How the digital world can empower learning approaches

My last blog was about computer supported collaborative learning. As I told, I am enthousiastic about the use of the computer in learning. But not only in collaborative learning the computer can be used. In this blog, I will discuss 5 pedagogical approaches and the way a digital learning environment (environments such als Blackboard, Teletop or Moodle) can support the approaches. I’ve chosen for the approaches traditional learning, collaborative learning, inquiry learning, experiential learning and project-based learning.  The first because traditional learning is the most known and used pedagogical approach, the others because I like them and I think that approaches must be used more often in schools.  I think in all of the approaches a digital learning environment can play a major role. When you are interested in that, please read the following...

Traditional learning
As I said before, traditional learning is probably the most known and used pedagogical approach in schools. It is the approach in which the teacher tells the information and the students listen and remember what they learn. It’s a kind of learning by listening (Boer, 2004). Traditional learning often is face-to-face, individual and lecture based. The teacher plays a great role in the learning process by giving information, assignments and feedback.

Digital learning environment

In the most traditional way, computers aren’t used in class. But the last decade, this is changing a lot. Even in traditional learning, a digital learning environment has a lot of possibilities to empower the learning. Information about the lectures can be placed on the internet. Students than can, before the lesson, look at the presentation of the lecture and so remember their prior knowledge. The new information in the lecture can be more easy be stored and remembered by the students. Another possibility of using these environment is that students can place questions on the environment, which the teacher can answer in the next lesson. Students have more access to the information given in the lectures when they can read it another time after the lecture. Information will be better rembered by them. I think that’s a great possibility of the digital environment.

Collaborative Learning
As in the traditional learning approach the students will learn by listening, in the collaborative approach, students will learn from discussing and debating, from working with eachother (Boer, 2004). In working together, students have to combine the different knowledges of eachother and build together on new knowledge. They learn with and from eachother (Boud, Cohen & Sampson, 1999). Learning takes place in the interactivity of the students. The teacher has no great role of giving information in this learning, but he or she must facilitate the collaborative learning of the students. This approach typically a form of social constructivism. Students learn in the social interactions. I believe this is a very useful approach for learning, because when you work together, you get so much different points of view, and you can learn from all of them! On the other hand, you have to make clear what you think, so you have to be more reflective on your thinking, which will empower your learning.

Digital learning environment

By collaborative learning digital learningenvironments can play a great role. In this environments, students can share documents with eachother, they can discuss on a forum, they can email the whole group. When the environment is used right, students can learn collaboratively when they are not in the same place. They can work together on different times, because they can react on documents and posts in the environment. The teacher also can see what the students are doing, because he or she can look at the documents and discussions in the environment. So the teacher can keep the students in the eye, while the students can work together without being fysically together. This is much more easy for both student and teacher. I think these environments give great possibilities to learning!

I will try to discuss the other three approaches a little bit shorter...

Inquiry learning
Children are curious. In inquiry learning we use and stimulate this curiousness. Students get a problem of which they have to find a solution. Therefor, they have to find information, think of hypetheses, experiment and analyze the results (Hirumi, 2010). The children can use their curiousness to solve the problem. They can do that in their own way, verifying their own thoughts and hypothesis. Thereby, they go through the whole cycle of inquiry and learn a lot of skills. Because the things they learn are embedded in real situations, the learning will be deeply.

Digital learning environment

Digital learningenvironments can support inquiry learning. In the environment, the problem can be explained, information can be given, simulations can be placed in which the students can try out there hypotheses. The teacher can give better fomative feedback to the students, because the things the students do on the environment can be stored and looked at by the teacher (Boer, 2004). And in a digital environment, the inquiry assignment can take place in a safe and more simpler environment then when the students have to do it in the real world. The learningprocess can be more guided by using a digital learning environment, which would be better for the students.

Experiential learning
This pedagogical approach is a kind of learning by doing (Boer, 2004). Students learn the best in authentic situations. In this approach, students are placed in real jobs or simulations. They have to experience the things they have to learn. In this learning, the teacher can first give some instructions, but the real learning will take place when the students do the real or simulated job.

A digital learning environment can be helpful. In the environment, simulations can be placed (Boer, 2004). Simulations or educational games can be done on the environment.  Especially for things as writing, the environment can be used. But to be honest, I think, for real experiential learning, a lot of skills can not be learned well in a digital environment. Doing things in the real world, such as cycling, can’t be learned well in computersimulations. So, for a couple of things a digital environment can be great, but not for all.

Problem-based learning
Problem-based learning looks a little bit on inquiry learning and collaborative learning. In problem-based learning, students get an problem. In groups, they have to find a solution. By problem-based learning, the problem is mostly ill-defined. Thereby, students have to define and structure the problem before they can go to find solutions.

Digital learning environment

The digital learning environment can be used as described by inquiry learning and collaborative learning. It can be used to empower the groupwork, and for setting the invironment for the problem.

Again, it’s a long story. But while I was writing, I got so enthousiastic about the learning and the possibilities of the computer in the approaches, that I couldn’t stop. I think that in all pedagogical approaches, the traditional, collaborative, inquiry, experiential and problem-based learning, a digital learning environment is very helpful. It should be used in every course. But it has to be used in the right way. For example Blackboard has so many possibilities, but teachers and students use so little of them, I think that’s a pity. There is a collaboration thing, but very few people know how you can use that. Even the discussionboard is used very few. I think we can learn a lot more from eachother when we use that kind of things very more often (but that’s my ideological collaborative view...).  

Boer, W.F. de (2004). Flexibility support for a changing university. Doctoral dissertation. Faculty of Educational Science and Technology, Univeristy of Twente. Enschede, NL: Twente University Press.

Boud, D., Cohen, R., & Sampson, J. (1999). Peer learning and assessment. Assessment and

evaluation in higher education, 24 (4), 413-426.

Hirumi,  Grounded instructional strategies. Verkregen op 4 oktober, 2010, van
http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/uploads/ISTE2010/KEY_50046305/Hirumi_GroundedStrategies_062010.pdf