This week we move toward considering cognitive views of learning. As we begin our readings and discussions on cognitive views of learning I think it is important to note the value of taking an eclectic approach to the application of learning theories to designing and delivering instruction or training. There are numerous learning principles that appear in a wide variety of theoretical perspectives, including cognitive psychology, behaviorism, and social learning theory. It is very unlikely that anyone can say that they are a behaviorist and nothing else, or a constructivist and nothing else. Even if some say this, it is highly likely that you will find evidence to the contrary when you watch them in practice. Some learning goals are better met by an information processing approach while others might be better met from a situated cognition approach. The ideal is to understand the variety of theories offered and use each as needed to create the most efficient and effective learning possible given the learners. Comparison and contrast is important (and an activity you will engage in this week) to distinguish among the cases in which application of one or the other might be more or less appropriate. However, I think you will find that many theories have similar educational implications.

This week I have 3 lectures that you might be interested in to further your understanding of the text chapters this week. The first lecture is on Cognitive Developmental Theories. It begins with a comparison between behaviorism and cognitivism and the assumptions of each, but the main focus is on Piaget's cognitive developmental theory. The second lecture contains an overview of Vygotskian theory and also includes some information on Bruner's theory (one not covered in your text). The third lecture focuses on information processing theory. All or parts of these lectures supplement material in your text. Remember as you listen that you can use the real player controls to fast forward or stop the lecture whenever you want. The lectures and the lecture notes are in the training materials section this week.

Please review the objectives for this week and read your text carefully with these in mind.

Session Activities

• Listen to any lectures you might find interesting and take notes as you go.
• Complete the Chapter Seven Quiz for Ormrod. You will have 120 minutes for this quiz. You may go directly into the eLearning system or read the directions first.
• Complete the Chapter Eleven Quiz for Ormrod. You will have 120 minutes for this quiz. You may go directly into the eLearning system or read the directions first.

Reading/Research

I would like for you to visit http://www.apa.org/ed/lcp2/lcp14.html and read about the 14 learner-centered psychological principles that a task force of the American Psychological Association developed. These principles were developed as a framework for redesigning and reforming schools but make note of the fact that the principles they chose apply across all ages of learners. They also emphasize that they are based in research and practice (meaning there is empirical research on it as well as practical application in the real world).

Another resource I would like for you to read this week is found at http://www.educause.edu/content.asp?page_id=2594&bhcp=1 . This set of learner-centered principles is focused on higher education. Read the introduction provided and then visit the link provided for a map of the learning space to view the different areas they have identified. Finally, take a gander at the atlas-sized overview they provide that is basically a concept map for their 'learning space' We will begin working on our own concept maps this week.

There are a multitude of web resources available on the plethora of topics covered in this week's chapters. A few of these are listed below. Feel free to peruse at your leisure to assist in your understanding of these topics or expand on your current knowledge.

• Pattern Recognition
• Learning Theories: A primer exercise (good overview/comparison w/behaviorism)
• The Information Processing Approach: Educational Psychology Interactive
• Dual Coding Theory
• Levels of Processing

• Jean Piaget Archives
• Profile of Piaget in TIME
• Teaching for Understanding

• Vygotsky (Virtual Faculty)
• Piaget/Vygotsky lecture outline
• Cognitive Development
• Constructivism
• Socio-Cultural Theory

• Situated Cognition and the Culture of Learning. Brown, Collins, and Duguid
• Designing Effective Learning Environments: Cognitive Apprenticeship Models. Sue E. Berryman
• What Should Collaborative Technology Be? A Perspective From Dewey and Situated Learning. Jeremy Roschelle
• Situated Learning (J. Lave)
• The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury
• Affordances and Constraints of the Internet for Learning and Instruction
• Situated Cognition in Theoretical and Practical Context (really good one for those of you also in ID)
• SITUATED INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN: BLURRING THE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION, CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
• Reflections on Technology Sasha Barab

Writing: Discussions

Choose 2 of the following 3 options to complete:

1. Option 1: Piaget and Vygotsky
   Compare and contrast Piaget and Vygotsky on one or more of the concepts they proposed. For example, how do they differ in their idea about how peers influence cognitive development? How would each suggest learning in pairs should be arranged? What are the similarities and differences between how each viewed development taking place (equilibration and the zpd)? How do their views differ on egocentric speech? What about the role of the teacher in learning? These are just examples...you can compare and contrast anything of relevance.
   
   Report your comparison in this threaded discussion
   
   
2. Option 2: Verbal Learning Research and Memory Theories
   Choose 2 learning principles derived from verbal learning research in chapter 7 of your text (serial learning curve, primacy effect, recency effect, overlearning, distributed and massed practice, retroactive inhibition and facilitation, and proactive inhibition and facilitation) and discuss how they can be explained using memory theories presented in chapter 7 of your text.
   
   Share your discussion in this threaded discussion.
   
   
3. Option 3: Situated Cognition
   Using the links provided above read more about situated cognition (a contextual perspective mentioned in Chapter 7 of your text). Share what you have learned about this perspective on learning. State in your own words an assumption about knowledge or learning that a situated cognition proponent would support. Compare and contrast that assumption to one or more of the theories we have discussed so far. Do you think a situated cognition theorist would advocate the use of computer simulations in education? Why or why not? Do you think a situated cognition theorist would advocate vocational education in public schools? Why or why not? Share with us your impressions (positive and negative) of situated cognition and its instructional implications for PK-12 schools? What about for undergraduate education? graduate education? professional development? military training? business and industry? Provide an example of how this theory can be/is put into action in one or more of these settings.
   
   Participate in this threaded discussion.
   

