Showing papers on "Experiential learning published in 2004"

Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research

Abstract: This study examines the evidence for the effectiveness of active learning. It defines the common forms of active learning most relevant for engineering faculty and critically examines the core element of each method. It is found that there is broad but uneven support for the core elements of active, collaborative, cooperative and problem-based learning.

Blended Learning: Uncovering Its Transformative Potential in Higher Education

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion of the transformative potential of blended learning in the context of the challenges facing higher education. Based upon a description of blended learning, its potential to support deep and meaningful learning is discussed. From here, a shift to the need to rethink and restructure the learning experience occurs and its transformative potential is analyzed. Finally, administrative and leadership issues are addressed and the outline of an action plan to implement blended learning approaches is presented. The conclusion is that blended learning is consistent with the values of traditional higher education institutions and has the proven potential to enhance both the effectiveness and efficiency of meaningful learning experiences.

Informal learning in the workplace

Abstract: This paper focuses mainly on theoretical frameworks for understanding and investigating informal learning in the workplace, which have been developed through a series of large‐ and small‐scale projects. The main conclusions are included but readers are referred to other publications for more detailed accounts of individual projects. Two types of framework are discussed. The first group seeks to deconstruct the ‘key concepts’ of informal learning, learning from experience, tacit knowledge, transfer of learning and> intuitive practice to disclose the range of different phenomena that are embraced by these popular terms. The second group comprises frameworks for addressing the three central questions that pervaded the research programme: what is being learned, how is it being learned and what are the factors that influence the level and directions of the learning effort?

Design-Based Research: Putting a Stake in the Ground

Abstract: The emerging field of the learning sciences is one that is interdisciplinary, drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives and research paradigms so as to build understandings of the nature and conditions of learning, cognition, and development. Learning sciences researchers investigate cognition in context, at times emphasizing one more than the other but with the broad goal of developing evidence-based claims derived from both laboratory-based and naturalistic investigations that result in knowledge about how people learn. This work can involve the development of technological tools, curriculum, and especially theory that can be used to understand and support learning. A fundamental assumption of many learning scientists is that cognition is not a thing located within the individual thinker but is a process that is distributed across the knower, the environment in which knowing occurs, and the activity in which the learner participates. In other words, learning, cognition, knowing, and context are irreducibly co-constituted and cannot be treated as isolated entities or processes. If one believes that context matters in terms of learning and cognition, research paradigms that simply examine these processes as isolated variables within laboratory or other impoverished contexts of participation will necessarily lead to an incomplete understanding of their relevance in more naturalistic settings (Brown, 1992).1 Alternatively, simply observing learning and cognition as they naturally Correspondence and requests for reprints should be sent to Sasha A. Barab, School of Education,

Learning as Transformation: Critical Perspectives on a Theory in Progress

Abstract: Learning as Transformation: Critical Perspectives on a Theory in Progress. Jack Mezirow & Associates. San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass Inc Publishers, 2000, hardback, 358 pp, $42. Some of the greatest challenges in preparing physical therapist students for autonomous practice are in the area of professionalism. How do we help students recognize and develop the necessary values and behaviors that uphold our commitment to serve diverse groups of patients with genuine compassion and respect? A text on teaching and learning in adult education provides some intriguing possibilities. Learning as Transformation is a collaborative text, coming out of the first National Conference on Transformative Learning in April 1998. This conference marked 20 years in developing the theory of transformative learning, initiated by Jack Mezirow in 1978, with the publication of his study of women returning to college. The primary theoretical foundation of Mezirow's work is perspective transformation. Through a process of critical self-reflection on their biographical, historical, and cultural beliefs about themselves and their role in society, the women developed new beliefs and perspectives about themselves and how they viewed the world. Fifteen scholars and practitioners join Mezirow in this text, presenting the core principles of transformative learning, analyzing the process of learning, describing different types of learners and learning strategies, and discussing findings from recent research. While Learning as Transformation is directed at a diverse group of educators, the concepts and practices are relevant for faculty in professional health care programs. The book is divided into three parts: Part One, "Developing the Concepts of Transformative Learning"; Part Two, "Fostering Transformative Learning in Practice"; and Part Three, "Moving from Practice to Theory-Analyzing the Research." The preface is an interesting presentation of the theoretical development of this approach to learning and early influences of other disciplines. Mezirow begins Part One presenting a conceptual and theoretical framework for transformative learning. The focus of transformative learning is the process of individuals learning to act on their own values and beliefs, rather than on those assimilated from others, thus gaining greater control over their lives as "socially responsible, clear thinking decision-makers." Transformative learning theorists use "frames of reference" to describe complex webs of assumptions, expectations, and values that act as filters through which we view the world and ourselves. Whereas instrumental learning is confined to adding only those ideas that are compatible to already existing frames of reference, transformative learning is described as a reformulation of these frames through a process of critical reflection. Transformations may be sudden and dramatic with reorienting insight, or they may be incremental, with a progressive series of transformations over time. These theorists suggest the result is not only a significant change in life perspective, but it is an actualization of that perspective. …

