1 Better Virtual Buildings or Better Learners? Richard Brown, Ph.D.

2 Agenda: Start with assumptions… Start with assumptions… The Problem… The Problem… The Context… The Context… A Possible Alternative A Possible Alternative Continue the Discussion? Continue the Discussion? Additional Resources Additional Resources

3 Assumptions About Human Capacities: Biological Organism More Alike Than Different More Alike Than Different Biology Supports Cognition and Motivation Biology Supports Cognition and Motivation

4 Assumptions About Human Capacities: Inevitably Logical My cat is an animal All animals have hair Therefore…

5 Assumptions About Human Capacities: Four Levels of Processing Preconscious Automatic Processing Conscious Controlled Deliberate Processing Reflective Metacognitive Processing Critical Cultural Awareness

6 The Problem: Education Today Often Focused on Creating “Obedient Rats” Often Focused on Creating “Obedient Rats” Typically, goals are solely focused on promoting conscious controlled processing and automaticity Typically, goals are solely focused on promoting conscious controlled processing and automaticity Looks a lot like training to me… Looks a lot like training to me…

7 The Context: Systematic Instructional Design Needs lead to… Needs lead to… Goals lead to… Goals lead to… Objectives lead to… Objectives lead to… Assessment, Evaluation Assessment, Evaluation Strategies and Tools Strategies and Tools Revision Based on Data Revision Based on Data

8 The Context: Motivational Design Control and Manipulation Control and Manipulation  Keller - ARCS Personal Control, Mastery, and Autonomy Personal Control, Mastery, and Autonomy  Rotter - locus of control  Deci - intrinsic / extrinsic motivation  deCharms - pawn / origin  Langer - mindfullness / mindlessness

9 The Context: Motivational Design (continued) Identity, Meaning and Purpose Identity, Meaning and Purpose Maslow’s Hierarchy Maslow’s Hierarchy Constant force on decisions of how to think, what to believe and how to act; typically unconscious Constant force on decisions of how to think, what to believe and how to act; typically unconscious Can be Manipulated Can be Manipulated

10 The Context: Representing Knowledge and Motivation Operationalizing Goals Operationalizing Goals  “Information Processing Analysis”  “Knowledge Engineering”  “Motivational Analysis”  Representing “expertise” on paper

11 The Composition of a “Goal” and Subsequent Objectives… Diagrams, flowcharts, etc… Diagrams, flowcharts, etc… Gagne’s Taxonomy Gagne’s Taxonomy Bloom’s Taxonomy Bloom’s Taxonomy Keller’s ARCS’s Model Keller’s ARCS’s Model Limited by Our Models of Cognition, and Motivation and Our Purposes Limited by Our Models of Cognition, and Motivation and Our Purposes Is our focus simply creating proper mazes (virtual or other) for our obedient rats? Is our focus simply creating proper mazes (virtual or other) for our obedient rats?

12 A Possible Alternative: My Biased Perspective Our business is creating autonomous, self- analytical, capable, and motivated participants in a democratic capitalist environment. Environmental contingencies are selected and designed to support this effort

13 My Biases (continued) … We are in the business of education, not the business of technology We are in the business of education, not the business of technology We need to define our biases and values explicitly… We need to define our biases and values explicitly…  Open dialogue and explicit reflection vs “parental” monologue and hidden agenda  Exploration and participation vs “obedient rat” syndrome  Negotiated contracts vs carrot and stick jumping through hoops  Reflective analysis vs regurgitation...

14 Possible Values for Instructional and Motivational Design… Autonomy and Independence vs Manipulation and Control Autonomy and Independence vs Manipulation and Control Relevance and Meaningful Activities vs Only Drill and Practice Relevance and Meaningful Activities vs Only Drill and Practice Reflective Analysis vs Automatic Processing Reflective Analysis vs Automatic Processing Long-term mission vs today’s lesson Long-term mission vs today’s lesson Needs  Goals  Objectives  Strategies  Tools

15 Cognitive and Motivational Self-Analysis: Related Concepts Reflective Processing: Reflective Processing:  Metacognition  Self-Regulation  General Problem-Solving Skills Cultural Awareness: Cultural Awareness:  Media Literacy  Emancipatory Education  Social Critical Theory  Liberation Theology

16 Brainstorming Examples: Goals  Strategies  Tools Reflective Processing: Reflective Processing:  Personal Schedule  Explicit Representation of Concepts and Rules (student as designer)  Conceptual Analysis / Inference History (Requires Introduction to Informal Logic) Motivational Self-Analysis and Autonomy Motivational Self-Analysis and Autonomy  Learning Contracts  Motivational Journaling

17 An Invitation to Continued Discussion Web-based location and forum Web-based location and forum Listserv for monthly(?) updates Listserv for monthly(?) updates Special topics Special topics Coordinated research activity Coordinated research activity Comments and suggestions welcomed! Comments and suggestions welcomed! me or sign-up today

18 Additional Resources Available May  This presentation  Associated and additional URLs and citations  Information related to the research / discussion forum