Original Source Material

Student Version

The study of learning derives from essentially two sources. Because learning involves the acquisition of knowledge, the first concerns the nature of knowledge and how we come to know things.... The second source in which modern learning theory is rooted concerns the nature and representation of mental life.

References:
Driscoll, M. P. (2000). Psychology of learning for instruction (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

The depiction and essence of mental life, the essential qualities of knowledge, and explanations for how knowledge is created provide for the origins of modern learning theory. Disagreement between theories of learning can often be traced to differences in one or more of these areas.

Original Source Material

Student Version

From reading educator-authors' revisions, and experiencing confusion myself surrounding how performance measures fit into a design case, I feel the problem arises from how new authors view design cases in relation to scientific experimental studies in education. A designer who is also a researcher must recognize the difference in perspective between a design case and an experimental study which uses a design for teaching and learning.

References:
Howard, C. D. (2011). Writing and rewriting the instructional design case: A view from two sides. International Journal of Designs for Learning, 2(1), 40-55.

Seeing the differences in viewpoint between a study that reports experimental results and a design case is a must for an individual who is both a designer and a researcher. Howard identifies this change of perspective as being critical to new authors of design cases.

Original Source Material

Student Version

While solitary negative reactions or unjustified suggestions for change have the potential to dissipate discourse rather than build it, the pattern analysis shows that the anonymous condition seemed to provide a safe explorative space for learners to try out more reasons for their multiple solutions. Teachers will rarely give anonymous feedback, but the experience of giving anonymous feedback may open a social space where learners can try out the reasons for their suggestions.

References:
Howard, C. D., Barrett, A. F., & Frick, T. W. (2010). Anonymity to promote peer feedback: Pre-service teachers' comments in asynchronous computer-mediated communication. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 43(1), 89-112.

Teachers don't often provide feedback anonymously, but the ability to provide feedback anonymously may create a context where the rationale associated with specific suggestions can be more safely explored (Howard, Barrett, & Frick, 2010). However, we cannot assume that all anonymous online spaces will serve as safe social spaces.

Original Source Material

Student Version

The new paradigm of education requires the student, teacher, and parents to be informed of what the student has actually learned at any point in time, to assure that progress is continuous and personalized, and to make good decisions about what to learn next. The recordkeeping tool of an information-age LMS will replace the current report card.

References:
Reigeluth, C. M., Watson, W. R., Watson, S. L., Dutta, P., Chen, Z. C., & Powell, N. D. P. (2008). Roles for technology in the information-age paradigm of education: Learning management systems. Educational Technology, 48(6), 32-39.

Some have suggested approaches for replacing the current report card. For example, Reigeluth and colleagues (2008) suggest a recording-keeping tool that could inform key stake holders of the current state of a student's knowledge to facilitate good decision-making about what a student should study next.

References:
Reigeluth, C. M., Watson, W. R., Watson, S. L., Dutta, P., Chen, Z. C., & Powell, N. D. P. (2008). Roles for technology in the information-age paradigm of education: Learning management systems. Educational Technology, 48(6), 32-39.

Original Source Material

Student Version

It is when all our forces can move freely in us. In nature, this quality is almost automatic, because there are no images to interfere with natural processes of making things. But in all of our creations, the possibility occurs that images can interfere with the natural, necessary order of a thing. And, most of all, this way that images distort the things we make, is familiar in ourselves.

References:
Alexander, C. (1979). The timeless way of building(Vol. 1). New York, NY: Oxford University Press USA.

When Alexander (1979) says that "in all of our creations, the possibility occurs that images can interfere with the natural, necessary order of a thing" (p. 48) he seems to imply that there is one unique right way possible to design a solution to a problem. While this perspective could be considered elitist, some of the most successful products are based on this premise.

References:
Alexander, C. (1979). The timeless way of building(Vol. 1). New York, NY: Oxford University Press USA.

Original Source Material

Student Version

In examining the history of the visionary companies, we were struck by how often they made some of their best moves not by detailed strategic planning, but rather by experimentation, trial and error, opportunism, and--quite literally--accident. What looks in hindsight like a brilliant strategy was often the residual result of opportunistic experimentation and "purposeful accidents."

