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

2. 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

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

4. 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

5. 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

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

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

8. 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

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

10. 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

11. Applications  Drill and practice/games http://www.funbrain.com/cashreg/index.ht ml  Programmed instruction http://cie.bilkent.edu.tr/Course/index.htm  Computer assisted instruction http://www.plato.com/index2.asp  Tutorials http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/frog/ Frog2/

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

13. 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

14. Applications  Telementoring http://wings.utexas.org  Case-based instruction http://www.icons.umd.edu/  Collaborative learning http://www.iearn.org/circles/  Situated learning http://the-voyage-of-the-mimi.scriptmania.com

15. 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

16. 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

17. Applications  Social Action Projects http://virtual-architecture.wm.edu/ Telecollaboration/problemsolving.html#Stru cture-SocialActionProjects  Community Technology Centers http://www.ctcnet.org/  Digital Divide Initiatives http://digitalequity.edreform.net/

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

19. 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)

20. 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