Learning Theory

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Learning Theory

• Ashok Bakthavathsalam

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Are you ready to have fun?

• I had fun preparing it!

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Agenda

• Part 1 Why? (20 slides)
• Part 2 What and How? (12 slides)
• What is Actionable today? (2 slides)

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Does a good Teacher requires theory?

• Think about when you were a student

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What do good teachers have in common?

• Activity No 1/6

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Top3 among best teachers

• I'm about to become a teacher. How can I be a
  good one?The best teachers I remember from
  school had three things in common(1) They had
  high standards. Like three year olds testing
  their parents, students will test teachers to see
  if they can get away with low-quality work or bad
  behavior. They won't respect the teachers who
  don't call them on it.(2) They liked us. Like
  dogs, kids can tell very accurately whether or
  not someone wishes them well. I think a lot of
  our teachers either never liked kids much, or got
  burned out and started not to like them. It's
  hard to be a good teacher once that happens. I
  can't think of one teacher in all the schools I
  went to who managed to be good despite disliking
  students.(3) They were interested in the
  subject. Most of the public school teachers I had
  weren't really interested in what they taught.
  Enthusiasm is contagious, and so is boredom.

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Rate yourself 1-gt 10

• How much do you really care for the students?
• Do you set high standards for your students?
• What is your interest level in the subject(s)
  that you teach?
• Activity No 2/6

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Statistical Poll

• Scores from 10 of the population

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No mention of Learning theory

• Then, why this presentation?

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First some Questions (Act. 3/6)

• How can you create more passionate learners
  today?
• How can you create more committed lifelong
  learners today?
• What is the definition of Higher Education?

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First some Questions (Act. 3/6)

• How can you create more passionate learners
  today?
• Passionate teachers
• Passionate teachers teaching subjects that they
  are passionate about
• How can you create more committed lifelong
  learners today?
• Passionate learners, yes? But lifelong learners?

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Lifelong? When learning becomes addictive!
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Learning Theory

• Passionate learners
• Lifelong learning
• Can we go on to Learning Theory please?
• Higher education?

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Higher Education

• Boring word-based definition
• Or
• The Show and tell version?

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(No Transcript)
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What is the ONE Metric for measuring institution
Success?

• Not placement , not academic
• Summation of individual value-add
• At what level do students arrive, and at what
  level do the students leave
• Not about services, products, but all about
  experience

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Main takeaway Part 1

• Why learning Theory?
• Curriculum experience is where we need to
  innovate as an educational institution to
  differentiate ourselves from the rest
• Being aware of Learning Theory and using it
  effectively can enhance the H.E. experience of
  our students
• Learning Theory -gt Curriculum experience -gt
  Passion -gt Addiction -gt Lifelong learners
• Achieve 100 pass -gt 10 University ranks
• Who has to be excited about this?
• The management? the principals? Students? whose
  primary responsibility is it?

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Learning Theory emphasis on

• Concepts (vs) Tools
• Moodle, Powerpoint are tools
• Scope of Part 2
• Kathy Sierras article
• Author of HeadFirst series of books
• Best selling among technical books
• Barr and Tagg on Undergraduate Education
• Felder and Brent on Intellectual Development (2)

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One way push
Learning?
Student
Teacher
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co-creation of knowledge
Learning happens!
Teacher Learning facilitator
Student Learner
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What is Learning?

• NO! Learning is not a one-way push from Head_A
  (teacher) to Head_B (student)
• YES! Learning is a co-creation. The Learners
  brain constructs the new knowledge

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Definition of Learning

• Learning isnt content. Learning isnt
  infrastructure.
• Learning is a process of forging neural links.
  Its new thought being wired into the brains
  network.
• Hard to believe, given that the brain is a
  chemical soup, shot through with electrical
  charges, more closely resembling a haggis than a
  sophisticated network processor.

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Knowledge repository
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Boring stuff is filtered out
Brain has a mind of its own
Brain as a crap filter
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What is the Brain?

• One more time In the context of learning?
• Storage room for knowledge
• Absorbs information
• More practical perspective
• Rejects information
• Brain is a crap filter!

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fundamental
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Context matters
Use the filmmaker/novelist principle of
show-dont-tell.
Why? Who cares? So what?
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Context matters
Use the filmmaker/novelist principle of
show-dont-tell.
Why? Who cares? So what?
Use stories and examples
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Learning Theory Act. 5/6

• How many concepts did you remember?
• How many concepts were there? 10? 15? 18?
• One concept was used but not written or
  picturized? Which is that?
• How many concepts did I use in my own
  presentation?
• Knowledge creation (?)
• Show and tell
• Fun(ny) (?)
• Pictures
• One more techniquewhat is that?

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Count again?

• Last chance

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Context matters
Use the filmmaker/novelist principle of
show-dont-tell.
Why? Who cares? So what?
Use stories and examples
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Who has the right count?
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21 is the right answer

• Chunking a synthesizing framework
• Relate, Think, Do
• Talent R T D
• Reality to date (RTD)

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Concepts in use already

• How many of these concepts/techniques do you use
  already?
• Part 1 of Act. 6/6

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Context matters
Use the filmmaker/novelist principle of
show-dont-tell.
Why? Who cares? So what?
Use stories and examples
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Concepts in use already? Act. 6/6

• Statistical Poll (5 respondents)

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Concepts -gt Ideas

• Invite suggestions

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Suggestions for Immediate Action

• Three distinct parts
• Internalize concepts (effectiveness)
• Use Technology (efficiency and effectiveness) to
  create content
• Normal content
• E-content (PPTs, etc)
• Present it!
• Adjust and adapt to learner feedback
• Co-create the experience!
• Repeat the above cycle

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Faculty
Curriculum Experience
Student
Learning Technology
Passion
Feedback
Lifelong learning
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Learning Technology Blog

• All faculty members must contribute as authors
• Concept clarification or enhancement
• Practical idea implemented in class
• E-content if any and URL location
• Forum for sharing learning technology experience

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Summary

• Learning theory why 22 slides
• Curriculum experience is everything
• Learning theory what 12 slides
• Learning is co-creation of knowledge
• Synthesizing framework (Relate-think-do)
• How can I put this into action? - 2 slides
• Three components for immediate action
• Faculty experience sharing through presentations
  and blogs

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Summary 2

• If you teach, they will come

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Brain friendly lecture score (Part 2 - Act. 6/6)

• How brain friendly was this talk?
• How to rate?
• Did you learn anything new?
• Are you motivated to go out and be a better
  learning facilitator?
• On a scale of 1-10, 10 is the highest
• Give your frank feedback
• I need sheet 6/6 to be handed over

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Credits

• Vinith video clippings
• Kathy Sierra learning summary
• Send me a feedback and I shall send the PDF
• Brain is a crap filter article
• Further Reading
• Barr and Tarr on Undergraduate Education
• Felder and Brent on Intellectual Development (2)
• Greg Kearsley's Explorations in Learning
  Instruction The Theory Into Practice Database
• Online Music History course designed at Northern
  Arizona University

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Thank you!

• Feedback through email at ashokb_at_kggroup.com