Assessment-rich instructional technology to promote learning-centered and inquiry-oriented pedagogies: Coupling transformation and scalability > Donald P. Buckley, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology Director of Instructional Technology, School of Health Sciences Quinnipiac University; Hamden, CT Apple Distinguished Educator Computerworld Smithsonian Laureate WWW: >

A Special Revolution in Education Only once in our species history …NOW 1. Poor student performances have provoked soul-searching 1. Poor student performances have provoked soul-searching Emergence of the Learning Paradigm 2. The Decade of the Brain: 2. The Decade of the Brain: New insights about the cognitive development of learning 3. Information technology 3. Information technology Simulation, data collection/analysis, & authoring Communication Formative Assessment

U N I V E R S I T Y O F H A R T F O R D Using Advanced Educational Technology to Foster Institutional Transition to the Learning Paradigm Using Advanced Educational Technology to Foster Institutional Transition to the Learning Paradigm

Institutional Change Is Necessary, But Faculty Populations Have Structure:

Faculty Preparation for Learning-Centered Instruction Content Knowledge Pedagogical Knowledge Pedagogical Content Knowledge Learning-Centered Instruction

“What we need to learn before doing, we learn by doing.” doing, we learn by doing.” Aristotle

Learning is Constructive Meaning-Building is Vital to Learning With Understanding Metacognitive Skills - Effective Learning is Reflective Learning is Constructive Meaning-Building is Vital to Learning With Understanding Metacognitive Skills - Effective Learning is Reflective How People Learn - NRC 2000

Learning with Understanding Sudying Facts Is Necessary, But Memorization Is Inadequate Learn for Understanding Application to Solve New Problems Students Need to Build Their Own Meaning Transfer

Principles to Drive This Transition Students need to build meaning Learning should be inquiry-oriented Student experiences should be learning-centered Learning should be socially situated Pedagogical Innovation must be coupled to institutional change processes Faculty development should be transformational

How?

One Approach...

COMMUNICATING VISUALIZING ANALYZING MODELING DATA COLLECTION Technology can be an Enabler COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS SIMULATING BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium

Technology Is Often Heralded as a Solution, but… Instructional Paradigm Learning Paradigm Faculty Practices Pedagogical Potential of Instructional Technology

Pedagogical Feature Set of Instructional Technology Interactivity: Interactivity: fosters active-learning experiences Multimedia: Multimedia: engages cognitive processes Communication: Communication: promotes social construction of knowledge Computing components: Computing components: professional tools professional tools simulations to develop critical inquiry skills simulations to develop critical inquiry skills integrate powerful assessment tools integrate powerful assessment tools authoring tools for report writing authoring tools for report writing

Goals of Assessment Mindful engagement...”chunking” content Mindful engagement...”chunking” content Provide feedback Provide feedback Build incentive systems Build incentive systems Collect diagnostic clues about individual needs Collect diagnostic clues about individual needs

Assessment Tools in Education Technology Open-ended assessment styles Structured assessment styles Utility of CompetingAssessmentStyles Learn Facts Learn Inquiry Learn Concepts main learning goal foundational information

Open-ended Assessment Perhaps some structured formative assessment Portfolio model …report authoring Need epistemological scaffolding …e.g., 3P's Iterative, analogous scenarios to build meaning Path analysis …monitor decision making

Examples

Institutional Transition Process Lone Rangers Boutique Phase Transformation Scalability Boutique Phase Transformation Scalability Systemic Phase Transformation Scalability Systemic Phase Transformation Scalability Local R&D 1-on-1 Authoring

Registrar CMS Database Course Management Systems: The Enabling Technology Infrastructure? Faculty ContentComm ToolsAssessment Student Experience on the Web

Some Emergent Goals for Utilizing CMS Technology: Technology-assisted Facilitation of Learning-centered Teaching Styles Content Delivery Communication Assessment Lecture Content delivery Activities Problem-based Project-based Case-based Episodic Pervasive Routine reflection within and among teams SummativeFormative Teacher-centeredLearner-centered CMS Pedagogical Tools A Continuum of Teaching Styles

A model for coupling the feature set of course management systems to learning centered principles. Smart Tutor Web-based Homework System: routine formative assessment out of class time Research Simulation Emulating the Process of Professional Investigation Revision of Class Time content delivery system from Lecture to Discovery Activities Mitigating the Coverage DilemmaDevelop Epistemological Skills Students Need to Build Meaning

A Dilemma Coverage Learning & Inquiry NOW Emphasis on Delivery of Content Emphasis on Effective Learning

A Solution to the Dilemma? GOAL Coverage Emphasis on Delivery of Content Learning & Inquiry Emphasis on Effective Learning

Can we use technology to mitigate the Coverage Dilemma ? Routine Online AssessmentIn Class Traditional Approach Web Assisted Foundational Information Inquiry-orientation and powerful pedagogies smart tutor homework

S U M M A R Y We need to integrate pedagogies that are learning-centered and inquiry-oriented. Interactive, sensory-rich, assessment-rich technology learning environments can foster these goals in scaffolded activities that allow students to build meaning. Research simulations promote student experience in the process of investigation. Communication technology and authoring tools can promote cooperative learning experiences and help students to build meaning, when coupled with pedagogies such as case-based and problem-based learning activities. The Coverage Dilemma. These time-intensive pedagogies are commonly viewed as a conflict with coverage demands. However, assessment-rich web “homework” systems may be able to move the coverage of foundational information to student time with a competency-based learning standard, making room for more learning-centered and inquiry-oriented pedagogies in class time. New course management systems will provide an enabling technology infrastructure. A three-tiered model is suggested to supplement current CMS’s.