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

The variety of projects that Google undertakes, from Internet search to cars that drive themselves, could be considered lack of focus. However, perhaps Google recognizes that successful moves that looked like the result of "a brilliant strategy was often the residual result of opportunistic experimentation" (Collins & Porras, 2002, p. 141).

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

Original Source Material

Student Version

Merck, in fact, epitomizes the ideological nature--the pragmatic idealism--of highly visionary companies. Our research showed that a fundamental element in the "ticking clock" of a visionary company is a core ideology--core values and a sense of purpose beyond just making money--that guides and inspires people throughout the organization and remains relatively fixed for long periods of time.

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

While some have identified Merck as a visionary company dedicated to a "core values and a sense of purpose beyond just making money" (Collins & Porras, 2002, p. 48), others point out corporate misdeeds perpetrated by Merck (e.g., its role in establishing a dubious medical journal that republished articles favorable to Merck products) as contradictory evidence.

References:
Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2002). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York, NY: Harper Paperbacks.

Original Source Material

Student Version

Modifications that increase task difficulty are also presented to assist instructors in structuring developmental progressions for activities that reflect various net/wall games. For example, game modifications that require participants to strike a ball with a hand after a bounce are introduced before requiring participants to strike a ball with a racquet or with a hand without a bounce.

References:
Mandigo, J. L., & Anderson, A. T. (2003). Using the pedagogical principles in net/wall games to enhance teaching effectiveness. Teaching Elementary Physical Education, 14(1), 8-11.

One strategy for changing a task to decrease difficulty comes from physical education where "game modifications that require participants to strike a ball with a hand after a bounce are introduced before requiring participants to strike a ball with a racquet or with a hand without a bounce" (Mandigo & Anderson, 2003, p. 9). A participant may then be able to focus on other aspects of the game (e.g., strategy) or find that their anxiety about playing has decreased.

References:
Mandigo, J. L., & Anderson, A. T. (2003). Using the pedagogical principles in net/wall games to enhance teaching effectiveness. Teaching Elementary Physical Education, 14(1), 8-11.

Original Source Material

Student Version

While solitary negative reactions or unjustified suggestions for change have the potential to dissipate discourse rather than build it, the pattern analysis shows that the anonymous condition seemed to provide a safe explorative space for learners to try out more reasons for their multiple solutions. Teachers will rarely give anonymous feedback, but the experience of giving anonymous feedback may open a social space where learners can try out the reasons for their suggestions.

References:
Howard, C. D., Barrett, A. F., & Frick, T. W. (2010). Anonymity to promote peer feedback: Pre-service teachers' comments in asynchronous computer-mediated communication. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 43(1), 89-112.

It is clear that "solitary negative reactions or unjustified suggestions for change have the potential to dissipate discourse" (Howard, Barrett, & Frick, 2010, p. 103). However, anonymity may give learners a context in which they can try providing solutions that are more thoroughly supported by an accompanying rational (Howard, Barrett, & Frick, 2010). Clearly, the positive and negative consequences that anonymity has on peer feedback must be considered.

References:
Howard, C. D., Barrett, A. F., & Frick, T. W. (2010). Anonymity to promote peer feedback: Pre-service teachers' comments in asynchronous computer-mediated communication. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 43(1), 89-112.

Original Source Material

Student Version

It should be apparent that technology will play a crucial role in the success of the information-age paradigm of education. It will enable a quantum improvement in student learning, and likely at a lower cost per student per year than in the current industrial-age paradigm. Just as the electronic spreadsheet made the accountant's job quicker, easier, and less expensive, the kind of LMS described here will make the teacher's job quicker, easier, and less expensive.

References:
Reigeluth, C. M., Watson, W. R., Watson, S. L., Dutta, P., Chen, Z. C., & Powell, N. D. P. (2008). Roles for technology in the information-age paradigm of education: Learning management systems. Educational Technology, 48(6), 32-39.

Introducing technology into the workplace does not automatically improve job performance. While managers may dream of lower costs, the introduction of technology may increase costs (especially in the short term) if using/learning the technology makes the individual's job harder.