Principles of Learning

Another great resource for instructional designers: http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itcon.html

This is a great resource for instructional designers or anyone else interested in instructional design, learning, education and technology. It's published by San Diego State University, with general editor Bob Hoffman. From the site: The Encyclopedia of Educational Technology (EET) is a collection of short multimedia articles on a variety of topics related to the fields of instructional design and education and training. The primary audiences for the EET are students and novice to intermediate practitioners in these fields, who need a brief overview as a starting point to further research on specific topics. Authors are graduate students, professors, and others who contribute voluntarily. Articles are short and use multimedia to enrich learning rather than merely decorate the pages. http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/

- Repetition - Time - Sequence - Step-size - Similarity/Constrast -> Differentiability - Feedback - Intensity/Effort -> Significance Removing: - Focus: this is subsumbed by repetition - Target: the target is the "desired state"

Self-efficacy is really faith. There are two types of faith: faith as a principle of action and faith as a principle of power. Although both apply to learning, it is primarily the first type that relates to self-efficacy. When we believe we can do it we will try.

I may want to reference the ideas of Walter Gong in my discussion on practice. (The three personal model of learning and teaching in which learners become teachers.)

Paul Merrill took a piano class at BYU in which the students were required to give recitals periodically. One day the instructor said to him, "the difference between you and me is that you practice until you can get it right, I get it right and then I practice." Related idea: practice with feedback makes it perfect, then perfect practice makes it permanent.

"Learning isn't much good unles it persists. The problem with our educational system is that most of what we spend our time learning in classrooms doesn't stay with us." Paul Merrill

The other day my chair, Dr. Paul Merrill, described to me Dr. Dave Merrill's "push-down" principle---the idea that as things become learned more deeply they require less effort and can be applied more broadly (or something like that). I'll need to look this up in the literature to understand it better.

In talking about learning potential, I may want to reference the ideas of Thomas Gilbert.

Ok, this is subject to change but here is my current title and central premise: Principles of Learning - A conceptual framework of learning on which domain-specific, individualized, theories of learning can be constructed. The central premise of this work is that there does not now exist, nor will there ever exist, any single theory of learning sufficiently broad to apply to all learning situations and yet specific enough to be effective. However, there does exist a relatively small set of principles, fundamental and universally applicable in their nature, upon which all learning is predicated. Set in the broader context of a conceptual framework of learning these principles serve as a foundation upon which domain-specific, individualized theories of learning might be constructed.

"Several people who have written about the process of theory construction have advocated the use of paradigms or metatheories as useful for providing a framework within which to build one's theory (e.g., Snelbecker, 1974; Snow, 1971), and such frameworks can be very useful for both understanding and evaluating a theory or model as well." (Reigeluth, 1983, p. 14) Snelbecker - paradigm Snow - metatheory Reigeluth - "For our purposes, we use the term framework as synonymous with both paradigm and metatheory."

Although I feel that this work is of value it seems so insignificant compared to what I have learned in producing it. If only I could give that to the world, then I would feel my contribution is truly great. However, that progression is not something that can be given, but rather something that each person must discover and attain individually. Hopefully this work will, at least, give a good strong nudge in the right direction. (me, 2008)

In 300 BC, Socrates (470-399BC) engaged his learners by asking questions (know as the Socratic or dialectic method). He often insisted that he really knew nothing, but his questioning skills allowed others to learn by self-generated understanding. Plato (428-348 BC), who was a student of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle. Plato founded what is said to be the first university - his Academy (near Athens) in around 385 BC. He also believed that all knowledge is innate at birth and is perfectible by experiential learning during growth. This was an early suggestion to the current theory of constructivism . Along with many others in his time, Aristotle (384-322 BC) placed a strong emphasis on an all-round and balanced development. Play, physical training, music, debate, and the study of science and philosophy were to all have their place in the forming of body, mind and soul. Like Plato before him, he saw such learning happening through life - although with different emphases at differen...

In the 5th-century BC, the philosopher Lao-Tse (also Lao-tzu) wrote "If you tell me, I will listen. If you show me, I will see. But if you let me experience, I will learn." And so began one of the first active learning philosophies. Other Chinese philosophers, such as Kung Fu-tse (Latinized as Confucius) and Han Fei-Tzu, followed Lao-Tse by using a method that closely resembles what we now call the case method or case study. A member of the study group would present a paradox, which would be in the form of a parable. They would then discuss it and explore possible resolutions. (Clark, 2008)

This is a list of people, ideas, models, theories, etc... that I should consider including in my literature review. ------------------------------------------ From Clark (2008): Lao-Tse (5th century BC) - "If you tell me, I will listen. If you show me, I will see. But if you let me experience, I will learn." ; Kung Fu-tse (Latinized as Confucius) and Han Fei-Tzu, followed Lao-Tse by using a method that closely resembles what we now call the case method or case study Socrates: the socratic method Plato: the dialectic (the socratic method); first university 385 BC; knowledge innate at birth and perfectable by experiential learning during growth Aristotle: association of ideas, balanced develoment (music, sports, play, debate, science, ...); recall Organized apprenticeship in Egypt around 2000 BC Schools organized around the 10th century Teaching: transmitting content from teacher to student; students are "empty vessels" and teacher can "pour" content into t...

This is a list of all the things I come across in my thinking, and especially in my review of the literature, that I need to consider in developing my descriptive model of learning an teaching. Association Memory On the job training (OJT) Apprenticeship Observational learning (Albert Bandura)

(And a ton of other useful and interesting stuff for Instructional Designers and others interested in learning, teaching and training.) http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/history2.html

Select from a list of 441 works of classical literature by 59 different authors, including user-driven commentary and "reader's choice" Web sites. Mainly Greco-Roman works (some Chinese and Persian), all in English translation. http://classics.mit.edu/index.html Search and other features of the site don't work, but the writings are available online for reading.