I came across an interesting piece on Knowledge Surveys from Edward Knuhfer and Dolores Knipp (linked above).
They advocate the use of Knowledge Surveys as a tool in support of learning and instruction.
These surveys consist of a series of questions - similar to a set of exam questions - but the difference is that the learner is asked not to answer the question but to rate their own ability to respond.
For example - consider the following questions:
Q1 Describe three characteristics of an constructivist theory of learning?
Q2 Compare constructivism with social constructivism?
Q3 Outline practical applications of a behaviorist approach to learning?
Now, in a traditional assessment the student would be asked to write short essays on the above.
With a knowledge survey the student is asked to rate their level of knowledge as:
A - I feel confident that I could answer this question
B - I know about 50% of what may be involved and perhaps if I went away for twenty minutes I could find the missing information
C - I am not confident that I would be able to answer this question at all
Do you get the gist? The knowledge survey gauges a student's perception of their own ability.
Knowledge Surveys may be very useful particularly at the beginning of new courses or topics. A word of caution though - students may not always have or report a reliable estimate of their own ability.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Slea Head
We decided to spend some days in Dingle, County Kerry.
Why Dingle?
Well this is a place that I've always had a fondness for and it has been many years since I visited.
I made a documentary in the mid-1980s called Up Sraid Eoin (John Street) - it was the story of the Dingle wren boys. We filmed it one St Stephens Day and it was broadcast on RTE the following year.
I had been introduced to Dingle while I was working in UCD's Audio Visual Centre - we spent a whole summer recording stories and music for the Department of Irish Folklore/Irish Folklore Commission.
The irony was that we were using television to capture the last remnants of an oral storytelling tradition that was dying out because of the pervasiveness of television.
I learned so much through these projects and although I was responsible for sound and video I really did not have enough Irish to understand what was being said. Strange that the way it worked out I was happy to be there and to listen to 
the rhythm of the telling and observe the engagement of the listeners as they fell under the spell of a great story-teller.
We traveled the length and of Ireland mainly coastal regions and Gaeltacht areas.
the rhythm of the telling and observe the engagement of the listeners as they fell under the spell of a great story-teller. We traveled the length and of Ireland mainly coastal regions and Gaeltacht areas.
All this came back when we visited Slea Head on a wonderful day last Friday. We stopped at the beehive huts - reportedly 2000 BC.
The photo is of myself and my son Jim.
Folklore in Irish is called bealoideas - literally translated this means education of the mouth.
There was a time before literacy when knowledge was passed on between generations using the spoken word. When you think about it stories are a means of engagement and the best stories - the ones that are more likely to be passed through the ages - are the ones that resonate and have meaning for people.
Karl Jung pointed this out but it has been known since ancient times.
Great stories survive through a kind of evolutionary process. Great story-tellers were highly respected in rural communities that is until television.
The Blaskets and Slea Head remind us of our past and the heritage we share with our ancestors - not just those who inhabited the bee-hive huts four thousand years ago but also the people who in my lifetime and in my presence recalled the wondrous tales that are perhaps as old as the stones.
The photo is of myself and my son Jim.
Folklore in Irish is called bealoideas - literally translated this means education of the mouth.
There was a time before literacy when knowledge was passed on between generations using the spoken word. When you think about it stories are a means of engagement and the best stories - the ones that are more likely to be passed through the ages - are the ones that resonate and have meaning for people.
Karl Jung pointed this out but it has been known since ancient times.
Great stories survive through a kind of evolutionary process. Great story-tellers were highly respected in rural communities that is until television.
The Blaskets and Slea Head remind us of our past and the heritage we share with our ancestors - not just those who inhabited the bee-hive huts four thousand years ago but also the people who in my lifetime and in my presence recalled the wondrous tales that are perhaps as old as the stones.
Friday, July 24, 2009
On Holiday in Nerja
I am not quite a techie - I use technology as a means to an end rather than an end in itself. The most used tool that I own is my laptop, it is my companion and I take it everywhere.
I have been using a Mac notebook for the last three years (or is it 4?) and in recent times it has shown signs of wear and tear - the power cable broke, the processor became very slow and I had to replace the battery.
So I decided to invest in a new MacBook Pro and I took delivery of it just the day before my holidays here in Nerja.
As I write these words I am sitting at a cafe by the side of the Balcon (literally translated as the balcony) and of course I am using the new laptop.
Macs have a built in camera facility - the software that supports it is called Photo Booth and I have just taken the picture sequence.
Nerja is a lovely town with just the right balance between tourism and local culture. There are restaurants everywhere and as my friend and colleague Eugene points out there are plenty of wireless hot spots.
I really like the small Spanish eateries that seem to combine a bar and seafood restaurant. These are not the posh places they have plastic tables and chairs and you are unlikely to get air conditioning. But whow! try a plate of grilled sardines - delicious.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
TED Talks Arthur Benjamin does "Mathemagic"
Have a look at this - Arthur Benjamen calls himself a math magician but there's no magic involved just a great level of skill with numbers.
Now have a look at what Arthur Benjamen says about teaching mathematics:
Does he have a point?
Now have a look at what Arthur Benjamen says about teaching mathematics:
Does he have a point?
Saturday, July 4, 2009
PhD Viva Voce
For the last three and a half years I have been working on my PhD. This week - last Thursday to be specific - I completed my Viva Voce and the successful outcome was essentially the last step in the process.
Phew!
My thesis is called Pathways to Competence and Participation in the Digital World - it is a study of the learning journey of adults who take up computer skills for the first time.
It's a nice feeling to complete research especially when the topic has always been of interest to me. It is great to have had the opportunity to learn in this way.
No doubt there is more to be done and I am planning some publications and perhaps a few blogs in the future will feature ideas from my research.
For now I am reflecting on why I decided to do a PhD in the first place and how I feel about that now.
I genuinely wanted to know more about the field of education - although I have extensive experience in terms of business and media especially television production - scholarly research is another way of looking at the world.
I have always been intrigued by learning - why and how we learn and (as a great learning theorist Knud Illeris puts it) why we sometimes don't.
Throughout our life, learning is perhaps the most important continuous process that we engage in. I continue to enjoy the journey.
Phew!
My thesis is called Pathways to Competence and Participation in the Digital World - it is a study of the learning journey of adults who take up computer skills for the first time.
It's a nice feeling to complete research especially when the topic has always been of interest to me. It is great to have had the opportunity to learn in this way.
No doubt there is more to be done and I am planning some publications and perhaps a few blogs in the future will feature ideas from my research.
For now I am reflecting on why I decided to do a PhD in the first place and how I feel about that now.
I genuinely wanted to know more about the field of education - although I have extensive experience in terms of business and media especially television production - scholarly research is another way of looking at the world.
I have always been intrigued by learning - why and how we learn and (as a great learning theorist Knud Illeris puts it) why we sometimes don't.
Throughout our life, learning is perhaps the most important continuous process that we engage in. I continue to enjoy the journey.
Friday, July 3, 2009
The Road - by Cormac Mc Carthy
I am a slow reader by choice.I like to take my time with a book especially when it is well crafted and beautiful.
McCarthy's 'The Road' took some time - although it is not a big read and the comments on the cover suggested that it may (and should) be read in one session - I did the opposite and read two or three pages each night over the last few weeks.
Why does this book resonate?
At one level it could be described as bleak, lacking in plot and gruesome.
But there is something captured here that is difficult to describe and yet powerfully familiar.
It may be that this novel somehow connects with our collective unconscious and reveals a stark truth about existence.
Can't really work it out ... no need just let it be.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
What are we teaching in schools?
Two very interesting comment pieces appeared in today's Irish Times. The editorial commented on the draft report by the National Economic and Social Forum on the connection between school literacy levels and social exclusion and inside, a piece by Breda O'Brien (link above) on creativity and second level education. It is interesting to connect the two pieces.
As a society we have a responsibility to prepare young people for the future - this is what we expect of our education system - but we cannot possibly know what the future has in store. As the educational philosopher John Dewey put it - the best we can do is to teach children how to experience the present to its maximum extent.