APA Tidbits

We have had some great tidbits from Chapters 1 and 2 as well as others (from me) on various aspects of APA format and style. This week I have assigned everyone to read Chapter 3 of the manual. This one is a very long one although we have covered different parts of it in previous sessions. One aspect that we have yet to focus on is the format of tables and figures in a paper. This will become important to you as you continue work on your ABA Project. Within your project you will be collecting data on your progress of behavior modification. Once you complete your implementation you will write a final project report. In this report I require that you include at least one table or figure to communicate the results of your project. You will most likely use the data you collect that tracks your progress for this. As you continue with your project this week and also read chapter three of the manual begin thinking about whether you will likely use a table or a figure to share your data.

Session Activities

• Choose 2 of the following 3 discussions and post an original response:
  • Piaget and Vygotsky
  • Verbal Learning Research and Memory Theories
  • Situated Cognition
    
• Read Chapter 3 in your APA Manual. Pay close attention to formatting tables and figures. You will be required to create at least one original table or figure when you write up your ABA Project. Create one tidbit for Chapter 3 and send it to me via email.
  

ABA Project (contd) & Concept Mapping

Our 'In Practice' Session this week is a continuation of your ABA Project. As a review, an outline of the activities related to this project is as follows:

Week 4: Complete Form 1: Analyzing a behavior you want to change

Week 5: Complete Form 2: Developing a behavior modification plan

Week 6 - 9: Collect data and monitor behavior change

Week 10: Summarize data and write up final report

Please note that on Form 2 you decide on page 1 whether your behavior change is one in which you want to increase or begin a behavior or one in which you want to decrease or stop a behavior. You will then only fill out the section of the Form that pertains to the change you are targeting (increase or decrease). Also notice that Form 2 requires you to take information from Form 1 and restate or summarize it here. This is where Form 1 will come in handy again this week (as well as when you write up your project).

Regardless of the path you choose (increase or decrease) both sections of the form take you through the process of creating a weekly plan for behavior change and to gradually increase or decrease your target behavior. The 'increase behavior' portion provides for a 4 week plan while the 'decrease behavior' portion provides for a 5 week plan. We are working within a specific time frame here so I would like for everyone, regardless of 'increase or decrease' to only complete a 4 week plan.

Finally, on page 7 (for increase behavior) and 14 (for decrease behavior) are tracking sheets to use each week of implementation of your plan. These will not be filled out this week given my goal is for you to have the plan ready to implement for the following week. During weeks 6 - 9 (implementation) you will fill out a tracking sheet for each week. My suggestion for you here is to simply print that page 4 times (once for each week) and fill them out by hand. In addition to recording the data within the tables you will need to make notes to yourself on what worked and did not work each week and what modifications were made to the plan. You will not be required to turn the tracking sheets in because your final product will require you to summarize your implementation and results in text as well as with a table or figure of your own design rather than simply turning in the tracking sheets. Therefore, printing them out and using them that way will assist you in being able to look at the data over all 4 weeks when writing up your final project.

As a review, your final report will include: a description of the behavior you target for change (results of form 1), a summary of your plan to include specific operant conditioning principles you used (results of form 2), your data table(s) or figure(s) from your 4 week implementation and a written summary of the data, and a conclusion of the results of your project (successes and failures) and the utility of operant conditioning principles and ABA.

If you still have questions please feel free to email me.

Concept Mapping

This week we in practice we will begin using a tool that provides you with the ability to easily draw and share electronically visual depictions of information, thought processes, concepts, etc. to represent your own critical thinking, comprehension and understanding. This tool is called Inspiration. This week I would like for you to download the free 30 day trial (we will not use it for longer than 30 days so no purchase is necessary) from their website. Once downloaded I would like for you to take some time to play around with the tool and discover its many tools and uses. Complete the interactive demonstration available on the web site if you want/need a tutorial.

As you become comfortable with the tool I want you to begin working on a concept map that will communicate your complete understanding of memory theories as discussed in chapters 7 through 10 in your text. Remember that you viewed examples of elaborate concept maps in the previous library session. If you skipped over thatthen you might want to take a gander at the atlas-sized overview that is basically a concept map for the 'learning space' they presented. Other examples of concept maps completed using Inspiration by previous students in courses similar to this one can be viewed using the links below. Your concept map will not look exactly like the samples given we are using a different text, the assignment is somewhat different, and each concept map should represent your own personal understanding (and not someone else's) of the concept of memory. However, these examples should give you a good idea of the capabilities of Inspiration as well as what other students just like you have accomplished with the tool.

This activity will continue throughout the next several weeks with your final product shared with all interns on the web. Use your time this week to become comfortable with the tool and ask Melissa any technical questions you may have. You might want to start playing around with creating a concept map on a small aspect of memory such as attention from chapter 7 this week. This assignment will not only increase your ability to utilize technology tools, it also presents a model of an instructional activity that is supported by cognitivists.

Session Activities

• Continue your ABA Project -
  • Continue to complete Form 1 (WORD or PDF format) as necessary to track your target behavior and turn it in to me via email (only if you updated it from the one you turned in last week)
  • Complete Form 2 (WORD or PDF format) and turn it in to me via email.
• Ask me any questions you have about the project via email.

NOTE: These forms are being downloaded for free from http://www.freemindware.net from the Tools for Stress Management and Self-Help page.

• Download the free 30-day trial of Inspiration
• Complete the Interactive Demonstration if you need some help getting started with using Inspiration
• View sample concept maps
  • Sample 1
  • Sample 3
  • Sample 4
  • Sample 5
  • Sample 6
• Begin working on your concept map for memory theories this week
- you will continue to build on it as we read through future chapters in the text

• Email your Director;
• Email the Mentor;
• Email other interns.
• Refer to the Course FAQ.

Review Your Training Checklist
(To Page 3 of 3)