Collaborative Learning Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty

Abstract: Preface ix About the Authors xv PART ONE ESTABLISHING THE CONTEXT 1 1 Collaborative Learning: Coming to Terms with the Term 3 2 The Case for Collaborative Learning 14 PART TWO IMPLEMENTING COLLABORATIVE LEARNING 35 3 Designing the Learning Task 39 4 Orienting Students 58 5 Forming Groups 76 6 Facilitating Student Collaboration 90 7 Grading and Evaluating Collaborative Learning 101 8 Avoiding and Resolving Common Problems 118 PART THREE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING TECHNIQUES 137 9 Techniques for Discussion 151 10 Techniques for Reciprocal Teaching 187 11 Techniques for Problem-Solving 224 12 Techniques Using Graphic Information Organizers 261 13 Techniques Focusing onWriting 289 14 Techniques Using Games 330 Appendix A Useful Tools for Implementing Collaborative Learning in Online Courses 373 Appendix B Key to Classroom Environment in CoLT Examples 377 Appendix C Key to Professor Names from CoLT Examples 384 References 386 Name Index 403 Subject Index 407

What Is a "Professional Learning Community"?

Abstract: The idea of improving schools by developing professional learning communities is currently in vogue. People use this term to describe every imaginable combination of individuals with an interest in education—a grade-level teaching team, a school committee, a high school department, an entire school district, a state department of education, a national professional organization, and so on. In fact, the term has been used so ubiquitously that it is in danger of losing all meaning.

Foundations of educational theory for onl ine learning

Abstract: Foundations of Educational Theory for Online Learning di Mohamed Ally costituisce la parte introduttiva di Theory and practice of online learning, una guida curata da Terry Anderson e Fathi Elloumi e pubblicata online dalla Athabasca University (http://cde.athabascau. ca/online_book/). Il testo rappresenta un significativo passo avanti nella riflessione sul mondo della formazione Open e sulle difficolta e potenzialita che le nuove tecnologie per la comunicazione e l’informazione offrono alla formazione superiore. L’esperienza piu che trentennale dell’Athabasca University e gli studi condotti dai suoi ricercatori, messi a disposizione di enti e istituzioni dell’e-Learning attraverso il Creative Commons Copyright, assicurano una cifra di qualita e una risorsa preziosa per la ricerca.

Classroom Discourse and the Space of Learning

Abstract: Contents: Preface. Part I: On Learning and Language. F. Marton, U. Runesson, A.B.M. Tsui, The Space of Learning. Part II: On Learning. P.Y. Ko, F. Marton, Variation and the Secret of the Virtuoso. U. Runesson, I.A.C. Mok, Discernment and the Question "What Can Be Learned?" P.P.M. Chik, M.L. Lo, Simultaneity and the Enacted Object of Learning. Part III: On Language. A.B.M. Tsui, F. Marton, I.A.C. Mok, D.F.P. Ng, Questions and the Space of Learning. A.B.M. Tsui, The Semantic Enrichment of the Space of Learning. A.B.M. Tsui, The Shared Space of Learning. Part IV: On Improving Learning. M.L. Lo, F. Marton, M.F. Pang, W.Y. Pong, Toward a Pedagogy of Learning. Epilogue.

The Five-Stage Model of Adult Skill Acquisition

Abstract: The following is a summary of the author’s five-stage model of adult skill acquisition, developed in collaboration with Hubert L. Dreyfus. An earlier version of this article appeared in chapter 1 o...

