Fall 2007: Syllabus P540 Learning and Cognition in Education
Section 22395, Tuesday 7:00-9:45 pm, Room 2275
http://php.indiana.edu/~cjbonk/P540_syllabus_fall_2007.htm
Instructor: Dr. Curt Bonk
/ Instructor:Curtis J. Bonk, Ph.D., CPA
Office: 2238 W. W. Wright Education Bldg.
Phone: 856-8353 (W); E-mail:
Office Hours: Thursdays 2:30-3:30 & as arranged
Homepage: http://mypage.iu.edu/~cjbonk/
Instructional Assistant:
Nari Kim, Instructional Assistant, IST Doctoral Candidate,
Course Description:
In this course, we will look at several different theoretical perspectives on learning, cognition, and cognitive development. As we will see, no single theory can account for all aspects of human learning and cognition. By looking at a variety of theories, we can identify a range of principles, perspectives, and tools that may be useful in understanding learning and teaching in a variety of contexts. Keep in mind that this course is essentially a survey of learning, cognitive, and related theories. While this means that there is a lot of ground to cover in a relatively short period of time, there are opportunities for you to delve deeper into personal areas of interest. This semester the main will be the development of a Wikibook with students in Dr. Mimi Lee’s class at the University of Houston on practical applications of learning theories. To prepare for this task, we will also critique and add to existing Wikibooks in the field. Her class starts and ends a week before our class, so we will try to catch up.
Primary Course Goals
1. To become conversant with basic assumptions, concepts, and principles of each theory.
2. To grasp possible implications of each theory for different instructional settings.
3. To compare and contrast a range of theories in a variety of settings and age groups.
4. To create, revise, and begin to use your own personal theory of learning.
5. To reflect on how learning theories impact on every aspect of your life.
Learning Approach
Dr. Lee and I believe that learning is a social, active, and reflective process. As such, the learning activities will include reading, writing, reflecting, and participating in group assignments. While some of our assignments are designed as individual reflection activities, many other are group activities. In addition, we want you to be engaged in hands-on and authentic learning tasks. Thus, the tasks selected here will allow for your active experimentation with learning theories in everyday life. Please take advantage of the cross-institutional collaborations in this class as you can learn something from your peers at another institution!
Course Books and Resources:
The 3 optional books for this course.
/ Recommended for teachers and teacher educators:Phillips, D. C., & Soltis, J. F. (2004). Perspectives on learning, 4th Edition. New York: Teachers College Press.
New Amazon: $15.46; used $9.50; ($14.26 new at Half.com)
/ Recommended for IST or Ed Psych majors who must take qualifying exams in this area:
Driscoll, M. (2005). Psychology of Learning for Instruction, 3rd Edition. New York: Allyn & Bacon.
Note: the following book, it is a fine substitute for Driscoll:
Gredler, M. E. (2005). Learning and Instruction: Theory into Practice, 5th Edition.
New Amazon: $75.80; used $32.99; ($65.80 at Half.com)
/ Optional Text: This book is highly recommended but not required (see course requirements before purchasing this book; you can buy this cheaply on Amazon or Half.com as a used book!).
Goldsmith, M., Kaye, B., & Shelton, K. (2000). Learning journeys: Top management experts share hard-earned lessons on becoming mentors and leaders. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publishing.
New Amazon: $20.48; used $2.79; ($1.25 at Half.com)
The first two books can be obtained from the IU (812-855-9628) and TIS Bookstores (1-800-238-1229); the third one you can purchase very cheaply online such as at Amazon.com.
Existing P540 Resources:
Dr. Joyce Alexander who has kindly placed her P540 lecture notes and resources on the Web. Modules: http://www.indiana.edu/~p540alex/Summer2003/units.html
Resources: http://www.indiana.edu/~p540alex/Summer2003/resources.html. When in doubt about any theory or theorist in this class, Greg Kearsley’s “Theory Into Practice” (TIP) Database is usually useful, http://tip.psychology.org/ (contains 50 major theories of learning and instruction).
Available Bonk Videostreams and Podcasts:
I have videostreamed some chapter lectures and talks to the Web and have also posted several informal podcasts talks. These can be found at http://mypage.iu.edu/~cjbonk/streamed.html (scroll to bottom of page; these are also linked off my homepage).
