JOELLE​PETERS

Attribute Six

 

Analyse relevant education and cognitive theory and draw on this in practice.

 

 

 

 

 

Lev Vygotsky - Scaffolding and the zone of proximal learning

 

Theory

Child psychologist Lev Vygotsky theorised that learners encountered tasks on a continuum. At one end are tasks that a learner has already mastered and can complete on their own without assistance, and at the other are tasks that the learner cannot do even with assistance. Between these two extremes there is a zone where students can understand concepts and complete tasks with guidance and support, this is known as the 'zone of proximal learning'. Scaffolding refers to the different levels of support and guidance required by a learner to achieve the tasks in this zone, different learners will need different levels and types of scaffolding to achieve the same tasks based on where they lie on the continuum. Ideally as time goes by and learners practice and develop the skills and understanding needed to complete the tasks  the 'scaffolding' can be reduced and removed until the learner is capable of performing a task without assistance. 

 

Practice

When working with students I often explain that as they meet new material they may struggle to do it on their own, but the more we look at, and practice, in class the easier it will get. It's important to explain to students that it will take time to master new understandings and not to get disheartened. With my bridging and nursing students lots of my scaffolding is based on assessment of prior knowledge (LNAAT testing) so I can see what level different students are on and areas that they may need more support in, this is an example of scoping an individual zone of proximal learning and applying it to my teaching. I often find that students (particularly nursing and bridging students) already have a rough understanding of the tasks we look at, but need scaffolding that encourages them and gives them confidence to apply prior learning to a new context as much as they need scaffolding around maths or English concepts.  This is often because students have had a bad experience in an area and so have convinced themselves that they can't succeed and so are unwilling or nervous about trying new tasks. At the start of a semester with these students the scaffolding I supply is often more emotionally based, for example encouraging comments, personalising examples to their interests, lots of very detailed feedback, emphasising the importance of handing in work etc. Throughout the semester as they gain confidence the scaffolding becomes less emotional and more academic, focusing on developing the skills and knowledge they need to pass the course once they have the confidence to attempt the projects on their own. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malcolm Knowles - Adult Learners and Andragogy

 

Theory

American educator Malcolm Knowles is known for his work on the theory of andragogy - adult education. Knowles made five assumptions about adult learners, that they are aware of themselves and are self-directed, that they have a wealth of life experiences to draw learning from, that they are ready to learn, that their orientation towards learning is problem centered not content centered, and that they are intrinsically motivated learners. Because of the different characteristics of adult learners Knowles suggested four principles which should be applied to adult learning, these include involving the learners in planning and evaluating their instruction, using experiential learning methods, acknowledging and planning for the fact that adults are most interested in content that has an immediate impact on their professional or private lives, and creating problem based rather than content based learning experiences. 

 

Practice

When designing a course I incorporate experiential learning into my lessons to engage my learners. I try to evaluate early in each semester which of the students are adult learners. For those students who exhibit the behavior of adult learners I am happy to have discussions with them around planning their learning. Often these discussions result in plans where the students decide which sections of the course they will attend the class sessions for, and which sections they can use the class time to focus on other areas of their learning. When we discuss this they know the expectation is that they will complete all course assessments and often finish these quickly in their own time ahead of the due date or have shorter one on one sessions with me to make sure they have fully grasped the concepts. I am very happy to be flexible with these adult learners as the majority of my students need a more pedagogical, structured approach to learning, which could quickly switch the adult learners off. By being aware of the traits and needs of an adult learner I am able to make sure they are engaged in the course and their learning by allowing them to self-differentiate and guide their own learning. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angus McFarlane - Culturally Responsive Education

 

Theory

I was recently talking to a colleague about the section of Teachers College where we learned about being culturally responsive educators and the key concepts in this area such as whanaungatanga. She pointed me to McFarlane who supports and encourages these ideas in education. McFarlane encourages people to think about the learning styles and needs of their students and how they relate to the cultures they come from and are participating within in their learning environments. The following PDF is McFarlanes 'Educultural Wheel' which demonstrates the different attributes of and links between the four elements of being a culturally responsive educator. 

 

 

 

 

 

Practice

While I first encountered these ideas in TCOL they are also highly relevant in tertiary education as we all work with students from different cultures. The Polytechnic's Maori Strategic Framework shows that the Polytechnic is committed to meeting treaty obligations and the memorandum of understanding signed between Ka Papatipu Runaka and the Polytechnic by focusing on the needs of Maori learners in our classes and making sure they are engaged and supported. It is important to think about students from other cultures too, including Pacific Island and International students, as well as Pakeha students who may have come from families or educational backgrounds where a culture of learning is not highly valued.

 

Thinking critically about the different ways these students approach learning is important during the planning phase. For example it's important to plan activities that offer real life experiences and that value prior knowledge, it is also important to develop and foster clear relationships with these students and within the cohort of students. A good tool for this is the use of small group based learning, a technique we often use in our Bridging classes. It is also important to get to know your students and develop relationships quickly, so you can talk to them about their backgrounds and help them adjust to tertiary education, and to adjust your teaching experiences to their needs as much as possible.

 

It is also important to think about the culture of the different papers and classes you teach. For example, my classes run for Bridging students have more flexible timelines and assessment dates and is more relationally based teaching, but those run as part of the diploma or degree program have firm timelines and I take a more authoritative role in leading the classroom. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images from:

http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/v/vigotski.htm

http://web.utk.edu/~start6/knowles/malcolm_knowles.html

http://www.comsdev.canterbury.ac.nz/graphics/AngusMacfarlaneawardbig.jpg