Team-Based Learning: A Transformative use of Small Groups in College Teaching

Abstract: Preface Part I: The Key Ideas of Team-Based Learning 1, Beyond Small Groups - Harnessing the Extraordinary Power of Learning Teams 2, Getting Started with Team-Based Learning 3, Creating Effective Assignments - A Key Component of Team-Based Learning 4, Group Process Research - Implications for Learning Groups Part II: The Voices of Experience 5, An Alternative to Lecturing in the Sciences 6, Using Case Studies in Science - and Still "Covering the Content" 7, Working with Nontraditional and Underprepared Students in Health Education 8, A Dramatic Turnaround in a Classroom of Deaf Students 9, Overcoming Initial Mistakes When Using Small Groups 10, Creating Group Assignments that Teach Multiple Concepts in Interdisciplinary Course Content 11, Team-Based Learning in Large Classes 12, Using Team-Based Learning in a Very Traditional Cultural, and Institutional Context 13, Team-Based Learning in International Situations 14, Team-Based Learning in a Course Combining In-Class and Online Interaction Part III: Major Lessons about Team-Based Learning 15, Team-Based Learning - A Strategy for Transforming the Quality of Teaching and Learning Appendices A, Frequently Asked Questions about Team-Based Learning B, Calculating Peer Evaluation Scores C, Setting Grade Weights - A Team-Building Exercise D, Miscellaneous Materials Related to Team-Based Learning E, Speeding up Team Development with Immediate Feedback Bibliography Index About the Editors and Contributors.

Workplace participatory practices: Conceptualising workplaces as learning environments

Abstract: Arguing against a concept of learning as only a formal process occurring in explicitly educational settings like schools, the paper proposes a conception of the workplace as a learning environment focusing on the interaction between the affordances and constraints of the social setting, on the one hand, and the agency and biography of the individual participant, on the other Workplaces impose certain expectations and norms in the interest of their own continuity and survival, and in the interest of certain participants; but learners also choose to act in certain ways dependent on their own preferences and goals Thus, the workplace as a learning environment must be understood as a complex negotiation about knowledge‐use, roles and processes – essentially as a question of the learner's participation in situated work activities

Literature Review in Games and Learning

Abstract: This review is intended as a timely introduction to current thinking about the role of computer games in supporting children's learning inside and out of school. It highlights the key areas of research in the field, in particular the increasing interest in pleasurable learning, learning through doing and learning through collaboration, that games seem to offer. At the same time, the review takes a measured tone in acknowledging some of the obstacles and challenges to using games within our current education system and models of learning.

Experiential Learning Processes of Exploitation and Exploration Within and Between Organizations: An Empirical Study of Product Development

Abstract: This article examines a fundamental characteristic of modern organizations: the dynamics of exploitation and exploration in intra- and interorganizational learning processes. Exploitation is about creating reliability in experience, and thrives on productivity and refinement. Exploration is concerned with creating variety in experience, and thrives on experimentation and free association. The findings of a case study on product development within a leading Scandinavian software producer and its interorganizational collaborations with business partners suggest how experiential learning processes of exploitation and exploration within the organizations concerned generate interorganizational exploitation and exploration. Conversely, the data suggest how exploitation and exploration between the organizations generate intraorganizational exploitation and exploration. A conceptual framework describing the nature of such learning dynamics is proposed. This framework emphasizes that experiential learning is a driving force behind much intra- and interorganizational change in the form of transformations between exploitation and exploration.

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine

Abstract: Introduction. The 'why' - a rationale for communication skills teaching and learning. The 'what' - defining what we are trying to teach. The 'how' - principles of how to teach communication skills. Choosing and using appropriate teaching methods. Analysing communication skills and giving feedback in experiential teaching sessions. Running a session: facilitating communication skills teaching in different learning contexts. Running a session: facilitating tools to maximise participation and learning. Introducing research, and theory: expanding and consolidating learning. Principles of designing communication skills curricula. Specific issues of curriculum design at different levels of medical education. Assessing learners' communication skills. Enhancing facilitator development. Constructing a curriculum: the wider context.

Affect and Learning: An Exploratory Look into the Role of Affect in Learning with AutoTutor

Abstract: The role that affective states play in learning was investigated from the perspective of a constructivist learning framework. We observed six different affect states (frustration, boredom, flow, confusion, eureka and neutral) that potentially occur during the process of learning introductory computer literacy with AutoTutor, an intelligent tutoring system with tutorial dialogue in natural language. Observational analyses revealed significant relationships between learning and the affective states of boredom, flow and confusion. The positive correlation between confusion and learning is consistent with a model that assumes that cognitive disequilibrium is one precursor to deep learning. The findings that learning correlates negatively with boredom and positively with flow are consistent with predictions from Csikszentmihalyi’s analysis of flow experiences.