Our children are poorly served by an archaic education system where state exams focus on selective recall and pure luck. Notice that we have the State Exams Commission not the 'educational assessment' commission indicating that they are only concerned with 'exams' one form of educational assessment. This is like an orchestra that can play any music as long as it is composed by Mozart!
Future oriented skills such as critical thinking, inquiry, creativity and collaboration are largely undervalued in the present school system. Until we reform the pedagogy of schooling and assessment we will continue to suffer the consequences of poor literacy levels. And large numbers of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds will continue to face a future on the margins of society.
As a society we have a responsibility to prepare young people for the future - this is what we expect of our education system - but we cannot possibly know what the future has in store. As the educational philosopher John Dewey put it - the best we can do is to teach children how to experience the present to its maximum extent.
Our children are poorly served by an archaic education system where state exams focus on selective recall and pure luck. Notice that we have the State Exams Commission not the 'educational assessment' commission indicating that they are only concerned with 'exams' one form of educational assessment. This is like an orchestra that can play any music as long as it is composed by Mozart!
Future oriented skills such as critical thinking, inquiry, creativity and collaboration are largely undervalued in the present school system. Until we reform the pedagogy of schooling and assessment we will continue to suffer the consequences of poor literacy levels. And large numbers of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds will continue to face a future on the margins of society.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Course Entry Requirements - Recognising Learning from Experience
If you are thinking about taking a course, for example any of the NCI courses in the prospectus, you may see in the entry requirements that it is necessary for students to have a specific level of degree (e.g. honours degree) or a certificate or diploma to gain entry.
These conditions are necessary so that all students are able to participate effectively and teaching staff can make certain assumptions about the level of prior knowledge people will have.
However, there is a down side to this in that sometimes very good potential students miss out because on paper they are not deemed to meet the entry level requirements.
We've all come across examples in our work where people with significant experience and competence in a particular field are not necessarily the most qualified in the formal academic sense.
Not many people know this but there is a mechanism whereby anyone can obtain a formal academic credit (yes I mean a degree, diploma or certificate) by means of providing evidence that they have achieved the learning outcomes equivalent to a recognised qualification.No this is not some e-mail scam to give people cheap meaningless degrees from a little known US private college - this is the policy of our own Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) and it is enshrined in the legislation used to establish this national awarding authority.
Here is where you apply to HETAC for this process.
It is now accepted that there are three contexts in which learning occurs:
formal learning - this is when you undertake a course of study usually with a view to obtaining a formal award or qualification;
non-formal learning that takes place sometimes in the workplace (e.g. training courses) or community or voluntary sectors - although often assessed it does not normally lead to formal certification
and informal learning - sometimes referred to as experiential learning and takes place through life and is often not recognised a s learning by the individual concerned. Experience is the key driver for new knowledge and the development of competence.
Educators now recognise that all three of these contexts are important sites for learning. The challenge is that accreditation bodies need formal systems to measure learning outcomes and understandably they require that potential candidates produce a portfolio of evidence which is accessed and verified by an academic panel.
To go back to the entry requirements for courses - did you know that it is possible to make a case that your extensive experience should be taken into account when apply for a course where, on paper you do not appear to meet the entry requirements.
All colleges operate such a scheme - this is especially the case in NCI where wider access to learning is our core mission.
The process requires that the applicant undergo some form of appraisal to demonstrate that they have achieved the equivalent learning outcomes as those with formal qualifications.
This may involve preparing a portfolio of experience or writing an essay or assignment to demonstrate your competence - in all events it will be evidence based.
If you really want to do the course and feel that you know more about the area through experience - you can prove your case through accreditation by prior experiential learning (APEL) - its more straightforward than you think.
So go on! What are you waiting for.
These conditions are necessary so that all students are able to participate effectively and teaching staff can make certain assumptions about the level of prior knowledge people will have.
However, there is a down side to this in that sometimes very good potential students miss out because on paper they are not deemed to meet the entry level requirements.
We've all come across examples in our work where people with significant experience and competence in a particular field are not necessarily the most qualified in the formal academic sense.
Not many people know this but there is a mechanism whereby anyone can obtain a formal academic credit (yes I mean a degree, diploma or certificate) by means of providing evidence that they have achieved the learning outcomes equivalent to a recognised qualification.No this is not some e-mail scam to give people cheap meaningless degrees from a little known US private college - this is the policy of our own Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) and it is enshrined in the legislation used to establish this national awarding authority.
Here is where you apply to HETAC for this process.
It is now accepted that there are three contexts in which learning occurs:
formal learning - this is when you undertake a course of study usually with a view to obtaining a formal award or qualification;
non-formal learning that takes place sometimes in the workplace (e.g. training courses) or community or voluntary sectors - although often assessed it does not normally lead to formal certification
and informal learning - sometimes referred to as experiential learning and takes place through life and is often not recognised a s learning by the individual concerned. Experience is the key driver for new knowledge and the development of competence.
Educators now recognise that all three of these contexts are important sites for learning. The challenge is that accreditation bodies need formal systems to measure learning outcomes and understandably they require that potential candidates produce a portfolio of evidence which is accessed and verified by an academic panel.
To go back to the entry requirements for courses - did you know that it is possible to make a case that your extensive experience should be taken into account when apply for a course where, on paper you do not appear to meet the entry requirements.
All colleges operate such a scheme - this is especially the case in NCI where wider access to learning is our core mission.
The process requires that the applicant undergo some form of appraisal to demonstrate that they have achieved the equivalent learning outcomes as those with formal qualifications.
This may involve preparing a portfolio of experience or writing an essay or assignment to demonstrate your competence - in all events it will be evidence based.
If you really want to do the course and feel that you know more about the area through experience - you can prove your case through accreditation by prior experiential learning (APEL) - its more straightforward than you think.
So go on! What are you waiting for.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Leaving Cert English Fiasco - There Was Another Way!
Big Problem!In assessment terms, the majority of our state exams may be characterised by unseen (in advance) questions and time limited tests.
The shock news of today is the fact that through some unfortunate human error the questions for Leaving Cert English paper 2 were inadvertently distributed to a small group of students intending to sit paper 1.
"The integrity of the exam had been compromised by the regrettable incident" said the Minister for Education Batt O'Keefe.
The State Exams Commission considered they had no option but to cancel today's paper 2 exam and ordered that a new paper 2 should be taken by students this Saturday.
This is no small inconvenience it is very distressing for the students concerned, it will cost a lot of money and it has discredited the operational effectiveness of those responsible for organising the exams.
Was there any alternative?The simple answer is yes and it is a great shame that some lateral thinking was not applied to the problem.
The issue had to do with the consequences of some students knowing the questions one day in advance.
Let's suppose that we want the exam process to adhere to two principles that may have been undermined by the leaking of the questions in advance - the first is the 'unseen' nature of the test and the second is the principle of 'fairness' in that some students will have seen the questions and some may not.
Seen and Unseen Exam QuestionsLet us deal with the consequences of students seeing the questions in advance. What if the papers were corrected with this knowledge in mind? Open book and open or seen question (i.e. the questions known in advance) exams are not at all unusual in the third level sector.
Once the person correcting the scripts knows the conditions under which the exam was taken it is simply a matter of taking this into account.
It's really no big deal that the students knew one day in advance which poets they will have to write about.
The other, much more important, issue is that of fairness. A situation where some students knew the questions and others did not would violate this principle and would be unacceptable.
The Department of Education claims that they found out about the breach of security at 4pm yesterday afternoon and had to make a decision on the resit within a very short time frame. I have some sympathy for them and someone has to answer for the fact that the error was not reported sooner.
But was that the right or only decision available?
No!
I suggest that the Department should have published English paper 2 there and then and used the news media to disseminate that fact.
In this way all students could read the paper and prepare on equal terms.
There was no ideal solution once the security of the system broke down but publishing the exam paper would certainly have been the least worst option.
