self-directed human being • Experience a rich resource for learning • Adult readiness to learn tied to developmental tasks of social role • More problem-centered learning than subject-centered learning • Internal factors are motivational Five basic assumptions

Self-Directed Learning Enhance the ability of the adult learners to be self-directed Foster transformational learning as central to self-directed learning • Humanistic approach • Promotes personal growth • Goal to promote dialogue and critical reflection Promotes emancipatory learning and social action • Promotes collective action as an outcome of self-directed learning

Humanist Approaches How can humanist strategies be used with concept maps?

Social Learning Theory Learn by observing Learn without changing behavior Consequences affect learning Cognition plays a role

Social Learning Perspective Learning Process Interaction with others in social context Locus of Learning Interaction of person, behavior, and environment Teacher’s Role Models and guides new roles and behavior Manifestations in Learning n Collaborative/cooperative learning n Mentoring n Social roles

Social Learning Strategies Modeling • Inhibition/disinhibition • Old behavior that is generally forbidden • Inhibition - everybody is refraining from it so you do too • Disinhibition - somebody breaks the taboo and everyone else does too • Modeling effect or observational learning • New behavior that is acceptable • Model performs the behavior; learner imitates

Social Learning Strategies Observational Learning • Attention • Learner must identify the key parts of the model to copy • Retention • Learner must create a memorable model of the behavior and store it efficiently in long term memory • Production • Learner must be able to reproduce the model's behavior • Motivation • Learner must expect and receive reinforcement for successful matching or approximations • Reinforcement • Serves an information role to tell the learner he "got it right. "

Social Learning Strategies How can social learning strategies be used with concept maps?

Work in groups and learn from each other

Constructivist Theory of knowing • We transform and interpret experience with mental structures • Knowledge seen as an interpretive act • Process of inventing, as different than discovery • More active, not passive

Constructivist Pedagogy Learners progress from concrete exploration in meaningful contexts, to symbolic representations and abstract models Learning is a case of building with and from initial assimilatory structures Teach for conceptual understanding

Constructivist Learning Perspective Learning Process Construction of meaning from experience Locus of Learning Internal construction of reality by individual Teacher’s Role Facilitates and negotiates meaning with learner Manifestations in Learning n Experiential learning n Self-directed learning n Perspective transformation n Reflective practice

Constructivist Strategies How can constructivist strategies be used with concept maps?

What learning theory best fits your philosophy of learning? self-directed Knowledge construction self-directed + construction of knowledge behavior emotions cognitive

CONCEPT MAP ACTIVITY

Creating a Concept Map • Select a learning theory – Identify main concepts and sub concepts (max 25) – Carefully label links and cross links • Plan the mapping process and control the improvement of the cmap • Revise cmap and start the process all over again if needed • Shift your attention from the pure technical design to the learning content as much as possible • Connect learning theory to learning or teaching

DEBRIEFING

Debriefing and Q&A • What was the most important thing you learned today? • What will be your next steps? • Questions

Homework • Select an article in Cmap. Tools under Simone_Edu • Read the article and create a list of major concepts • Place list of concepts in a file in DAY TWO folder