Module 6 Reflections

Alfred Adler, the father of individual psychology, gave us the work which would one day serve as the basis for aspects of a parenting book I found extremely helpful. I read it as my wife was pregnant and keep revisiting it as my son reaches certain developmental milestones. Without getting too much into my personal history, I needed a model which would allow me to separate my own feelings and reactions regarding my child's behavior and filter them through a system which would provide discipline strategies in the healthiest way possible. The Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) model is one that adopts the Adlerian construct that each (human) child is an individual worthy of the full esteem and respect of adults (Dinkmeyer and McKay, 1982; Fisher, 2001).

 Through this methodology, I am (better) able to distinguish and recognize my son's behavior as a temporary condition as opposed to confusing what he has done relative to his worth as a human being. I therefore consistently reward good behavior, mainly by recognizing the desirable things he does while at the same time either ignoring bad behavior or providing consequences that match those bad behaviors. I never tell him he has been good or bad. He is a child and therefore inherently good and worthy. He may have done something that is not desirable or against the family rules. In these cases he has essentially made a choice which will garner appropriate consequences directly related to the action.

While discipline is not the focus of this week's readings, the commonality is that we help people become self-realized and competent by acknowledging their worth as capable human beings through engaging them in activities that are challenging, intriguing and rewarding and then acknowledging their successes in unmistakable and significant ways that serve as proof to them that they are worthy in the first place (Dweck, 2006). I would go on to say that as part of acknowledging their worth, we hold them accountable for their actions in ways that underscore that they have a choice in all things.

There are myriad examples of this. However, my favorite is an HBO documentary which takes place in Louisville and New York called The Music in Me: The Leopards Take Manhattan: The Little Band that Roared. It is the story of a  percussion group led by Louisville teacher Diane Downs who, through determination and practice, is invited to perform at an international Jazz convention. The takeaway in this story relative to the discussion at hand is that these elementary and middle school children are going way beyond the standard expectations of classroom learning and performance. In fact, they are members of what is ostensibly an after school club.

Listening to the student comments in the documentary made me realize that many days Ms. Downs is doing something which I think is relatively uncommon in a person's academic life; she is validating her students' worthiness by connecting with them on a very personal level and asking for a very high level of performance. The group of children in this video seem driven and fulfilled, even when the going gets rough.

Some of these Louisville Leopards have gone on to study music. However, I am confident all of them have created such deep meaning from this experience that they will link future learning to the moments shared through this experience the rest of their lives. It is as close to magic as I have seen in education.

The more practical aspects of this module as presented by Pajares (2006) give us some advice on engendering positive theories of self belief relative to social constraints. I found three very compelling constructs with regard to this postulate. 

Firstly, all students are capable of being both models and receptive to modeling. Moreover, the teacher is also a very influential model and must be ever aware of the verbal and nonverbal messages he or she sends every day. It seems that issues of group dynamics and modeling could be very complex. This is something that if I were a K-12 teacher I would want to investigate further.

Second, as I mentioned relative to my attempts at becoming a better parent, teachers must make a concerted effort to separate human dignity from human behavior. They must therefore praise effort and individual outcome relative to a starting point in lieu of ability. This is due to the fact that one's true ability may not be completely evident to the teacher, let alone the student and making presumptions about these things without serious attention may be tantamount to setting up students for failure.

Third, teachers have to teach students not only the subject matter at hand, they must also teach students how to accurately view themselves relative to the educational process. They should teach students how to be flexible in their self concepts relative to learning and performing challenging tasks. Students must learn how to recognize their feelings and emotions, deal with them in constructive ways and then sometimes put them aside in order focus on the work at hand. Teachers must highly fixate on fostering optimism and confidence by accentuating and recognizing their students' growing capacities and skill sets as they mature and potentiate their ability become more self-actualized.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House. [Excerpt]

Dinkmeyer, D., & McKay, G. D. (1983). The Parent's Handbook: Systematic Training for Effective Parenting. Circle Pines Minnesota: American Guidance Service.

Fisher, M. (2001). Alfred Adler Retrieved December 6, 2011, from http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/adler.htm

Pajares, F. (2006). Self-efficacy beliefs during adolescence: Implications for teachers and parents. In F. Pajares & T. Urdan (Eds.), Adolescence and education, Vol. 5: Self-efficacy beliefs of adolescents (pp. 339-367). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.