Perhaps the whole fiasco will provide a stimulus for some much needed rethinking on how we assess learning at a national level.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Ian Paisley Comes to NCI
Dr Ian Paisley arrived at National College of Ireland as part of the Legends in Your Lunchtime series.
The idea is a series radio interviews with famous people recorded in front of an audience at the college. Newstalk and Metro partner with NCI for these events.
Paisley can still attract a crowd.
I have to say I have very mixed feelings about Paisley. Like many people who lived in the Republic throughout the troubles I regarded Paisley as the epitome of unionist intransigence. No one can say for certain but fixed and extreme views on both sides meant that a resolution came about only after many, many more years than necessary.
Paisley must shoulder his share of responsibility for this.
Still, as I sat near the front of the lecture theatre, I could not help but be taken in by the warm, affable manner of the 82 year old Paisley.
George Hook as the interviewer is old enough to remember how in the bad old days Paisley used to storm out of TV studios if he did not like the question or the tone of the interviewer.
George sat stern faced in the lead up and I wondered if he'd be up for the task.
Paisley himself sat well back and placed his well-worn copy of the King James Bible on the table in front of him.
And so down to business....
George started on comfortable ground "tell us about your mother and growing up in Ballymena".
The early exchanges were were a tame affair - even Paisley wanted to up the ante
The idea is a series radio interviews with famous people recorded in front of an audience at the college. Newstalk and Metro partner with NCI for these events.
Paisley can still attract a crowd.
I have to say I have very mixed feelings about Paisley. Like many people who lived in the Republic throughout the troubles I regarded Paisley as the epitome of unionist intransigence. No one can say for certain but fixed and extreme views on both sides meant that a resolution came about only after many, many more years than necessary.
Paisley must shoulder his share of responsibility for this.
Still, as I sat near the front of the lecture theatre, I could not help but be taken in by the warm, affable manner of the 82 year old Paisley.
George Hook as the interviewer is old enough to remember how in the bad old days Paisley used to storm out of TV studios if he did not like the question or the tone of the interviewer.
George sat stern faced in the lead up and I wondered if he'd be up for the task.
Paisley himself sat well back and placed his well-worn copy of the King James Bible on the table in front of him.
And so down to business....
George started on comfortable ground "tell us about your mother and growing up in Ballymena".
The early exchanges were were a tame affair - even Paisley wanted to up the ante
"If you strike an Ulster man he'll strike you back - it's as simple as that". This was how Paisley summed up the troubles.
George decided that this was warning enough and kept the next few questions along the religious theme asking about Paisley's bible and his days in a seminary in Wales.
Soon George got into his stride and decided to lob in a few testing questions to get the big man going - "sure you and the pope have a lot in common" he quipped. Paisley had heard that one before and quickly pointed to his book - a direct line to God.
George realised that Paisley was not going to run and decided to ask the big question. "What if your wrong - what if you die and there is no God - I have to confess I worry about that myself" - George was honest enough about his own doubts.
Ian has been preaching all his life and rattled off a great platter of God-affirming experiences. George looked almost convinced and I thought we were going to witness a live conversion.
But Hookie was wiley enough and there were other questions to ask - what about the peace process? Do we really need a border?
All the time Paisley's responses were clear and predictible.
So now we have a new Paisley - a big teddy bear - or really a dinosaur confident in his religion and ready to meet his maker.
It was good to witness this and it's a great example of what third level institutions should do to open minds and to engage with wider issues.
I caution that we should never glorify the obstenate, retrenched or bigitoted behaviours of the past past but equally we should be open and receptive to those who make peace.
After all the good book says:
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9)
.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
The Child Abuse Report - Adults now Children then
I can't let this week go by without commenting on the publication of the report on abuses in the Irish education system by members of religious orders.
The report was particularly scathing of the Christian Brothers.
I went to a Christian Brothers school and indeed was walloped, slapped and beaten like many others. There was violence in my schooling but also lots of good stuff and on balance I got away lightly.
In light of the report I wish to comment again on the phenomenon of Learning Identity - I talked about this in a previous blog.
As you might expect my 'learning identity' is made up of two components - my view of learning and my view of myself as a learner. For many adults, including the victims of abuse in educational institutions, learning identity established in childhood remains fixed throughout life.
The consequences of the deplorable schooling system are still being felt today - people have fragmented learning identies. For many, even to think about formal education will give rise to extreme anxiety.
As such, these people miss out on the opportunities to progress and to participate effectively in society.
For those of us involved in current adult education provision - we need to think first and foremost about how to deal with learning identity.
We have a lot of work to do rebuilding the trust and confidence of adult learners - convincing them that current pedagogic practice is not like school and that they have a lot to offer as lifelong learners.
We will never adequately compensate the victims but we should strive to limit the negative impact on their lives today.
Everyone has the right to learn throughout life - this is especially the case for those whose childhood opportunities were so cruelly denied.
The report was particularly scathing of the Christian Brothers.
I went to a Christian Brothers school and indeed was walloped, slapped and beaten like many others. There was violence in my schooling but also lots of good stuff and on balance I got away lightly.
In light of the report I wish to comment again on the phenomenon of Learning Identity - I talked about this in a previous blog.
As you might expect my 'learning identity' is made up of two components - my view of learning and my view of myself as a learner. For many adults, including the victims of abuse in educational institutions, learning identity established in childhood remains fixed throughout life.
The consequences of the deplorable schooling system are still being felt today - people have fragmented learning identies. For many, even to think about formal education will give rise to extreme anxiety.
As such, these people miss out on the opportunities to progress and to participate effectively in society.
For those of us involved in current adult education provision - we need to think first and foremost about how to deal with learning identity.
We have a lot of work to do rebuilding the trust and confidence of adult learners - convincing them that current pedagogic practice is not like school and that they have a lot to offer as lifelong learners.
We will never adequately compensate the victims but we should strive to limit the negative impact on their lives today.
Everyone has the right to learn throughout life - this is especially the case for those whose childhood opportunities were so cruelly denied.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Carl Wieman Lecture
I attended a lecture in DIT Bolton Street by Dr Carl Wieman titled
This was of great interest to me as in the distant past I studied science and, like many others, I believe that we need to do more to stimulate effective practices in science eduction.
Many science teachers at school and college level are passionate about their work and are often willing to explore new pedagogic methods to stimulate student engagement.
Wieman focused on teaching methods and as his title suggests he uses analytical methods to assess different approaches and strategies.
He contrasts two educational models:
Model 1
Teacher encounters a new problem or concept
Teacher figures it out
Teacher explains to students
Students demonstrate that either (a) they know or (b) they don't know the concept or problem
If outcome (a) - student learning is effective
If outcome (b) - student not making sufficient effort (lazy student!)
Model 2
Teacher encounters a new problem or concept
Teacher figures it out
Teacher establishes learning goals
Teacher guides student activities (the design of these activites is the practice of teaching and is informed by research and expeience)
Teacher measures learning outcomes
(a) students solve relevant problems
(b) students cannot solve the problems
If (a) all well and if (b) quesion either the goals or the activities (note not the student effort)
Wieman of course advocates the second model and he maintaines that through well planned activities and frequent data gathering and analysis the 'goals and activities' approach is consistently better for student problem performance and concept attainment.
Expertise
Experts regardless of context (scientists, musicians and chess players) are characterised by three components
(1) access to lots of factual subject-specific knowledge
(2) an ability to recognise patters - an organisational framework
(3) an ability to self-monitor one's thinking
Perhaps traditional teaching has emphasised the first of these components and neglected the other two components.
All of this makes a clear case for greater use of problem based learning.
One thing I disagreed with was when Carl Wieman said that in thinking about his ideas on teaching we should ignore the fact that he has a Nobel prize for science - oh no - not at all. We would not all be there if he had not achieved so much and his opinion does carry significant scientific authority.
Wieman's ideas on teaching are very much in keeping with current thinking in the scholarship of learning and teaching - what is really encouraging is that a great scientist is advocating that we think again about our approach to education.
