Scenariobased learning

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Scenario-based learning

• Joe Lamos, Ph.D.
• Pat Parrish
• UCAR/COMET
• Presentation at CALMet 1999, Helsinki, Finland,
  June 14-19, 1999

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Scenario-based learning

• Learning based on context or situations and
  social frameworks.

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Based on concept of situated cognition

• Basic premise knowledge cannot be known and
  fully understood independent of its context
• Learning occurs as a component of authentic
  activities that are common to the community of
  practice in which the learner is involved
  Orey, M.A. and Nelson, W.A. (1997), The impact of
  situated cognition Instructional design
  paradiagms in transistion. In C. Dills and A.J.
  Romiszowski (eds.) Instructional Design
  Paradigms. Educational Technology Publications,
  Englewood Cliffs, NJ. p. 284

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Part 1

• An exercise to look at cognition (thinking) and
  context

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Performance reflects the situation in which you
learn

• How would you instruct someone to make a canteen
  from wood?
• Task 1 Make the outer frame
• Task 2 Make the sides
• Task 3 Fit the frame and sides together

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Exercise

• Get in groups of 3-4
• Detail how you would teach Task 1 Make the
  outer frame.
• One half the groups assume you have modern tools
  to use.
• The other half of groups assume you are using
  tools common to the 1840s
• What steps would you teach and how?

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Task 1 Make the outer frame
Outer Frame
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Basic Problem
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Tool sets
Old tool groups
New tool groups
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Two approaches to the problem

• One which can be called mathematical
• reflects formal school learning
• based on rule-learning ( i.e., formulas)
• Another which can be called intuitive
• grounded in inductive learning
• inference and discovery
• driven by goals, problem-solving, and feedback
• learn from experience

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Mathematical solution

• Draw a circle of desired radius

• Divide circle into equal segments

• Form a triangle

• Use trigonometry to figure angle of cut and width
  of piece

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Mathematical solution

• Set proper angle on machine saw
• Can repetitively and efficiently make the same
  angled cut

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Inductive solution

• Same problem, different solution cut pieces of
  wood to approximate a circle

• An intuitive solution of using two joined sticks

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Inductive approach continued

• Measure desiredradius

• Mark radius on sticks

• Shave wood till you have the correct angle

• Keep testing the fit till the angle is correct

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Summary of this exercise

• Formal schooling and modern tools create a
  context for learning a structured mathematical
  solution
• An informal, apprenticeship learning situation
  combined with the use of more primitive tools
  creates a context for a more intuitive,
  pragmatic approach

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Situated cognition is

• A relation between an individual and a social
  and/or physical situation

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Part 2

• An exercise to look at thinking and context for a
  meteorological problem

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Teaching Hydrometeorology

• Want meteorologists to appreciate the
  hydrological situation as well as the
  meteorological situation
• Introduce and apply hydrological concepts and
  principles
• Introduce and apply hydrological tools ( e.g.,
  river hydrograph )
• Integrate meteorological and hydrological
  understanding for the headwater flooding problem

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Second exercise

• Describe in general terms how you would design
  instruction to meet the previous goals
• For example
• We would present hydrological fundamentals
• We would explain the use of the river hydrograph
• We would present a flood case

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