Patterns in Student Learning: Relationships Between Learning Strategies, Conceptions of Learning, and Learning Orientations

Abstract: This paper reviews the research conducted in the last decade on patterns in student learning, mostly in higher education. More specifically, the review focuses on a series of studies that have in common (a) the use of the Inventory of Learning Styles (ILS), an instrument aimed at measuring several components of student learning, namely, cognitive processing strategies, metacognitive regulation strategies, conceptions of learning, and learning orientations; and/or (b) an integrative learning theory focussing on the interplay between self-regulation and external regulation of learning processes as a theoretical framework. Aspects a and b are closely connected, because the development of the instrument was based on the theory. The review covers the following themes: The theoretical framework and conceptualization of student learning; a description of the instrument; the internal structure of learning strategies, conceptions, and orientations in different educational contexts; developments in learning patterns during the school career; consistency and variability in students' use of learning strategies; dissonance in students' regulation of learning processes; relations between learning patterns and personal and contextual factors; relations between learning patterns and learning outcomes; and process-oriented instruction.

Issues in language learning strategy research and teaching

Abstract: Learning strategies are the thoughts and actions that individuals use to accomplish a learning goal. Extensive research has identified the learning strategies used by students of a variety of second and foreign languages and a somewhat smaller body of research has documented the effectiveness of helping less successful language students improve their performance through learning strategy instruction. This article discusses current issues in language learning strategy research that affect teachers and learners of foreign languages. These issues include: identification procedures of learning strategies, terminology and classification of strategies, the effects of learner characteristics on strategy use, the effects of culture and context on strategy use, explicit and integrated strategy instruction, language of instruction, transfer of strategies to new tasks, and models for language learning strategy instruction. These eight issues are explored through a discussion of existing research that illumines the issues. Suggestions are presented for future research on issues that have not yet been thoroughly explored.

Using the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition to Describe and Interpret Skill Acquisition and Clinical Judgment in Nursing Practice and Education

Abstract: Three studies using the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition were conducted over a period of 21 years. Nurses with a range of experience and reported skill-fulness were interviewed. Each study used nurses’ narrative accounts of actual clinical situations. A subsample of participants were observed and interviewed at work. These studies extend the understanding of the Dreyfus model to complex, underdetermined, and fast-paced practices. The skill of involvement and the development of moral agency are linked with the development of expertise, and change as the practitioner becomes more skillful. Nurses who had some difficulty with understanding the ends of practice and difficulty with their skills of interpersonal and problem engagement did not progress to the level of expertise. Taken together, these studies demonstrate the usefulness of the Dreyfus model for understanding the learning needs and styles of learning at different levels of skill acquisition.

Foundations of Problem Based Learning

Abstract: Acknowledgements Prologue Part 1 Conceptual frames 1. Delineating core concepts of problem-based learning 2. A brief history of problem-based learning 3. Problem-based learning and theories of learning 4. Curricula models 5. Cultural contexts of academe Part 2 Recurring themes 6. What is a problem? 7. Learning teams 8. The role of students 9. The role of tutor 10. Staff support and development 11. Assessing problem-based learning Part 3 Broadening horizons 12. Embracing culture and diversity 13. Programme evaluation 14. Sustaining problem-based learning curricula Epilogue: Future imperative? Glossary Bibliography Index

The Role of Cognitive Development in Mezirow’s Transformational Learning Theory

Abstract: The link between development and learning is explicit in Mezirow’s theory of transformational learning. Indeed, numerous studies have documented that growth and development are outcomes of transfor...

Savannah: mobile gaming and learning?

Abstract: This paper reports a study that attempts to explore how using mobile technologies in direct physical interaction with space and with other players can be combined with principles of engagement and self-motivation to create a powerful and engaging learning experience We developed a mobile gaming experience designed to encourage the development of children's conceptual understanding of animal behaviour Ten children (five boys and five girls) aged between 11 and 12 years played and explored the game The findings from this study offer interesting insights into the extent to which mobile gaming might be employed as a tool for supporting learning It also highlights a number of major challenges that this format raises for the organisation of learning within schools and the design of such resources

The Blended Learning Book: Best Practices, Proven Methodologies, and Lessons Learned

