Learning to Learn

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Learning to Learn
Kristina Edström, KTH Learning Lab,
kristina_at_kth.se
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"Good" and "bad" learning
Think back on one example of "good" learning, and
one example of "bad" learning, in your
experience. It can be in or outside school.
("Good" learning means that you really understand
and can use the knowledge, and you retain it for
long time.)

• Make notes on each of the examples. Focus on your
  own role, what you did and how it felt. (6 min)
• Work in pairs compare your experiences. Try to
  find issues that your stories have in common.
  Take notes. (10 min)
• Form groups of four Find the recurring themes,
  what you most seem to associate with good and bad
  learning. Write keywords on poster sheets. (20
  min)

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"Good" and "bad" learning (cont)

• Tack your posters to the wall. Gather around
  them.
• Each group will in turn choose one item from
  their poster and explain it to us.
• For each item Can we together suggest a way to
  translate that particular wisdom into to a
  strategy which you can use to improve your
  learning?

4
My life is my responsibility
Other factors
What I caninfluence
The thought "If only the teacher" is a trap!
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4 principles of "good" learning

• Motivational context
• Deep learning is more likely when the student
  experiences a need to know something in order to
  carry out tasks which matter to them.
• Students need to be involved in selecting what is
  to be learnt and in planning how the learning
  should take place in order to experience
  ownership.
• A positive emotional and motivational climate is
  a necessary condition for deep learning.

Biggs
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4 principles of "good" learning

• Learner activity
• Students need to be active rather than passive.
  Deep learning is associated with doing. If the
  learner is actively involved, then more
  connections will be made both with past learning
  and between new concepts.
• Doing is not sufficient for learning, however.
  Learning activity must be planned, reflected upon
  and processed, and related to abstract
  conceptions.

Biggs
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4 principles of "good" learning

• Interaction with others
• It is often easier to negociate meaning and to
  manipulate ideas with others than alone.
• Interaction can take many forms .
• Students teaching each other is a very effective
  method for learning, however it is the student
  who teaches who will learn more than the student
  who is taught.

Biggs
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4 principles of "good" learning

• Well-structured knowledge base
• It is vital that students existing knowledge and
  experience are brought to bear in learning.
• The subject matter must be well structured and
  integrated.
• The structure of knowledge is more visible to and
  more useful to students where it is clearly
  displayed, where content is taught in integrated
  wholes, rather than in small separate pieces, and
  where knowledge is required to be related to
  other knowledge rather than learned in isolation.
  

Biggs
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Why does one end up in this position?
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Change the model - active learning
Teachers, advisors
Student- active- responsible
Tasks, assignments challenges
Theory, Literature
Peers
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Deep and surface strategy of learning

• Intention to understand and learn
• Leads to well-structured knowledge, that can be
  applied, long retention
• Positive feelings
• Intrinsic motivation

• Intention to pass the course(typically exam)
• Leads to poorly structured knowledge which soon
  deteriorates
• Negative feelings
• Extrinsic motivation

Marton Säljö 1976, Biggs 2003
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Deep or surface strategy is not an attribute of
the student

• "I read very slowly, trying to concentrate on
  what it means. There's a lot of meaning behind
  it. You mustn't regurgitate because that's not
  the idea with the exercise. Rather getting it all
  together."

• "Getting enough facts so that you can write
  something relevant in the exam. I know what I've
  got to write about without really thinking about
  it really. I know the facts about it and
  regurgitate."

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Surface strategy - factors

• A heavy workload
• Relatively high class contact hours
• An excessive amount of course material
• A lack of opportunity to pursue subjects in depth
• A lack of choice over subjects and method of
  study
• A threatening and anxiety provoking assessment
  system

Gibbs 1992
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• Motivation can be created in the course

"With some courses I can feel Oh no, not another
math course. But then you get some understanding
for something in that course and then it feels
great fun in a way." "The interest for the
subject is the most important. It can be an prior
interest or it can be created during the course."
"If you get the right answer on a calculation
assignment you continue with the next one and it
gets fun. If its difficult you get unmotivated
and you spend less time on it. One should really
put more time into things that work badly but it
doesnt work that way."
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A monster you faceis never quite so scaryas one
you don't.
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Professionally relevant competencies for an
engineer

• Technical / disciplinary competencies
• Professional competencies
• Working effectively with others
• Oral written communication, in Swedish and
  English, with different target groups
• Professional ethics
• Personal competencies
• Engagement, judgment, independence, vision,
  endurance, belief in what you do, driving force,
  courage, presence, focus, motivation, energi,
  creativity, integrity

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What am I able to do as a result of learning in
the course?
Objectives
Teaching Learning
Assessment
What work should I do to reach the objectives?
What do I have to perform to demonstrate that I
have reached the objectives?
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What is the aim with project work in my education?
Project goal
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5 practical tips
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1
The secret of success is constancy of
purpose. Benjamin Disraeli
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2
Study in informal study groups.
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3
Connect theory to applications,examples and
reality.
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4
Prepare and follow up onyour learning
activities.
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5
Reflect on your study habits,in order to improve
them.
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No pain, no gain
What really puts demands on you, things you have
to fight for - theyre all worthwhile
afterwards.Even if its hell at the
time.Whereas you can barely remember something
that comes to you easily.
Lena Endre on working with director Ingemar
Bergman
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• Good luck!