IMAGINATIONANDAUTHENTICLEARNING

IMAGINATIONANDAUTHENTICLEARNING

byLucianCiolan

Source: Conferenceproceedingsof"eLearningandSoftwareforEducation"(eLSE)(Conferenceproceedings of"eLearningandSoftwareforEducation"(eLSE)),issue:02/2013,pages:470473,on www.ceeol.com.

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The 9th International Scientific Conference eLearning and software for Education Bucharest, April 25-26, 2013
10.12753/2066-026X-13-184

IMAGINATION AND AUTHENTIC LEARNING

Lucian CIOLAN
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, 90 Panduri Str., Bucharest, Romania lucian.ciolan@fpse.unibuc.ro

Abstract: When developing curriclum and designing learning experiences, the pedagogy focused on different aspects, as learning practice evolved over the years. If the content was considered for a long time the most important part of the process, its supremacy was dethroned as the knowledge and information produced and accumulated by human kind became almost incommensurable, and the pace of becoming obsolete alarming... So, a next wave proposed the learning outcomes as being the key principle for organizing the learning, and a whole range of formulations came into everyday educational language: objectives, standards, attainment targets, competences or qualifications. But it seems none of these approaches is adapted enough to instill authentic learning for the digital natives. Having a great value from the planning and development perspective, this outcome-based approach seem to be not sufficient in generating authentic learning. The current paper deals with the challenges of creating the conditions for authentic learning in the case of the new millennium learners. As one of the key perspectives on learning process is to create disposition for learning, we will analyze how virtual learning environments positively impacts and supports high quality learning processes. A new trend in curriculum development and learning practice is emerging, with a key focus on learning scenarios which can nurture a consistent disposition for learning processes. Constructing learning is highly enhanced by the learning environments, not only referring to physical ones, but also to all components (physical, cognitive, emotional and actional) of a learning situation. The consequences at learning practice level will be investigated, with a special attention to the VLEs. Keywords: authentic learning, learning environments, imagination

I. LEARNING AS A MOVING TARGET

There are many voices in the recent literature and at the level of different stakeholders involved in education calling for a transformation of schools, schooling and education in general. There are many reasons for that, but, among others, we can mention: a) the changing concept about human intelligence, mainly as result of new learning theories of H. Gardner (2006, 2011); b) the new perspectives on emotional and social intelligence provided mainly by D. Goleman (2007, 2008); c) the recent learning - related research in advanced cognitive sciences that we can find in the works of Gergely & Csibra (2005), Wellman & Lagattuta (2004), Radu J. Bogdan (2008, 2013) or research commissioned in US by National research Council (2000). Moreover, well-known speakers and authors on education, such as Ken Robinson [10] are also strongly arguing for a revolution in education, as the current institutional models and learning processes are not matching anymore the social needs and developments, nor the characteristics of today learners, coming up with a whole new spectrum of needs, interests, motivations and learning behaviours seriously shaped, among other factors, by their interaction with technologies. Traditionally, the school and the educational systems thought (or at least pretended) they know how to organise how to structure learning processes in a relevant and even attracted way. But all this construction is based on a specific understanding of learning and human mind, on the one side, and on a specific mission of the school in society, on the other, which are both obsolete now and do

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not really correspond to tremendous socio-cultural changes of the last century and to the new type of learners attending our schools and universities. Education and learning seem to be so disrupted from the contexts in which they are supposed to happen, that, instead of supporting young generations in their development and social participation, they waste huge resources by reproducing institutional and curricular models which have no capacity to mobilise and motivate for learning. This situation apparently cannot be solved with small adjustments and policy or practice interventions meant to fine-tune the processes. The whole set of values and principles grounding schools, schooling and school learning should be analysed and revised. But, as we know for a long time, the discussion about values and principles is so risky, as those values and principles are so difficult to change or even to question. Learning became, though, a moving target which needs itself re-conceptualisation, repositioning both for learners and for those called to generate or facilitate learning. As explained also by Fischer & Mazurkiewicz [11] around the world education is in crisis. Schools are loosing public confidence and support. Why? Because of the natural difficulties arising from contradictions embedded in the assumptions about school.

II. AUTHENTIC LEARNING The paradoxes under which learning happens and the strong pre-conceptions and beliefs about learning, heavily taken from granted and rarely questioned if still appropriate for current conditions, contributed to an increasing distance between school and learners. The authenticity of learning is than threaten, both in terms of its contextualization in social and individual realities of contemporary world, but also in terms of the lived learning experiences. In a research conducted in an international environment, bringing together young students (high school level) from four countries, we tried to identify the some key characteristics of authentic learning in their opinion, by direct observation during non-formal learning camps, and by conduting intensive focus groups. The key aspects identified and synthesised from the data are briefly presented below. For a more detailed view, see Ciolan, 2008 [12]. Learning through exploration: the need of the learner to be actively engaged in exploring the world around in order to get in contact with relevant issues, to research himself / herself, eventually in groups and under supervision and to discover in order to create motivation for learning and contribute to construction of mental structures. Reflective / self-reflective learning: means allowing the learner to have time for himself / herself during the learning process and to have intimate reflection or meta-reflection processes, for accommodating the learning, understating its meanings. Learning is, after all, a very deep and individual process, happening at the intersection of our cognitive, social, emotional and actional dimensions, as suggested also by the model suggested for organizing learning experiences (fig.1). Learning through exercise / play: being hands-on, learning have more chances to happen. Practicing and exercising should be integral part of learning activities. And, whenever possible, involve play, as we know we have a playful mind even hen going to adult ages. Learning through connections: connecting and making sense of new learning is the first step for higher order processing of the information, as well as for making learning portable, able to be re-shaped and transferred to different circumstances. A special attention should be paid in this context to the role of technologies, as described in the principles related to what is called in the literature School Web 2.0 [13]. Progressive learning: is not only about sequencing and de-constructing, but learning in stages which involves different mental operations and different levels of cognitive solicitation. When designing learning, both facilitators and learners should be aware, at the possible level, about the type of mental operations involved in the respective learning. Is it a simple information processing? Is it an analogy or comparison? Is it an evaluative or transfer process involved? etc. Cyclic learning: brings into attention to iterative process of learning, in terms of stepping back for reflection after stepping forward for new learning, but also coming back to the starting point /

