Learning Sciences

Here is another research that comes up with the findings indicating being an expert does not mean to teach effectively because of expertise-base biases. So, expert teachers make difference thanks to their pedagogical knowledge, don't they?

Here is a research on the differences between novice and expert teachers' perceptions about students' prior knowledge and how they differ in making use of it. Linking this article to the topic of this week I believe novice teachers bring up novice learners. It is like a vicious circle, I think.

For those interested in the science of babies.

Hocam I cannot believe the results of the study. It is really amazing. The babies are smarter that adults and knows statistics. The saying of lean mean machine to adult brain is interesting. Now I am looking for the study is about babies and statistics, I really wonder this one. Thanks for your sharing. And I found another video of Dr. Alison Gopnik about baby thinking as a scientists..:) http://www.ted.com/talks/alison_gopnik_what_do_babies_think.html

This video made me question the role of education in children's life again.I think formal education is the biggest barrier for children who have natural abilities to learn. The education system is limiting children's potential and killing their imagination and curiostiy which make them excellent learners indeed. Do you think the school provides them proper opportunities to explore and to learn? I don't think students can learn in our "boring" classes where they are grouped on their ages rather than their abilities.

This is a book by Geoff Colvin which talks about the importance of deliberate practice. Mr. Colvin's primary message in this book is that people are not born with all the natural talent and abilities that will make them great it life. He asserts that, aside from some physical atributes that may give an athlete an advantage in a particular sport, everyone can achieve world-class performance through "deliberate practice" in his or her chosen field - business, music, sports, etc.

Thank you for the link, I am curious in finding more sources on the effect of deliberate practice and its effects. As I have searched Geoff Colvin is from the field of economics so it can be interesting to hear from people of different fields.

Neil Charness is also a scholar on psychology from Florida State University. He has some thoughts on expert performance. You can also check his works. :)

He is a scholar and researcher from the Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam (Europe) in the field of expertise development and deliberate practise.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-012-9195-x#page-1 This is the article "Educational Implications of Expertise Reversal Effects in Learning and Performance of Complex Cognitive and Sensorimotor Skills" by Slava Kalyuga, Remy Rikers and Fred Paas (we omitted it from the readings but you can read additionally)

Dr Kalyuga is a Professor at the School of Education, the University of New South Wales, where he has worked since 1995. His research interests are in cognitive processes in learning, cognitive load theory, and evidence-based instructional design principles. His specific contributions include detailed experimental studies of the role of learner prior knowledge in learning (expertise reversal effect); the redundancy effect in multimedia learning; the development of rapid online diagnostic assessment methods; and studies of the effectiveness of different adaptive procedures for tailoring instruction to levels of learner expertise

David Gerhard is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and an associate member in the Department of Music at the University of Regina in Regina, Saskatchewan. He introduces his musical creation called the Rainboard. With it, he asks if we can shortcut the path to musical mastery.

This is the website for The International Baccalaureate (IB) program that I mentioned in the class. It is a recognized leader in the field of international education, encouraging students to be active learners, well-rounded individuals and engaged world citizens. The organization offers to schools three programmes: the Diploma Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Primary Years Programme. It is applied in some of the private colleges such as Eyuboğlu Schools that I have worked in, İstek Schools and Enka Schools from Istanbul.

What we learn from our siblings when we grow up has -- for better or for worse -- a considerable influence on our social and emotional development as adults, according to an expert in sibling, parent-child and peer relationships at the University of Illinois.

In the previous class, I mentioned the facilities of MODSIMMER, where our offices take place. In the link, you can check the electronic facilities that you can use in your research projects. Some of the facilities such as Kablosuz Algılayıcı Ağı, Optik İşlevsel Beyin Görüntüleme Cihazı, İnsan Uyarım Sistemi seem to be used in projects related to learning. Everyone running a research project can use any facility by getting permission.

Here is the Scribner and Cole (1973) article mentioned in Chapter 2 on informal learning. Worth to read.

This document demostrates Skinner's view of learning. I think is an essential reading for learners of learning..:) Certain basic assumptions, essential to any scientific activity, are sometimes called theories. That nature is orderly rather than capricious is an example. Certain statements are also theories simply to the extent that they are not yet facts. A scientist may guess at the result of an experiment before the experiment is carried out.

This is an example of learning on an Island of Expertise. For example: A child is interested in dinosaur. The parents maybe make some activities which build an island of expertise. Activities could be a visit in a museum or a movie about the topic.

Similar projects can be done at schools about the animals or things around us (like visiting a dog barn or visiting a factory). Such visits may help students get motivated about the world around them.

when I watch this video, it seemed an amazing study. This is an experiemental study with babies to make clear whether babeis has morality or not. It has interesting results. I think you will enjoy it.

The website describes how Professor Paul Harris advises the interactive learning company Mindshapes on incorporating educational principles into the development of websites and apps for young children.

I think games always work and the company seems really successful at locating the points children may find interesting and enjoyable. After reading your post, I watched a video at youtube, Hickory-Dickory Dock and it was very enjoyable. It teaches not only vocabulary but also how to tell time. It seems a really effective tool. Like the company, I also think that students should be exposed to the changes in the technology. There is always a world outside the classroom and they should keep themselves up-to-date. And our job is to provide them with such opportunities.

Actually your point is really important, changes in the technology should be followed and used as a tool in the classroom, the tools that are significant in terms educational value for sure. Or the other end would include only games on stealing or killing as mentioned. I have checked out Hickory-Dickory Dock now and it seems effective to me as well. The website "mindshapes.com", provides us with detailed information on the games.

This news is talking about the importance of oral language and vocabulary introduced to a child at a very early age, and differences between children from wealthier families and children from low-income families in terms of vocabulary knowledge and reading skill.

It is really sad to see this unjust difference between children and the fact that the gap gets bigger. It is mentioned that later reading comprehension success is related to this difference which can influence people in a variety of situations in life such as reading a newspaper, reading the instructions of usage of a mechanic device etc.

The Network of Academic Programs in the Learning Sciences ( NAPLeS) is a network of Ph.D. and master's programs in the Learning Sciences. NAPLeS is part of the educational mission of the International Society of the Learning Sciences. It was officially founded at the 2012 ICLS meeting.

This is a new article by Mary C. English and Anastasia Kitsantas from the Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem- Based Learning. What do you think about including self-regulated learning in problem based learning?