How People Learn Chapter 7; Montgomery; Matos, Motley, Mayer; Webinar

How People Learn, Chapter 7 - Effective Teaching: Examples in History, Mathematics, and Science

It was useful to read this chapter about effective teaching across disciplines (plus I just love this book!).  Digging back into How People Learn and being reminded of  that good learning is dependent on pedagogical and well organized knowledge is always a helpful framework when thinking about teaching and learning.  I also love how the authors incessantly remind us that solid learning begins with what student's already know and their questions about the material.

At first I wondered why we were reading this chapter - why do I need to know how to teach history, math and science?  And, well, I probably won't need to know how to teach each of these individually, but I do need to know what helps people learn in different disciplines and different ways.  What I took from this chapter was that different ways of teaching, connecting students to previous knowledge, activities that promote real knowledge growth, and creating communities of learning and practice are cross disciplinary techniques that depend on an expert instructor.  It's not that any teacher couldn't use these with practice and expert knowledge of subjects, but more that most instructors don't use these methods continuously.  I thought that the discussion of history dates and facts vs. research and evidence was particularly interesting.  The idea that "the history" is really just "a history" and that the dates and facts are just a basis (as is computation in math) for the larger picture.  Remembering that people learn differently was also a major point in all of the disciplines.

Keeping these things in mind is helpful when thinking about library instruction because all of those broader concepts apply - prior knowledge, different types of learners, being an expert, and creating community are things that librarians can and should consider while they plan their instructional sessions.


Montgomery 2010 - Online Webinars! Interactive Learning Where Our Users Are: The Future
of Embedded Librarianship

This article was interesting because it simply makes sense.  Librarians can and must become embedded in instruction (be it an academic library with academic departments, a public library with information about public school curricula, or a school librarian with individual class material).  The points made in here that librarians can be active in students learning through technology, can connect directly with faculty, and can have a way to connect beyond a "one-shot workshop" are critical to making embedded librarianship work.  Librarians can prove, once again, that they are integral parts of deep learning and can become embedded beyond the library into departments, courses, and assignments.  Interactive webinars are one way of doing this and they reach far beyond even virtual reference.  They provide a space for people to interact via technology and help the face-to-face happen without needing to be in the same place.  I see this as a potential area where librarians can really excel and be engaged.  A librarian could do a webinar for a course before it starts - "here is what will be helpful to you as you work through this class," "I'll be holding office hours via chat every week at this time," "look for my short webinar before you do this assignment, I'll be online when it's over so you can ask any questions."  Ideas like that are completely doable and exciting to consider :)


Matos, Motley, Mayer 2010 - The Embedded Librarian Online or Face-to-Face: American University's
Experiences

This article provided concrete examples of how embedded and hybrid librarianship works.  It seems interesting that the question remains - "would virtual embedded librarians remain relevant if they still had office space" because to me, the answer is clearly "yes."  I see librarians needed in EVERY space: online for those who don't want to or can't talk face-to-face, via webinar for those who can't make it to a session, in person for those who want to sit down and talk with someone one-on-one.   If a problem is coordination of this, a library could appoint a coordinator for these or develop policy on how to manage time, space, and technologies.  I appreciated this article because it gave me other ways to consider librarianship and best practices for engaging with users.


View a Webinar from a list to be provided - Webinar page on wiki, including link to Webinar Strategies page
I viewed a webinar sponsored by Library Journal and EBSCO/NoveList called "Libraries are Essential: Connecting to Youth in Your Community."  I must warn readers... I spent over an hour trying to download RealPlayer and figuring out how to make this thing work, (also the reason this is posted just at 9pm), so I might be a bit bitter in my overall evaluation.  I have to say that this webinar exemplifies the reason I am not a fan of webinars.  I used to watch them ALL THE TIME in one of my previous jobs, and never felt connected to the presenters.  I have to say, participating in class a couple of weeks ago with Bobbi was the best webinar I'd seen even though we couldn't see anything.  The slides during this webinar were not engaging, I couldn't find a chat transcript so I couldn't see questions or comments (not sure if they were submitted anonymously during the webinar) and I wasn't sure how to contact the presenters to get the materials they discussed during their webinar.  Plus, the presenters didn't seem quite as energetic or prepared as I would have thought.  The first woman who spoke seemed very nervous (maybe she was?) but then maybe webinars are not her best option for presenting information.  I get the point of webinars, I've just yet to see one that's really been engaging and interesting (outside of our time with Bobbi).  Otherwise, it's hard to sit for an hour and not be distracted... 

I must say, though, that this excites me to see my classmates and my own webinars.  Hopefully they (and my group) can change my slightly negative attitude toward this awesome tool.

