ETEC 512
Dr. CliffFalk
Assignment 1
Critique ofWood 120 from a
Behaviorist and Cognitive Processing
Perspective
Mark Reed
October 26, 2005
The purpose of this paper is to offer an instructional critique of the Introductory Forestry course called Wood 120. I have chosen to work with the first Module, Introduction to Forest Management Issues and Practice. A large part ofthe learning for this unit requires factual knowledge being presented to the learner for encoding. A behaviorist model for presenting this part of the module would be appropriate with computer-assisted instruction. In other areas the information presented requires cognitive processing strategies to assist the learner in accomplishing the learning tasks, which require higher order thinking skills. best to approach a reference from a quote with….According to Rodriques (as quoted inDeubel ????,p?) ….. ” ….”” According to Rodriques (2000), at present most qt;estions in software are written inmultiple-choice form or require one-word answers. Questions ask what, rather than why,or how, which is a fundamental difference between behaviorist and constructivist approaches to learning. The computer’s capability to interpret natural language response is not widely available.” (Deubel, 2003, pg.23) The major theme I would state in analysis of this introductory module is that factual material could be learned and reinforced by interactive teaching and testing. As a mock learner I was unable to interact with the selftest review test in this manner. In order to utilize the effectiveness of the behavioral methodology, and using the computer as a teaching tool, questions must be phrased in a multiple choice, fill in the blank or match question format to facilitate immediate feedback. If the student does not achieve a preset mastery level then the lesson/test is repeated until the desired comprehension level is achieved. Other concepts presented through the module are not suited for a behavioral model of instruction based on computer assisted learning because they require higher level thinking skills which are not easily presented in a knowledge based question answer format (multiple choice, fill in the blank, true/false). breaking the above into several paragraphs would make reading it easier and likely writing it too-paragraphs are good organizers.
The overview and objectives page serves the learner from the behaviorist point of view in that “according to the behavioral perspective, just as we set goals for appropriate behavior, so can we express in behavioral telIDS the instructional outcomes we desire students to achieve.” (Driscoll, 2005, pg.58) There is one general aim and one overall objective that are both stated such that the manner for evidencing or evaluating if the learner has retained information after having completed the module is not stated. awkward sentence The objectives should include a second part with the learning goal stated using language, such as “evidenced by” or “demonstrated by”, to indicate how the learner would be able to indicate their comprehension/learning of the material being presented in the module. Another major aspect of the basic model for a behaviorist design of web learning would include a basic assessment of the leamer’s “needs and capabilities so that instruction is appropriate and meaningful.” (Deubel, 2003, pg. 4) This is not evident in the presentation of this introductory module for the course Wood 120. The list of topics provided on the content/objectives page gives the direction that the students should become familiar with this information. The organization and interrelatedness of the topics are not introduced to the learners as effectively as they could be with an advance organizer to activate prior knowledge. please elaborate-where did this come from? The theorist sib referenced at the least e.g. (Driscoll, ????) Although the course is aimed at first year undergraduate students they would almost certainly have been exposed to some information and concepts through their elementary and secondary school education as well as through the television and other media sources. This learning intervention must be presented at the beginning of the course prior to learning any of thematerial. (Driscoll, 2005) Meaningful learning instruction has provided several useful criterions for advance organizers. First the organizer could be created in a very general manner to function for the wide variety of learners that could be taking this course. The advance organizer would include the most inclusive and relatable concepts and as a result would be more abstract and inclusive then the learning materials. (Driscoll, 2005) more detail would strengthen paper-page numbers and quotes The resources/references page, which is presented on the page following the module content page, includes a reference to the Temperate Forest Foundation webpage. On this site a visual model is provided that would serve as a good basic cognitive structure upon which to base the design of the advance organizer and incorporate the main ideas that will be presented in the module. (See appendix 1)
The first section (A) in module 1 deals with Terminology used In Forest Management Issues. The learning task is to be accomplished by providing a list of definitions that the learner can utilize to answer a self-test/ review set of questions. A behaviorist strategy to learn this terminology would be to design and administer the self-test/review using the principals that I described earlier with basic factual questions and immediate response from the computer program. “Atkins (1993) concluded that a structured, deductive approach to design multimedia applications can lead to rapid acquisition of basic concepts, skills, and factual information within a clear framework. The effectiveness of behavioral design approaches for higher-order learning tasks or for transfer oflearning is still unproven, however.” (Deubel, 2003, pg. 5) good This is not to say that other cognitive strategies cannot be utilized to embed this information in the learner’s longterm memory. By rewriting the definitions in the learner’s own words, a technique of elaboration in encoding is used as a corresponding Cognitive Information Processing (CIP) strategy. (Driscoll, 2005) The learner could also create a chart using three columns with the headings Social, Economic, Ecological corresponding to the advance organizer. The task would be for the learner to put the terms that are listed in the terminology section into the most appropriate column and cross list any terms that are appropriate for more than one column. Furthermore, by posting the lists on the discussion page students could compare and provide justification for their decisions.
