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Updated: June 6th, 2008
The Learning Process: How we learn
People learn in a
variety of ways: visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactically. Referred
to as the Multiple
Intelligences. We tend to embrace information that is practical
or applicable. The more applicable information personally, the greater
the perceived value. Social activities tend to rouse curiosity and
motivate engagement in the learning process.
How we tend to remember or "retain"
experiences
Research shows we tend to remember more, the greater
our level of participation or involvement. Active participation.
When we are engaged in a real experience, simulating a real experience,
doing a dramatic presentation, giving a talk or participating in
a discussion, we are receiving highest level of stimulation .The
further removed we are from an activity, we are in a state of passive
participation such as observing an activity, watching a presentation,
looking at pictures, listening to a lecture, or reading a book.
Active Learning: Creating Excitement in
the Workshop
(Charles C. Bonwell and James A. Eison) said that discussion is
one of the most common strategies promoting active learning with
good reason. If the objectives are to promote long-term retention
of information, to motivate students toward further learning, to
allow students to apply information in new settings, or to develop
students' thinking skills, then discussion is preferable to lecture
(McKeachie et al. 1986).
Research has suggested, however, that to achieve
these goals we must be knowledgeable of alternative techniques and
strategies for questioning and discussion (Hyman 1980) and must
create a supportive intellectual and emotional environment that
encourages students to take risks (Lowman 1984).
Active Learning requires preparation and the willingness
of a facilitator to take risks, be available and vulnerable in order
to ensure students participation and use of higher-order thinking.
Each type of risk, however, can be successfully overcome through
careful, thoughtful planning. An excellent first step is to select
strategies promoting active learning that one can feel comfortable
with. Such low-risk strategies are typically of short duration,
structured and planned, focused on subject matter that is neither
too abstract nor too controversial, and familiar to both the facilitator
and participant.
Cooperative Learning: Teamwork,
Interdependance & Accountability
(Johnson, Johnson, and Smith) define Cooperative learning as the
instructional use of small groups so that students work together
to maximize their own and each other’s learning. Cooperative
learning produces higher achievement, more positive relationships
among students, and healthier psychological adjustment than do competitive
or individualistic experiences.
Cooperative learning has striking additional benefits:
Students enjoy the experience more, have a better attitude toward
the subject, develop better social skills, become more articulate,
and end up respecting differing viewpoints more than when they are
taught by traditional modes. Clearly, these are outstanding plusses,
especially for the field of science, in which educators are concerned
about our failure to engage the majority of students. Five essential
components must be present for small-group learning to be truly
cooperative:
Clear positive interdependence between
students:
The groups must be given a clear task and group goal, the success
of which demands that several individuals work
together to complete the job. Students understand that they will
either sink or swim together. In other words, they must cooperate
or fail because the task is too complex or time consuming to do
alone.
Individual and group accountability:
Not only must the group be held accountable for achieving its goals,
but each person must be held accountablefor his or her own contribution.
There must be no "hitchhiking"on the work of others.
Face-to-face (promotive) interaction:
Students need to encourage and help each other by exchanging resources,
providing feedback, challenging conclusions, acting in trusting
and trustworthy ways; in short, they need to care about one another's
success. Thus, most advocates of cooperative learning strongly recommend
using class time for group work.
Interpersonal skills:
As Johnson (1993) pointed out, "People must be taught how to
work in groups. Leadership, decision-making, trustbuilding, communication
and conflict-management skills have to be taught just as purposefully
and precisely as academic skills.
Group processing:
Students must constantly assess how well their group is functioning
and, if things are not going well, fix them. Fortunately, groups
that work together over long periods tend to resolve many initial
problems on their own.
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