The Graduate School "A"

I would really like some feedback if anyone is reading. In reading Pajares, I am reminded of something. Please consider the following passage:

"The student accustomed to receiving As is likely to have her academic confidence bruised; the C-acquainted student is sure to have her confidence boosted.Context is not always everything, but it colors everything" (p 342).

I am not bragging when I say this, because Dr. Usher mentioned something to this effect in a post. Graduate students are supposed to be A students. University policy compels it. I have a 4.0 graduate GPA both here and  in my master's program, one of just a fraction to accomplish that.

This article brought up several thoughts, but most prominent in my mind is that there are different levels of A. In my graduate school experience, I believe there are three types.

The first is what I call a marginal A. It is really a B but a B has become socially unacceptable. You get this A when your work is competent, but not excellent. Giving a B might either demotivate the student or the professor is not interested in engaging substantively the reason for assigning a B and so it is the most expedient action to assign the A.

The second kind of A is acceptable. To earn an acceptable A means that you maintained satisfactory progress but added only a little to the class or to yourself as a result of metabolizing the material. This is the kind of A most faculty give. However, it also probably means that the professor will not remember you as a student in class a year or two down the road.

The last is the masterful A. This is the A that says you own the material. You have processed it, making deep connections. You have compartmentalized or discarded what is less useful and weaved what is important into your personal schemata. Masterful students make an impact on the class and leave the teacher with an impression, even if they do not agree with the student on philosophical points or if the student shows his or her novice.

Why we are so loathe to assign and accept less than an A grade was something of a mystery to me. However, Pajares says that it has a lot to do with how we see ourselves relative to our own personal self-beliefs and the environment in which we operate. Additionally, we live in a world where relative performance is of utmost concern. We have to rank individuals. I understand the need to do this in certain contexts, but in others it is perplexing.

Module 5 Reflection

The definition of a problem is itself problematic, as it presents several concepts whose very nature is ill-structured. For example, Merriam-Webster defines a problem as a question raised for inquiry, consideration or solution while the Oxford English Dictionary lists five main representations, each containing a different construct. Moreover, there are dozens of idiomatic expressions which include the use of the word. We need to be concerned with this concept because answering difficult questions; making sense of both familiar and unfamiliar propositions; solving puzzles, riddles and enigmatic statements (OED) is ostensibly the point of learning. Jerome Bruner (1996) said that learning entails understanding a culture’s shared symbology and above all, how to utilize its tool kit, the important human capital which allows one to participate in and derive personal benefit from his or her culture.

If we are to understand problem solving, we should understand the stratification of various problem types, as well as the processes one might engage in in order to be successful. Pretz, Naples and Sternberg (2003) explicate a seven point process by which three main goals are achieved. First, one must recognize that a problem exists. This may take various forms depending on how the situation unfolds or the problem is presented. Second, the problem is defined; the scope and goals are clearly understood. Third, the problem is represented such that mental information is amassed and organized relative to the problem itself, but also as it pertains to prior information or experiences held by the problem solver.

There is also the issue of well-structured versus ill-structured problems. This is of significance to me because in my world and work, having an understanding of problem solving relative to computers and technology is a critical skill. I can survive not knowing any specific software application or repair protocol as long as my general problem solving ability relative to these things is intact. Well-structured problems according to Pretz, Naples and Sternberg are clear and solvable by a prescribed algorithm. In contrast, ill-defined problems are not well understood, and may be constrained by preconceptions, as they are not able to be broken down into smaller subsets.

This topic relates to the rest of the readings because the ultimate goal in education is to teach students how to teach themselves, to inspire and make them responsible for their own learning by drawing upon intrinsic motivations which will hopefully keep the torch of knowledge and inquiry burning throughout their lives. At the very least, we hope to impart a generalizable skill set which will allow them to solve life’s problems with a modicum of effort. We know these interests and energies are not always constant. Noddings (2006) acknowledges that even high motivations may wane, at which times we must rely on habituation in order to sally forth. The real goal here is a self-awareness sufficient to inform students as to their own meta-cognition, or knowledge about the nature and purpose of knowledge.

References

Bruner, J. (1996) The Culture of Education, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

Merriam-Webster Online. (no date). Problem. Retrieved November 29, 2011 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/problem.

