Learning Communities Labs for Innovation in Teaching and Learning

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Learning CommunitiesLabs for Innovation in
Teaching and Learning

• Brent G. Wilson
• University of Colorado at Denver
• January 2003
• Tel Aviv Israel

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What Is Knowledge?

• Three Contrasting Views...

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AcquiringContent
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ConstructingMeaning
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Developing Sharing Cool Stuff
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Knowledge as...

• Content acquisition
• Meaning construction
• Participation in inquiry and sharing
• All of the above!

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Teaching Architectures

• Three basic models...

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Teacher-CenteredEnvironment
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Learner-CenteredEnvironment
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LearningCommunity
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Self-Organizing Systems

• Autonomous agents
• Diversity of perspectives
• Innovative actions and solutions
• High levels of connectivity
• Self-organization
• Emergent intelligence

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ClassroomCommunities
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Cohort Groups
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Alumni and FieldCommunities
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Starting Over Designing a Learning Environment
From Scratch

• If we wanted to design a learning environment,
  without ever having seen one, what would we come
  up with?
• From Tom Carroll, PT3 Grants

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S
?
T
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S
P
S
S
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L
L
P
L
L
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Put Problems in the Middle

• Teacher on the side
• Local resources all around
• Leaky boundaries to outside world allowing access
  to
• people
• info resources
• places

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Projects forCommunities

• Design studio
• Inquiry (e.g., action research)
• Cases for study exploration
• Group support for exams
• Discussions of readings
• Writers workshop

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Inquiry Cycle
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Star.Legacy
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The Legacy Principle

• Build on what you find.
• Leave something for the next group.
• Texts define communities, but interpretation of
  texts is always evolving.

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More Strategies

• Case-based reasoning
• Problem-based learning
• Service-learning
• WebQuests
• Epistemic games
• Slashdot forums
• Field experiences

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Varieties of e-Learning

• Self-paced self-instruction
• Support resources on the Web
• Group-paced courses online
• Informal interests support
• Blended learning experiences
• Do what best fits your situation.

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Adoption Strategy

• Start small w/Web resources
• Move to blended learning
• Choose a target for online delivery
• Convert to online delivery
• Target programs and repeat process
• Evaluate at every stage.

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Good Targets for Online Delivery

• Deliverable content
• Online adds value
• Access a concern
• Available resources and expertise (e.g., willing
  instructor)

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Learn More About Inquiry Learning...

• http//www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/policy/incel/sect
  ion_4.html
• http//scied.gsu.edu/Hassard/mos/7.4.html
• http//www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mon
  th6/index_sub5.html
• http//www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2002/514/index.htm
  l
• http//www.miamisci.org/ph/lpintro5e.html
• http//emints.more.net/info/area1/iblearning.html

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Further Reading and Resources

• Dynamic Learning Communities http//carbon.cudenve
  r.edu/mryder/dlc.html
• 7 Principles for Undergrad Teaching
  http//www.tltgroup.org/programs/seven.html also
  http//www.hcc.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacD
  evCom/guidebk/teachtip/7princip.htm
• Cognitive Load Theory http//www.arts.unsw.edu.au/
  education/CLT_NET_Aug_97.HTML
• Problem-Based Learning http//www.mcli.dist.marico
  pa.edu/pbl
• Case-Based Teaching http//www.edtech.vt.edu/edtec
  h/id/models/casebased.html
• Tom Carroll on Networked Learning Communities
  http//www.citejournal.org/vol1/iss1/currentissues
  /general/article1.htm