Subject: Learning asset and learning object
From: Manny Halpern (mh31@is2.nyu.edu)
Date: Tue 29 Feb 2000 - 02:27:24 MET
From: "Manny Halpern" <mh31@is2.nyu.edu> Subject: Learning asset and learning object Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 19:27:24 -0600
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Clark Quinn made listed some problems regarding learning assets and
objects - categorizing difficulty, sophistication or complexity, how to
categorize, and 'degree of instructional support'. He ended up asking
whether other fields investigated these problems.
In motor learning and sports, researchers and practitioners tackled the
problems, and implemented solutions that I feel would be useful for
designing modules for adult training.
In some fields like safety inspection, ergonomics, and physical or
occupational therapy, practitioners need to learn how to observe situations
in the field or in the clinic, analyze them and come up with solutions.
Static situations (for example - posture analysis) may be considered less
complex than dynamic ones (motion analysis) by virtue of the speed needed
for pattern recognition or arriving at a decision (such as completing
checklists). Cognitive psychology used bits or chunks of information as a
measure of complexity (Fitt's Law); similarly, the motor learning literature
refers to 'schemas'. In biomechanical terms, recognizing the position of a
body part in space is more 'fundamental' than assessing the displacement or
the distance a body part or a target has traveled; a more complex situation
is recognizing the first time derivative of velocity - acceleration (change
in velocity), and the most complex situation is assessing the second
derivative - jerk (change of acceleration). The latter is most important for
injury prevention. (For example, all 'safe lifting' instructions urge the
performer to 'move smoothly' and 'avoid jerky motions'.) Interestingly, the
learning process is dynamic. Some studies have shown that under stress or
mental overload, expert performers may regress and adopt strategies used by
novices. I agree with Clark that for many practical situations though, using
a Boolean approach or discreet categories may yield satisfactory learning
objects.
The complexity of the information is coupled to the 'instructional support'.
In the applications I mentioned above, observing a still photograph is
'simpler' than a video tape. The former is suitable for static situations
(for example, workstation analysis or posture adopted by a typist); the
latter is more suitable for activities such as lifting, where the risk
changes throughout the motion. Consequently, we may have to introduce these
situations gradually in the training. In sports, coaches may use schematics
for teaching novices a game strategy, and introduce video taped games later
on.
Clark refers also to 'scope' and 'granularity'. In motor learning and
sports, several strategies have been employed. For example, teaching the
'complete' task and improve the performance through rehearsal and knowledge
of results, or teaching the performance of task elements as discrete units
before combining them as a complete task; in the latter case, we may focus
on knowledge of performance rather than results. Different tasks require
different strategies.
From my perspective as a practitioner, the challenge is to translate the
experience gained in 'class room' face-to-face interactions to objects that
can be delivered in distance or on-line learning
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Manny Halpern, PhD, CPE
Assistant Director of Ergonomic Services
OIOC
Hospital for Joint Diseases, Mount Sinai NYU Health
63 Downing Street
New York, NY 10014, USA
Tel (212) 255-6690 Fax (212) 255-6754
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