Martin Owen (t.m.owen@bangor.ac.uk)
Fri, 15 Oct 1999 09:05:10 +0000
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1999 09:05:10 +0000 From: Martin Owen <t.m.owen@bangor.ac.uk> Subject: Re: IFETS-DISCUSS Digest - 12 Oct 1999 to 13 Oct 1999
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>Alan writes
>I have a number of points to make in response to Martin's contribution below.
>
>First, isn't "reflection on practice" the same as "evaluation and feedback"
>which was one of the steps in a systems model of training which arose out
>of a "rationale that has been determined by adherence to some theory of
>learning or other" namely a behaviourist learning theory?
Theories may have grown from practice, and we attempt practice from
theories. I f you adopt constructivist viewpoint, all learning MUST be
constructivist no matter how it is structured... because that is how
thinking IS. I have argued on this lsit that Constructivism is not a
theory of teaching (as well as theory of learning) in the way that
behavioural psychology is (this is a strength of Constructivism not a
weakness). If constructivism is a good discription of how people think and
learn... then constructive learning is also what I am doing when I work
through the most Skinnerian PL text I can find ( before I fall asleep).
The very complexity of human learning defies simplistic models, and Alan is
right to say we need richer and more complex models. However, the issue
from my perspective is that we need examples of varied practice, which may
be evaluated by a variety of means (and not just those means that have
been developed from behaviourism.
Many good teachers and excellent learners seem to practice very well
without knoweldge of specific theories. It is my firm belief we stand more
chance of havng better learning if good teachers and learners, explore and
explain what they do in a community of practice rather than starting to
build systems of education on a reified set of beliefs based on a
particular school of psychological thought. I am aware that this is
"another theory". I know I need frameworks of analysis. However If we start
form a vision of complexity in the world instead of searching for a "holy
grail" of a theory we can apply for all situations we may end up with a
variety of solutions that might equate with the initial complextity. In
current contexts FLEXIBILITY can be interpreted to eclecticism.
In a sense I agree with Aina about research methodology and its relation to
practice. Practice is only research if it is a) openly reflected upon b)
the reflections and the practice are exposed to the community of
practitioners.
Alan's points about print and Jeff's echoes:
Yes there is little difference betwen a lot of WWW based stuff and print.
Yes, the only apparent difference is text on a screen and text on a page.
However the means of distribution is significant. That was the wonder of
Guttenberg and his Chinese progenitors. Printed books were just slightly
technologically different from text copied by monks ... was that all it
was? Early books were expensive, however "the rest is history". The means
of access to text is important to education. This new medium of delivery of
text is majorly important. It matters little to me that we have yet to
explore the full impact of intereactivity. Interactivy with machine is
potentially significant, however imteracting with many people over
distances is much more exciting (IMHO).
In 1999 it is difficult to accept that we should not push ahead because
some communities have not yet gained access to this technology. It is
cheap. It allows distribution and publication beyond the wildest dreams of
any printing press owner (or Xerographer). I have driven down 60Km dirt
roads in Chile to tiny schools in poor villages and found rich
connectivity. Its going to happen. As an educator in a minority language
(250,000 speakers), financially there is no other way for me to go.
Arjan, I have not put this through a spelling checker... and If I have time
later today I will say why.
Martin
Martin Owen
T.M.Owen@bangor.ac.uk
School of Education Yr Ysgol Addysg
University of Wales, Bangor Prifysgol Cymru, Bangor
Normal Site Safle'r Normal
Holyhead Rd Ffordd Caergybi
Bangor Bangor
Gwynedd
LL57 2PX
Voice/Llais +44 1248 382 943
Fax/Ffacs +44 1248 38 36 40
URL: http://weblife.bangor.ac.uk/rem/rem.html
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