When I read the Schank article I had some concerns about Goal Based Scenarios (GBS). My main concern was about putting so much emphasis on one scenario. The adviser to the president example was well thought out and implemented. My concern was what if you had a student in your class that had lived in a war torn area of the world? Or what if you used the sickle cell example and you had a student who suffered from this disease?
Some would argue that this reality and that these students have to deal with it. However, Schank himself points out in the article that we make connections by placing information in categories. If a student’s category for the problem being presented is filled with pain, I think this is a concern.
The other issue I saw was that students might become overwhelmed by always doing GBS. I hated doing math problem solving for example. I don’t know why but I would be come overwhelmed. I don’t know if that sense of too much information to carry could be eliminated with proper design.
The Andersen example really changed my perspective on GBS. I was impressed with the training this company provided for its employees. I thought it was an innovative use of GBS. It seemed from the articles that the employees and trainers found it helpful. Both the employees and the trainers emphasized the collaboration that happened outside of the computerized module. I wonder if this GBS was implemented online if it would loose something.
I think GBS has a place in education today. I don’t think I agree with Schank that it is the answer. I don’t see throwing out all other learning models to use GBS solely. But I think it has its place.
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From Jennifer Knott: Rachel, I had not thought about GBS being relied upon too much. I agree, especially in math, that various approaches should be taken. I had lacked interest in math and word problems held little impetus for it in my future. Perhaps GBS is a good alternative to word problems, perhaps in shopping for groceries within a budget as an example.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rachel - I think that may be one of the things I struggled with. It's almost like, "Stop bashing on all of the other learning theories and just get on with the 'guts' of your own."
ReplyDeleteI get his perspective on memory and on learning - and I think they're worthwhile. I just don't wholly agree with all he had to share...
In my opinion, providing more structure limits anxiety and confusion. Teachers should probably provide more structure to young students, low-achieving students, and students who are unfamiliar with authentic learning (i.e. more decision points or checkpoints; fewer actual choices when making decisions; fewer, but richer resources; etc.).
ReplyDeleteRachel, I defintely agree with you - there is such a thing as too much GBS! I know I don't eat just chocolate chip cookies, if you get my drift! ;) Some GBS intermixed with other learning theories and methods should be a good balance.
ReplyDeleteI think with mathematics, as with other similar subjects, that other lessons and practice would have to fill between GBS activities. Time to skill practice with tools derived or learned through the previous activity.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there are ways of using skills practice utilizing the creation of example spaces where the student creates the exhausted list of examples as they work towards generalizing the algorithm.
MSwinson