Analogical Scaffolding

When I was in Ranger School I learned about several words I never knew existed. Cellulitis? Rubber Neck? (see HERE). Never knew these were words until Rangers School. And I guess for the most part, my life would have been fine had I never known about em.

Not so with the words I learned lately. 

First there is Connectivism. I've written about this one before (see HERE). I love connectivism. The idea of blending networks into something more useful. It was a task I was a part of at my old organization, before I embraced the non-profit world. What I find interesting is that we were doing it, but we didn't call it "connectivism." We were on the path of calling it "connected worker" but it's a forward looking concept I hope I can touch on more. 

But Analogical Scaffolding is a new one for me. I had the opporutnity to look into this over the past few months. We are building a course that uses analogies to help people understand more the complexities of work refineries by linking it to something they already understand. This is called  . . . apparently . . . analogical scaffolding. 

Makes sense. Scaffolding understanding through analogy. 

What good are analogies?

First this from Celik et al "Treagust, Harrison, and Venville (1998) summarized the importance of analogies, which are powerful learning techniques, in science teaching:

• Provides a clear understanding of the concepts from different perspectives.

• Enables learners to gain real-world experience.

• Helps to teach the concepts clearly from a different perspective.

• Summarizes topics in an easily-understandable form.

• Motivates learners by attracting their interests.

• Provides difficult information for learners and teachers to see their mistakes easily.

• Facilitates access to information, concept development, and problem solving.

• Makes unknowns compatible with logic by improving creativity."

Then this from Keri and Elbararny, "More than 70% of the students indicated that these analogies were useful in understanding the anatomical structures and physiological functions. Over 60% of students applied these analogies while studying. Eighty-eight percent of students found that analogies were engaging and made the lecture more enjoyable. We conclude that well-structured and purposeful analogies have positive impact on students’ learning of science courses during undergraduate nursing studies."

So, now that we will have our own training that includes a ton of analogies, I'm looking for ways to study it. How can we determine if analogical scaffolding is any good? What is the comparison? Is it just qualitative? 

I would hate not to take advantage of this opportunity. 

 

Çeli̇k, H., Kirindi, T., & Ayçi̇çek Kotaman, Y. (2020). The effect of the computer-based analogy used in science teaching on learning outcomes. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 17(1), 73–93. https://doi.org/10.36681/tused.2020.14

Keri, Z., & Elbatarny, H. (2021). The power of analogy-based learning in science. HAPS Educator, 25(1), 13–20. https://doi.org/10.21692/haps.2021.003

More on Connectivism

In my field, we have safety managers who go around helping to ensure safety on site and if an incident occurs they reach out to other safety people and doctors to try and manage the incident as best they can. If our safety manager in the NE leaves or retires his entire network could be lost. I would love to create expanding networks that are stable and don't get lost. 

I think about this class I am taking and the expertise that I and my classmates have in our different subject areas. While we are in the classes and in the program we are developing these networks and furthering our expertise, but what happens when we graduate or move forward. The networks we've used for discussion on the boards is lost unless we snag each other's emails, but in terms of group discussion, it's only now, in the class discussions. 

I continue to create groups for our Leadership Classes to help create discussions, but it's an uphill battle. I created one of supervisors and team leaders for our contractors, but that too was an uphill battle and it took over a year for it to become self-sustainable from the users themselves. 

I'm reminded of the hurricane and floods we had here in Texas five years ago. My neighborhood of over 1500 homes was at risk of being flooded by the nearby river topping the banks and levies. We got most of our news and exchanged most information not through the national or local television news channels, not through the radio nor newspapers, but through our neighborhood facebook group. This means it was self-sponsored from the group members alone, not by any outside source. The little neighborhood facebook group continues on now and continues to create a network of neighborhood experts. 

I love that your company uses channels on Teams and think that you're following right along with the intent and philosophy of connectivism. 

Connectivism

In a former company, we set up a MicroLearning platform to provide leadership training via cell phone delivery for our field leadership. This was a huge hit for the organization but had limited usefulness. We found that MicroLearning (small chunks of training) were not ideal for the primary delivery of the content. We were able to create a powerful network among our leadership teams which was unique and very similar to the idea of "connectivism" that we discussed in our last class.

The "chatbot" method we are currently using is different in that we are using MicroLearning as reinforcement during and after the primary training to help create recall . . . to help move the information from short term and working memory to long term memory. It works just as you mentioned with your daughter. I've found having used both methods, this reinforcement engine is far more effective.

For this, we are using an off the shelf application called "Mobile Coach" to test the waters. My organization's IT department is also working to create our own MicroLearning app that we can use and develop inhouse. Mobile Coach has been terrific to work with, and the app is very easy to set up, but if the system becomes popular the cost will be too great. But you're correct in that being able to provide learning directly to the learner's phone is an ideal way to engage them during and after the training. 

