How Constructivist is That? Three Mental Models ...

How  Constructivist  is  That?   Three  Mental  Models  Shaping  Learning   Designs  in  Enterprise  Systems David  William  Price Saul  Carliner Concordia  University [email protected] [email protected]  

Delivered  at The  World   Conference  on  Educational  Media  and  Technology   (EdMedia) on  June  23,  2015

E-­‐learning  can  use  many  delivery  mechanisms Not designed  for  education

Designed for  managing  education

• Websites  &  forums

• Learning  management   system  (LMS)

• course  blogs  (UBC  ETEC522)

• Course  management  system  (CMS)

• Wikis  (Wikipedia) • YouTube  (informal   learning,   previews)

LMS  and  CMS  can  be  differentiated  based  on   their  guiding  purpose Learning  Management  System

Course Management  System

Manage  corporate  skill  needs

Support   academic  classrooms  

• • • • • •

course catalogue manage  enrolment   and  payment   Manage  scheduling   and  delivery track  attendance/usage,  completion update  human   resource  records Report  enrollment and  performance  

• • • • •

announcements   &  email  students distribute   course  materials provide   quizzes  and  forums communicate  grades track  usage  of  the  site  by  students

Examples:  Moodle   and  Canvas

In  practice,  CMS  are  used  to  improve  efficiency   of  broadcasting  to  students Typical  Role • Support  classroom  courses • one-­‐way  broadcast  of  announcements  to  learners • on-­‐demand  access  to  course  materials Criticisms • Non-­‐essential  discussion  forums  “busywork”  for  learners • Lacking  in  collaborative  or  active  constructivist  learning

Give  a  quick  show  of  hands Do  course  management  systems  like  Moodle   and  Canvas  impede  constructivist  learning?

YES?

My  study:  3  online  professional  writing  courses   at  universities  using  Moodle  or  Canvas • Google  searches  for  professional  writing  degrees   • Recruit  3  courses  based  on  availability  and  consent • Semi-­‐structured  interviews • Walkthroughs  of  each  course • Multiple  case  study  analysis  using  Activity  Theory

Results  suggest  instructor’s  mental  model  of  e-­‐ learning  was  a  key  “technology” mental  model:   • used  to  solve  problems • Imperfect,  functional  representation  of  the  world   • based  on  past  experience • filters  out  information  that  does  not  “fit”

Results  suggest  instructors  employed  three   different  mental  models  despite  similar  CMS 1. Library 2. Classroom 3. Action  Centre

Library A  Moodle   course  teaching   lawyers  how  to  write  laws

Coordinator   assigns   contractor

Contractor   sends   welcome   email

PDF  readings   online

20  Ungraded   exercises   online

Individual   writing  in  MS   Word  x  5

Contractor   sends   email   prompt  if  no   work

Contractor   grades  once   against  rubric   (100%)

Classroom A  Canvas  course  teaching  technical   writing   like  reports   and  instructions

Prof  bulletins   &  debriefs

Physical   textbook

10  quizzes,   5  posts   and   responses

Individual   writing  in  MS   Word  x  3

Prof  grades   against  rubric   (30%)

Prof  grades   once  against   rubric  (70%)

Prof  offers   one  personal   conference

Action  Centre A  Canvas  course  teaching  grant   proposal   writing  using   real  clients

Prof  intro  to   clients

Prof  bulletins   &  debriefs

Physical   textbook

Discussion   posts,   responses, Peer  review

Prof  grades   against  rubric   (40%)

Collaborative  w riting  in  G oogle   Docs  – pieces  result  in  funding   proposal

Sent  to  client   for  comments

Prof  grades   formative  and   final  vs.  rubric   (60%)

Prof  offers   group  tele-­‐ conferences

Results  suggest  mental  models  persisted  and   courses  were  merely  refined • The  correspondence  course  became  an  online  library • The  physical  classroom  course  became  an  online  classroom • The  course  designed  from  scratch  became  an  action  centre

Implications  for  practice • Identify  your  mental  model  for  e-­‐learning – Library,  classroom,  action  centre? – Something   else?

• Identify  the  impact  of  your  mental  model – – – –

What  CMS  features  do  you  search  for  or  ignore? What  supplemental   tools  do  you  seek  out? What  features  are  you  using   that  create  “busywork”?   How  can  you  make  every  feature  used  integral  to  the  course  design?

• Be  purposeful  about  implementing  an  educational  philosophy – Assemble   the  tools  needed   to  support   the  competencies  you  wish  to  see

this  was… How  Constructivist  is  That?   Three  Mental  Models  Shaping  Learning   Designs  in  Enterprise  Systems David  William  Price Saul  Carliner Concordia  University [email protected] [email protected]