Week 9 - Instructional strategies for Affective learning and Problem-solving

Imagine yourself as an accountant and you are faced with an accounts related problem at work. Chances are, you would already have the solution to deal with the problem.

Now suppose someone else presents you with a financial problem, there might be some difficulty in solving the problem although the problem might be familiar or even similar to the ones you have been solving everyday.

This is an example of the limitations of cognitive strategies. As much as is about furthering your ability to apply previously acquired knowledge to solve unfamiliar problems, there are still areas that could not be conquoered.

Much of cognitive strategies suggest intuition as it involves a little element of risk taking. This is especially the case when there are other factors that are affecting the learning of cognitive strategies such as the structure, complexities and abstractness of problems.

As much as leaner’s have a pretty good grasps of cognitive strategies, there is a high chance that the might not be able to complete the tasks, which ultimately affects their feedback processes.

Moreover, individual differences tend to add to the confusion of difficulty level of the learning as each individual have different levels of prior knowledge with the subject in hand.

As such, at the end of learning, the tasks might still not be correctly completed, and yet the learner is already well acquainted with the problem solving skill.

Is this one of the reasons why Gagne does not treat this as a type of learning outcome?

Similarly, affective learning outcomes are not absolute. As such, learning outcomes should only be classified as desirable or other wise. There should not be a “right” or “wrong” answer due to the subjective nature of the problem.

This can be observed through the action verbs for affective outcome where they require a certain amount of prejudice or biases.

So once again, if problem-solving is not a learning outcome according to Gagne, can we say the same for Affective learning?
Seeing as both learning outcomes may not gurantee a correct completion of tasks.

Week 8 - Instructional strategies for Principles and Procedure learning

The knowledge of procedures, or rule using, teaches us on when to use the correct procedures during the most appropriate situations.

In simple terms, we use procedures when we have to use procedures. For example, when operating machinery, there are certain procedures so as to ensure the desired output.

Most of key instructional elements for procedure learning deals includes strong visual aspects. Such as demonstration and worked example. These elements require teachers to SHOW learners the different procedures.

Thinking back, these learning experiences also deals with learning of Mathematics and physics, where sums and questions are to be solved, and we are given formula and other other steps to solve the problem.

In the e-learning process, practice and feedback is considered to be the most difficult to be achieved. If practice requires hands-on experience, it would be almost impossible for the learner to practice online.

If feedback includes comparison, given the ephemerality of certain activities, the benchmarks may not exist after a long time.

In solving this, practice can be done in the way of computer simulated sums or actions, such as having tutorials on Secondlife where the learner can view the the situation and react accordingly.

In the read and write web, questionaires such cast study or situational problems can be posted online so as to allow the learners to recall and apple the rules that they have used. For example " After this step, what should Ah Huat do?"

Ideal solutions or benchmarks can be posted online for learners to compare. Also, a list of compiled results can also be made available.

Of course, the learning of procedures depends on mental memory and muscle memory. As such, it should suffice that feedback of learning concentrate on the retention of these procedures. We will leave the in-depth understanding to Principles.

Principles are combinations of rules, concepts and often facts, and using them to teach us the "why" behind all these.

The teaching of principles can be tricky and outcomes can often become unclear and unmeasurable.

To practice, the websites can include a series of problem questions, kind of similar to those in examination questions, but focused on the connections between the facts/variables and context/conditions.

Feedback may require another party to look and grade physically as the application of principles might not be correct. This might be replaced by computerised adaptive feedback, however, there will be certain exceptions. And it is these exceptions that may bring about historical breakthroughs.

Week 7 - Instructional Strategies for Fact and Concept Learning

Starve, Stuff, then Vomit

"Hey! Lets go for dinner buffet later!"

"Wah! Like that I need to skip lunch le lor~~"

This is also often the case when it comes to learning of verbal information. We face the issue for the first time, and we become interested and hunger for more information.

Then we begin to feed (or perhaps feast) on hese information and then begin to stuff ourselves with food. Finally, when someone who is willing to listen comes along, we tell them as much as you can (oo as much as they want to listen).

Alfred mentioned during lecture that the learning of verbal information may encourage accuracy, which started me thinkimg. If the learning outcomes asks to state the position of the notes of F, A, C and E on the musical stave, the student maybe able to state the acronyms but may face problems in the positioning on the music score.

The lack of understanding (the "why") behind the facts is atypical of learning theories that encourages comprehension leading to application. Mere memorizing of these information may not gurantee a correct and accurate application of the theory learnt.

There was a time when I was sitting in a History class and having to remember huge chunks of information. We were forced to remember ridiculous melodies that contained these information. Following that, the teacher went on to try other strategies.

Mnemonics had the longest life.

To me, the best way to for Fact Learning is serve the most outstanding theory or concept to the learner, instead tryingto shuff the entire curriculum down the learner's throat.

In a learning design, fact learning should support on the earning of the most outstanding or major theory, such ADDIE in NM3204.

Afterall, you'd gag if you were forced to eat an entire Tuna.

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In reviewing the active verbs for concept objectives, active tasks are evident. To achieve the respective learning outcomes, the learner has to engage in activities so as to apply the concepts learnt.

In fact, the instruction adopted is also active through elements such as demonstration. When I was learning mathematical formulas in JC, I had to learn the derivation of the formula, and actively use it to solve problems. And upon learning the derivation, the application of the formula is much more accurate.

Afterall, it you never know what comes out after you have stuffed your entire stomach with food hours before.