Perhaps more will listen to such a voice.
“Science Education in the 21st Century; using the methods of science to teach science”.
This was of great interest to me as in the distant past I studied science and, like many others, I believe that we need to do more to stimulate effective practices in science eduction.
Many science teachers at school and college level are passionate about their work and are often willing to explore new pedagogic methods to stimulate student engagement.
Wieman focused on teaching methods and as his title suggests he uses analytical methods to assess different approaches and strategies.
He contrasts two educational models:
Model 1
Teacher encounters a new problem or concept
Teacher figures it out
Teacher explains to students
Students demonstrate that either (a) they know or (b) they don't know the concept or problem
If outcome (a) - student learning is effective
If outcome (b) - student not making sufficient effort (lazy student!)
Model 2
Teacher encounters a new problem or concept
Teacher figures it out
Teacher establishes learning goals
Teacher guides student activities (the design of these activites is the practice of teaching and is informed by research and expeience)
Teacher measures learning outcomes
(a) students solve relevant problems
(b) students cannot solve the problems
If (a) all well and if (b) quesion either the goals or the activities (note not the student effort)
Wieman of course advocates the second model and he maintaines that through well planned activities and frequent data gathering and analysis the 'goals and activities' approach is consistently better for student problem performance and concept attainment.
Expertise
Experts regardless of context (scientists, musicians and chess players) are characterised by three components
(1) access to lots of factual subject-specific knowledge
(2) an ability to recognise patters - an organisational framework
(3) an ability to self-monitor one's thinking
Perhaps traditional teaching has emphasised the first of these components and neglected the other two components.
All of this makes a clear case for greater use of problem based learning.
One thing I disagreed with was when Carl Wieman said that in thinking about his ideas on teaching we should ignore the fact that he has a Nobel prize for science - oh no - not at all. We would not all be there if he had not achieved so much and his opinion does carry significant scientific authority.
Wieman's ideas on teaching are very much in keeping with current thinking in the scholarship of learning and teaching - what is really encouraging is that a great scientist is advocating that we think again about our approach to education.
Perhaps more will listen to such a voice.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Dachau
This is Dachau - the first concentrati on campt built by the Nazis.
Be careful not to become smug when you visit this place - we are all convinced that such a place could never exist again and that there is no way that 'normal' people would be convinced to co-operate if it was attempted.
I spent some time in Munich when I was in my twenties (circa 1980) - I had a fantastic time and made many good friends. Although I knew about Dachau I never went to visit. My wife, Maire gave me a wonderful present of a trip back to Munich for the May weekend and this is how I came to take the picture of the square in Dachau KZ.
Look closely and you will see that it is pelting rain.
There was a great crack of thunder and lightening - it struck quite close and left a strong lingering smell of ozone - all of this served to magnify the sense of unease at visiting this place.
Much has been said about these places - I feel that everyone should take time to reflect on how evil can come about and be sustained.
Dachau is a medieval town and the guide books emphasise that it was always a nice place to visit.
I was struck by the ordinariness of the place - including the camp.
Look at this picture of the gatehouse - it's not very big and it is reasonably well designed - when you read about what went on here it is difficult to believe that this same building was used to subdue, torture and murder people. "In this room on the second floor was the Gestapo interrogation room".
What unspeakable stories are locked within these walls.
Even here - people sought to be competent and fulfilled.
These pictures show the library at Dachau and the work of an artist interned here.
There was a great crack of thunder and lightening - it struck quite close and left a strong lingering smell of ozone - all of this served to magnify the sense of unease at visiting this place.
Much has been said about these places - I feel that everyone should take time to reflect on how evil can come about and be sustained.
Dachau is a medieval town and the guide books emphasise that it was always a nice place to visit.
I was struck by the ordinariness of the place - including the camp.
Look at this picture of the gatehouse - it's not very big and it is reasonably well designed - when you read about what went on here it is difficult to believe that this same building was used to subdue, torture and murder people. "In this room on the second floor was the Gestapo interrogation room".
What unspeakable stories are locked within these walls.
Even here - people sought to be competent and fulfilled.
These pictures show the library at Dachau and the work of an artist interned here.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Plagiarism Reframed
Mention plagiarism to any third level academic and you are likely to be greeted with groans and laments.
This is one topic that gets into people's hearts – it leads to animated discussions and hard views. It is unwise to be regarded as soft on the issue.
It is annoying, very annoying to be reading something presented as a student's original work when it dawns on you - this is familiar - or - this is not the same style of writing as expected.
Plagiarism is genuinely offensive to many academics - it offends one's sense of academic integrity and is regarded as a dishonourable practice and a form of cheating.
Many also feel that the student is trying to make a fool out of them – the tables are reversed - instead of the assignment being a test of the student it is a test of the examiner.
Assuming the examiner will not spot the obvious is a form of insult.
In most institutions plagiarism is treated as a disciplinary rather than learning or teaching matter - student's face expulsion, suspension and fines if they are found guilty of the charge.
Remarkably, despite clearly stated policies and warnings to students - it seems that the incidence of plagiarism is increasing rather than decreasing. All in all it is of great concern and worry.
There is a need for a radical rethink of how we conceptualise and deal with plagiarism.
Most treatments of plagiarism begin with a definition and they look to dictionaries as the source (always a worrying sign) - something like – plagiarism is the act of passing off other peoples written work as your own etc..
Much of the academic practice centres on how to spot plagiarism and how to punish it. There is a good business in the technology of plagiarism detection (most people know the Turnitin software).
Of course, as the technology on the detection side gets better – so too there are many more Internet sources to copy and even services that will write your assignments for a fee.
We have the plagiarism wars – each side trying to outwit the other. As with all wars there are casualties on both sides.
“If I was you I wouldn’t start from here at all” said the wise Kerryman when asked for directions. So with plagiarism let’s leave it for a while and come at the problem from an entirely different starting point.
A constructivist pedagogy assumes that we build new knowledge through the interaction of present and past experiences. I like to refer to this process as the act of making meaning. For example, when I read good theory the ideas resonate with me – I connect these new insights with my past experiences. An essential characteristic of the constructivist model of learning is that making meaning is a unique and personal process. There is no universal knowledge just personalised knowledge.
Dewey contrasts the traditional and constructivist approaches to learning:
So for most of this text – which I claim as my own writing – I am making meaning from multiple sources from people, experiences and feelings in my past. Note that where I cite from Dewey above I indicate in the format that these are Dewey’s exact words – I am inviting you the reader to make your own meaning.
When students are given written assignments they are being asked to make meaning not to reproduce knowledge.
Plagiarism is a refusal or failure to make meaning.
There are many reasons why people refuse or fail to make meaning. Sometimes students are confused about what is expected, some students are reluctant to express their own ideas as they feel this is not real learning. Other students worry about their ability to write and are in awe of other peoples words – how could I write it better than an expert. Some cultures are more reluctant to question great writings and individual meaning making is discouraged.
And yes – some students are genuinely dishonest and are attempting to cheat the system.
How can we deal with plagiarism?
The first point is that prevention is far better than cure. Cheating is really only significant where high stakes assessment is involved. In other words when students are being ‘tested’ and the result forms part of their grade. A strategy of providing early ‘low stakes’ or formative assessment events will provide feedback to students who miss-learn what is expected of them when they write.
Secondly, academic writing requires additional skills and specialist knowledge such as how to format, cite and prepare bibliographies. As with all skills people learn best by a mix of rule learning and practice. When used properly, citations and quotations may provide a form of scaffold for the novice academic writer while he or she is finding their own voice and meaning. But many students at this stage fail to apply the citation rules and often regard them as incidental - a question of format rather than core content. Early and frequent opportunities to practice academic writing with rapid feedback on errors and progression will counter this.
Finally, what of the cheats – what’s really happening here? I believe cheating is also a consequence of miss-learning. It is a failure to learn values. The values of academic integrity and the collaborative quest of knowledge underpins the third level education system. This frequently gets mixed up with the economics of qualifications and the preparation and entry points for jobs. A student who cheats believes that there is a short cut to a qualification and that the assessment is too blunt an instrument to catch them.
