Learning 101 for the online era
-
Upload
junaid-qadir -
Category
Education
-
view
326 -
download
1
Transcript of Learning 101 for the online era
The pedagogy of online education: historical overview and future directions
Junaid QadirAssociate Professor,
Information Technology University (ITU), Pakistan
Learning 101 for the online era
The pedagogy of online education: historical overview and future directions
About me
Have taught an online course (MOOC?) for VU
Experienced teacher (~8 years of experience)
Despite the accessibility of a wealth of information in the current era—through books, universities, or online MOOCs—
most students fail to learn as much as they can (despite the intent and will to succeed).
Our focus—both in research and practice—is more on pedagogy and content
(rather than on empowering learners with reliable learning
know-how.)
noun The method and practice of learning
?
The lack of focus on learning can be seen from the fact that there is no widely accepted (single-word) name for the science of learning
Why isn’t there a focus on the method and practice of learning?
Is it because all of us intuitively know what (does not) works for learning?
Our intuition of how learning works is
unreliable and often counterproductive.
Bob Bjork
Paradoxical nature of learning
(Desirable difficulties) It is beneficial for learning to create study conditions that make learning difficult and slow. This is in conflict with the quick-fix desire in learners and instructors to see quick improvements.
Learning 101 (the missing basics)
“The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue”
—Antisthenes.
Rereading text, and massed practice---the most popular study strategies of learners---is also among the least productive, since 1) it is time consuming; 2) the knowledge
gained is transitory; 3) and it contributes to an illusion of learning.
We need to put in the right kind of effort (technique).
Fixed/ Growth Mindset: views intelligence as something that cannot (/ can) be developed through effort.
Carol Dweck
To learn, you must forget
Practice before forgetting is wasteful … while practice after forgetting leads to longer lasting learning
(Some) difficulties are desirable
“One of the most striking research findings is the power of active retrieval—testing—to strengthen memory, and that the more effortful the retrieval,
the stronger the benefit.”
“by spacing or interleaving the practice, retrieval is harder, your performance is less accomplished, and you feel let down, but
your learning is deeper and you will retrieve it more easily in the future.”
Cognitive benefits of disfluency?
Easy come, easy go? It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.
We don’t like failing/ making mistakes, but failure is the
key to success.
Open issues relating to MOOCs
MOOCs for the developing world?
“Technology amplifies human capacity and
intent; it doesn't substitute for them.” ---Kentaro Toyama
Digital dividends depend on key “analog complements” that
include appropriate policies, incentives, accountability, and
capable human workforce.
MOOC’s performance metrics?
HarvardX and MITx: The First Year of Open Online Courses, Fall 2012-Summer 2013 https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/11987422/1%20HarvardX%20MITx%20Report.pdf
The ideal MOOC may be the one that elicits the maximum attrition.
MOOC’s performance metrics?
Effectiveness of OER in Pakistan
How to incorporate OERs into standard university course? -- Blended Learning/ Flipped Learning approaches.
How to incentivize student participation?
Benefit of diverse models
Conclusions
Optimizing learning and instruction often requires
going against one’s intuitions BOB BJORK
Online learning is a tool, just as the textbook is a tool. The way
the teacher and the student uses the tool is what really counts.
Online learning provides great opportunities and also great challenges.
Credits/ Acknowledgments
Figures from various sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Ebbinghaus http://www.psychologicalscience.org/redesign/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/bjork_robert_web.jpg http://psych.wustl.edu/memory/Images/roediger.jpg https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/11987422/1%20HarvardX%20MITx%20Report.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dewey http://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/ Various icons of MOOCs (e.g., Coursera, Udacity, TED, EdX)
Books WDR 2016, World Bank. Mindset, Carol Dweck Geek Heresy, Kentaro Toyama
These resources have been used in these lecture slides for educational purpose under the fair use doctrine. The ownership of these resources, if copyrighted, is retained by their respective copyright owners.