The Role of Assessment in Learning-centered Instructional Technology --------------------------...

The Role of Assessment in Learning-centered

Instructional Technology

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Donald P. Buckley, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Biology

Director of Instructional Technology, School of Health Sciences

Quinnipiac University; Hamden, CT 06518

Apple Distinguished Educator

Computerworld Smithsonian Laureate

email: don.buckley@quinnipiac.edu

WWW: http://faculty.quinnipiac.edu/health/biology/buckley/welcome.html

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Michigan State UniversityCNS Explorations in InstructionalTechnology: A Discussion Series

A Special Revolution in EducationOnly once in our species history …NOW

1. Poor student performances have provoked soul-searching1. Poor student performances have provoked soul-searching

Emergence of the Learning ParadigmEmergence of the Learning Paradigm

2. The 2. The Decade of the BrainDecade of the Brain::

New insights about the cognitive development of learningNew insights about the cognitive development of learning

3. Computing tools facilitate3. Computing tools facilitate

Simulation, data collection/analysis, & authoringSimulation, data collection/analysis, & authoring

CommunicationCommunication

Formative AssessmentFormative Assessment

AEAECC

U N I V E R S I T Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F O F H A R T F O R D H A R T F O R D

FIPSFIPSEE

NSFNSFCulpeCulpeperper

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

ContentContentKnowledgeKnowledge

ContentContentKnowledgeKnowledge

PedagogicalPedagogicalKnowledgeKnowledge

PedagogicalPedagogicalKnowledgeKnowledge

PedagogicalPedagogicalContentContent

KnowledgeKnowledge

PedagogicalPedagogicalContentContent

KnowledgeKnowledge

Learning-Centered InstructionLearning-Centered Instruction

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

Aristotle

the Learning Paradigm

Active Learning

Critical Inquiry & Synthesis

Cognitive Development of Learning

Multiple Intelligences - Multiple learning Styles

Assessment of Learning Outcomes - Mindful Engagement

Emphasis: Learning Outcomes ...Not Content Delivery

Learning Paradigm Instructional Paradigm

• Emphasis on learning • Content delivery

• Student-centered • Teacher-centered

• Problem-based • Content-based

• Open-ended problems • Closed-ended problems

• Epistemology/Hypotheses • Answers

• Formative assessment • Summative Assessment

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

What Level of Learning?

Memorizing Facts Is Necessary, But Inadequate

Learn for Understanding

Application to Solve New Problems

Students Need to Build Their Own MeaningStudents Need to Build Their Own Meaning

TransferTransfer

Comparison of Novices and Experts

Novices versus Experts Novices versus Experts

Left -brain

Serial processing

Scanning possibilities

Superficial distractors

Abstraction

Left -brain

Serial processing

Scanning possibilities

Superficial distractors

Abstraction

Right-brain

Parallel processing

Recognizing useful patterns

Core concepts

Perception

Right-brain

Parallel processing

Recognizing useful patterns

Core concepts

Perception

How People LearnBransford et al., 2000

Learning - Key Findings

Student learning is founded on preconceptions that they bring to the learning experience

Students need foundational information, but they must have opportinties to learn with understanding …to build meaning

Learning can be facilitated by a metacognitive approach …reflective learning practices

Student learning is founded on preconceptions that they bring to the learning experience

Students need foundational information, but they must have opportinties to learn with understanding …to build meaning

Learning can be facilitated by a metacognitive approach …reflective learning practices

How People LearnBransford et al., 2000

How?

One Approach...

COMMUNICATING

VISUALIZING

ANALYZING

MODELING

DATACOLLECTION

Technology can be an Enabler

COMMUNITYOF

LEARNERS

SIMULATING

BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium

Technology Is Often Heralded as a Solution

InstructionalParadigm

LearningParadigm

Faculty PracticesPedagogical Potential of Instructional Technology

Pedagogical Feature Set of Instructional Technology

InteractiveInteractive Multimedia: Multimedia: foster active-learning experiencesfoster active-learning experiences

Interactive Interactive MultimediaMultimedia: : engage cognitive processesengage cognitive processes

CommunicationCommunicationpromote social construction of knowledgepromote social construction of knowledge

Computing components:Computing components:simulation to develop critical inquiry skillssimulation to develop critical inquiry skillsintegrate powerful assessment toolsintegrate powerful assessment toolsauthoring tools for report writingauthoring tools for report writing

Overview

• Pedagogical Feature Set of Interactive Multimedia LearningWare

• Interactivity fosters active learning

• Sensory rich information formats enable brain-based teaching/learning

• Communication tools promote social construction of knowledge

• Computers facilitate routine assessment

• Course Management Systems

• Web-delivered content

• Routine formative assessment

• Communication tools to promote cooperative learning styles

• Faculty Development

• Technology integration …to serve learning-centered pedagogies

• Transition to the Learning Paradigm

• Faculty development should be transformational & community wide

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Pedagogical Feature Set of Instructional Technology

InteractiveInteractive Multimedia: Multimedia: foster active-learning experiencesfoster active-learning experiences

Interactive Interactive MultimediaMultimedia: : engage cognitive processesengage cognitive processes

CommunicationCommunicationpromote social construction of knowledgepromote social construction of knowledge

Computing components:Computing components:authoring toolsauthoring toolssimulationsimulationintegrate powerful assessment toolsintegrate powerful assessment tools

Goals of Assessment

• Mindful engagement ...”chunking” contentMindful engagement ...”chunking” content

• Provide feedbackProvide feedback

• Build incentive systemsBuild incentive systems

• Collect diagnostic clues about Collect diagnostic clues about individualindividual needs needs

Assessment Tools in Education Technology

Open-endedassessment styles

Structured assessmentstyles

Utility ofUtility ofCompetingCompeting

AssessmentAssessmentStylesStyles

LearnFactsLearnFacts

LearnInquiryLearn

InquiryLearn

Concepts

LearnConcept

s

main learning goal

foundational information

Examples

Open-ended AssessmentA Contradiction?