This may say something about the standards and practice of assessment as well as the character of the student.
References
Dewey, J. (1944). Democracy and education (First Free Press Paperback ed.). New York: Macmillan.
This is one topic that gets into people's hearts – it leads to animated discussions and hard views. It is unwise to be regarded as soft on the issue.
It is annoying, very annoying to be reading something presented as a student's original work when it dawns on you - this is familiar - or - this is not the same style of writing as expected.
Plagiarism is genuinely offensive to many academics - it offends one's sense of academic integrity and is regarded as a dishonourable practice and a form of cheating.
Many also feel that the student is trying to make a fool out of them – the tables are reversed - instead of the assignment being a test of the student it is a test of the examiner.
Assuming the examiner will not spot the obvious is a form of insult.
In most institutions plagiarism is treated as a disciplinary rather than learning or teaching matter - student's face expulsion, suspension and fines if they are found guilty of the charge.
Remarkably, despite clearly stated policies and warnings to students - it seems that the incidence of plagiarism is increasing rather than decreasing. All in all it is of great concern and worry.
There is a need for a radical rethink of how we conceptualise and deal with plagiarism.
Most treatments of plagiarism begin with a definition and they look to dictionaries as the source (always a worrying sign) - something like – plagiarism is the act of passing off other peoples written work as your own etc..
Much of the academic practice centres on how to spot plagiarism and how to punish it. There is a good business in the technology of plagiarism detection (most people know the Turnitin software).
Of course, as the technology on the detection side gets better – so too there are many more Internet sources to copy and even services that will write your assignments for a fee.
We have the plagiarism wars – each side trying to outwit the other. As with all wars there are casualties on both sides.
“If I was you I wouldn’t start from here at all” said the wise Kerryman when asked for directions. So with plagiarism let’s leave it for a while and come at the problem from an entirely different starting point.
A constructivist pedagogy assumes that we build new knowledge through the interaction of present and past experiences. I like to refer to this process as the act of making meaning. For example, when I read good theory the ideas resonate with me – I connect these new insights with my past experiences. An essential characteristic of the constructivist model of learning is that making meaning is a unique and personal process. There is no universal knowledge just personalised knowledge.
Dewey contrasts the traditional and constructivist approaches to learning:
On the one hand, learning is the sum total of what is known, as that is handed down by books and learned men. It is something external, an accumulation of cognitions as one might store material commodities in a warehouse. Truth exists ready-made somewhere. Study is then the process by which an individual draws on what is in storage.
On the other hand, learning means something which the individual does when he studies. It is an active, personally conducted affair.
(Dewey, 1944 p 335)
Dewey’s own vision was in keeping with the latter active notion of learning expressed above. If you agree with a constructivist model of learning (and most theorists do) then there is no such thing as purely original work. Even these words as I write are made up of insights and ideas from many sources – true I have integrated these with my own. So for most of this text – which I claim as my own writing – I am making meaning from multiple sources from people, experiences and feelings in my past. Note that where I cite from Dewey above I indicate in the format that these are Dewey’s exact words – I am inviting you the reader to make your own meaning.
When students are given written assignments they are being asked to make meaning not to reproduce knowledge.
Plagiarism is a refusal or failure to make meaning.
There are many reasons why people refuse or fail to make meaning. Sometimes students are confused about what is expected, some students are reluctant to express their own ideas as they feel this is not real learning. Other students worry about their ability to write and are in awe of other peoples words – how could I write it better than an expert. Some cultures are more reluctant to question great writings and individual meaning making is discouraged.
And yes – some students are genuinely dishonest and are attempting to cheat the system.
How can we deal with plagiarism?
The first point is that prevention is far better than cure. Cheating is really only significant where high stakes assessment is involved. In other words when students are being ‘tested’ and the result forms part of their grade. A strategy of providing early ‘low stakes’ or formative assessment events will provide feedback to students who miss-learn what is expected of them when they write.
Secondly, academic writing requires additional skills and specialist knowledge such as how to format, cite and prepare bibliographies. As with all skills people learn best by a mix of rule learning and practice. When used properly, citations and quotations may provide a form of scaffold for the novice academic writer while he or she is finding their own voice and meaning. But many students at this stage fail to apply the citation rules and often regard them as incidental - a question of format rather than core content. Early and frequent opportunities to practice academic writing with rapid feedback on errors and progression will counter this.
Finally, what of the cheats – what’s really happening here? I believe cheating is also a consequence of miss-learning. It is a failure to learn values. The values of academic integrity and the collaborative quest of knowledge underpins the third level education system. This frequently gets mixed up with the economics of qualifications and the preparation and entry points for jobs. A student who cheats believes that there is a short cut to a qualification and that the assessment is too blunt an instrument to catch them.
This may say something about the standards and practice of assessment as well as the character of the student.
References
Dewey, J. (1944). Democracy and education (First Free Press Paperback ed.). New York: Macmillan.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Learning Assessment Through Life
I attended an excellent workshop today on the topic of assessment and learning. The workshop was delivered by Professor Sally Brown of Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK. The attendees consisted of a mix of our own faculty at National College of Ireland and teachers from some of the other colleges around the country as part of the Learning Innovation Network.
Sally started by inviting participants to reflect on how learning assessments have impacted on all our lives.
This exercise got me thinking about the idea of a lifespan perspective on assessment - key moments of assessment and how significant their influence can be.
When I was in school we were streamed in classes A B C etc.. I remember being asked a question when I was being assessed for 2nd class primary school (I would have been about 8 at the time). After infant school in a convent I went to a Christian Brothers School and on the first day the brother gave us a one-to-one interview that lasted about two minutes (or at least that is my recollection of it). I was asked "what is eight plus five?". I actually knew the answer but I could not respond because I was so terrified of the situation.
I ended up in a B stream and I remain convinced that the decision was made on the basis of the brief interview and my inability to respond. Through my years at school a pattern was repeated - I would move from the top of a B stream to the bottom of an A stream as a consequence of some test or other.
Maybe this was no bad thing for me and I have always been comfortable with my recollections of school (see my earlier piece on learning identity).
I also recall how assessment has always been connected with qualifications. Sally Brown is a big advocate of
"assessment for learning rather than assessment of learning".
When I joined NCI - my mother was quick to point out that my father had studied in the old College of Industrial Relations when it was based in Ranelagh.
My father, Har was an active trade unionist and he had a strong sense of social justice which extended from his support for co-workers to participating on a picket of Dunnes Stores in solidarity with a shop worker dismissed for refusing to handle South African produce during the apartheid era.
My mother rooted out Har's old certificate in Trade Union Studies and gave it to me. In all likelihood there was some form of assessment involved in this course I don't know but I have the evidence of certification.
Yes, all our lives are shaped and influenced by educational assessment and certification.
As educators, we have a big responsibility to arrange assessment that is conducive to learning and is effective and fair. You'll never know for how long or how extensive its influence may be.
Monday, April 13, 2009
My Learning Identity
The term "identity" is widely used in many different contexts - we often speak or our national, cultural, linguistic or sporting identities. This multifaceted aspect of identity signifies that we should really think about our identities rather than a singular identity.
There seems to be two ways in which we use identity in everyday life; firstly, we identify with a particular group or practice - in this we seek to belong or to be a part of something and secondly, we develop an internal notion of our own identity - this is self-identity - and it is often used to compare ourselves with others.
It is not difficult to see how the two are intertwined.
Imagine a situation where you meet someone for the first time and you wish to get to know more about them - you might start by asking where they are from etc.. There follows an exchange of descriptive information usually in the form of identity signifiers: "I am from Dublin", "I am an educator", "I have teenage children".
In no time there is common ground and perhaps you find a mutual area of interest with your new friend.
Identity signals serve a useful function in social situations they help us to quickly categorise and appraise other people. They act as a kind of shorthand that avoids the need for detailed time-consuming descriptions.
