5 pedagogies supported by blackboard

Here is a piece about the different pedagogies and how they can be used in different digital supportive environments link for instance Blackboard. First of all it might be handy to describe what a pedagogy is, because in ma last piece about pedagogies I didn’t describe a pedagogy but a learning theory. So just to make it clear for myself a pedagogy can be described as a teaching method. Pedagogies are the principles and methods of the instruction. There are many other definitions but this is one that was given to me in class and I think it’s very clear.

constructivism

Okay the first pedagogy I wanted to discuss is constructivist learning. In constructivist learning it is thought that students generate meaning from the interaction between their experience and their ideas. The idea is that the child develops problem solving skills and conceptual skills. A lesson according to the constructivist learning should have the following set up:

1. Select Problem

2. Provide Related Case

3. Provide Information

4. Provide Cognitive Tools

5. Provide Conversation Tools

6. Provide Social Support

The problem in this learning theory should be ill-defined or ill structured.  For a blackboard environment the problem should be engaging and should address the whole problem space. There should be some related cases or examples that are worked out so students can understand the reasoning that is being used.  Information should be given just in time and needs to readily accessible. For the coginitive tools there should be some information that helps to scaffold the required skills.  These tools can be about problem-representation, knowledge modeling, performance support and information gathering.  The fifth step relates to forming ideas and experience. For this it is important that there is something on blackboard like a discussion forum were students can meet to build their knowledge. The last step is to provide social/ contextual support for the learning environment. This could be done by making a notice on blackboard that students can come to the teacher for more information or that they can ask questions to some other expert for example that could be online in Blackboard for a coulpe of hours a week.

Nine events of instruction

The second one are the nine events of instruction by Gagne (1977). This is a pedagogy that can be traced back to the behaviorist theory where a subject is provide with a stimuli and eventually gives the correct response through reinforcement.  The focus is on what is the end result of for example a training. The steps that have to be taken for the 9 events of instruction are:  

1. Gain Attention

2. Inform Learner of Objective(s)

3. Recall Prior Knowledge

4. Present Stimulus Materials

5. Provide Learning Guidance

6. Elicit Performance

7. Provide Feedback

8. Assess Performance

9. Enhance Retention and Transfer  

For a blackboard envirinonment this could be arranged it in the following way. You can raise the attention of the students by presenting an interesting case that relates to their prior knowledge. You can put the goals that need to be achieved on there so that the students know what to do. These can be the goals of the assignment but also which competencies the student must have learned at the end of the course. Because the problem relates to their prior knowledge you can add a page with information that they already must know and that they can use. In an other page you can put the information that students can use to solve the case. Learner guidance can be provided through for example opening a discussion page were the teacher can answer the questions from students. To elicit performance sub tasks can be set that students need to perform and feedback can be given to them by the teacher. The assessment should be done by the teacher but on the blackboard environment a list could be posted on which grounds the end result is judged. For the retention and transfer a final lecture could be planned by the teacher on blackboard  in which the goals and objectives that are on blackboard can be discussed.

Problem based learing

Problem based learning is a pedagogy that states that student learn bycreating their own knowledge.

A lesson can be set up by giving the students an ill defined and illstructered problem that they have to solve.  This problem should be tailored to students level which means that it shouldn’t be easy but also not to difficult. This problem can be posted on Blackboard. To solve this problem students should collaborate in groups so that the can share their knowledge. In blackboard this can be facilitated by giving students their own working space were they can post there own documents. IN this enveirronment they work by self-directed learning and so they should discover for themselves as agroup which domains need to be explored. What knowledge they already have and what the should learn to solve the problem. With all this knowledge they construct mental new mental models and solve the problem. The teacher as a role as a coach and could make appointments for coaching sessions so he knows how far the students have progressed.

Learning from a webquest

The fourth pedagogy that I wanted to discuss is learning through a webquest. Before this I had never thought that a webquest was pedagogy so I thought it was interesting. A webquest as the following order of doing things in a lesson

1. The Introduction orients students and captures their interest

2. The Task describes the activity’s end product

3. The Process explains strategies students should use to complete the task

4. The Resources are the Web sites students use to complete the task

5. The Evaluation measures the results of the activity

6. The Conclusion sums up the activity and encourages students to reflect on its process and results

Off course you have special webquest websites were you can find all kinds of webquests but it is also possible to adapt a blackboard environment to this.  You again start with a good introduction and then describe the goals that need to be attained. In another blackboard page you can describe the strategies that students need to use and which model there is for completing the task. Websites can be given to students so they know were to look, but if teacher want to make it harder they can also just give a few key words and students can go look for the information themselves. After an anwerhas been submitted a model answer could be posted by the teacher so they can compare their own answer to the model answer and reflect on this.

And finally I want to discuss guided experimental learning. This is a theory by clark is designed because he assumes that learning accurse best when I a context of a goal that is relevant, meaningful and interesting to students. He also states that it is best to learn within the context in which the skill used (so outside the learning environment). A lesson set-up for this would look like this:

1. Goals

2. Reasons and Activation

3. Demonstration

4. Application

5. Integration

6. Assessment

In blackboard the goals should be set very clearly so students know what they should know at the end of the lesson or course. It also should be stated why it is important to learn this. This comes from step 2: reasons an activation. This can be done in a larger framework of all the lessons so students see why this is important. The demonstration part is probably more suited for inside a lesson then instead of on blackboard. So the students really understand what can be learned. The demonstration can direct students to relevant information and provide can make a good framework for the context. This can also be accompanied by job-aids that summarize steps and discussion steps. These steps can also be put on blackboard as a reminder to students. After this the application phase starts and students need to show that they have knew knowledge and skills by solving problems. The integration phase can be done by letting the student show their skills, reflect on them let them create something in which they show their new skills. Blackboard could accommodate this by giving the students the opportunity to sign on for any one of these activities.  The teacher can then assess the knowledge by judging the works that are made. A list of things that are judged on can be posted on blackboard.

Okay this is my very long list about pedagogies and how they can be used with electronic programs like Blackboard.