Proposed Course Activities and ScheduleUnit / Learner-oriented Activity
Week 1
Introduction
(Aug 24th) / Read:
Phillips & Soltis: Chapter 1: Introduction (or)
Driscoll Ch 1 Intro to Theories of Learning and Instruction
Cunningham Article: May You Teach in Interesting Times (Oncourse)
Review: Dr. Joyce Alexander: Approaches to the Study of Learning: ttp://www.indiana.edu/~p540alex/Summer2003/unit1.html
Week 2
Behaviorism
(Aug 28th) / Read:
Phillips & Soltis: Ch 2 Classical Theories and Ch 3: Behaviorism (or)
Driscoll Ch 2: Radical Behaviorism
Gredler Chapter on Skinner (Posted to Oncourse)
Week 3
Social Learning Theory
(Sept 4th) / Read:
Driscoll: Ch 9: Self-efficacy beliefs, pages 316-323 (if you have the 3rd edition); pages 310-316 (if you have the 2nd edition)
Review:
Explore some of the Web links related to Albert Bandura:
1. http://fates.cns.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/bandura.htm
2. http://www.emory.edu/EDUCATION/mfp/Bandura/Index.html
3. http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Bandura/bobo.htm (Bobo doll experiment)
Week 4
Cognitive Information Processing
(Sept 11th) / Read:
Driscoll Ch 3: Cognitive Information Processing
Review: How People Learn (2 parts):
1. Brain, Mind, Experience, & School: http://books.nap.edu/html/howpeople1/ (also quick skim at) http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=6160)
2. Bridging Research & Practice: http://books.nap.edu/html/howpeople2/ (quick skim at: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=9457)
Week 5
Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning
(Sept 18th) / Read:
Driscoll: Chapter 9 Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning
Paul Chance vs. Alfie Kohn debate (posted to Oncourse)
Review: Motivation: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/motivate.html
Due Sept 18th: Wikibook Chapter Critiques and Edits
Week 6
Meaningful Learning & Schema Theory
(Sept 25th) / Read:
Phillips & Soltis: Chapter 8 The Cognitive Science Approach (or)
Driscoll: Chapter 4 Meaningful Learning and Schema Theory
Week 7
Cognitivism and Piaget
(Oct 2nd) / Read:
Phillips & Soltis: Ch 5 Piaget Structures & Psych Constructivism (or)
Driscoll: Chapter 6 Cognitive and Knowledge Development (Piaget)
Review: http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/ (Dr. Plucker’s intelligence site)
Week 8
Open Exploration Week
(Oct 9th) / Read: Library Day/Week
Due October 9th: Wikibook Topic Selection and Library Day 1-2 page reviews
Week 9
Contructivism and Situated Learning
(Oct 16th) / Read:
Phillips & Soltis: Ch 6 Social Aspects of Learning (or)
Driscoll: Chapter 5 Situation Cognition
Review: http://psych.hanover.edu/vygotsky/bacalar.html
Week 10
Contructivism
(Oct 23rd) / Read:
Phillips & Soltis: Ch 7 Cog Structures & Disciplinary Structures (or)
Driscoll: Chapter 11 Constructivism
Week 11
Instructivism
(Oct 30th) / Read: Chapter 10 Gagne’s Theory of Instruction
Week 12
Instructional Design
(Nov 6th) / Read: Articles assigned from David Merrill on ID (see Oncourse)
Review (see page 2 of list): A Task-Centered Instructional Strategy, David Merrill, Florida State Univ., April 6, 2007 (1 hour 12 minutes) http://mediasite.oddl.fsu.edu/mediasite/Catalog/Front.aspx?cid=faec6088-49ee-4d37-967d-6d09bb49ca25
Due Nov 6th: Drafts of Wikibook chapters
Week 13
Personal Theory
(Nov 13th) / Read:
Phillips & Soltis: Ch 9 Arguments and Issues (or)
Driscoll: Ch 12 Toward a Personal Theory of Learning and Instruction
Due Nov 13th: Peer Critiques of Wikibook chapters
Week 14
Wikibooks
(Nov 20th) / Read: Wikibook Week—read your wikibook!
Due Nov 20th: Final Drafts Wikibook chapters
Week 15
Wikibooks
(Nov 27th) / Present Wikibook Chapters and Awards Ceremony
Due Nov 27th: Final Reflection Papers
Course Policies:
Lateness, Incompletes, Plagiarism, Paper Submission Policies. I am flexible. You can turn in any paper late (you have 1 free cushion day (24 hours) on any paper). However, on the 2nd day late you will lose 5% and you lose 5 percent for every day beyond that. A grade of "I" will be given for medical emergencies or extreme unforeseen emergencies only. All other policies and regulations (e.g., regarding "academic honesty and plagiarism") as stated in the Graduate Bulletin apply in this course (this is a required note in any IU syllabus). You can submit your papers via email (), fax (812-339-1254), or in person. I always respond to email within 48 hours; more likely, within an hour or 2 or quicker.
Course Points. There are 300 points in this course, as follows:
· 40 points= Class discussions participation, Cool Resource Finder and Moderator
· 260 points = Wikibook Online Work
Preliminary Work = 60 points (Critique + Peer Feedback + Wikibook edit)
Middle Work = 60 points (Final Topic Selection + Library Day + Peer Feedback)
Ending Work = 140 points (Wikibook chapters + Peer Fdbk + Reflection Papers)
· Extra Credit Option: Learning Journeys Book Reflection Paper
Course Grading: I reserve the right for a quiz or test at some point during the semester which will increase the point total here. I will use 90-80-70-60 scale.