Noddings, N. (2006). Critical lessons: What our schools should teach. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Oxford English Dictionary. (no date). Problem. Retrieved November 29, 2011 from http://www.oed.com.libproxy.eku.edu/view/Entry/151726?rskey=ypTCKE&result=1#eid.

Pretz, J. E., Naples, A. J., & Sternberg, R. J. (2003). Recognizing, defining, and representing problems. In J. E. Davidson & R. J. Sternberg (Eds.), The psychology of problem solving (pp. 1-30). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Module 5 - A metaphor for learning

I subscribe to an idea inspired by Keegan (1995). On page 272, he says that as we become adults, we leave the “mental homes we have furnished and made familiar.” Learning is a home both in function and metaphor. Our homes are individual; even tract homes over time acquire individuation. They contain furnishings of our own choosing and design, for even lack of choice still garners a discernable manifestation. There is a connectedness in every room, as it all serves a unified purpose. Each artifice therein bears relationships to every other thing, no matter how indirect.

Some homes may be lavishly decorated, some drab. Some are utilitarian and others airy and expansive. Craftsmanship plays a significant role in the long-term durability. Let us also not forget that routine maintenance is required lest the facilities deteriorate. However, the essential structure of the house, once erected, remains more or less intact even should the home become unoccupied for a time.

The last great similarity between these two practically dissimilar concepts is that the construction of either a quality home or education requires a great deal of resources and effort on the part of the owner.

Module 4: Information Processing - Validating Immutable Truths

For me, the genius of James resides not just in what he said, but his conviction and accuracy of what he said relative to the era in which he said it. There were few sophisticated quantitative methods and no real prior frameworks on which to hang one's theoretical hat. Moreover, he eschewed an over-reliance on science for teachers, telling them that there are many correct applications informed by the understanding of science:

"A science only lays down lines within which the rules of tlie art nrust fall, laws which the follower of the art must not transgress; but what particular thing he shall positively do withinthose lirles is left exclusively to his own genius. One genius will do hisis work well and succeed in one way, while another. succeeds as well quite differently; yet neither will transgress the lines" (p.8).

I believe this to be true of all of the seminal theorists with which we are acquainted. Yet how do such thinkers become validated? In the case of the myriad constructs which comprise the theories of information processing, innovations in technology produce a shared construct and cultural awareness. These advents allowed us a unified understanding through the conceptualization of metaphors. Last week, the Mayer (1996) article presented some common metaphors relative to the act of encoding, storing and retrieving information. As information technology has captured both the imagination and the lion's share of the American labor force, we have a concept that is widely understood and accepted to which we may compare ourselves. It is almost as if we have anthropomorphized computers as we make these comparisons relative to the information processing frameworks presented this week.

The information processing theory movement has given operational and quantitative credence to James, Thorndike, Skinner, and others. We can now point to studies in which we know the mind creates schematic, systematic linkages which demand a routinized operationalized methodology for delivering instruction (Kirschner, Sweller and Clark, 2006).

However, it also uncovers another immutable truth- The act of processing information, encoding these data into existing structures and then recalling it relatively far into the future, is a very complex process for which there are human consistencies and commonalities but not absolutes. In my opinion, this is the chief reason it is so important: It explains and validates the theory of James (who defies classification by embracing good pedagogy in light of associationist and constructivist purviews) and the orientation of behaviorists toward the stimulus-response model of learning. It then serves as a bridge to the now popular constructivist leanings by showing us that the business of memory and association and deep connections, at least the methods by which information is internalized, may be highly individualized and are not fully understood.

This leads us to the concept of storing memories for long durations. My own personal connections to the information deal with times in my life when I knew I knew something. I am talking about those touchstone moments where I have felt validated in my knowledge of a given topic or realized that I am better now than I used to be; I have grown.

Spanish was my first love and I tried for years to achieve what I considered a perfect fluency. Of course, there is no such thing for a non-native unless he or she has been taught at a very early age. In fact, when I think of fluency, I think of the word fluidity, which can be defined as a changeable quality within a given thing (Princeton Word Net). Perfect linguistic fluency is not static or set in non-native speakers unless they have constant exposure to the language.

I was in Guatemala during Christmas one year and we were going out to buy firecrackers. Firecrackers are about as Guatemalan on Christmas as "Jingle Bells" is American for us here at home. As we are getting ready to leave, I excitedly call out, "vamos, pues!" which simply means "well, let's go!" It was automatic. I had never said that before ever or had really even been in a context where I might say it. Yet the girlfriend of our host asked him what Spanish speaking country I was from. Though I have lost much of my automaticity with regard to the language, I know at one time I had arrived.