EdLeadership & How People Learn Chapter 3

Educational Leadership
The Educational Leadership piece "Put Understanding First" by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe was a concise article that discussed how important it is that when students learn, that they actually understand what they're learning.  The authors list three academic goals for curriculum and instructor to aid in the process of understanding: "helping students (1) acquire important information and skills, (2) make meaning of that content, and (3) effectively transfer  their learning to new situations both within school and beyond it."  Ways that instructors can help learners complete thie process of learning for understanding are through direct instruction, facilitating and coaching.  The article discusses research in congnitive psychology that says that students don't necessarily need to learn all of the facts and basic skills before dealing with concepts or applying the skills in authentic ways.  This is a problem that plagues lower acheiving students.  The article also suggests that curricula need a new sequence for  learning - a meaningful process that helps students really understand what they are learning that involves meaning, acquisition and transfer.  The statement that "we must recognize that the purposeful and effective use of content is the ever-present goal, and we must design all instruction with that goal in mind" is a reflection of what we must do when assisting students in their learning process.

This article was a great discussion of how schools are disconnected from students' experience with what they will encounter in the real world.  Learning rote knowledge and regurgitating it back to a teacher does not necessarily help students learn - they need to be able to connect it with something they will need or perceive they will need to use in the fugure.  I hadn't really thought about the idea of students not needing skills prior to application of a process, but I like it.  It feels more useful and "real" than doing worksheets to identify facts.  It seems this is very relatable to the idea of job training.  When going into a new job, I've always had basic communication skills, but not necessisarily the skills needed to run a database full of relevant information I'll use every day.  But, I can learn this through on the job training because it's applicable to the work I'm doing to do.  The company didn't need to hire someone with all of the skills they were looking for, but rather basic skills that they could build upon during training.  In a school setting, this suggests that students could learn "on the job" once having a foundation of knowledge.  They could learn science vocabulary better after having seen it a few times and then applying it in the lab.  Just one thought/example of how this relates to the real world which students enter after they're done with school.  :)

 How People Learn Chapter 3
The "How People Learn" chapter on transfer was great in-depth supplemental reading to the Educational Leadership article.  The idea of initial learning being necessary for transfer sounds obvious but is a good starting point for understanding transfer.  The discussion of initial learning, abstract representations of knowledge, and prior knowledge was important for my understanding of how transfer is effective.  Ideas of mastering the original subject, taking the appropriate amount of time to learn something, deliberately practicing, engaging in a feedback process, understanding motivation, and contexualizing the learning are critical to transfer of information.

When the chapter discusses that learning should be done in multiple ways and allow for a flexible representation of knowledge makes a good deal of sense.  Psychology tells us that people learn in different ways, and putting knowledge into a context that is applicable to student's understanding seems a simple way to do this.  However, schools are not tying information learned in schools to what students already know or will need to use in the their lives.  The section on previous experience was fairly eye-opening: thinking about how to activate knowledge and interpreting it in a way that is meaningful through using tools, group problem solving and abstract knowledge are all things I know I've used in the real world but never really thought about in terms of schooling.  But John Dewey's quote on page 77 really says it all - students should be taught life preparation in school.  Facts are important and a good foundation for knowledge but they don't help problem solving and day-to-day interaction.

It's clear that our students are not being taught things that they feel are useful - some students are becoming less and less engaged in school because it doesn't use the tools or technology they use in their everyday lives.  This is one area where librarians can help - we can work with people's previous knowledge and help them discover what they can do with that knowledge either through articles, books, or community resources.  I see this as a place we can really help people understand what they're learning.

How People Learn Chapter 6 & Sadler

How People Learn Chp. 6
I find "How People Learn" to be such an engaging text to read. It is straight-forward, clear, and to the point. Yet, it's full of practical and interesting information.

Chapter Six on "The Design of Learning Environments" not only gave valuable inforamtion about different learning environments, but it also made a great deal of sense. That's easy to say, but when discussing such an important topic, that the text is coherant and complex is very refreshing. Chapter Six discusses the different ways that learners should be engaged. Through a mix of learner-, knowledge-, assessment-, and community-centered, one can see how people could truly becoming high-level thinkers who can analyze their own work and build up on it. That the authors started with learner-centered made me happy (OK, I know readings for class shouldn't and won't always make me happy, but its' nice when they do...). I have always thought learner-centered environments where the learner's backgrounds and prior knowledge are considered, has been the only way to educate. We are not in factories, as the system is designed, we are in a learning environment! One can only really learn if they can connect the material to their own lives and what they want to do.

However, I think I often don't regard the other parts of this chapter as as important as the learner-centered part, so it was great to read about how although knowledge-centered environments are necessary, they too can become more learner centered. The idea of "progressive formalization" (pg. 137) was a new concept to me, and one that completely makes sense. That students would progress during the learning process only seems obvious (though it doesn't always happen that way).