Abstract: Introduction. Chapter One : How Did We Get Here? The History of Blended Learning. The Evolution of Technology-Based Training. Instructor-Led Training. Mainframe-Based Training. Satellite-Based Live Video. The PC CD-ROM Era. Development of Learning Management Systems and AICC. Enter Web-Based Training: The First Generation. Today: A Wide Range of Options. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Chapter Two: The Business of Blended Learning. The Issue of Limited Resources. Portfolio Management: Identifying High-Impact Investments. Program Portfolio Allocation. The Trap of "Cost Reduction" Programs. High-Impact Programs. Creating Measurable Goals. Certification Programs: A Special Case. Alignment with Business Objectives. Blended Learning Is a Powerful Business Tool. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Chapter Three: Blended Learning Design Concepts. How Do People Learn? The Goal of Mastery. Six Modes of Learning. Research Supports the Value of Experiential Learning. Blending Works: Thompson Job Impact Study. Cultural Goals: Socialization and Gaining Attention. The Four Types of Corporate Training. Tracking and Reporting as a Program Characteristic. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Chapter Four: Proven Blended Learning Models. The Two Approaches to Blended Learning. Five Specific Blended Learning Models. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Chapter Five: Eight Criteria for Selecting the Blending Model. Criterion 1: Program Type. Criterion 2: Cultural Goals. Criterion 3: Audience. Criterion 4: Budget. Criteriion 5: Resources. Criterion 6: Time. Criterion 7: Learning Content. Criterion 8: Technology. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Chapter Six: Developing the Budget. Sizing the Budget: Define the Size of the Problem. Compute Cost Per Learner. Economics of Blended Learning. The Five Components of the Budget. Real Costs: The Blended Learning: What Works Study. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Chapter Seven: Media Selection: The Right Blend. Review of the Selection Criteria. The Sixteen Media Types. When to Use Instructor-Led Training. When to Use On-the-Job Exercises. When to Use Live vs. Self-Study. Program Type 1: Information Broadcast Programs. Program Type 2: Critical Knowledge Transfer Programs. Program Type 3: Skills and Competency Programs. Program Type 4: Certified Skills and Competencies. Media Selection. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Chapter Eight: Content Development. The Instructional Design Team. Typical Content Development Challenges. Developing a Program Plan. The Instructional Plan. Developing Standards. Making Content Reusable. e-Learning Content Development Process. Working with SMEs. Developing Webinar or Live e-Learning Content. Development Tools. Simulations. Content Development Tips and Techniques. Outsourcing Content Development. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Chapter Nine: Learning Technology and Infrastructure. Review of Blended Learning Infrastructure. Using and Setting Standards. How Much Learning Infrastructure You Need. Do You Need an LMS at All? Low-Cost LMS Approaches. LCMS and Development Tools. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Chapter Ten: Program Management: Launch, Rollout, Support. The Challenge of Utilizing e-Learning. Review the Program Schedule. Program Launch. Executive and Management Support. Specific Launch Events. Ongoing Marketing. Support and Operations. Learning Labs. Field Coordinators. Measuring and Reporting Progress. Communication with Upper Management. Communication with Line Management. Lessons Learned in This Chapter. Moving Forward. Why Blended Learning Is So Important. Where Blended Learning Is Going. Appendices. Appendix A: Case Studies and Solutions. Appendix B: Blended Learning Study: Financial Overview. Appendix: C: Case Study Business Strategies. Appendix D: Program Checklist. Appendix E: Eight Criteria for Media Selection. Appendix F: Sixteen Media Types and Descriptions. Appendix G: Glossary. Appendix H: Selected Samples of Courseware and Media. Appendix I: Sample Detailed Instructional Plan. About the Author. Index. Pfeiffer Publications Guide.

Describing Levels and Components of a Math-Talk Learning Community.

Abstract: The transformation to reform mathematics teaching is a daunting task. It is often unclear to teachers what such a classroom would really look like, let alone how to get there. This article addresses this question: How does a teacher, along with her students, go about establishing the sort of classroom community that can enact reform mathematics practices? An intensive year-long case study of one teacher was undertaken in an urban elementary classroom with Latino children. Data analysis generated developmental trajectories for teacher and student learning that describe the building of a math-talk learning community—a community in which individuals assist one another’s learning of mathematics by engaging in meaningful mathematical discourse. The developmental trajectories in the Math-Talk Learning Community framework are (a) questioning, (b) explaining mathematical thinking, (c) sources of mathematical ideas, and (d) responsibility for learning.