Learner Centered Paradigm in Online Education

(in 2 parts)

Barbara Lauridsen, MBA

Core Adjunct Faculty, National University

Learner, PhD Information Technology Education, Capella University

blauridsen@gmail.com

www.barbaralauridsen.com

Session Abstract (Part 1)

• “What is known about how adults learn and are motivated to participate in online learning to advance their career?”

• Exploring the lenses through which educators view their own practice to support learners in becoming self directed.

• The themes are: theories about ways of knowing, adult development, Andragogy

• Sharing a perspective elements of critical thinking

Agenda – Part 1

• Tip # 1 Become Story Centered• Tip # 2 Open evaluation of learning experience

increases awareness/trust• Tip # 3 Teach “Around the Circle”• Tip # 4 Build upon a problem-oriented approach• Tip # 5 Encourage goal orientation• Tip # 6 Build upon prior knowledge

Agenda – Part 2Room 122 1:30

• Tip # 7 Follow a path from teacher to moderator to facilitator to mentor

• Tip # 8 Evaluate our own teaching• Tip # 9 Evaluate the shared learning experience• Tip #10 Cultivate a holistic approach• Tip #11 Coach, Motivate, Delegate, Moderate,

Facilitate• Tip #12 Participate in shifting the paradigm

Story Telling and Narratives.… “storying the curriculum”

ST#1

Scenarios provide an understanding, so, when a solution is

drafted, it reflects a clear understanding of the problem.

ST#2

“Bell weather” of climate change.

ST#3

Tip #1a – Become Story Centered

Stories hold the interest of people especially when to provide meaningful insights.

Stories help make the unknown lose its uncertainty and ambiguity.

T#1a

Tip #1b – Become Story Centered

1. What happened?2. 3.

T#1b

Tip #1c – Become Story Centered

1. What happened?2. How do we know?3.

T#1c

Tip #1d – Become Story Centered

1. What happened?2. How do we know?3. What does it mean?

T#1d

Tip #1e – Become Story Centered

1. What happened?2. How do we know?3. What does it mean?

Heo, H. (2004) “Story telling and retelling as narrative inquiry in cyber learning environments. Department of Computer Education Sunchon National University

T#1e

Tip #1j – Become Story CenteredT#1j

Tip #1k – Become Story CenteredT#1k

Tip #1q – Become Story CenteredT#1q

Tip #1r – Become Story CenteredT#1r

Tip #1s – Become Story CenteredT#1s

Tip #1u – Become Story CenteredT#1u

Which Story to Tell?

millennium-project.org

effective.leadershipdevelopment.edu.au

www.geojan.com

News narratives…news? or… only an interpretation of a story?

1)individual and collective stories

2)scape-goating or blame

3)passages which discuss how the crisis might have been prevented

4)imagined futures5)reflections

“Crisis Storytelling: Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm and News Reporting” American Communication Journal

The Great Learninga

• The non-western way of thinking contributes to effective online communications for diverse teams in peer-to-peer collaboration.

• A well-known philosopher expressed the insight that the cultivation of the person depends on the “rectifying of the mind” (Confucius, 500 B.C.E) …which can be understood as expressing meaning in reasoning…

The Great Learningb

• The non-western way of thinking contributes to effective online communications for diverse teams in peer-to-peer collaboration.

• A well-known philosopher expressed the insight that the cultivation of the person depends on the “rectifying of the mind” (Confucius, 500 B.C.E) …which can be understood as expressing meaning in reasoning … that is integrated with observations.

The Great Learningc

• While the world is constantly changing, full of challenges and stress, we can recognize an essential knowing that our present reality as an experience of synergy or of disharmony.

• Stories bring teams together.

The Great Learningd

• While the world is constantly changing, full of challenges and stress, we can recognize an essential knowing that our present reality as an experience of synergy or of disharmony.

• Stories bring teams together.

The Great Learninge

• While the world is constantly changing, full of challenges and stress, we can recognize an essential knowing that our present reality as an experience of synergy or of disharmony.

• Stories bring teams together.

Visionary Performance Indicatorsa

The ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•A) and Performance Indicators for Administrators:

1. Visionary Leadership

2. Digital-Age Learning Culture

3. Excellence in Professional Practice

4. Systemic Improvement

5. Digital Citizenship

Visionary Performance Indicatorsb

The ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•A) and Performance Indicators for Administrators:

1. Visionary Leadership

2. Digital-Age Learning Culture

3. Excellence in Professional Practice

4. Systemic Improvement

5. Digital Citizenship

A successful program is designed to cultivate ways of knowing.

Visionary Performance Indicatorsc

A successful program is designed to cultivate ways of knowing.

Visionary Performance Indicatorsd

1. Visionary Leadership

2. Digital-Age Learning Culture

3. Excellence in Professional

Practice

4. Systemic Improvement

5. Digital Citizenship

Tip #2 Open evaluation of learning experience increases awareness and trust

• A successful program is designed to cultivate ways of knowing.

