Learners and their brains are the natural phenomena in which the technology of education is grounded. To be educative, an experience must be compatible with the physiology and psychology of their bodies and brains. For the 21st century educator, the classroom is filled with learners who have much different relationships with technology compared to those Read More
Category: Learning
Elevator Pitch: Conditioning
One of the earliest psychological theories to be applied to schooling was behaviorism. According to this idea, humans learn by associating rewards with actions; we tend to continue to do (learn) that which is positively rewarded and avoid that which is negatively rewarded. The type of learning associated with behaviorism is called conditioning. Conditioning is Read More
On Social Interaction in Learning
The concept of the “blank slate” has been discredited among philosophers, psychologist, and other scientists for several decades, but many educators continue to assume students arrive in classrooms with no relevant experiences and that students need only pay sufficient attention to learn the information teachers tell them. Educators with a more sophisticated understanding of learning Read More
On Scaffolding
When the curriculum is organized around problems and complex tasks, it is inevitable that students will encounter situations that challenge their current knowledge. There will be ideas they do not yet understand, tasks they cannot complete with competence, and resources they cannot comprehend, and tools they are unable to use. It can be reasoned that students who do not Read More
How Students Answer “Why am I here?”
This question is asked by students all the time. It doesn’t matter what their age, what they are studying, who is paying the bills, or how dedicated to their long-term plans they are, students question their purpose for being in school and engaging in the curriculum and instruction. For some students, the question is answered Read More
Revisiting Deeper Learning
Reviewing some notes, I found the definition of deeper learning from Buder and Hesse (2016) which comprises five characteristics: Emphasizes complex problem solving which requires learners to apply what they have learned in unfamiliar situations; Declarative knowledge is not presented and learned as isolated facts, but connected by themes and concepts; Students develop the ability for critical thinking which includes the Read More
On Metacognition
Those who are aware of what they know, capable of judging the situations in which they can solve problems, and reacting to fil gaps in their knowledge with their existing knowledge are demonstrating their metacognitive abilities. They know what they know and they know what to do if they don’t know. Greater metacognitive understanding is Read More
Some Conclusions About Learning
As we get closer to the start of another school year (my 34th year working in education), I’m thinking about what I would tell myself if I was starting out. Here is my current list: Students must take an active role in learning. Although physical activity is associated with learning, “active” refers to cognitive activity. Read More
On Extended Minds
“The extended mind” has focus some of my attention recently. It seems to be one of the basic epistemological assumptions upon which many teaching, learning, and schooling decisions are made. First, the mind. Let’s adopt the materialist view that it exists in the brain. There can be little debate in the central role for that Read More
Essence and Variation
The word “essential” is interesting. It describes that which we cannot do without. Food, water, and oxygen (in the right concentration) is essential to human life. It also describes the fundamental character. When we remove the unimportant or marginal parts of something we are left with its essence; removing anything more changes what it is. Read More