Section (B) content would be transferred effectively using a behavioral model of presentation and learning to simply teach what different values regarding a forest are. The majority of the content is at a higher level of thinking and requires more cognitive learning strategies. The section begins with an exercise that activates prior knowledge for the learner by coming up with different values related to forests that you have experienced, read or heard about. This activity could be enhanced with an interactional flow chart! or organizer sheet that would enhance the learners encoding and engagement. In the chart the learner would provide specific examples ofhow a value from one category (Environmental, Economic, Social) directly relates to another value. For example, money to pay for jobs (economic) provides long term, stable employment (social). Another activity would be for the learner to write a short scenario, in a hypothetical setting, comparing and contrasting the values the learner visualizes in a meaningful interpretation of the types ofinteractions between different values instead of making and extending lists of Economic, Social and Environmental values that are provided in the notes. This would apply the strategy of elaboration in encoding with examples that are meaningful to the learner. (Driscoll, 2005) good-but again a more detailed reference would be better It is appropriate to note that the model (visual representation), which the advance organizer is based on, is repeated from the web page mentioned previously for illustrating the needs for living sustainably, for the types of forest values.
The next two areas of this section involve conflicting and complementary forest values. The interaction is again supported by the advance organizer graphic structure in the overlapping areas of the Venn diagram. Instead of individually developing examples these topics lend themselves quite nicely to having students assigned or choosing various roles to play out in a forestry scenario. For example: First Nations, Loggers, Environmentalists, Recreation interest groups and business interests. Then through presentations in the discussion forum the students could develop position briefs and interact/respond to their classmates concerns. By developing an opinion in the leamer’s own words a technique of elaboration in encoding is used as a corresponding erp process. (Driscoll, 2005) A visual representation would be helpful here as well which would be supported by Mayer’s generative theory of multimedia learning where learners construct meaningful knowledge by “selecting words and selecting images from the presented material. .. and integrating the resulting verbal and visual representations with one another.” (Deubel, 2003) (See Appendix 2) good Assignment I provides the students with increased extensive and variable practice, which is a corresponding eIP process of elaborating on new information with examples that are meaningful to you. I would hypothesize that the results on this assignment would be better following the discussion forum that was previously described then if students were to complete this assignment without participating in the discussion forum. (An interesting study could be developed comparing results over two different semesters in which the course is presented).