What of our self-identity? We may also use this to categorise and appraise ourselves - we do this in reference to others.
Our self-identity is neither singular (we should say self-identities) nor stable over time. We have many self-identities and they are greatly influenced by context.
I am happy to say that I am a competent golfer when I am in the company of non-golfers but I feel totally inadequate on the tee-box when members of my club are watching on.
In fact, as far as golf is concerned, I have a very unstable self-identity concept.
In my opinion, I am usually much weaker at golf that others I see around me. However, my golfing identity is greatly influenced by my most recent experiences and so I might find myself feeling pretty smug if I just birdied the last hole.
I believe that we all have a learning-identity and that it forms an important part of our overall self-concept. This is true especially for adults and I believe that we need to give greater consideration to the influence of learning-identity when we talk about adult education, return-to-learning, skills in the workplace and older people using computers for the first time.
For many older people learning-identity is founded on school experiences and unfortunately these may not have been very positive for the individual concerned.
Recently as part of my my own research on adult learners I asked people (generally over 45 years of age) why they decided to undertake a basic computer course. In the first few sentences of their response many of them would refer to their experiences at school. Typically they would say something like
This would be their first response - notice that when I never asked about school people always seemed to want to bring in their school experiences when they talked about any kind of course they were considering.
I suspect that what's going on is that these people have invoked their school derived learning-identity and are already nervous about a situation that involves any combination of the words like learning, course or college.
This is really a double whammy - if you did poorly at school you are less likely to have taken up a course in your adult life and therefore your learning-identity will be based largely on your school experiences. But because you did poorly at school your sense of yourself as a learner will not be very positive.
Just going back to my earlier example based on my self-identity as a golfer - it's as if I have not played any golf for the last thirty years and all I remember was that I was awful and had a horrid experience when I last played thirty years ago. How do you think I would feel when standing up to take the first shot.
And that's an example from a really trivial activity like golf - imagine how much worse I would feel when it comes to something that really matters like my learning-identity.
So what can be done?
Here are some ideas on how to manage your learning-identity
There seems to be two ways in which we use identity in everyday life; firstly, we identify with a particular group or practice - in this we seek to belong or to be a part of something and secondly, we develop an internal notion of our own identity - this is self-identity - and it is often used to compare ourselves with others.
It is not difficult to see how the two are intertwined.
Imagine a situation where you meet someone for the first time and you wish to get to know more about them - you might start by asking where they are from etc.. There follows an exchange of descriptive information usually in the form of identity signifiers: "I am from Dublin", "I am an educator", "I have teenage children".
In no time there is common ground and perhaps you find a mutual area of interest with your new friend.
Identity signals serve a useful function in social situations they help us to quickly categorise and appraise other people. They act as a kind of shorthand that avoids the need for detailed time-consuming descriptions.
What of our self-identity? We may also use this to categorise and appraise ourselves - we do this in reference to others.
Our self-identity is neither singular (we should say self-identities) nor stable over time. We have many self-identities and they are greatly influenced by context.
I am happy to say that I am a competent golfer when I am in the company of non-golfers but I feel totally inadequate on the tee-box when members of my club are watching on.
In fact, as far as golf is concerned, I have a very unstable self-identity concept.
In my opinion, I am usually much weaker at golf that others I see around me. However, my golfing identity is greatly influenced by my most recent experiences and so I might find myself feeling pretty smug if I just birdied the last hole.
I believe that we all have a learning-identity and that it forms an important part of our overall self-concept. This is true especially for adults and I believe that we need to give greater consideration to the influence of learning-identity when we talk about adult education, return-to-learning, skills in the workplace and older people using computers for the first time.
For many older people learning-identity is founded on school experiences and unfortunately these may not have been very positive for the individual concerned.
Recently as part of my my own research on adult learners I asked people (generally over 45 years of age) why they decided to undertake a basic computer course. In the first few sentences of their response many of them would refer to their experiences at school. Typically they would say something like
"well you see I wasn't very good at school - so I never really did any other courses but I found that I was missing out as far as computers were concerned - so I decided I'd try and give this a go but I'm really quite nervous."
This would be their first response - notice that when I never asked about school people always seemed to want to bring in their school experiences when they talked about any kind of course they were considering.
I suspect that what's going on is that these people have invoked their school derived learning-identity and are already nervous about a situation that involves any combination of the words like learning, course or college.
This is really a double whammy - if you did poorly at school you are less likely to have taken up a course in your adult life and therefore your learning-identity will be based largely on your school experiences. But because you did poorly at school your sense of yourself as a learner will not be very positive.
Just going back to my earlier example based on my self-identity as a golfer - it's as if I have not played any golf for the last thirty years and all I remember was that I was awful and had a horrid experience when I last played thirty years ago. How do you think I would feel when standing up to take the first shot.
And that's an example from a really trivial activity like golf - imagine how much worse I would feel when it comes to something that really matters like my learning-identity.
So what can be done?
Here are some ideas on how to manage your learning-identity
- Think about progress - how much has changed in terms of schooling between when you were at school and what happens in schools today. These changes were as a result of improvements in the craft of teaching and better understanding of what it means to learn. In other words the problem in the past may well have been with the system rather than the individual.
- Know where you learn - many people do not regard themselves as learning unless they have participated on a course. We learn all the time and throughout our lives. Your learning-identity should extend beyond your school experiences.
- Know where you teach - think about all of the situations where you have guided others as a parent, an experienced co-worker or as a mentor. Ask yourself -if you are naturally good at facilitating learning in others - how does this make you feel about yourself as a learner.
- Finally it's not like school! This is the most common description that adult learners use when they eventually participate in a course and describe their experiences.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Can we measure learning?
Somewhere in recent conversations someone came up with the line "if we can't measure it we can't manage it". I have heard this many times before and I'm not sure of its origin - if I was asked in a pub quiz I would suggest Jack Welsh of GE but I could be wrong.
Anyhow, the axiom is part of everyday management speak and is often cited as a core principle used in change management and strategic planning.
We've had a good example of this recently where financial systems and governments appear unable to 'measure' the extent of the bad bank loans (aka toxic debt) and, so the argument goes, we need to get these bad loans out of the system not because they are 'bad' as such but because they are unmeasurable.
The Irish Government plan is to establish a new agency - the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) - this will take all the bad loans out of the banking system in order to free up the regular banks to continue to do business in the normal way.
I can see how all this will be used in case studies to further reinforce the axiom of 'can't measure can't manage'. The problematisation may even be reduced to "an unmeasurable got into the system and we had to clear it out".
Wouldn't life be really simple if it wasn't for all these unmeasurables getting in the way! They seem to crop up everywhere in finance, in politics, in sport and in nature.
Let's look critically at the relationship between measurement and management and see if the axiom holds true.
What do we mean when we say to measure something? Our usual response is that we put a value, preferably a numerical value, on something.
What do we mean when we say we manage something? We usually mean that we can exercise some control over a system or process and we can use this control to direct the process toward a particular goal.
Here are some everyday examples of measurement and management:
Or is it? What exactly is being managed? Is the system driving the car? Could I commute everyday using such a speed management system? The answer is of course not I need to manage brakes, gears, indicators, road conditions, other traffic, pedestrians etc. and respond to many, many more complex inputs than the reading on the speedometer.
Remaining alert while driving is perhaps just as important as driving at the appropriate speed. And yes I would be breaking the law if I was driving under the influence of drink or drugs as these are known to affect alertness and for these we also have measures such as blood alcohol levels but note that these are not measures of 'alertness' just indications of factors likely to influence alertness.
So is alertness measurable? This is a more difficult and interesting question. Let's see - we could start by looking at the extremes - I could say that when I am asleep I have a low measure of alertness (and should not be driving!) and when I am wide awake and concentrating on my driving I have a high measure of alertness. But is there any point in developing a scale, say from 1 to 10 on alertness - we could then introduce a new law - driving below the alert limit!
