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Multimodal Teaching: The Importance of Using
Multiple ModelsLinda Barclay
November 13, 2006
Main Idea
Both the direct teaching and situated learning models are useful and necessary for students to acquire useful knowledge of a skill.
Direct Teaching Model
Traditional teaching of concepts as “basic units of knowledge to be accumulated, gradually refined, and combined to form ever richer cognitive structures” by the individual.
(Anna Sfard, 1998).
Direct Teaching Model
Provides for efficient transmission of:Domain informationTechniques used to perform domain tasks
Helps student gain a “wire framework” domain overview
Direct Teaching Model Techniques
LectureDemonstrationPractice or drillWritten text materials
Direct Teaching Model BenefitsTransmission of expert techniquesTransmission of expert understanding
EfficiencyLeads to more comprehensive “wire framework” domain overview
Direct Teaching Model CriticismsDifficult to apply abstract knowledge to everyday contexts (Choi & Hannafin, 1995)
Highly decontextualized and simplified knowledge isolated from its context promotes rigid, incomplete, and naïve understanding. (Choi and Hannafin, 1995)
Learning only occurs in social contexts in which the skill is used. (Lave and Wenger, 1991)
Summary
Direct teaching is useful for quickly transmitting expert information to students and helping students get an overview of the domain, but students may have difficulty transferring this information to real life problems.
Situated Learning
Learning is inextricable from the context in which it occurs. (Lave & Wenger)
Knowledge is at least partially a dynamic by-product of individuals engaged within contexts in which knowledge is naturally embedded. (Choi & Hannafin, Lave & Wenger)
Situated Learning
Students need to engage in similar cognitive activities as experts to develop the skills used by experts. (Lave & Wenger)
These activities should be coherent, meaningful, and purposeful tasks that represent the ordinary practices of the culture. (Choi & Hannafin, Lave & Wenger)
Situated Learning Benefits Concretizes abstract information Applies knowledge to solve real world problems
Allows students to “fill in” their “wire framework” of the domain
May result in meaningful social interaction
Situated Learning CriticismsTaken to an extreme, results in an approach that does not allow for any formal modeling, formal schooling, or conscious thought. “Practice without reflection looks as bad as reflection without practice.” (Choi & Hannafin,1995,p. 33)
Very inefficient skill mastery, leading to student discouragement.
Situated Learning CriticismsWithout systematic instruction in the more abstract principles underlying the skill, the student can fail to quickly develop a “wire framework” overview of the domain, leading to lack of understanding.
Without an adequate abstract “wire framework” overview of the domain, problem solving ability and transfer are limited.
The student fails to become independent of the teacher.
Situated Learning CriticismsExample: Local high school sewing teacher
Authentic context: Make It With Wool Competition Many students worked with teacher in authentic context on authentic projects, and successfully competed in and won the competition.
There was little formal, direct instruction of underlying concepts and principles.
Her students came to me requesting advice on basic skills of which they should have had knowledge.
Students were not able to become independent.
Example: Law School Civil Procedure Class
Instructional Design
Objective: Provide students with opportunity to acquire sufficient useful knowledge to become independent of the teacher.
Hypothesis: Students can better become independent using instructional techniques derived from both models.
The Class
Utah Valley State College Community Education
Beginning Sewing Level 1Seven- to eight- week noncredit course, meeting two hours each week in a sewing classroom
Primarily females between 15 and 45 who have had little or no sewing experience, but want to learn
Instructional Design: Direct Teaching Aspects
Printed manual - verbal and visual information
Formal in-class lectures DemonstrationsPractice
Instructional Design: Situated Learning AspectsReal-life examplesIndividual help from instructorProduction of unique, student selected garments
Teacher-modeled problem solvingImmediate feedback from teacher and peers
Peer problem solvingPeer assistance
Results
Voluntary student evaluation of usefulness and effectiveness of all instruction in two Level 1 classes (Fall 2004, Fall 2005)
n = 3655% response rateMost (75%) completed a usable, attractive garment (vest or elastic waist skirt or pants).
Student Responses
Students’ stated objectives: Read and use commercial patterns Use a sewing machine Perform basic sewing skills
All (100%) achieved their objectives.All (100%) wanted to take additional sewing classes.
84% felt they could make a simple garment on their own by the end of the class.
Student Evaluations: Direct Learning Elements
Mean Student Rankings (1-10):Demonstrations: 9.3Practice Samples: 9.0Small Projects: 8.9Manual: 8.75Lectures: 7.9
Student Evaluations:Situated Learning ElementsMean student rankings (1 to 10):Garment Project: 9.7Individual help from instructor: 9.5
Examples: 8.75Interaction with Other Students: 8.5
Conclusions
Most students were able to become independent of the instructor as determined by:Student production of a usable garment
Student self-evaluation
Most of the students acquired some useful knowledge of the domain.
Conclusions
Students found most of the direct teaching elements as useful as most of the situated learning elements of the instructional design.
Both the direct teaching and situated learning models were useful and necessary for beginning sewing students to acquire useful knowledge.