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initial problem in order to understand how much was revealed about it, how understanding of it developed and how to make sense of it. Social learning: not only that value of learning is socially recognized and validated, but the learning process itself is more productive if it allows for interaction, exchange of information, peer work and reflection, and peer support. Social dimension of learning brings into attention both contextualization of learning in the broader social environment, but, in the same time, the key contribution of social (and especially peer) groups to enhance learning. Shared knowledge is power says a contemporary approach, opposed to the outdated knowledge is power. Intercultural learning: creating intercultural contexts for learning boosts not only the cultural awareness and exchange, but also the capacity to engage multiple / different perspectives, culturally impregnated, to link the process in a more natural way with the diversity of contemporary world as a resource for personal and social development. Intercultural learning makes the link between social context of learning and construction of intercultural attitudes and values. Meaningful learning: is strongly related to the context in which the whole process take place, and which needs to be authentic. Learners should be encouraged to apply their previous knowledge, inquiry and develop their independent thinking skills. The ICTs play an increasing role in offering unique opportunities for learning, such as simulations, virtual travels, geotagging, etc. Guided learning: accompanying, sometimes in a discrete manner, the students in their learning journeys become a reflection of the new perspectives on teachers roles: facilitator, advisor, counselor, coach, etc. Quality learning needs quality guidance, offering milestones and leaving the learners to discover and design the pathway. Dialogic learning: engaging in constant and consistent direct communication, questioning and verbalizing own reflections are parts of the meaningful dialogue which is not only a methodological aspect facilitating learning, but also the vehicle bringing the process where it belongs: at social, interactional level. Integrated learning: living in an increasingly complicated and complex word, facing more and more pressing challenges demands for a serious integration of learning, both in terms of curriculum design and development and learning practice in the schools, but also in terms of integrating learning in the social, economic and cultural context in which takes place. All these characteristic, identified to research and analysis of learners behavior, should inform the creation of learning experiences, the design of meaningful learning scenarios so that superior capacities of the human mind are valued and stimulated to develop: innovation, creativity, imagination. A model on which designing learning could rely is presented in fig. 1 below: Cognitive dimension is usually the more (and most of the time the only) stimulated one in the frame of learning experiences, but this is not sufficient for COGNITIVE SOCIAL LEARNING bringing students in the state of mind DIMENSION DIMENSION appropriate for learning. Cognitive dimension engages our rationality and ACTIONAL brings it in contact with mainly symbolic DIMENSION knowledge, static in itself and fragmented. In order to make sense of it, use it and make it productive, the other dimensions should Fig.1. Model for designing authentic learning scenarios be involved and stimulated as well in the learning activity / experiences. Emotional dimension, seriously neglected, is the one generating actually the motivations and attitudes appropriate for learning, and, in the same time, helping in training values and attitudes in learners. Emotional participation and investment in a learning experience makes learner not only to engage, but to personalize learning, to keep awake his / her interests and curiosity, as well as to reactualize learning when need it as it became a personal lived experience. Social dimension refers to the need to make learning an interpersonal invent, in which discussion, peer reflection, sharing and cooperation are involved. The power of teaming up and the
EMOTIONAL DIMENSION

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social habits it creates, and the enormous capacity to stimulate peer transfer and peer support are important features of authentic learning as a social endeavor. Actional dimension is the call for practice, for application and direct externalization in behaviors of the learned knowledge. Doing is a key part of learning process and this was proved as being beneficial for a long time. But acting in a socially relevant group and context, by engaging feelings and having a high awareness of the processes makes learning an authentic lived experience with higher added value.

III. CONCLUSION: LOOKING FORWARD Creating authentic learning experiences which involves all ( or at least more than one) of the four described dimensions is a challenge which calls for a re-thinking of teachers competence spectrum and balance. Creating authentic scenarios from the perspective of the learner and engaging learner with all dimensions in the learning experience demands for high level of creativity and imagination. As Einstein mentioned, imagination is more important than knowledge, but is not easy to design and implement teacher education programs, both preservice and inservice, focused on encouraging and developing projective imagination, capacity to read minds and ability to articulate meaningful scenarios for learning. Nevertheless, as mentioned also in a recent report of the European Commission [14] Educational stakeholders recognize the contribution of ICT to achieving these targets (n.n. Europe 2020 strategy), and more broadly, the role of ICT as a key enabler of innovation and creativity in Education and Training (E&T) and for learning in general. It is however also highlighted that the full potential of ICT is not being realised in formal education settings and that only few innovative projects manage to survive beyond the early adopter stage and become fully embedded in educational practice.

References
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