The next section e involves the study of Forest systems. The first concept, forest system time, is covered by visualizing two examples familiar to the learner that have experienced a serious impact. Then the learneris asked to describe what the example would look like after a recovery period of 20 years and 100 years. I think a better activity to encode this concept into a leamer’s memory would be to make annotated diagrams of some of the scenarios that are outlined in this section after including greater detail in the scenarios. This would provide the learner with a dual code to embed the concept in more than oneway and more than one mode. (Driscoll, 2005) The second concept covered is Forest system level, which is described through several definitions that the learner must use to answer questions in the self-test/review section. By examining annotated visual representations and categorizing them at the different levels the learner would have an experience in applying the information presented and a visual representation to support the learner to encode the concept. This would provide the learner with a dual code to embed the concept in more than one-way and more than one mode. (Driscoll, 2005) The third concept is Forest System Dynamics there is some written material given to the learner but little support to embed the material in the leamer’s memory. Having the learner do an annotated graphic representation of an area that is moving through a cycle of succession by filling in a cyclic chart would support the learner to embed this concept. (See appendix 3)
Section D concerns the Harvesting of Forests. This section is an overview of a large amount of information the learner is exposed to by presenting some basic ideas. One way this information could be presented with a better learning outcome would be to outline a few learning objectives at the beginning of the section that would be reflected on the selftest/ quiz and the module test. The questions on the quiz, which involve basic knowledge acquisition, that are well suited to computer interactive testing as outlined previously (multiple choice, fill in the blank or true/false questions with immediate reinforcement) are numbers 1,2,3,4,5,9,10,11. (Deubel, 2003) The first area of knowledge that is covered is an overview of the kinds of Management Decisions that need to be made. Harvesting methods are the presented in a format of advantages and disadvantages. By having the learner create a comparative organizer using their own words to compare and contrast the different harvesting methods a useful tool would be created to enhance learning this information. (Driscoll, 2005) The last area covered in this section is Harvesting Phases: Planning, Operations, Regeneration, and Silvicultural Stand Tending. Questions requiring higher order thinking skills or more open ended answers (questions 6,7,8 on the quiz) would provide more meaningful learning if three scenarios where presented to the learner. Plans could then be developed describing the type of operations required, which of the harvesting methods would be most appropriate (including the advantages, and disadvantages to each of the scenarios) and an outline of the Regeneration phase and what considerations regarding Silviculture Stand Tending would be involved.
Section E covers perspectives on the environment. The initial area of focus is Ecological footprint. Appropriate and effective examples are given but the learning process could be improved by having students outline what their ecological footprint is and how it could be reduced. This activity would correspond to the CIP principal of encoding by elaborating on new information with examples that are meaningful to the learner and by making the information personal by relating it to the leamer’s life. (Driscoll, 2005) The next concepts are Withdrawals and Sinks. Using a compare/contrast chart to embed the concepts of Withdrawals and Sinks would enhance the leamer’s experience for this information. (Driscoll, 2005) The third area is presented as two different perspectives on Environmental Issues: Biological and Economic. There is no reinforcement for the material presented in the module. To support learning this material a problem question could be posed regarding the two different perspectives and their descriptions.What are your thoughts/opinions regarding the question are the two perspectives completely separate or are they linked? What are the disadvantages or potential problems with following either of the perspectives? The fourth area, Life Cycle Analysis, is enhanced by a graphic representation (one is included as Fig 1.4). To increase cognitive processing the learner should apply one example that is familiar or relevant to them. (Driscoll, 2005) The last section F covers two main concepts: Loca11eve1 considerations and G10ba1 1eve1 considerations. Scenarios are presented with answered questions for the 10ca11evel. The objective for the 10ca11eve1 follows the behavioral processing model in that the goal for performance is stated although it is very broad. The G10ba11eve1 considerations have evidence of a cognitive processing perspective in that the learner must analyze the scenario and evaluate what “good” and “bad” aspects are products of this management decision.
The study group assignment provides the students with increased extensive and variable practice, which is a corresponding eIP process. (Driscoll, 2005) This is a high level cognitive processing activity that incorporates the knowledge and learning activities that have been completed through out the module.
In conclusion the introductory module to the course Wood 120 can be presented using a combination of behaviorist and cognitive learning theories that are generally suited better for different types of thinking processes. The behaviora11earning theory is conducive for teaching knowledge through computer assisted learning/reinforcement and evaluation programs. Higher level thinking skills, which require application, synthesis, and evaluation, are better suited to cognitive teaching theories that accommodate answers, which are not appropriate to be graded as simply correct or incorrect. This is also a factor of current computer technology’s inability to interpret natura11anguage responses. (Deubel, 2003)
I
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
References
Deubel, P. (2003). An investigation ofbehaviorist and cognitive approaches to
instructional multimedia design. Journal ofEducational _fulrimedia and Hypermedia,
12(1),63-90.