• … inspires and facilitates stakeholders toward a “shared vision of purposeful change that maximizes use of digital-age resources to meet and exceed learning goals, support effective instructional practice, and maximize performance of district and school leaders” (ISTE, 2009).

Visualization / Mind Mapping

Kolb’s Learning Stylese

Accomodator Diverger

Converger

Assimilator

Kolb’s Learning Stylesf

Tip #3 Teach “Around the Circle”

Learning Styles / Mind Mapping

Learning Styles / Influences

What are the influences on how we learn?What is the process we go through to learn?

What are the demographics of adult learners now?

A successful program is designed to cultivate ways of knowing.

…building upon problems, and

solutions...

Andragogy vs. Pedagogyb

Demands of learning

Learners balance life responsibilities with chosen demands of learning.

Learners can devote more time to the demands of learning, responsibilities are taken care of by someone else

Role of instructor (facilitator)

Learners are autonomous and self directed. Facilitators guide the learners to their own knowledge

Learners rely on the instructor to direct the learning. Fact based lecturing is often the mode of knowledge transmission

Andragogy vs. Pedagogyc

Life experiences

(stories, lessons)

Learners apply lessons from life experiences, recognizing the value in connecting the learning to own knowledge base

Learners build a knowledge base and are shown how life experiences connect with the present learning.

Learning Purpose

Learners become goal oriented and define the purpose served by new information

Learners accept instructions to learn certain information

Learning Retention

Learning is self-initiated, self propelling and long term

Learning is compulsory and tends to be forgotten shortly after instruction.

Tip #5 Encourage goal orientation…

…and define purpose(s) served by new information

Tip #5 Encourage goal orientation…

…and define purpose(s) served by new informationSelf-Sabotaging Goal

Setting Forces

What behaviors exhibit self-sabotage?

Tip #6 Build upon prior knowledgea

... “applying knowledge in practice and reflects the concept of learning by doing” (Xu & Quaddus, 2005). In support of the inductive approach, means guiding learners into internalizing lessons for explicit knowledge.

A successful program is designed to cultivate ways of knowing.

Tip #6 Build upon prior knowledgeb

Five Phase Model Applied. Phase Role of Model Role of Model

1 Modeling Real-life tasks with explicit guidance using artifacts and lectures that explain “tricks of the trade”

2 Approximating

ScaffoldingCoaching and providing immediate feedback to learners

3 Fading, observing and

Coaching

Delegating coaching to teams, lighten the

scaffolding, more dialog instead of lecture style instructions

4 Self-Directed Learning (by individuals and teams)

Provide assistance. Encourage requests for further guidance based on direction already established independently.

5 Generalizing contextuality

During an end-of-course evaluation generalize what has been accomplished.

Scaffolding Concept Applied.

Scaffolding as a metaphor… Math Mediator

Scaffolding Concept Appliedb

“Storying the Curriculum”…a

1. What happened?2. 3.

Tip #4 build upon a problem-oriented approach

1. What happened?2. How do we know?3.

“Storying the Curriculum”…b

Tip #6 build upon prior knowledge

1. What happened?2. How do we know?3. What does it mean?

“Storying the Curriculum”…c

Tip #9 evaluate shared learning experience

Tip #8 Evaluate our own teaching

“Storying the Curriculum”….

1. What happened?2. How do we know?3. What does it mean?

Tip #7 …teacher >

mediator >

facilitator >

mentor

1. What happened?2. 3.

Tip #6 Build upon prior knowledgea

Tip #6

1. What happened?2. How do we know?3.

Tip #6 Build upon prior knowledgeb

Tip #6

1. What happened?2. How do we know?3. What does it mean?

Tip #6 Build upon prior knowledgec

Tip #6

SUMMARY (Part 1)

• Tip # 1 Become Story Centered• Tip # 2 Open evaluation of learning experience

increases awareness/trust• Tip # 3 Teach “Around the Circle”• Tip # 4 Build upon a problem-oriented approach• Tip # 5 Encourage goal orientation• Tip # 6 Build upon prior knowledge

Ideas?

Agenda – Part 2Room 122 1:30

• Tip # 7 Follow a path from teacher to moderator to facilitator to mentor

• Tip # 8 Evaluate our own teaching• Tip # 9 Evaluate the shared learning experience• Tip #10 Cultivate a holistic approach• Tip #11 Coach, Motivate, Delegate, Moderate,

Facilitate• Tip #12 Participate in shifting the paradigm

Summary (part 1 & 2)• Tip #1 Become Story Centered• Tip #2 Open evaluation of experience increases awareness/trust• Tip #3 Teach “Around the Circle”• Tip #4 Build upon a problem-oriented approach• Tip #5 Encourage goal orientation• Tip #6 Build upon prior knowledge• Tip #7 Path from teacher to moderator to facilitator to mentor• Tip #8 Evaluate our own teaching• Tip #9 Evaluate the shared learning experience• Tip #10 Cultivate a holistic approach• Tip #11 Coach, Motivate, Delegate, Moderate, Facilitate• Tip #12 Participate in shifting the paradigm