Unit 4

The 4^th unit of study in this course focused on cases and objects. Case based learning and cognitive flexibility are learning theories, and learning objects is not a learning theory. Learning objects represent resources that could be integrated into learning theories. Case based learning is a broad term for other learning theories such as goal based scenarios and anchored instruction which is discussed in an earlier blog. Cognitive flexibility has its roots in constructivism. The biggest similarity that I noticed between the two theories is how they should be authentic learning experiences. In case based, there is a back story in which a teacher directs students towards a conclusion or prepares students for debates. In cognitive flexibility, content is built upon what students already know. Students can then build upon that knowledge and apply it. Learning objects fit in since they can be applied to any of the theories that we’ve discussed in class previously. A big difference that I noticed between the case-based learning and cognitive flexibility is cognitive flexibility puts a lot of pressure on the teacher. It states that the way the student is taught affects the ability for the student to retain, use, and apply the information in the future. Also, the cognitive flexibility theory does not rely on a back story as much as cased-based learning. Additionally, I feel that the cognitive flexibility theory stresses the connection of sources, they are not compartmentalized. The one major difference that I noticed between the two learning theories and the learning objects is the removal from context. The learning theories seem to try to integrate context. The good thing about learning objects is they can be recycled and this can certainly save money and time in the long run.

My initial reaction to these theories is one of familiarity. It seemed to me that these theories closely related to theories that I had read about earlier in the semester. This thought was confirmed when I read that case-based learning was a broad term for goal based scenarios and anchored instruction. One of the barriers to using case-based learning is the time involved in developing the case materials. One of the other issues that was raised was the storage of multiple resources. When reading about case based reasoning, one of the issues that came up was that it relied too much on previous experience and could lend itself to too much bias. Cognitive flexibility does rely on how the teacher teaches the materials, so that could certainly be considered a disadvantage or barrier. Finally, learning objects by themselves have some barriers to their use. If they are used out of context, this goes against many of the other learning theories that I have studied this year. If they are used in connection with other theories, it may be difficult to create them or tie into the standards of other learning theories. If a teacher or instructor were able to overcome the barriers of cost, time, and difficulty with integration, what they would end up with would be authentic learning experiences that allow students to learn based on their own motivation as well as being able to use what they have learned and apply it to all situations. I have noticed in my classroom that many times students struggle when they are given different types of problems that they haven’t seen before. They aren’t used to taking what they already know and applying it to new situations. I think that this should be a major area of concern for all educators. We should not be creating students that can repeat what we teach them, but we need to be teaching them to use what they know. Making connections between prior knowledge and new situations is key in real life!

Since these learning theories are used in more of a post K-12 setting, I would probably not use them in my classroom as much as some of the other theories discussed this semester. This is especially true since I teach math. I think had I taught anything else I might be able to integrate these a little bit more easily into my class. If I had to integrate one of these into my classroom, I would probably choose case-based reasoning. One of the advantages of case based reasoning is improved problem solving. If there could be some way to integrate stories about students solving math problems that didn’t seem like math problems, I think my students might be able to become engaged. This is assuming that they do have the background knowledge to solve these problems.

There are a lot of ways that you could incorporate these learning theories into an online setting. Since case based learning means that students have to interact with a story, instructors could use a variety of free web 2.0 tools to create that particular story. Instructors could record their own voices and integrate that into a Voki. Students could then go back and listen to the story as many times as they felt necessary. Instructors could create a Glog, which is like a virtual collage poster. They could embed video clips, pictures, stories, and graphics to really get the learner engaged. If the instructor taught younger students, he or she could create a slideshow using Voicethread. The students could then listen to the Voicethread as a group and then follow along with the pictures. If an instructor wanted the entire class/project to be online these tools could easily be embedded into a class site on Blackboard, Wikispaces, or even Moodle. If this were the case, resources and other learning objects could also be included in the course site. Learning objects seem like they could be incorporated into an online setting easily. Free exchange, shared exchange, and peer-to-peer would probably the most widely used since it would save a lot of time on the instructor’s part. If the instructor worked for a large corporation they may also have access to proprietary and commercial learning objects. Since one of the major disadvantages to learning objects is that they are removed from context, what better way to use them than to incorporate them back into a course or project.