Operational Criteria for Cognitive Flexibility

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Operational Criteria for Cognitive Flexibility
Constructivist Learning

• Vu Minh Chieu
• PhD Student
• Department of Computer Science and Engineering
• Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
• August 2004

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Main question

• How to help designing and evaluating learning
  systems from a constructivist point of view ?

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Outline

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

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INTRODUCTION

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

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Learning and learning theories

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• We concern ourselves with learning
• In order to know what learning is, we must
  relyon a learning theory
• There are more than 50 theories of learning(see
  http//tip.psychology.org)
• Various forms of constructivism emerge among
  researchers in pedagogy

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Constructivism

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• individuals learn best when they actively
  construct knowledge and understanding.
  Santrock
• Constructivist learning is a process of
  construction and transformation of knowledge
  Bourgeois Nizet

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Bruner ex. of constructivist learning

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

Construct the concept of prime numbers ! The
child, through construction, discovers that
certain handfuls of beans cannot be laid out in
completed rows and columns
12 beans
11 beans

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Constructivism why ?

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• Many people adhere to constructivism (30,000 web
  links found for constructivist learning with
  Google)
• Personally, I like the model provided by
  constructivism describing how people learn

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Our goals

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• Evaluation of existing learning systems from a
  constructivist point of view
• Design of truly constructivist learning systems

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However,

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• The available definitions / descriptions of
  constructivism are much too general !

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Constructivism has multiple facets

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

Constructivism
Reasoning, critical thinking, and problem
solving Perkins, Wilson
Retention, understanding, and use Bruner,
Cunningham
Self-regulation Hannafin, Perkins
Mindful reflection and epistemic
flexibility Cunningham
Cognitive flexibility Spiro, Feltovich
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Ex. guidelines for instructional design

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• Learners must cope with complex situations for
  problem solving skills to be maximally
  facilitated Jonassen
• Social negotiation is required for students to
  come to understand anothers point of view
  Bourgeois Nizet

Too general !
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Ex. constructivist learning systems

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• Sponsored by the European Commission
• Developed by Moodle.org
• Developed by the Adaptive Technology
  Resource Center (Canada)

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Our approach

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• Propose operational criteria for constructivism
• Use the set of criteria as guidelines for
  evaluating and designing constructivist learning
  systems

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OPERATIONAL CRITERIAfor one of the facets of
CONSTRUCTIVISM

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

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Constructivism has multiple facets

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

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Cognitive flexibility

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

to (re)structure
Ones ability
ones knowledge
in many ways
varying situational demands
to respond adaptively to
Spiro
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Ex. of cognitive flexibility

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

Derive the meanings of the word bat in
different contexts
I watched the bat flitting through the trees
An animal
A noun
He gripped the bat tightly as he waited for the
pitch
A tool
A noun
I hope I can bat a home run !
An action verb
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Cognitive flexibility why ?

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• A common point among many authors
• ICT may facilitate the implementation of learning
  situations leading to cognitive flexibility
• The easiest facet of constructivism for proposing
  operational criteria

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Driscoll learning conditions for C.F.

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

Multiple perspectives on learning
Multiple modes of learning
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Components of learning systems

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• Learning contents
• Pedagogical devices
• Human interactions

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Operational criteria

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

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Operational criteria ex. of use (1)

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• MM1 the same learning content presenting
  concepts and their relationships is represented
  in different forms (text, images, audio, video,
  simulations, )

Example We use a combination of text, images,
animations, and simulations to present learning
contents to the learner
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Operational criteria ex. of use (2)

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• MP3 when facing a new concept, learners are
  encouraged to explore different interpretations
  of this concept (by other authors and by peers),
  to express their personal point of view on the
  new concept, and to give feedback on the points
  of view of other people

• Examples of learning activities
• explore other interpretations of other people
  (books, websites, )
• find and add other examples, exercises, in their
  own learning space
• explore peers learning spaces
• produce summaries on the points of view of other
  people

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Operational criteria ex. of use (3)

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• MP5 during the discussion, learners are
  encouraged to diversify as far as possible
  the different points of view about the topic
  discussed

• Examples of learning activities
• We encourage learners to use general and
  domain-specific questions to elicit peers points
  of view, for instance
• Are there other explanations ?
• Does anyone have a different opinion ?
• What mechanism would explain your hypothesis ?

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APPLICATIONS

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

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Evaluation

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

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Instructional design

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• Combine all of the criteria to design learning
  situations within learning systems

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CONCLUSION

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

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Conclusion

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• A set of operational criteria for cognitive
  flexibility,one of the facets of constructivism,
  for
• evaluating existing learning systems
• designing new learning systems

Not restricted to any specific domain !
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Future work

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• Evaluation of learning outcomes
• Operational criteria for other facets of
  constructivism

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What about you ?

• Introduction
• Constructivism
• Our goals and our approach
• Operational approach
• Cognitive flexibility and conditions of learning
• Operational criteria for cognitive flexibility
• Applications
• Evaluation of learning systems
• Instructional design
• Conclusion

• Apply the operational criteria for cognitive
  flexibility to your own teaching situations

E-mail vmc_at_info.ucl.ac.be