I found several common themes in the five articles reviewed for this week. They all mentioned coaching/modeling, reflection, and real-world experiences.
It was the differences in the articles that I found even more fascinating. The Oliver, Herrington, and the DeBruijn articles introduced the idea of using computers in situated learning environments or cognitive apprenticeships. In my opinion, by far the most advanced of these was Herrington’s use of a student apprenticeship computer based environment, in a statistics course. DeBruijn’s example was the weakest to me. I think that the author over-simplified the needs of adult basic skills learners.
I had the privilege of working with adults trying to earn their GED’s. We used a computer based program similar to the one described by DeBruijn. These problem with these computerized situations are that this is what these individuals face every day. If you are fifty years old and you haven’t been able to make change before. You might be insulted by this exercise. You may have already accepted your defeat. Or these students may be so programmed to get the “right” answer they simply click until they get it.
The real diamonds to me were the Collins and Hammond articles. When I first saw on the syllabus that we would be looking at apprenticeships I thought of the apprenticeships of a trade. I wondered if we could still teach students in this way. Is being a software engineer going to look the same in 25 years? I then took the time to read the syllabus again and saw that it was COGNITIVE APPRENTICESHIPS.
I read Collins article first and had two reactions. The first was that I had been lucky enough to take a writing and reading graduate course that introduced many of the concepts that Collins discussed. This was one of the best courses I have ever taken. I had as expert model reader and writer walk me through the processes involved in reading and writing. The second reaction was where do my two passions history and technology fit???
The Hammond article saved me with the wonderful illustration of the history example. What about technology??? What is it that “experts “in the use of technology do???
I definitely think students would benefit from the use of situated learning environments and cognitive apprenticeships. One of the greatest benefits to me as a learner is the confidence that is gained in applying what your learned. And having an expert tell you’ve got it is powerful!
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I too found solace in the Collins article. And I did the double-take about the apprenticeships as well!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your concerns about the DeBruijn article as well. I too took some issue (actually, a lot of issue) with their treatment of adult learners - and that there were just too many other variables in the equation for them to make some of the blanket statements that they made. (Using "they" broadly here.)
I think you hit the nail on the head with what you said in your final paragraph about this model leading to students feeling more empowered. :)
Onward!
I had not thought about history until your post, but there are some really cool tools out there now that would allow a teacher to model how you should look at a primary source document, question it, reflect on it, etc.--Footnote, History Engine, Primary Access. And there's definitely a lot of processes too that I'm sure you've studied in John Lee's classes like SCIM-C that could provide the "scaffolds" for an apprenticeship approach. This model would be great for teaching students how to think like historians.
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