Experiencing Learner-Centred Training Approaches aura Engaged Excellence in Research & Teaching Practices Mood Monitor Experiencing Learner-Centred Training Approaches Teaching Course 1, Day One, Session 2

Session Learning Outcomes By the end of this session, you will: Identify the application of socio constructivist theory to learning through experiential activities Analyse and produce a key resource that summarises the behaviourist, cognitivist and connectivist learning theories Identify how different learning theories can be incorporated into your teaching practice Reflect on learner outcomes and consider how to foster critical thinking

Activity 1: Experiential learning task You will be asked to create a structure: The envelope contains a diagram of your structure In groups, you have 10 minutes & paper only to make your structure Listen out for the trainers instructions To complete the task, your structure must stand independently for 1 minute

Group A: Create a Castle Structure TonyHammond/Flickr.com

Group B: Create a Tower Structure Michael Slonecker, Wikimedia

Group C: Create a Traditional African Dwelling/ Hut Create as many as you can within the time permitted

Group D: Create a Tower Structure Using a Computer Michael Slonecker, Wikimedia

“People only deeply understand what they have constructed1” Activity Purpose “People only deeply understand what they have constructed1” The activity requires you to: Use existing knowledge of construction Was this easier with stimulus image? Did the image influence your design? Highlights the importance of teamwork Alerts you to different roles people play in a team (achieving a task) Stresses importance of listening & communicating Stimulates creative & problem solving skills 1. Learning Theory - Constructivist Approach, StateUniversity.com 

Constructivism Nationaal Archief, Flickr

Social Constructivist Theory Prior knowledge & experiences play a central role in learning Ideas are formed and re-formed through settings (e.g. social, work, or education) Collaboratively constructing knowledge Bring shared ideas to learning process Learning is an iterative process Process of repetition, with each ‘iteration’ informing the basis of the next Building scaffolds 10

Social Learning Theorists Learning is situated within culture, history and context Learning happens through interaction rather than passive observation Test and synthesise ideas Builds a deeper understanding of learning concepts Ability to generalise & transfer concepts Promotes higher-order thinking skills Meaning arrives through discussions rooted in everyday realities Ability to communicate ideas, solve problems & find solutions

Group Activity Create a group resource providing details of the key principles of the following learning theories: Cognitivist Behaviourist Connectivism (20 mins)

Activity 2: Learning Theory The purpose of this activity: Define the characteristics, activities and limitations of: Behaviourism (Skinner and Thorndike) Cognitivism (Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner) Connectivism (Siemens and Shore) Reflect on the students response to different learning theories Conclude how different learning theories can be incorporated into your teaching practice

Learning Theory – Concepts Table Definition/Characteristics Types of Activity Limitations e.g. Socio/constructivism Problem-solving Collaborative learning Emphasis on social, meaningful exchanges Co-construction of knowledge Acknowledges learner has prior knowledge Group-based problems or projects Discussions based on reflection, or evaluation Peer error checking or feedback Co-operative learning Students can lack direction (due to limited guidance of educator) Problematic with certain students with disabilities Without guidance, students can reach unclear/untrue conclusions

Learning Theory – Concepts Table Definition/Characteristics Types of Activity Limitations e.g. Behaviourism Shaping and changing behaviours Stimulus-response (Conditioning an expected response) Observable behaviour Teacher reinforcement Teacher-modelling Student-repetition Rewards & positive reinforcement Memorisation activities, rewards or positive reinforcement on completion (e.g. instant feedback) Useful in transforming or modelling ‘acceptable behaviours’ Teacher demonstrations Teacher-led inputs (e.g. lecturing without interactivity) A focus on observable outcomes or behaviours is a limiting and shallow approach May not take account of new information, and their impact on behaviours

Learning Theory – Concepts Table Definition/Characteristics Types of Activity Limitations e.g. Cognitivism Reaction to behaviourism in 1960s Focus on inner mental activities or mental processes Knowledge is viewed as a ‘schema’ & learning is changes in a person’s schemata Problem-solving High-level cognitive skills Problem-solving activities Examining problems Cognitive games Sorting games Experiments Lab-based experiments Cognitive processes may not be easily observed Large scale implementation can be problematic as the educator has to invest time on a per student basis Duplicates knowledge of ‘knower’

Learning Theory – Concepts Table Definition/Characteristics Types of Activity Limitations e.g. Connectivism Emphasises the role of social and cultural context Learning as a network Learning as a process of pattern recognition Learning evolves through student enquiry and empowerment activities Topics defined at a high level by ‘educators’ Acknowledges complexity/diverse opinions Individual investigatory activities Student could define learning outcomes/goals Peer discussions Expert discussions Network forming processes Suitable for technology based learning, connecting to nodes (people) or resources Communities of practice May be unstructured without educator guidance Complex learning may not suit the learning style or expectation (requires autonomy and self-motivation) Maintaining connections is essential to facilitate learning

Critical Thinkers & Effective Information Users Are the best problem solvers, because they: See a complex problem through multiple lenses Are innovative thinkers Are willing to ‘disagree’ Able to deconstruct ideas & problems Are willing to test deeply held assumptions Are debaters http://www.inc.com/paul-schoemaker/4-secrets-of-great-critical-thinkers.html

Session Learning Outcomes You should now be able to: Identify the application of socio constructivist theory to learning through experiential activities Analyse and produce a key resource that summarises the behaviourist, cognitivist and connectivist learning theories Identify how different learning theories can be incorporated into your teaching practice Reflect on learner outcomes and consider how to foster critical thinking

The content is authored by: Siobhan Duvigneau, AURA Programme Manager, Institute of Development Studies, S.Duvigneau@ids.ac.uk This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- Non-commercial ShareAlike 3.0