Further, assessment is something I've always been skeptical of because I have never believed that tests are the way to evaluate learning, it was interesting to read more deeply about what makes a formative assessment good and what makes it work. That students receive feedback throughout their learning process so that they can gain understanding and not just facts, that it is continuous and self-monitoring, means that students can truly engage with material and actually learn (not memorize).

Finally, the section about community-centered learning was something I was so glad to see in this reading. Part of my background is in afterschool, and the idea of "Learning Beyond the Classroom." To my earlier point, students cannot really understand material that doesn't make sense to them or their lives. I believe this is our current education system's biggest downfall - what students learn in school does not relate to the lives they lead outside. Community-centered learning where learning is coordinated and cooperative through the community (e.g. bringing in mentors from the community to help students learn) can only help learners become more engaged citizens, which is good for everyone.

The alignment of these will allow students to truly gain knowledge while becoming real "thinkers" where they can analyze and actually use information they learn.

Sadler
 Sadler's piece on formative assessment was also a useful text to read in the context of learnign and instruction. That learners are assessed by means of multiple criteria and have the ability to self-monitor their work means they can be more engaged and empowered during their learning process. Sadler's discussion of what it takes for a learner to be self-monitoring was very in-depth and interesting. That a student has to "(a) possess a concept of the standard(or goal, or reference level) being aimed for, (b) compare the actual (or current) level of performance with the standard, and (c) engage in appropriate action which leads to some closure of the gap" (p. 121) is very relevant to the "How People Learn" discussion of feedback. Further, that assessment should be guided but direct and authentic as well as cooperative gives instructors many ways to allow their students the opportunity for formative assessment and self-monitoring.

Reflections
This week's readings on environments and assessments was very personal for me - I've always felt that the environment in which one learns can affect everything they learn and that assessment is done in the completely wrong way for students.  From experience, I've seen how engaging, trusting environments can foster student growth and learning.  That students receive feedback and that their experiences are acknowledged is a very important part of my educational philosophy.  Further, that students are allowed to learn and not recite seems critical to a true learning process.  That education is plagued by federal and state laws that place emphasis on tests and that they do not have the time or resources to always provide formative assessments would be two things I am passionate about changing in the future of education.

How People Learn - Chapters 1 & 2

Chapter 1 Summary:

 The study of psychology in learning is so important to understanding how people learn.  The field of cognitive science is imperative to our learning and understanding of human development and, further, understanding of how different types of people best learn and understand.  Without knowing how our complex brain processes knowledge, we cannot fully understand and facilitate learning. 

Many curricula currently emphasize memory over true understanding.  It often asks students to recite facts instead of understanding why the fact is important or relevant.  Research shows, however, that being knowledgeable is more than knowing facts, and that those who are knowledgeable are more likely to be good problem solvers.  Thus, it is important to recognize that learners come to their learning environment with prior knowledge.  Even infants different in the amount of prior knowledge they bring to each new experience (for example whether or not their parents read or talk to them frequently).  By the time a child goes to school, then, there are varying levels of prior knowledge students bring to the table.  Some of this prior knowledge might even be wrong (e.g. that the world is flat).  Therefore, it is important for teachers to allow students to both construct their own knowledge and take control of their own learning, but also recognize that sometimes they will need to "teach by telling," particularly when students bring incorrect prior knowledge to the classroom.  Teachers need to see and allow students to become invested in their own work, integrating real world skills with facts and deep analysis of knowledge (as did teacher C).

Research of Key Findings:

1) Students come to school with preconceptions, if their initial understanding isn't engaged, they may fail to grasp concepts and may learn for a test without really understanding the material: students have different levels of (correct and not correct) understanding.

2) To develop competence students must have a deep understanding of facts, understand the facts in a conceptual framework and organize the knowledge to facilitate retrieval and application: they need to be able to see patterns, generate arguments and explanations etc., experts have not necessarily better memory but better ways to think about info.  For example, it is easier for students to understand a map when they have traveled to the place the map describes. 

3) A metacogntive approach to instruction can help students take control of their learning by defining goals and monitoring own progress: children should learn this, incorporated with their other learning

Key Findings Implications for Teaching

1) Teachers should draw out and work with the preexisting understanding's of their students: students aren't empty when they come to school - teachers should learn their how their students think.  Roles of assessment must be expanded beyond testing into formative assessments where students, their peers and teachers can all see progress.  Schools of education must allow beginning teachers to learn this and to recognize predictable preconceptions of students, and draw out preconceptions and work with them.  