Perhaps some structured formative assessment

Portfolio model …report authoring

Epsitemological scaffolding …e.g., 3P's

Interative, analogous scenarios

Path analysis …monitor decision making

Problem with IMM Training: Scalability

Authoring IMM LearningWare is a deep experience

Problem …very effort intensive

Faculty do become sophisticated consumers of LearningWare

Another kind of authoring experience needed, to scale up and integrate pedagogies/technologies

Course Management Systems?

Institutional Transition Process

Lone Rangers

Lone Rangers

Boutique Phase: 1-on-1 TLC

TransformationScalability

Boutique Phase: 1-on-1 TLC

TransformationScalability

Systemic Phase

Transformation

Scalability

Systemic Phase

Transformation

Scalability

LocalR&D

Registrar

CMS Database

Course Management Systems:The Enabling Technology

Infrastructure?

Faculty

Content Comm Tools Assessment

Student Experience on the Web

Some Emergent Goals for Utilizing CMS Technology:

Technology-assisted Facilitation of Learning-centered Teaching Styles

Content Delivery

Communication

Assessment

LectureContent delivery

ActivitiesProblem-basedProject-basedCase-based

Episodic PervasiveRoutine reflection within and among

teams

Summative Formative

Teacher-centered Learner-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 Timecontent 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 Assessment In Class

TraditionalApproach

WebAssisted

Foundational InformationInquiry-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. We suggest a three-tiered model to supplement current CMS’s.

Comparison of Novices and Experts

Novices versus Experts

Left -brain

Serial processing

Scanning possibilities

Superficial distractors

Abstraction

Right-brain

Parallel processing

Recognizing useful patterns

Core concepts

Perception

Learning Relies on Background Knowledge and Chunking

Task is memorizing

long strings of numbers

Solution:

Chunking Strategy

Background Knowledge

Lots of practice

Group 3

Group 2

Group 1

Preparation for Learning with Understanding

Studied aResearch

Paper

Studied DataSets

Lecture Designed toOrganize Knowledge &

Learn with Understanding

X X

X X

TransferTest

PossiblePredictions

(%)

5025

X X

Experts

Focus On Major Concepts Novices

Superficial Factors

Learning - Key Findings

Student learning is founded on preconceptions that they bring to the learning experience

Students need foundational information, but they must have opportinties to learn with understanding …to build meaning

Learning can be facilitated by a metacognitive approach …reflective learning practices

How People LearnBransford et al., 2000

Student learning is founded on preconceptions that they bring to the learning experience

We must draw out and work with students preconceptions

Students need foundational information, but they must have opportunities to learn with understanding …to build meaning

Learning can be facilitated by a metacognitive approach …reflective learning practices

Teaching - Key Conclusions

Student learning is founded on preconceptions that they bring to the learning experience

We must draw out and work with students preconceptions

Students need foundational information, but they must have opportunities to learn with understanding …to build meaning

We must teach somes things in more depth, especially important concepts as themes across multiple examples

Learning can be facilitated by a metacognitive approach …reflective learning practices

Teaching - Key Conclusions

Student learning is founded on preconceptions that they bring to the learning experience

We must draw out and work with students preconceptions

Students need foundational information, but they must have opportunities to learn with understanding …to build meaning

We must teach somes things in more depth, especially important concepts as themes across multiple examples

Learning can be facilitated by a metacognitive approach …reflective learning practices

Students need to be taught the metacognitive skills needed to be effective independent learners

Teaching - Key Conclusions

What Level of Learning?

Memorizing Facts Is Necessary, But Inadequate

Learn for Understanding

Application to Solve New Problems

Students Need to Build Their Own MeaningStudents Need to Build Their Own Meaning

TransferTransfer

Authoring Assessment-Rich Learning Environments:

A Faculty Development Tool to Drive Transformation

--------------------------<<>>-------------------------

Donald P. Buckley, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Biology

Director of Instructional Technology, School of Health SciencesQuinnipiac University; Hamden, CT 06518

Apple Distinguished Educator Computerworld Smithsonian Laureate

email: don.buckley@quinnipiac.eduWWW: http://faculty.quinnipiac.edu/health/biology/buckley/welcome.html

--------------------------<<>>-------------------------

CNS Explorations in InstructionalTechnology: A Discussion Series

AEAECC

U N I V E R S I T Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F O F H A R T F O R D H A R T F O R D

Advanced Educational Computing

A Tool To Foster Student-Centered Learning

Advanced Educational Computing

A Tool To Foster Student-Centered Learning

FIPSFIPSEE

NSFNSFCulpeCulpeperper

Where Are We Going?

Instructional ParadigmInstructional Paradigm

Learning ParadigmLearning Paradigm