TELEs can be in various forms. The following table compares and contrasts their underlying assumptions.
| Anchored Instructions in Jasper | SKI & WISE | LFU & My World | T-GEM & Chemland | |
| Focus /Uniqueness | Instructions are given via video | Making learning – accessible, visible social, foster life-long learning. | Motivate learning; Students learn to use/analyze a data set. | Students have to evaluate and modify their thinking models. |
| Knowledge is… | Socially constructed via problem solving | Constructed as students complete an inquiry | Constructed via learning to use tools to examine a set of data and making inferences | Constructed via making and testing assumptions |
| Technology is utilized… | As a method of delivering instructions. (i.e.video primary) | As a platform for student to embark on their inquiry project (i.e. document thoughts) | As information source to draw inferences between variables
(i.e. big data) |
As tools to explore and construct thinking models and to check the validity of the model |
| Learning happens… | Through developing a solution to the outlined problem | Through developing an inquiry | Through cycles of inquiry | Through cycles of inquiry |
| The teachers’ role is… | To provide a pre-described case and background knowledge and to scaffold inquiry | To select and provide a electronic platform that has prescribed inquiry | To help scaffold learning during personal inquiries | To help scaffold learning during personal inquiries |
| The students’ role is… | To solve a problem and develop a solution | To embark on a prescribed inquiry on an online platform | To assess information and identify trends in online data base | To use digital tools to generate relationships between concepts and |
| How are misconceptions assuaged? | Through applying skills and solving a defined problem | Through observing expert opinions and following an inquiry | Understanding is refined through reflection and application | Students actively search for models to explain new information; existing models of thinking is modified and refined |
This chart is reflective of the fact that each model has a defined premise about learning and digital tools. It is apparent that these theories as based on the assumption that having access to and co-existing with technology does not equate to learning. These theorists also believe that students need to actively monitor their thoughts to assess and reflect upon conceptual relationships. Critical thinking skills and quality engagement opportunities with concepts are essential and effective ways to construction meaningful understanding about variables. Given this analysis, it is evident that the anchored instruction pedagogical model resembles more closely with WISE and LFU and T-GEM shares more similarities. Three clear themes emerged from this analysis.
Student Agency
Quite visibly, anchored instructions and WISE models provide a prescribed inquiry pathway for its learners. In comparison, educators do not prepare the inquiry map and direction in the LFU and T-GEM pedagogy. Students have full agency to inquire about the content and decide on the direction of their learning. The anchored instruction and WISE model place a stronger emphasis on educators to direct inquiry. For example, educators provide information for initial case and inquiry. They also direct how the model can be refined. This can materialize as extra sections in WISE and additional information and scenarios in the anchored instructions videos.
In the latter two models, learning relies on student’s audacity to inquiry upon their assumptions. More specifically, students choose their inquiry questions after inspecting a data set or defining their problem. Students have to actively find evidence to support and confirm their thoughts. Hence, students have a full control of the content and inquiry path. Students also decide on how their models are refined and or modified.
Attitudes towards digital tools
Collectively, all of these TELEs are consistent with Jonassen’s (1998) idea about students using digital tools to alleviate cognitive load. Clearly, these models share the idea that students should take advantages of digital tools in order to inquire like scientists. However, the reasons for and the intensity of usage vary. Specifically, anchored instructions and WISE uses technological tools as a platform for inquiry. Compared to LFU & T-GEM, students in the anchored instructions and WISE learning model require constant and direct access to first-hand information. Here, digital means are mere vessels to store information. More specifically, students are to collect and assess their own data.
Without access to technology, it is impossible to employ anchored instructions and the WISE model. However, it is still possible to use offline material to employ the LFU and GEM teaching model. Both WISE and anchored instructions utilize technology as an all-encompassing framework. However, LFU and GEM perceive technology as reference information storage tool where getting pockets of access may be sufficient.
Knowledge & Knowledge Refinement
Anchored instructions and LFU designers believe that sources of knowledge come from data sets and are accessible via digital means. Another way to frame this is that anchored instructions and WISE believers assume that knowledge comes from pre-designed experiments and selected social sources like experts. In contrast, students in the LFU and TGEM learning design have to create, build or collect personal evidence to defend their thinking models. Moreover, anchored instructions and WISE are more concerned with forming inferences. While LFU and TGEM designers also believe in forming inferences, they extend the idea this idea and emphasize the need to confirm or reject inferences.
These inferences are further refined. While reflection and critical analysis is use in all TELEs, yet, these models diverge on how and in what ways reflection is used. For example, in anchored design and WISE, reflecting happens while applying their knowledge. In LFU and TGEM, reflecting equates to evaluating the accuracy of their inferences. In other words, anchored instructions and WISE are building knowledge in a bottom-up manner. Hence, students are slowly building a refined thinking model. For LFU & TGEM, knowledge refinement is a top-down process. This means that students first infer the overarching conceptual relationships then modify and refine their thinking models.
Clearly, TELEs are built upon certain premises and assumptions about what knowledge is and how it is constructed. These perceptions influence the way in which digital tools are engaged. Nonetheless, it is the educators’ choice to employ teaching models that is consistent with their beliefs. However, it is quite possible that one teacher may utilize multiple TELEs for different subjects. Additional research may help identify the interactions between components of TELEs, content and students’ learning dispositions.
Reference
Jonassen, D.H., Carr, C. and Yueh, H.P. (1998) Computers as mind tools for engaging learners in critical thinking. TechTrends, 43, 24-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02818172