300 pts or more = A+; 280 pts = A; 270 = A-; 260 = B+; 250 = B; 240 = B-;
230 = C+; 220 = C; 210 = C-
Course Requirements and Assessments
I. Class Discussion, Cool Resources, and Discussion Moderating (40 points).
A1. Cool Resource Provider and Interactive Discussion Moderator (25 Points). We will typically cover a chapter or unit each week. On Tuesdays, I will lectures and on Thursdays, we will have student presentations and discussions. Each Thursday we will have one or more “Cool Resource Providers” and “Interactive Discussion Leader/Moderators.” The Cool Resource Provider will explore the Web resources for the course, for the week, and beyond the course and present them to the class. This might include online psychology tests, simulations, animations, models, videos, or audio clips, etc. as well as paper-based information. A corresponding handout is helpful but not required. The presentation will take 5-6 minutes followed by question and answers from the class. You will likely be a resource finder once during the semester. This person will also be asked to help moderate discussion for the week by introducing and briefly summarizing key points of the chapter. You will also provide 3-6 starter questions and pose 2-3 controversial issues. This is a mastery assignment—you get full credit if done well.
A2. Participation in Discussion (15 Points):
There are 15 points allocated to participating in weekly discussions. 14-15 for high participators; 12-13 for medium participators; 10-11 for low participators; and 0-9 for others.
II. Wikibook Task:
Wikibook Online Work (WOW) (260 total points—Due in October and November)
In this class, we will create a Wikibook related to practical applications of Learning Theories. Students from the University of Houston (Dr. Mimi Lee’s class) and Indiana University (Dr. Curt Bonk’s class) will collaborate in the creation of it. We will use a password protected site in Wikispaces to develop the book and students decide at the end of the semester which ones will appear at the Wikibook Website (the instructors, however, must feel that the paper is of high enough quality). Chapters will be a minimum of 2,000 words without references.
Dr. Seung-hee Lee, at Indiana University, and Dr. Grace Lin at the University of Houston, will select up to 12 outstanding performance awards at the end of the semester. There will be 6 categories with 1-2 awards per category (Most Practical, Most Complete, Most Interesting, Most Creative, Most Inspiring, and Most Media Rich). A chapter can win an award in more than one category. All students who complete their chapters will receive some type of honorary mention awards. The selected chapters will be noted at the Wikispaces site as a “Wikibook Outstanding Work” (WOW). WOW Chapter authors will receive “Oscar” awards for their outstanding performances (short acceptance speeches will be optional). All participants who complete their chapters will receive some type of recognition that night. A videoconference will be arranged on Tuesday night December 4th for the awards ceremony between the University of Houston and Indiana University. At the start, each student will present a three-four minute (maximum) summary of his or her chapter prior to the award ceremony. More details are below.
Note: Nari Kim will help conduct a research study related to student Wikibook Online Work (WOW) participation, so please try to WOW her and everyone else! Participation in this research (such as interviews, surveys, or focus groups) is optional.
A. Preliminary Work (Due Sept 18th; 60 points: 50 for critiques and 10 for critical friend feedback on critiques): Students are assigned a critical friend for the class (preferably someone from the other institution). To get a feel for a Wikibook on learning theories, students are asked to sign up for one of 32 chapters on learning theories at Michael Orey’s class at the University of Georgia (see the Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching and Technology (EPLTT); http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt). They write 2 page single spaced review critiques (e.g., what did they learn, what are the strengths, and what are the insights of this chapter as well as what seems inaccurate, incomplete, or might help this chapter). Nari Kim will provide a handout for these critiques. The critiques will be both sent the instructors as well as to their critical friend. Nari Kim will collect the critiques and post them to Wikispaces as a class book of mini-critiques (and send them to Dr. Orey). Critical friends will give feedback within one week of receipt by completing a form that Nari will create.
In addition, to get a feel for a Wiki, we have students edit or add to the existing Wikibook on learning theories (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Learning_Theories) or learning theorists (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Learning_Theorists) from Dr. Dale Fowler at Indiana Wesleyan (do to in class). This is a minimum of a 3 sentence or 50 word post. You will get a job aid for this (no points for this assigned—perhaps a couple of bonus points). Students will attach a printout of their highlighted Wiki edits to hardcopies of critique papers which they turn in to their instructor. (Critiques and preliminary Wiki practice edits are due by September 18th).
Critique Grading (50 Total Points or 10 pts each dimension):
1. Critical thinking displayed: sound analysis and evaluation, logical, backs up claims
2. Insightful/Original: rich and novel ideas, unique, creative, takes risks with comments
3. Coherent and logical flow to the critique or review, unity, well organized, sequence