Tasks
- Report on Books
- Social Learning Theories Review
- Learning and Biology
- Neurophysiological Perspectives on Mind
- Midterm
- Assignments
Report on Books
Please begin contributing the following to the Book forum in the main Discussion Area of Bb
- Share thoughts from your book so far
- Share where you are in the reading
- List some elements you are pretty sure will be included in your final theory of learning
return to topSocial Learning Theories Review
- Some links on social learning theories - part of my growing resources section
Discussion Questions
Let's divide into small groups and have each of you take one part of our readings. I see at least the following categories:
- Bruner's three modes of representation
- How it pertains to sequence in instruction
- The spiral curriculum
- Bruner's course of cognitive growth. Specifically
- Learning by Discovery
- The Roll of Culture
- Vygotsky's Developmental Method
- Process, mediation
- Research method
- Origins and effects of his sociocultural ideas
- Vygotsky's Social Origins of Higher mental Processes
- Internalization
- ZPD
Learning and Biology
There have been a number of interesting ideas linking evolution and cognition. It becomes a sort of chicken and egg issue - did cognition arise from the progression of evolution or did it actually fuel the direction evolution took? Did the mind learn to direct the hand, or did the hand cause the mind to develop in ways made possible by the hand.
If you can't get enough, here's a some interesting papers
Neurophysiological Perspectives on Mind
Advances in neurophysiology have given a perspective on the physical workings of the mind unequaled in the past. Early work on the brain relied largely on studying injury and comparing it to "normal" brain function. Now it is possible to watch the brain work under different circumstances. Where this will go is an interesting question informed by the debates over evolution. Essentially, the question is how plastic (adaptable) the brain is - are we basically hardwired, is the brain initially plastic and then settled into a rigid pattern, or do we retain plasticity over our lives?
Below are some interesting places on the Web, especially the Brain Connection site. And don't miss Bruer's article on the limits of how neurophysiology can aid in the classroom.
- The Brain Connection - This is a big, dynamic Web site about all things neurophysiological
- How People Learn - This is an online book about learning with a brain-based perspective. Do read
- Executive Summary
- Chapter 5 - Mind and Brain is an excellent summary (it's not too long)
- Brain Science, Brain Fiction - A short article by John Bruer criticizing the brain-based movement's claims for direct teaching effects
Midterm
Assignments for March 22
- Driscoll Part 6: pp 299 - 337
- Reading notes to come
Last modified Thursday, April 13, 2006 9:55 AM
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