Kerr and Kapp both have valid points. Kerr is warning us not to become so wedded to
a theory, one of his “–isms,” that we try to force it to fit all situations and
these various “–isms” should be seen as a guide rather than the be-all and
end-all of how learning takes place. (Kerr,
2007) Theory is useful until it
no longer fits and then it can get in the way of understanding.
Kapp said several things that I agree with completely: “we
need to take pieces from each school of thought and apply it effectively … we
need to take the best from each philosophy and use it wisely to create solid
educational experiences for our learners.” (Kapp,
2007) Kapp recognizes there is such a
diversity of student learners that one theory is not the answer to every
question and also that a single learner may pass through several ‘theory’
stages in their learning career.
The last point, that a single
learner may pass through several ‘theory’ stages in their learning career can
apply to all of us, at least it applies to me.
I learned under ‘behaviorist’ theory when in elementary school. Multiplication tables were memorized, so was
the alphabet, and “The Gettysburg Address” all fit under that learning
theory. By high school and definitely
in college, Cognitivism had taken over, for the most part, but by the end of
university and then into the Master’s program, Constructivism could be used to
explain problem-solving and collaboration.
Kapp’s statement that “learning is not one thing … it is multi-faceted
and that is why developing new models … is so difficult … there are too many
levels for one school of thought or one model to do it all.” (Kapp, 2007)
Kapp, K. (2007, January, 2).
Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of
thought
[Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/http://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/
Kerr, B. (2007, January 1).
_isms as filter, not blinker [Web log post]. Retrieved from
You gave an example of how a learner can pass through several learning theory stages from elementary school through college. Have you thought about how to apply all three learning theories when developing a single course? I develop coursework and curriculum for an online university. Through the years it has been challenging to find learning resources that support the diverse backgrounds of adult learners. Reflecting on the idea that behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism can all be used within a single course has helped me realize why some learning resources selected have been more successful than others. I have used courseware that contains reading material, flashcards, drill and practice quizzes, video demonstrations, and simulation-based labs. These “course in the can” resources support the highly competent student without losing the beginners. The variety in presentation supports various learning styles but clearly incorporated facets of all three learning theories. The developers of the courseware were not just focused on covering all topics and objectives. I suspect the learning resource provider had trained instructional designers working with educational technologists and content experts. In search of discussion on this topic, I found an article that you might find of interest: http://www.ifets.info/journals/4_3/moallem.html.
ReplyDeleteGreat points about using multiple theories. I am wondering what you think about, if you see it, administrators being so stuck in using one way to accomplish their goals with school improvement? I know from personal experience that some administrators get one idea from a "new" book they read and try that theory for about half the year. If they do not see results in that time, they change their technique to something else. Usually, by the same theorist. It takes time for changes to take hold and to see true results. However, most administrators do not have the time to wait to see the results. If we can figure out how to get a school to change their results in 6 months or less, we'll be billionaires.
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