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Edit RSurles.hw14- here. 1.1 What did you find interesting about the article? I am very interested in how we learn. What the process of learning entails and why. So I found the article interesting in that regard. I had not thought of the school through the metaphor of a factory and did not know of the influence of Elwood Cubberley in dictating public policy as to how schools ought to be administrated. Taylorism permeated every strata of our society; much to its detriment. The comparison between transmission theory, acquisition theory and transformation of participation theory was also insightful, because it contrast relevant views of how individuals learn. 1.1 Not interesting about the article? I would have thought the authors would have given more information about the evolution of learning theories and also a definition of learning. 2.0 The main message of the article is that it is very important to understand the educative process. Each theory has its positive attributes as well as some negative ones. It also emphasizes the importance to be aware of learning styles and the compatibility of styles to the type of instruction being given. There is no right way to teach or instruct an individual wheather the individual is an adult or a child. The right way to learn is predicated upon the best way each individual comprehends. Not on the theory or a theory that serves all. The teacher or professor or the collaborative group acts only as a facilitator in the learning process. Some of these are better than other but are individuated by the learner's style and his or her interest. One must follow their interest in order to learn. 3.1 - 3.2 In the adult-run environment I would estimate that perhaps 30% of what I have learned was engendered from that particular process. Most of this was from the formal grade school, middle school, and high school. The Military schooling was more of the form 'a community of learners. We participated together and learned together and depended on one another to survive. Each hueristic was for a specific purpose and each of us learned or comprehended a concept or procedure by doing it over and over until it was perfected. This type of learning and processing information constitutes about 30% and the balance of learning has be self directed, so to speak, to follow my interest. Learning is very much an evolving process and the percentage of allocation as to the type of learning by theory changes over the years. I would certainly agree and advocate that, for me, learning is a combination of self directed and collaboration with those individuals with common purpose and interest. 4.0 Which technologies are used/can be used/should be used to support: 4.1 Adult-run learning. Any thing and everything that supports the learning process and enables the learner to comprehend the concepts at hand. The technologies should be stimulating and directive in purpose to facilitate the learner's interest. 4.2 child-run learning. I am a proponent in allowing children to have as much support and acitivity centered technology as possible. This will enable the child to manipulate various items in their environment to enhance the learning process. This process should have a minimum of structure. Just enought to allow discovery to take place and allow the children to reflect on the how, what, when, and where of the discovery process. 4.3 community of learners. Anything that supports collaboration and distributive cognition. 5.0 analyze ourcourse from the three dimensions: 5.1 Adult-run. Eventhough we have a professor who is directing our learning process in accordance with a sylabus we as learners have ample opportunity to control our own learning process. We are like ships on the open sea with our professor acting as a compass or in some cases a GPS and through this we are pointed in a common direction, but in the final analysis it is up to each of us to fill our own cups with knowledge. 5.2 Child-run. We have the opportunity to follow our own interest in portions of the course. This allows us to expand our limits and confront issues of doubt and concern to enforce what we are learning. A rather 'hand on' approach to acquiring knowledge. 5.3 Community of learners. The very nature of the course allows us as consumers and designers of learning the ability to formulate constructive collaboration of common interest. 6.0 We should be open to our child like tendencies. Isaiah Berlin, a well noted British Philosopher, was asked to define a philosopher and he responded by saying that a philosopher is an adult who goes around asking childish questions. We should listen to children and put ourselves in their place to understand and become our own epistomologist. An open and encouraging dialogue is probably the best grounding for an open learning environment. The integration of an adult-run and child-run learning approach would probably emerge into a very strong community of learners. I think the adults have a lot to learn from the children. |
