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Social Enviroments implications on learner

by Food for ThoughtInformation DesignLearning TheoriesPsychology

To address if the element of “social” environments, impact on learning environments is the same, you have to understand the role of social behavior and the implications on learning. Constructivism view humans construct knowledge by adapting meaning from a previous stimulus-response in the current relevant context (Jenkins, 2006). The process of knowledge is interpreted as a “personal world” or by “mind’s adaptations” that is all internally driven (Jenkins, 2006). Piaget furthered constructivist reach by describing biological readiness, life experiences, and structures that play a crucial role in self-constructing information (Jenkins, 2006). Social environments offer the transference of an individual’s prior skills or processes, allowing learners to voice their point of view and influence the organization of information.  

In my opinion, online pedagogy can offer the same “social” environment as a traditional classroom setting but hinder the ability to advance to the next level of understanding. Howard Gardner stated there are three types of learners, native, traditional, and expert, and if the misconceptions are not challenged, the level of understanding will remain the same. The zone of proximal development describes the kind of learning environment that enables effective knowledge transfer and cognitive development (Laureate Education, n.d.). In applying both approaches, one can produce an active learning environment that is conducive to both external experiences and cognitive processing (Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, 2009). When looking at learning strategies and styles that each _ism favors, it doesn’t hinder the ability to influence learning, just merely suggestions that favor memory storage and organization. In the Constructivist point of view, a learner can construct their understanding based on the social environment (Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, 2009) ; the variable to me would be the learner’s level of understanding. Instructional settings typically viewed as social offer groups, activities, feedback, and open dialogue between leaner that foster intuitive thinking. However, emerging technology now gives us the ability to see them still visually and communicate openly in realtime, creating the same atmospheric factors. To help guide instruction, facilitators must demonstrate the ability to create a social presence, or the ability of learners to project personal characteristics, experiences, and influences into a community presenting as if “real people” (Kilgore, 2016).

Resources:

Jenkins, J. (2006). Constructivism. In Encyclopedia of educational leadership and administration. Retrieved from http://knowledge.sagepub.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/view/edleadership/n121.xml

Kilgore, W. (2016, November 14). Social Learning in Online Environments – Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning. Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://humanmooc.pressbooks.com/chapter/social-learning-in-online-environments/ 

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Theory of social cognitive development [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York, NY: Pearson.

Designs that Unclog Working Memory

by Brain-Based EducationFood for ThoughtInformation DesignInstructional DesignLearning TheoriesNeurosciencePsychology

The Organ

The human brain has an unlimited capacity for evolving knowledge. In instructional design, learners must be the center of all stages of a specific module via research, development, design, or implementation. How humans understand and process information through brain-based behavior can help deliver knowledge in ways that learners can receive, process, and store information adequately for later retrieval. While there is no direct link between neuroscience and how the brain processes information, there is excellent scientific evidence that the link has yet to be discovered (Jensen, 2008). Therefore, as facilitators of learning, it is crucial to understand how the brain, as an organ, functions (neuroscience) concerning education.

Inside the Cortex is where information processed is categorized into somatosensory (Parental lobes), visual (Occipital lobes), complex auditory (Temporal lobes), and lastly, “human” activities ( frontal lobes) (Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, 2009). After the Cortex’s lobes receive the information, knowledge remains in working memory until it is organized and stored for another similar stimulus. In summary, all knowledge is processed through the brain. How the brain uses perception, and relatability to organize and retrieve information can be classified as cognitive psychology backed by neuroscience. There is no direct relation between the two; however, one can’t exist without the other.

Information Overload

As outlined, the Cortex inside the brain is responsible for triggering responses to presented by stimuli, which can be presented in various fashions to the sensory receptors. Instructional designers can use neuroscience and how the brain interprets information through the effective use of sensory. Designing training plans should not over stimulate the sensory receptors in the CNS. Overwhelming the brain with the stimulus is no different than overworking your liver by consuming alcohol. Knowledge can be received and used while given a specific task, but with the more stimulus responses triggered, the less is committed organized long term memory. 

Cerbin defines working memory as the mental space where we do conscious, progressive thinking; however, that space has limited capacity (Cerbin, n.d.). This temporary storage allows cognitive information processing to manipulate storage later (Gutierrez, 2014). Think of working memory as a bucket; when full, the information is tossed or spilled. Even though the plastic material the bucket, made of is thin plastic, the design indentations of the bucket still lower the storage capacity. The working memory, “bucket,” uses part of the storage with tasks processed in an automatic method. When working memory is full, and the learner is challenged with many things to organize, overload sets in often resulting in a disengaged learner, but more importantly, the inability to recall responses.

Karla Gutierrez, SH!FT Disruptive eLearning contributor outlines how to design eLearning using working memory strategies, activities, and resources that will enhance cognitive processing skills using brain-function while not overstimulating. Working memory strategies help achieve a schema, receiving parts of the objective in smaller pieces (Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, 2009). To manage the information at each level of the pedagogy, activities, and resources help learners store information in an organization to easily retrieve under relatable circumstances. 

Conclusion 

All learning starts with the neuroscience of the brain. These discoveries have helped us understand how the brain receives processes and stores information. Where the brain stores, the data is contengient on the amount of working memory in use. To ensure learning is as simplistic for learners to process, instructional designers can use SH!FT’s suggested working memory strategies, activities, and resources. 

Resources

Cerbin, B. (n.d.). Working Memory as a Bottleneck in Learning – Exploring How Students Learn. Retrieved May 19, 2020, from https://sites.google.com/a/uwlax.edu/exploring-how-students-learn/working-memory-as-a-bottleneck-in-learning

Gutierrez, K. (2014, July 22). Designing eLearning to Maximize the Working Memory. Retrieved May 19, 2020, from https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/351491/Designing-eLearning-to-Maximize-the-Working-Memory

Jensen, Eric P. (2008). A Fresh Look at Brain-Based Education. Phi Delta Kappan, 89(6), 408–410. Retrieved from https://www.teachers.net/gazette/OCT08/jensen/

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York, NY: Pearson.