The process of storing information is complex, but we do know several truths that lie therein.

Firstly, the intentional long term storage of information for most is not had by simply deciding to remember.  Marsh and Butler (2011) present scores of works which point to specific practices which may facilitate information processing, Chiefly among these is the concept that performing memory tasks which require more mental effort will ensure that information is retained for longer periods:

"The main idea is that introducing difficulties during learning will result in superior long-term retention because the greatest gains in storage strength occur when retrieval strength is low." (p. 5)

Second, Kirschner, Sweller and Clark (2006) validate James' concept of apperception and the association of ideas by presenting the concept of schema as it applies to cognitive load theory. Moreover, they posit that providing guidance during the instructional process will ensure better learning outcomes because teachers can provide ready linkages to concepts already held by students, thus decreasing mental taxation:

"...cognitive load theory suggests that the free exploration of a highly complex environment may generate a heavy working memory load that is detrimental to learning. This suggestion is particularly important in the case of novice learners, who lack proper schemas to integrate the new information with their prior knowledge" (p. 80).

Lastly, due to these easily accessible metaphors as presented by Mayer (1996), we see a number of effective evidence-based methods designed to assist students maximize the potential of their memories. We even go as far as seeing people compete in memory contests effectively using these methods, the origins of which began over a century ago.

We have in this module not only a bridge, but also perhaps an addition of lanes on the highway. For beginners in any field, it is necessary to show the differences between concepts. Placing like things in one pile and those which exemplify contrasting characteristics in yet another. However, what I think we are seeing is that the study of the brain shows that there can be harmony between constructivist and  associactionist views, not on a pure epistemological level, but rather as James posited within the purview of the art of teaching.

References

Fluidity (2011) wordnetweb.princeton.edu Retrieved November 22, 2011, from wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn.

James, W. (1962). Talks to teachers on psychology and to students on some of life's ideals. New York: Dover. (Original work published 1899).

Kirschner, P. A., Sweller, J., & Clark, R. E. (2006). Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work: An analysis of the failure of constructivist, discovery, problem-based, experiential, and inquiry-based teaching. Educational Psychologist, 41, 75-86. Retrieved November 20, 2011 from http://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/2010/KirschnerSwellerClark2006.pdf.


Marsh, E. J., & Butler, A. C. (in press). Memory in educational settings. In D. Reisberg (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of cognitive psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved November 19, 2011 from http://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/2010/MarshButler2011.pdf.

Mayer, R. E. (1996). Learners as information processors. Educational Psychologist, 31, 151-161. Retrieved November 20, 2011 from http://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/2010/MayerEP1996.pdf.

List some strategies based on the theory of desirable difficulties

This is not my official response to this week's module, just something I wanted to write in hopes someone with some ideas or knowledge might comment.

Page five of Marsh and Butler (2011) explains the theory of desirable difficulties (Bjork et al.). Simply stated, making your brain work harder to retrieve information in the short term may boost long term storage potential. The example described in the article is waiting a bit longer to recall flash card information rather than just a few seconds or so.

However, I wonder if this could be applied to other similar exercises. Obviously, we need to make different types of connections to information in order to enhance processing. but I wonder in what ways might we also make learning more challenging in the short term to produce better outcomes in the long term. What strategies has this course employed in order to exemplify this concept?

Minecraft in Education

I want to introduce the uninitiated to Minecraft, a sandbox style game in which you (the character) tries to survive by gathering resources (food, building supplies), constructing buildings and exploring a seemingly endless world, all the while avoiding natural hazards, nighttime zombies and other creatures whose sole mission is to destroy you.

What does this have to do with education. Well, there is quite a bit of scholarship about games in education. Here is one from Richard E. Mayer, a scholar we have seen in this class.

But let's dispense with the theory for a minute. I really want you all to look at what this guy is doing. He has called himself the Minecraft Teacher. He has taken a complex, immersive game that is unbelievably simple to play and showcases the many things he and others have taught by modestly modifying/customizing the software.


I invite you to take a look at his blog and ask me if you have any questions about the game.
http://minecraftteacher.net/
http://minecraftedu.com/