Ah! you might say this is nonsense - alertness is about potential to respond - we cannot really say anything about alertness except in retrospect. People doze off in the middle of the day even when driving a car and sleeping people will quickly escape from a burning building if they have prepared for this in advance. Alertness is not just a immediate state - it is a complex of influences involving past experience, planning and a sensitivity to immediate stimuli.
So to summarise so far - to manage the process of driving a car we have some measurable conditions such as speed that we can monitor and some, let's say, far less measurable but very important conditions such as alertness that we also need to monitor.
So now you say - aha! - you've just used the word 'monitor' in both cases so in a way you are measuring alertness.
Yes I agree but there is a fundamental difference between the two forms of measurement - in the case of speed the system to measure and the system to respond are separate but in the case of alertness the system to measure is part of your level of alertness.
The simple act of asking yourself how alert you are will increase your level of alertness.
So alertness is important for management (of many things apart from driving a car) cannot really be measured.
What about the other examples I give above? Yes my bank account balance is an important measure to help me manage my finances but it is not sufficient. In business, quoted companies are required to report full audited accounts and to make these available to investors and yet despite these measures, many banks and businesses have had to reevaluate their balance sheets by many billions of Euro.
And so to my question - can we measure learning?
Gregory Bateson (Steps to an ecology of mind University of Chicago press 2000 edition) deals with a similar question by means of a metalogue - a conversation about some problematic subject. He uses a father daughter conversation to explore the question of How Much Do You Know?.
Here is a brief extract:
And so the conversation continues as Bateson skillfully challenges our everyday assumptions about knowledge, quantity and measurement.
There are certainly aspects of learning that we can measure - we can design tests and assessments to demonstrate knowledge and competence in certain circumstances. However, as with my example of 'alertness' in relation to driving a car it is not possible to measure everything that is important.
We often make the following mistakes when we try measurement of learning:
So to return to the management axiom of:
I suggest that we will need to replace it with:
Anyhow, the axiom is part of everyday management speak and is often cited as a core principle used in change management and strategic planning.
We've had a good example of this recently where financial systems and governments appear unable to 'measure' the extent of the bad bank loans (aka toxic debt) and, so the argument goes, we need to get these bad loans out of the system not because they are 'bad' as such but because they are unmeasurable.
The Irish Government plan is to establish a new agency - the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) - this will take all the bad loans out of the banking system in order to free up the regular banks to continue to do business in the normal way.
I can see how all this will be used in case studies to further reinforce the axiom of 'can't measure can't manage'. The problematisation may even be reduced to "an unmeasurable got into the system and we had to clear it out".
Wouldn't life be really simple if it wasn't for all these unmeasurables getting in the way! They seem to crop up everywhere in finance, in politics, in sport and in nature.
Let's look critically at the relationship between measurement and management and see if the axiom holds true.
What do we mean when we say to measure something? Our usual response is that we put a value, preferably a numerical value, on something.
What do we mean when we say we manage something? We usually mean that we can exercise some control over a system or process and we can use this control to direct the process toward a particular goal.
Here are some everyday examples of measurement and management:
I can manage to keep my my driving below the speed limit because the speedometer provides me with a measure of my speed.Notice how in the first example the system for measuring speed and the system for controlling speed are independent. In fact the interface between these two systems is me when I drive. I react to what I read on the speedometer and thereby adjust my speed. My car also has a cruise control function - so what's happening when this is engaged? I input the desired speed and take myself out of the loop - the speedometer 'talks' to the accelerator and the desired speed is maintained. This is a very good example of measurement-based management.
I manage my finances by keeping a regular check on my bank account balances.
The election agent manages a political campaign by measuring the public mood through opinion pools.
Or is it? What exactly is being managed? Is the system driving the car? Could I commute everyday using such a speed management system? The answer is of course not I need to manage brakes, gears, indicators, road conditions, other traffic, pedestrians etc. and respond to many, many more complex inputs than the reading on the speedometer.
Remaining alert while driving is perhaps just as important as driving at the appropriate speed. And yes I would be breaking the law if I was driving under the influence of drink or drugs as these are known to affect alertness and for these we also have measures such as blood alcohol levels but note that these are not measures of 'alertness' just indications of factors likely to influence alertness.
So is alertness measurable? This is a more difficult and interesting question. Let's see - we could start by looking at the extremes - I could say that when I am asleep I have a low measure of alertness (and should not be driving!) and when I am wide awake and concentrating on my driving I have a high measure of alertness. But is there any point in developing a scale, say from 1 to 10 on alertness - we could then introduce a new law - driving below the alert limit!
Ah! you might say this is nonsense - alertness is about potential to respond - we cannot really say anything about alertness except in retrospect. People doze off in the middle of the day even when driving a car and sleeping people will quickly escape from a burning building if they have prepared for this in advance. Alertness is not just a immediate state - it is a complex of influences involving past experience, planning and a sensitivity to immediate stimuli.
So to summarise so far - to manage the process of driving a car we have some measurable conditions such as speed that we can monitor and some, let's say, far less measurable but very important conditions such as alertness that we also need to monitor.
So now you say - aha! - you've just used the word 'monitor' in both cases so in a way you are measuring alertness.
Yes I agree but there is a fundamental difference between the two forms of measurement - in the case of speed the system to measure and the system to respond are separate but in the case of alertness the system to measure is part of your level of alertness.
The simple act of asking yourself how alert you are will increase your level of alertness.
So alertness is important for management (of many things apart from driving a car) cannot really be measured.
What about the other examples I give above? Yes my bank account balance is an important measure to help me manage my finances but it is not sufficient. In business, quoted companies are required to report full audited accounts and to make these available to investors and yet despite these measures, many banks and businesses have had to reevaluate their balance sheets by many billions of Euro.
So here's the first take away -I'll leave it to you to make the connection between the second take away and the systems of financial regulation for banks!
In today's society we place too much emphasis on what can be measured and not enough emphasis on what is important.
And here is the second take away -
There difference between the use of the terms measurement and management in relation to discrete processes such as the speedometer and the accelerator and connected processes such as when we wish to monitor our own alertness while driving.
And so to my question - can we measure learning?
Gregory Bateson (Steps to an ecology of mind University of Chicago press 2000 edition) deals with a similar question by means of a metalogue - a conversation about some problematic subject. He uses a father daughter conversation to explore the question of How Much Do You Know?.
Here is a brief extract:
Daughter: Daddy how much do you know?
Father: Me? Hmm - I have about a pound of knowledge.
D: Don't be silly. Is it a pound sterling or a pound weight? I mean really how much do you know?
F: Well, my brain weighs about two pounds and I suppose I use a quarter of it - or use it at a quarter efficiency. So let's say half a pound.
D: But do you know more than Johnny's daddy? Do you know more than I do?
Father: Hmm - I once knew a little boy in England who asked his father, "Do father's always know more than sons?" and the father said, "Yes". The next question was, "Daddy who invented the steam engine?" and the father said, "James Watt". And the son came back with " - but why didn't James Watt's father invent it?"
And so the conversation continues as Bateson skillfully challenges our everyday assumptions about knowledge, quantity and measurement.
There are certainly aspects of learning that we can measure - we can design tests and assessments to demonstrate knowledge and competence in certain circumstances. However, as with my example of 'alertness' in relation to driving a car it is not possible to measure everything that is important.
We often make the following mistakes when we try measurement of learning:
We measure what we can measure easily (e.g. facts and information) and not necessarily what is important (e.g. problem-solving or coping skills).
We neglect to recognise that there are aspects of learning that are unmeasurable but important.
We measure out of context - an exam setting rather than a usage setting.
We neglect to recognise that assessment itself is a learning rather than a measurement process.
So to return to the management axiom of:
"if managers can't measure it they can't manage it".
I suggest that we will need to replace it with:
"if a manager can't question the measurement then we should question the manager"
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Meaning of Work - Aronowitz on Schooling in a Time of Crisis
On Tuesday I had the good fortune to attend a seminar (in NUIM) by Stanley Aronowitz - he is Professor of Sociology at City University in New York and has written extensively on many topics to do with knowledge, education and economy.
