Rethinking i Education Considerations from Research in the

Re-thinking i. Education: Considerations from Research in the Learning Sciences Gerry Stahl

Opportunities A faculty retreat on innovation n Brainstorm — suspend reactions n Technologies to support new modes of learning n Research on how people learn n

Dangers Technology-driven thinking n The inertia of culture: “That’s how we have always done it. ” n Disincentives in the reward structures: for students, instructors, the College n

A pop quiz As we learn more about something, n (a) The questions all get answered. n (b) The questions get easier and easier. n (c) The questions get more complex. n n How can we promote deep inquiry by students?

Learning sciences research Cambridge Handbook on the Learning Sciences n International Journal of Computer. Supported Collaborative Learning n Research papers at CSCL, ICLS, CHI, CSCW, GROUP, etc. n

Findings of learning sci & ed tech Students must be engaged, motivated; construct their own understanding n Lectures are not generally effective as the sole instructional mode n Asynchronous threaded discussion has serious problems (timing, superficial opinions, asocial) n

Some of my research: asynch n n n Phidias - threaded discussion for design rationale (1990 -1992 RA in computer science) Hermes - asynchronous design environment (1991 -1993 dissertation system) Other educational software: Essence, TCA (1993 -1997) Web. Guide (1997 -2000 post-doc classroom system) BSCL (2001 -2002 visiting scientist EU asynch) VMT (2003 -2009 synchronous learning)

My theory of group cognition Vygotsky: inter-personal learning precedes as the basis of individual learning n Small groups have powerful learning mechanisms n Technology should be designed to support intense group interaction n Pedagogy should support collaborative knowledge building n

Collaboration is powerful! Breaks passivity & asocial alienation n Students work together to understand assignments, course goals, material n Students help each other n Students make their knowledge visible n Students can judge themselves vs. peers n 80% of employees work in teams n

Synchronicity Synchronous (e. g. , chat) is more engaging n It has a stronger sense of social contact n It is far more efficient in building knowledge n It can support interaction & collaboration n It allows immediate feedback, deeper discussion, sharing, negotiation n

Blending it Blended learning combines the advantages and overcomes many problems n Almost all online programs (outside Drexel) find that F 2 F contact near the beginning is necessary for meaningful asynch interaction n

Conclusion A careful mix of individual, small-group and class work n A careful mix of reading, lecture, smallgroup tasks, class discussion n Use of technology as appropriate to pedagogical aims and processes n

An i. School culture of innovation & collaborative learning How can we change student resistance to innovation in instruction & learning? n How can we change student resistance to sharing knowledge & group work? n How can we blend our online courses? n How can we introduce synchronicity? n

References on the power of collaboration n Stahl, G. (2008). Chat on collaborative knowledge building. QWERTY, 3(1), 67 -78. n Computersupported collaborative learning. In R. K. Sawyer Stahl, G. , Koschmann, T. , & Suthers, D. (2006). (Ed. ), Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences (pp. 409 -426). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Available in English, in simplified Chinese, in traditional Chinese, in Spanish, in Portuguese, in German, in Romanian.