I'm also looking forward to using this technique prior to training as well. Imagine the capability of knowing what class a student is about to take, then sending them information regarding the learning objectives before they take the class. These "MicroLearning Pre-Tests" would help engage them in the training and fine-tune their focus onto the learning objectives for the course. This pre-test compatibility will help them understand what they're getting into, introduce them to the learning objectives before the class, and get them used to using their phones for information exchange. It's a blend of MicroLearning reinforcement and Adaptive Learning techniques. 

Networks through Connectivism

I am very intrigued by the idea of creating connections with our learners that extend beyond the walls of our learning community. In the past our learners would come to our facility for training then be gone, in most cases until the next year when they would have to take a refresher course. There was no constant connection. 

I think one of the things that we have working in our favor is that our learners are "primed" for this type of experience and connections. Social media platforms are helping to reinforce the feeling of connection to different communities. I have my Twitter friends where I follow folks on art and politics. Instagram is where I go to see my family and their newest pics. Canvas (both on my PC and on my phone) is where I can keep up with my adult education colleagues. Email is for work. 

I've compartmentalized each aspect of my life for the social media streams that make the most sense for me at that moment. I have been trying to convince my IT department that merely having an organization app will not be enough for us to create a connected network of learners. I've been asking for them to produce an app, a web-page, a LinkedIn group, a chat bot, etc. You never know how one person or one group of learners will want to process and access information and content. We have to give them choices and the freedom to choose that which fits best in their lives. 

It made me think about a quote from a friend, Anne about making it feel like a part of nature and their body. It should be easy, holistic, and like a part of their body, not something different or unique. 

Heutagogcial Metacognition

I never thought it would happen, but today I wrote a script where I used the term heutagogical metacognition. 

What is heutagogical metacognition? Basically it's self-directed learning with reflective practice. I would never ever use the term heutagogical metacognition, but I needed an obscure crazy term for a script. I was writing for Tommy.

Fire Together Wire Together - Out of Sync Fail to Link

This week I became very intrigued by the article Experience, Consciousness, and Learning for Instruction by Sheckley and Bell. The idea of fired together wired together (FTWT) neurons for memory is nothing new to me, but linking it with change-of-body-state (COBS) in the way that they described was intriguing. 

At first blush, the reading made me think of the experiment with Pavlov's dog and the salivation that occurred whenever the dinner bell rang. However with further thought and reading I started to apply the thought to our cohort of adult learners here at my organization, especially when the authors link the FTWT and COBS experience to a multi-textured conscious experience (p. 45). Many of our learners come to our organization with long histories of work experience in the field that they take into their training. This can be both good and bad and can help to contribute to their experience or detract from it much like the coffee drinking example in the paper. However, the experience they've had at my organization in training is also a part of that experience. Many times I've heard complaints about our organization that our training is too rote and rudimentary. this in many cases equates to boring and ineffective. My job is to change that dynamic. Make our product learning rather than just training. Move the needle in a positive direction so that the learner is not bored and ready to leave as soon as he's pushed the "advance" button enough times, but rather so he learns something during the course of his time with us, and even better, that he reflects on it later and uses it. 

This made me think of the line in Meaningful Learning and the Executive Functions of the Brain by Caine and Caine when they write "people learn from experience in a way that is simply not possible from instruction or information delivery alone" (p. 54) in regards to the "field experience" our learners bring with them to our classes and the line "in order to adequately understand any concept, or acquire any mastery of a skill or domain, a person has to make sense of things for himself or herself, irrespective of how much others know and how much a coach, mentor, or teacher tries to help" (p. 54) in regards to their past experience and their ability to learn from our organization. 

One aspect I am working to change with our organization is the sense of connection and networking. The idea that a learner would leave the field (and his experiences from the field) at our front door so they could pass a test is not what we want. Our goal is to blend training/learning/and field experience all together so that the learner is constantly using what he learns with us in his field position not because he's told to do it, but rather because he knows why, and has learned why it's the right thing to do. In the class Characteristics of Adult Learners we learned about the idea of "connectivism" whereby learners learn through groups of connected networks of experts. Instead of me asking a question of my friends and colleagues, I could be more powerful and effective by engaging mine as well as others networks for that information. Think about community pages for different application or a neighborhood Facebook group. One of my goals is to produce a network of learners that begins at our classroom doors and expands and stays with the learner as they leave. Finding ways to communicate, interact with the learner in the field, and provide learning on demand is key to this and a part of the mix. 

The goal is to stay connected with that learner outside our walls and continue his learning experience as he moves into and stays in the field. That way we can leverage his time better and not have the two hats of "training" vs "work" but blend the two together. I wonder if anyone else has has similar experiences with this and how you were able to achieve it.