Scott Adams

The Learned Man!: Instructional Design Resources

Blogging this to come back to later. You should visit this site too.
Link: The Learned Man!: Instructional Design Resources.

Running Head: COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY

Running Head: COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY

Cooperative Learning and Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Experiences: [An Earlier Draft of the CyberPsychology and Behavior: Special Issue. (Volume 3, No 1, 2000)]

Lawrence W. Sherman, Ph. D., Department of Educational Psychology Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA

Abstract. Earlier interest in Computer Support for Collaborative Learning (CSCL) has lead to several technological innovations. This chapter will examine diverse pedagogical structures including Cooperative Learning (CL) and Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environments (CSILE). Cooperative learning is defined and described along with its uses in a technologically rich teaching environment. I have tried to show that the world of cooperative learning has strong roots in the cognitive field psychology of Kurt Lewin. Learning settings that would be described as cooperative structures are defined and differentiated from those that are competitive or individualistic. While other cognitive psychology theories are mentioned (Piaget and Vygotsky), the primary focus of this manuscript has been to describe issues regarding group processes, especially as they are being used in web-based delivery of collaborative learning experiences. These peer learning strategies are also linked to the world of work for which we are preparing our students. In addition some promising new research goals are described. The conclusions focus on using CSILE as an integral part of a technologically enriched cooperative classroom. A Postmodern and Constructivist theoretical orientation is also used to explain this form of authentic instruction.

The Impact Of Cooperative Learning

The Impact Of Cooperative Learning

Theory Of Social Interdependence

There are at least three general theoretical perspectives that have guided research on cooperation--cognitive-developmental, behavioral, and social interdependence. The cognitive developmental perspective is largely based on the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky. The work of Piaget and related theorists is based on the premise that when individuals co-operate on the environment, socio-cognitive conflict occurs that creates cognitive disequilibrium, which in turn stimulates perspective-taking ability and cognitive development. The work of Vygotsky and related theorists is based on the premise that knowledge is social, constructed from cooperative efforts to learn, understand, and solve problems. The behavioral theory perspective focuses on the impact of group reinforcers and rewards on learning. Skinner focused on group contingencies, Bandura focused on imitation, and Homans as well as Thibaut and Kelley focused on the balance of rewards and costs in social exchange among interdependent individuals. While the cognitive-developmental and behavioral theoretical orientations have their followings, by far the most important theory dealing with cooperation is social interdependence theory.

Methods Of Cooperative Learning: What Can We Prove Works

Methods Of Cooperative Learning: What Can We Prove Works

Cooperative Learning Methods: A Meta-Analysis

David W. Johnson, Roger T. Johnson, and Mary Beth Stanne

Abstract

Cooperative learning is one of the most widespread and fruitful areas of theory, research, and practice in education. Reviews of the research, however, have focused either on the entire literature which includes research conducted in noneducational settings or have included only a partial set of studies that may or may not validly represent the whole literature. There has never been a comprehensive review of the research on the effectiveness in increasing achievement of the methods of cooperative learning used in schools. An extensive search found 164 studies investigating eight cooperative learning methods. The studies yielded 194 independent effect sizes representing academic achievement. All eight cooperative learning methods had a significant positive impact on student achievement. When the impact of cooperative learning was compared with competitive learning, Learning Together (LT) promoted the greatest effect, followed by Academic Controversy (AC), Student-Team-Achievement-Divisions (STAD), Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT), Group Investigation (GI), Jigsaw, Teams-Assisted-Individualization (TAI), and finally Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC). When the impact of cooperative lessons was compared with individualistic learning, LT promotes the greatest effect, followed by AC, GI, TGT, TAI, STAD, Jigsaw, and CIRC. The consistency of the results and the diversity of the cooperative learning methods provide strong validation for its effectiveness.

Cooperative Learning Center

Cooperative Learning Center

What is Cooperative Learning?

