1 March 2018
Today we learn about the different learning types and how they are represented in the real world and digital world.
1. Acquisition : Learning through acquisition is the default format followed in the education today. It has a certain advantage as it lets us discover the theories that are already established, brings a viewpoint of experts and in a way brings a progressive form of learning.
In the digital world this can be done by watching videos or listening to podcasts on a certain topic.
2. Discussion : This is the method in which the content is left to be explored from different perspectives. Students need to be open to counter views and agree to have a conclusion that is not necessarily in line with what they set out to prove. In a class set up this can be seen through debates and discussion groups. In the digital context we can see this as online discussion forums.
3. Investigation : In this learning type the student is encouraged to explore the text in his own line of inquiry. He can arrive at his conclusion through his own research which he may obtain from referring other resources. This kind of learning is usually the most beneficial in terms of acquiring a depth to the learning for the student. It can be undertaken through research work, field trips, reference guides etc. Technologically it can be done through wikis, youtube videos , using search tools etc.
4. Collaboration : This is seen when the textual matter is brought about as an output of group studies where each learner bring his perspective to achieve a common goal. The skills of negotiation and co operation are explored with a focus on the final output. In class it can be seen as group projects and research work. In digital context it can be done through online forums for project completion.
5. Practice : This is the process of putting the learnings to test to analyse the level of concept understanding that has taken place for the student. They may present different scenarios to help gain the understanding of the responses. They can be done through lab tests and presentations. Digitally it can done using multimedia presentations, even video games that target a specific area of learning.
6. Production : This is representation of the learnings through documentation that helps the teacher to observe what the student has understood and help guide them. This is done by reports, documents and presentations. Online it can be done through e-portfolios, presentation slides and videos that can be uploaded.
Important points to be careful while introducing ICT in classrooms are :
1. To be aware of the prime reason why we are using ICT . For eg. if we are explaining a science concept and use a digital tool to represent / document the learnings, the teacher needs to be cautious that not much focus is diverted towards learning of the tool itself rather than the concept , which was the original reason why the ICT is even being used.
2. Sometimes the tools may not be intelligent enough to analyse the content. Hence the teacher is the one who should oversee the work though technology is adopted to perhaps have a deeper understanding. For eg. If the students have been asked to represent the lifecycle of a butterfly through the use of digital images, the students may have captured the various stages but the tool may not raise a flag if the orientation of the images are not done in the right sequence as they should appear to explain the lifecycle. This is where the teacher has to be very cautious that the student has had a real understanding of the science and is aware while putting it in practice.
The ideal way of learning is one that encompasses all the above types. Technology has the capacity to enhance the already existing conventional approaches to these learning types. Using them we can add more value to the students way of learning.
One thing to remember is always to ask " Given my learning and teaching goals, how can technology help?" and not the other way around.
Today we learn about the different learning types and how they are represented in the real world and digital world.
1. Acquisition : Learning through acquisition is the default format followed in the education today. It has a certain advantage as it lets us discover the theories that are already established, brings a viewpoint of experts and in a way brings a progressive form of learning.
In the digital world this can be done by watching videos or listening to podcasts on a certain topic.
2. Discussion : This is the method in which the content is left to be explored from different perspectives. Students need to be open to counter views and agree to have a conclusion that is not necessarily in line with what they set out to prove. In a class set up this can be seen through debates and discussion groups. In the digital context we can see this as online discussion forums.
3. Investigation : In this learning type the student is encouraged to explore the text in his own line of inquiry. He can arrive at his conclusion through his own research which he may obtain from referring other resources. This kind of learning is usually the most beneficial in terms of acquiring a depth to the learning for the student. It can be undertaken through research work, field trips, reference guides etc. Technologically it can be done through wikis, youtube videos , using search tools etc.
4. Collaboration : This is seen when the textual matter is brought about as an output of group studies where each learner bring his perspective to achieve a common goal. The skills of negotiation and co operation are explored with a focus on the final output. In class it can be seen as group projects and research work. In digital context it can be done through online forums for project completion.
5. Practice : This is the process of putting the learnings to test to analyse the level of concept understanding that has taken place for the student. They may present different scenarios to help gain the understanding of the responses. They can be done through lab tests and presentations. Digitally it can done using multimedia presentations, even video games that target a specific area of learning.
6. Production : This is representation of the learnings through documentation that helps the teacher to observe what the student has understood and help guide them. This is done by reports, documents and presentations. Online it can be done through e-portfolios, presentation slides and videos that can be uploaded.
Important points to be careful while introducing ICT in classrooms are :
1. To be aware of the prime reason why we are using ICT . For eg. if we are explaining a science concept and use a digital tool to represent / document the learnings, the teacher needs to be cautious that not much focus is diverted towards learning of the tool itself rather than the concept , which was the original reason why the ICT is even being used.
2. Sometimes the tools may not be intelligent enough to analyse the content. Hence the teacher is the one who should oversee the work though technology is adopted to perhaps have a deeper understanding. For eg. If the students have been asked to represent the lifecycle of a butterfly through the use of digital images, the students may have captured the various stages but the tool may not raise a flag if the orientation of the images are not done in the right sequence as they should appear to explain the lifecycle. This is where the teacher has to be very cautious that the student has had a real understanding of the science and is aware while putting it in practice.
The ideal way of learning is one that encompasses all the above types. Technology has the capacity to enhance the already existing conventional approaches to these learning types. Using them we can add more value to the students way of learning.
One thing to remember is always to ask " Given my learning and teaching goals, how can technology help?" and not the other way around.
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