XplanaZine

An effective online learning utilizes both behavioral and cognitive psychology in order to create a learning environment that results in the mastery of basic concepts and facts, an ability to synthesize information, integrate and relate it to life and personal experiences, and to work with and apply new knowledge in new contexts and settings so that deep learning takes place.

Behavioral Psychology:
Premise: The underlying attitudes and beliefs in a person will manifest as behaviors
The online course consists of a series of behaviors. These behaviors consist of a) going to the site; b) contacting instructor and/or student; c) doing online research to make connections; d) applying knowledge to one’s life, then reporting on it (a paper or discussion board entry)

Behavior is determined by outcomes/consequences — the behavior of the student online will be determined on what he/she perceives to be the consequences of actions. One positive “consequence” is the receipt of feedback.

Knowledge is manifested in behavior (correct answers)

Behavioralism/Objectivism: Objectivism has value in an online course because it allows a strategy for creating categories and organizing principles so that the student has a framework the knowledge being acquired. For example, a behaviorist approach can be used in developing multiple-choice or true-false tests, particularly when it is important to be able to identify images, etc. or to be able to organize facts and figures.

Method:
Content presentation — the website should be organized in a way that encourages the student to be able to classify and categorize knowledge, to place it in a framework, and then to make connections, compare and contrast

Question is put to student — Questions deal with identification, classification, timelines, and comparisons of data

Student is told if answer is right

Positive reinforcement for right answers

Cycle is repeated for wrong answers

External truths and knowledge exists for learners to memorize
Teacher control
Students learn to categorize and classify

Cognitive Psychology:
Premise: Learner is positioned as an active processor of information.
Active engagement: The student will be asked to not only read from the book or the website, but also to actively become involved in additional research. The learner is also asked to engage in analytical tasks that have to do with processing, evaluating, assessing, and creatively transforming information.

Emphasis on internal mental states: a) emotional states — the student is asked to respond, react, and report on the material; b) memory — the student is asked to recall information or experiences and to reflect upon them with respect to new information; c) connections — the student is encouraged to make connections, and thus by relating material to other knowledge bases, the student is able to achieve deep learning — learning which will be useful in the student’s life.

Realistic context: Considers perspective and knowledge of student. Various points of view are always considered, and inclusion is a goal.

Constructivism (Active learning, Adult learning):
Methods vary:
Encourage knowledge formation — Reading, researching, discussion with instructor and other students

Process is different for each student — Students are not required to do their reading / research / thinking tasks in any particular order, but are asked to think about the implications of the knowledge and to apply them to a practical situation.

Self-directed exploration– Students have choices in the topics they explore and write about

Discovery learning — Learners are are asked to actively engage in their own explorations — either via the Internet (clicking on links, downloading journal articles), or via their own life / work travels.

Construction of concepts, schema and mental models — The website is structured in a way that gives a visual guide to some of the concepts and paradigms being constructed and explored.

Truth and knowledge is constructed by students based on perspective and experience — Journals and final projects allow students to explore this; research that builds on experience also reinforces it.

Instructor observes, coaches and facilitates — The instructor is coached in the most effective methods and approaches to use when working online — rapid response; quick turnaround; positive guidance; additional suggestions (re: websites, resources, articles); interesting topics that relate to student’s interests and goals; good guiding questions

Students create meaning — they can do this either in their own work, or via collaborative work so that their findings are mediated, and one can become aware of some of the cultural constraints to knowledge / knowledge formation.

Both approaches, cognitive and behavioralism, can be successfully employed in an online course. The most effective programs incorporate both, and also acknowledge the need to accommodate learning styles.

Posted by Susan Smith Nash