Cooperative Learning is a relationship in a group of students that requires positive interdependence (a sense of sink or swim together), individual accountability (each of us has to contribute and learn), interpersonal skills (communication, trust, leadership, decision making, and conflict resolution), face-to-face promotive interaction, and processing (reflecting on how well the team is functioning and how to function even better).
What does the Cooperative Learning Center do?

The Cooperative Learning Center is a Research and Training Center focusing on how students should interact with each other as they learn and the skills needed to interact effectively. More....

eLearning Dialogue

eLearning Dialogue

The Case for Online Coursepacks and E-Books

By Barry W. Birnbaum

While most universities offer online courses, the need for creating support materials that go with these courses remains an area for further exploration. Most instructors use chat rooms, PowerPoint, etc., to deliver instruction. One of the areas that is sometimes overlooked is the development of online textbooks or electronic course packs that go along with the online courses.

In order for an online course to be truly digital, all aspects of it must be converted so that the student has similar experiences within this delivery system. Although some individuals feel that a traditional textbook is more appropriate, the difference in look, feel, and quality is almost the same when electronic books are adopted. Students have an option of downloading and printing the electronic materials or of just reading the material while connected to the Internet.

The selection of articles or materials for a digital textbook is an authentic, performance-based task. This experience allows for the inclusion of real-life, real-time contextual information that can be applied to students in order to assist them in choosing learning that is more reality based. These strategies are effective in any digital delivery format.

Into the Blogosphere

Into the Blogosphere

:. About the Collection...

This online, edited collection explores discursive, visual, social, and other communicative features of weblogs. Essays analyze and critique situated cases and examples drawn from weblogs and weblog communities. Such a project requires a multidisciplinary approach, and contributions represent perspectives from Rhetoric, Communication, Sociology, Cultural Studies, Linguistics, and Education, among others.

Instant-messaging virus costs a man his job

Virus attacks are not yet frequent on instant-messaging applications, but the latest threat is likely to send a shiver down the spine of all IM users. A businessman whose computer had been infected by a virus found that his entire buddy list had been sent a record of all his IM conversations, said Derek O'Carroll, managing director of IM software vendor IMLogic on Tuesday.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Net pioneer predicts web future

BBC NEWS | Technology | Net pioneer predicts web future

In 1983, Dr Paul Mockapetris created the now familiar system which gives net pages names such as ".com" and ".uk".
Celebrating DNS's 21st birthday he says: "Ten years from now, we will look back at the net and think how could we have been so primitive."
All communication will be over the net, he predicts, and we will no longer need phone numbers, just web addresses.
"Ten years from now, we will wonder how it was so hard to find things on the network too," he told BBC News Online.
"At best we are at the Bronze Age, we are not even at the Iron Age stage in the network."
'Laboratory curiosity'
Dr Mockapetris came up with the DNS system 21 years ago while he was a scientist on the Arpanet project, part of Darpa (US Department of Defense's Advanced Research Projects Agency), which provided the basis of the net.
The system meant codes attached to information could be translated into easy-to-remember web addresses and domains, which people could own.

We have a notion about what nature should be like, the way it was 1,000 years ago for example, with no pollution. From the standpoint of cyberspace and the net, we don't have the benefit of any natural starting point so we have to construct the future

Dr Paul Mockapetris
The net, wh

Many-to-Many: blog research issues

I am bookmarking this to keep up with it. It is a good start for blog research issues in the classroom.

Many-to-Many: blog research issues

blog research issues
During the several hours that Seb, Jill, Clay, Alex, and I spent in the coffee shop at the RIT library before our panel at MEA, we talked a bit about our frustrations with current academic approaches to social software, particularly blogs.
My first experience with listening to an academic take on blogs was at AoIR in Toronto last October, where Alex had put together a wonderful panel on weblogs. The first set of speakers included Alex, Cameron Marlow (of Blogdex fame), Matthew Rothenberg, and Thomas Burg—academic bloggers, all. They had some wonderful insights into weblogs, and they left me feeling very excited about the potential for interesting research in this space\