E-learning Curve Blog at Edublogs

E-learning Curve Blog is Michael Hanley's elearning blog about skills, knowledge, and organizational development using web-based training and technology in education

Teaching organizations how to learn. Part 2 – Conditions for learning

December 5th, 2008 · No Comments

As discussed in a previous post, Driscoll (1994) outlines five conditions for learning (p.382-3). Very much like the multiple approaches and interpretations that exist in constructivism, a number of conditions must be met for the approach to be implemented. The conditions are:

Providing complex learning environments that incorporate authentic activity. Constructivists argue that learners should learn [...]

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Tags: e-learning

Teaching organizations how to learn. Part 1

December 1st, 2008 · No Comments

Chris Argyris, Professor Emeritus at Harvard Business School, has made significant contributions to the development of organizational learning theory and experiential learning.

Any company that aspires to succeed in the tougher business environment …must first resolve a basic dilemma: success in the marketplace increasingly depends on learning, yet most people don’t know how to learn. What’s more, those members of the organization that many assume to be the best at learning are, in fact, not very good at it.

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Tags: Bruner · Constructivism · e-learning

Non-formal learning in action: Information Sessions

February 4th, 2008 · No Comments

As discussed in my last blog entry, learner intention – specifically deliberative learning (where the worker schedules time to learn) is a key definer of non-formal learning. As such, the development of an educationally sound theoretical framework, pedagogical approach and instructional design process (are essential in create a learning environment (both synchronous and asynchronous) [...]

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Tags: Gagne · deliberative learningConstructivist theoretical model · events of instruction · rapid elearning

Typology of non-formal learning

February 2nd, 2008 · No Comments

Similar to Rogers’ learning continuum (2004), Eraut establishes a matrix to identify varying types of non-formal learning, based on the timing of the stimulus (past, current, future) and the extent to which such learning is implicit, reactive or deliberative. A key component of the matrix is the intention of the learner’s activity. Eraut makes a [...]

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Tags: Eraut

Introduction to Non-formal Learning

January 28th, 2008 · No Comments

Well, I had to redefine all learning in order to write the book because the world is changing so fast. The concepts we had when knowledge was fixed in place, like something you could put in a library, don’t work anymore. So I look at all learning as adaptation to the communities that matter to [...]

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Tags: definition of learning

More on defining e-learning, elearning, eLearning…

January 23rd, 2008 · No Comments

As I wrote yesterday, Don Morrison has defined e-learning as:

The continuous assimilation of knowledge and skills by adults stimulated by synchronous and asynchronous learning events – and sometimes Knowledge management outputs – which are authored, delivered engaged with, supported and administered using internet technologies.
(2004, p.4)

I briefly touched upon “continuous assimilation of knowledge and skills by [...]

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Tags: Colvin Clark · Mayer · Schank · asynchronous · definition of learning · e-learning · synchronous

Towards a Definition of E-learning

January 21st, 2008 · 1 Comment

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been building a theoretical and conceptual framework for how I approach e-learning, beginning with an interpretation of a general theoretical view about how learners learn, through the multifaceted approaches of constructivism and begun to place this in the context of learning in organisations and even touched on how organisational [...]

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Tags: blogs · definition of learning · e-learning · podcasts · wikis

What is learning?

January 18th, 2008 · No Comments

I guess it’s now time to move on to some of the “big picture” stuff and begin to outline how I characterise terms like “learning” and “e-learning.”

In the field of organisational development, the terms ‘training’ and ‘learning’ are often used interchangeably: both broadly refer to the acquisition of new or enhanced knowledge, skills, attitudes [...]

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Tags: Argyris · Kolb · Lev Vygotsky · Schon · e-learning

Constructivism Pt.11: Organizational Learning

January 16th, 2008 · No Comments

In their 1974 work Theory in practice: Increasing professional effectiveness, Chris Argyris and Donald Schön support the constructivist argument that individuals (and in the context of this paper particularly knowledge workers) have schemata or mental maps both for their skill assets and they contend, with regard to how to act in situations. This directs the [...]

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Tags: Constructivism · Eraut · Schon

Constructivism Pt.10: More Mindtools

January 15th, 2008 · No Comments

Significantly, Jonassen et al point out that learning is not restricted to formal learning environments, and that learners can “acquire sophisticated skills and advanced knowledge in natural learning situations” (p. 28).

Table 1 Characteristics of a computer-based learning environment (after Jonassen, 1994)

Characteristic

Definition

Active:

Learners are engaged by the learning process in mindful processing of information [...]

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Tags: Agre · Constructivism · conditions of learning · microworlds · mindtools · natural learning