Paradigms, Theories, and Instructional Strategies Applications in Educational Technology Source: Dawson, K. (2003) C&I 579 Dr. Toledo

Defining Paradigms  A comprehensive belief system that guides research and practice in a field  Commonly cited paradigms in education (Guba, 1990) Postpositivism Interpretivism Critical Theory

Defining Paradigms (con’t)  The nature of reality (ontology)  The nature of knowledge (epistemology)  The nature of how one comes to know (methodology)

Ontology (Nature of Reality) Post-positivismCritical TheoryInterpretivism  Realist, reality is external to human mind  Can be structured  Realist, reality is external to human mind  Should be changed  Constructed (socially, individually)  Structure relies on experiences and interpretations

Epistemology (Nature of Knowledge) Post-positivismCritical TheoryInterpretivism  Universal, discoverable facts  Knowledge transmission  Acquisition metaphor  “Subjective” objectivism  Based on situation  Multiple realities based on experience  Constructed knowledge  Participation metaphor

Methodology (How one comes to know)  Why we do what we do  Preferred methods  Relationship of research to practice

Why we do what we do Post-positivismCritical TheoryInterpretivism  Find and teach universals  Empower and emancipate  Produce critically active students  Understand in context

Preferred Methods Post-positivismCritical TheoryInterpretivism  Scientific methods  Universal objectives  Teacher directed  Uncover local instances of power relationships  Empower the oppressed  Negotiation  Construct meaning in a variety of contexts  Emphasis on individual needs and collaborative strategies

Relationship of research to practice Post-positivismCritical TheoryInterpretivism  Separate  Research guides practice  Integrated  Research guides practice  Both guide  Intertwined

Theories from Post-Positivism  Behaviorism Pavlov, Skinner Stimulus-response (behavioral change) (+)/(-) reinforcement; behavior mod  Information Processing Atkinson, Ausabel Internal, unobservable process involved in learning Mnemonics, advanced organizers, encoding

Applications  Drill and practice/games ml  Programmed instruction  Computer assisted instruction  Tutorials Frog2/

Theories from Interpretivism  Constructivism Cognitive Constructivism  Schema/mental models  Learning should be active and authentic Social Constructivism  Zone of proximal development  Scaffolding

Theories from Interpretivism  Multiple Intelligences Gardner All students have talents and all can learn Education suffers from “disteachia”  Cognitive Flexibility Theory the ability to spontaneously restructure one's knowledge, in many ways, in adaptive response to radically changing situational demands

Applications  Telementoring  Case-based instruction  Collaborative learning  Situated learning

Critical Theory  Built on skepticism and questioning  Questions the neutrality of technology  Opposes the belief that progress is inherently good  Deconstructionism – seeks to reveal hidden curriculum, agenda, and motives

Critical Theory  Emphasis on criticizing what has been done than producing models  Tend to promote previously mentioned applications with an emphasis on gender, culture, and equity

Applications  Social Action Projects Telecollaboration/problemsolving.html#Stru cture-SocialActionProjects  Community Technology Centers  Digital Divide Initiatives

Ways to deal with paradigms  Ignorance  Staunch loyalty  Paradigm flexibility  Develop a new paradigm

Industrial AgeInformation Age StandardizationCustomization Centralized controlAutonomy with accountability Adversarial relationshipsCooperative relationships Autocratic decision makingShared decision making ComplianceInitiative ConformityDiversity One-way communicationsNetworking CompartmentalizationHolism Parts-orientatedProcess-orientated Teacher as King/QueenLearner as King/Queen An Information Age Paradigm (Reigeluth, 1996)

An Eclectic Paradigm  Also termed pragmatic or mixed  Borrow methods from all paradigms to solve educational problems  View paradigms as only as meaningful as the context in which they are applied