2) Teachers must teach some subject matter in depth providing examples of concepts and a firm foundation of factual knowledge:  Teachers should teach in depth knowledge of fewer subjects instead of broad coverage of many topics.  Teachers must have in depth knowledge themselves and they must know how their students are thinking and learning.  Assessment must go beyond accountability - assessments must test deep understanding rather than facts.  Here, depth can be looked at as objectivity but teachers need to find the balance.  

3)  Teaching of metacongitive skills should be integrated into the curriculum: this can enhance student achievement.  

Teaching strategies: inquiry based, text based, lecture based, tech enhanced, teaching organized around individuals rather than cooperative -- asking which is best is not good/  Teachers should focus on the task at hand PLUS the available materials. There is no universal best practice; variety based on subject is good.  

The implications this has for designing classroom environments is large. 

1) Classrooms should be learner centered: it should focus on the knowledge skills and attitudes their learners bring, cultural differences, what it means to be intelligent.  Teachers in a learner-centered classroom pay more attention to their students' individual progress and devise appropriate tasks.

2) To provide a knowledge centered classroom environment, attention must be given to what is taught, why and what the competence looks like: harder than rote learning, must look beyond engagement.  

3) Formative, ongoing assessments are essential, help teachers to understand where their students are in the learning process: students should be able to revise their work and see their own progress. 

4) Learning is influenced by the context in which it takes place - community centered approach requires development of norms for classroom as well as connections to the outside world: this approach helps students care about and solve problems with each other, create a community of learning.

Interestingly enough, these techniques are often not applied to adult learning: teacher professional development is often not learner or knowledge centered, not assessment centered, and not community centered.

My Reflections:

My experiences facilitating creative writing and theater in a Detroit High School really brought this out for me.  Some of the students came to the workshop with very intense experiences and all brought unique points of view.  My co-facilitator and I worked within what the students already knew about writing and "poetry" and let them think independently about the best way for them to learn and experience our version of creative writing.  Through building trust and building off what the students knew, the workshop was successful.

Based on what I have seen from other library workshops, a little effort is placed on prior knowledge (don't sign up for something you already know) and the instructors often ask what people do already know and want to learn.  Because these are often one-time things, the instructors mostly teach off a script, but sometimes divert when necessary.  It seems different techniques should be used for semester-long and year-long learning vs. one-time workshops.  

Chapter 2 Summary:

Experts can think effectively about different problems.  To be an expert is not just to have higher levels of memory or intelligence, but to have acquired extensive knowledge that affects what is noticed and how information is organized and interpreted.  Experts notice features and patterns not noticed by novices; have acquired organized content that reflects deep understanding; their knowledge is conditionalized; they can retrieve aspects of their knowledge with little effort; know their disciplines thoroughly; and they can approach new situations in a variety of ways.

Patterns:  experts can see meaningful information (not just all of it), can chunk together that information and organize it.  

Organization of knowledge: knowledge is organized around big ideas, and how those apply to specific situations.  Experts look at the whole picture and think about the best approach to the problem solving.  Novices focus on specific properties and formulas instead of why and how those exist in the larger picture. Curricula should be organized in ways that lead to conceptual understanding.

Context and access to knowledge: experts can retrieve relevant knowledge.  Students should learn how to do this.  

Fluent retrieval:  people should learn to recognize problem types in particular domains so that appropriate solutions can easily be retrieved.  

Experts and teaching: sometimes experts aren't good at teaching because they forget that students do not know everything they know (i.e. what is difficult and easy for students). 

Adaptive expertise: educators need to think about whether one way of organizing information is better than another way in order for people to be flexible to new situations.  Metacognition is an important part of this. 

My Reflections:

The last tech class that I attended was focused toward novices.  The class was focused on Dreamweaver, a web page-making software, and was part of the University Library tech workshops.  The students had individually signed up for the class, and were coming to the class having different levels of prior knowledge.  But, since the course was about the basics of Dreamweaver, the instructors basically taught just that.  It was a class for novices, designed for novices and worked for novices.  The library has carefully designed their workshops for this purpose.  

However, the classes and professors I've always liked best (outside of one-time workshops) truly do focus on prior knowledge and what each person in the room brings from their own experiences and levels of learning.  They focus on deep knowledge and understanding of topics, and have helped me think about how what I'm learning will affect the big picture.  This class, for example, focuses on how learning and professional practices will be important in my everyday career.  I am not planning to be a teacher, where that might all seem obvious, but I am planning to work with people, and what I know about professional practices and how people learn will affect what I do with people everyday.  I will consider prior knowledge, learner centered education, and what I know about experts and novices when I am assisting someone with software, at the reference desk or in an instructional setting.  For instance, if I am at the reference desk of a library, and a student asks a question, I will first ask about their prior knowledge (and determine if they are an expert of novice) and also consider how they can best learn how to find the answer on their own (by showing them how to use the different resources available to them).