His ideas are radical and challenging and yet timely.
He presented his analysis of this "first truly global crisis" based on his experience (in the US steel industry) and many years as an author and teacher. Aronowitz posed critical questions that challenged our conception of labour in developed economies. He pointed to the structural changes in industry evident since the seventies when high numbers of workers were employed in big industries such as steel production. Faced with the challenge of a militant, frequently striking (US!) workforce and a troublesome trade union movement, the response by industry was to reduce labour through mechanisation and to move labour by a process of outsourcing and financialisation (build now pay later).
Aronowitz sees our current predicament as the inevitable outcome of US economic policy and the globalisation of the industrial model for developed economies. His outlook is gloomy – there will always be a struggle – they will always want more (government and employers).
Don't worry - so the current rhetoric would have us believe - in Ireland we live in a Knowledge Economy. Our economic future is pinned to a belief that knowledge is a sure thing and our most recent strategy for growth is called Building Ireland's Smart Economy.
We’ve never really had a large industrial base, little reliance on steel or automobile manufacturing. Our ‘new’ economy is built on software, internationally traded services and high-tech-brought-in manufacturing like HP and Intel.
Well I am worried!
Not just by Aronowitz' analysis but also by our collective acceptance of an illusion - the unsubstantiated but soothing notion that all we need to do is to be smarter than the Chinese and we will build our future by design; design of goods and services to be manufactured elsewhere in places like Mumbai and Beijing. What arrogant rubbish!
At best, we may experience a temporary opportunity for wealth generation by positioning our competences higher up the manufacturing chain. However, this fragile position of advantage will quickly be undermined as the fluidity of global manufacturing economics inevitably takes effect.
If there is real competition for smartness, I for one, would not like to take on the wisdom of the East or the passion and commitment to education in places like the Philippines and Jordan. I have visited both of these countries and as a result, I will always challenge that, equally unquestioned, myth proposing that education in Ireland is especially valued and our recent, short-lived, economic boom was a consequence of our highly educated workforce.
What then is the alternative? Aronowitz hints at new possibilities – shorter working days, time to participate in democratic structures, a renewal of learning. These are just ideas – developed outside the current orthodoxy – nothing clear-cut or strategic. That’s probably his point – the current system is not working we need alternatives and in seeking these alternatives we will need to extend our thinking. I agree but it’s hardly grounds for hope.
Aronowitz titled his talk Schooling in a Time of Economic Crisis and we had to wait until near the end before he addressed the issue of schooling. Schooling is not education. His use of the term schooling extends through kindergarten to further and higher education. Aronowitz regards schooling as an instrument of the state - a means of extension of the dominant ideology in our case capitalism.
What is the function of schooling? One might say - to prepare people for work. This is the great myth. The notion of middle-class investment – schooling now for quality employment in the future; all the more sensible when we consider ourselves as living in a Knowledge Economy.
Who should control schooling? Obviously, one might think, as we are concerned with our economic well being, we should look to employers, economists and policy makers for guidance on what skills we will need for the future. This is the real danger and it will lead possibly to future despair – not success.
Education is about learning for life, not necessarily paid employment. Yes we should be concerned with learning for the future but the question is - how best can we prepare for the future? John Dewey, a great American philosopher and educator suggested that in order to prepare people for the future we should teach them how to experience the present to its fullest extent. I take this to mean that we should be critical (questioning) of the world and that we challenge all our assumptions especially our interpretations of what we need to learn and how best to secure our future prosperity.
I suggest that we should direct our scrutiny at the current discourse on knowledge and economy and we open our minds, in the present, to ideas such as tabled by Stanley Aronowitz.
His ideas are radical and challenging and yet timely.
He presented his analysis of this "first truly global crisis" based on his experience (in the US steel industry) and many years as an author and teacher. Aronowitz posed critical questions that challenged our conception of labour in developed economies. He pointed to the structural changes in industry evident since the seventies when high numbers of workers were employed in big industries such as steel production. Faced with the challenge of a militant, frequently striking (US!) workforce and a troublesome trade union movement, the response by industry was to reduce labour through mechanisation and to move labour by a process of outsourcing and financialisation (build now pay later).
Aronowitz sees our current predicament as the inevitable outcome of US economic policy and the globalisation of the industrial model for developed economies. His outlook is gloomy – there will always be a struggle – they will always want more (government and employers).
Don't worry - so the current rhetoric would have us believe - in Ireland we live in a Knowledge Economy. Our economic future is pinned to a belief that knowledge is a sure thing and our most recent strategy for growth is called Building Ireland's Smart Economy.
We’ve never really had a large industrial base, little reliance on steel or automobile manufacturing. Our ‘new’ economy is built on software, internationally traded services and high-tech-brought-in manufacturing like HP and Intel.
Well I am worried!
Not just by Aronowitz' analysis but also by our collective acceptance of an illusion - the unsubstantiated but soothing notion that all we need to do is to be smarter than the Chinese and we will build our future by design; design of goods and services to be manufactured elsewhere in places like Mumbai and Beijing. What arrogant rubbish!
At best, we may experience a temporary opportunity for wealth generation by positioning our competences higher up the manufacturing chain. However, this fragile position of advantage will quickly be undermined as the fluidity of global manufacturing economics inevitably takes effect.
If there is real competition for smartness, I for one, would not like to take on the wisdom of the East or the passion and commitment to education in places like the Philippines and Jordan. I have visited both of these countries and as a result, I will always challenge that, equally unquestioned, myth proposing that education in Ireland is especially valued and our recent, short-lived, economic boom was a consequence of our highly educated workforce.
What then is the alternative? Aronowitz hints at new possibilities – shorter working days, time to participate in democratic structures, a renewal of learning. These are just ideas – developed outside the current orthodoxy – nothing clear-cut or strategic. That’s probably his point – the current system is not working we need alternatives and in seeking these alternatives we will need to extend our thinking. I agree but it’s hardly grounds for hope.
Aronowitz titled his talk Schooling in a Time of Economic Crisis and we had to wait until near the end before he addressed the issue of schooling. Schooling is not education. His use of the term schooling extends through kindergarten to further and higher education. Aronowitz regards schooling as an instrument of the state - a means of extension of the dominant ideology in our case capitalism.
What is the function of schooling? One might say - to prepare people for work. This is the great myth. The notion of middle-class investment – schooling now for quality employment in the future; all the more sensible when we consider ourselves as living in a Knowledge Economy.
Who should control schooling? Obviously, one might think, as we are concerned with our economic well being, we should look to employers, economists and policy makers for guidance on what skills we will need for the future. This is the real danger and it will lead possibly to future despair – not success.
Education is about learning for life, not necessarily paid employment. Yes we should be concerned with learning for the future but the question is - how best can we prepare for the future? John Dewey, a great American philosopher and educator suggested that in order to prepare people for the future we should teach them how to experience the present to its fullest extent. I take this to mean that we should be critical (questioning) of the world and that we challenge all our assumptions especially our interpretations of what we need to learn and how best to secure our future prosperity.
I suggest that we should direct our scrutiny at the current discourse on knowledge and economy and we open our minds, in the present, to ideas such as tabled by Stanley Aronowitz.
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Skillful Teacher
I came across this quotation from Confucius many months ago
and I have been waiting for an opportune time to include it in my blog.
Please forgive Confucius for his use of the term 'man' only in his description
of the skillful teacher. The most skillful teachers I know are women.When a superior man knows the causes which make instruction successful,
and those which make it of no effect, he can be a teacher of others.
Thus in his teaching, he leads and does not drag;
he strengthens and does not discourage;
he opens the way but does not conduct to the end
without the learner's own efforts.
Leading and not dragging produces harmony.
Strengthening and not discouraging makes attainment easy.
Opening the way and not conducting to the end makes the learner thoughtful.
He who produces harmony, easy attainment,
and thoughtfulness may be pronounced a skillful teacher.
– Confucius,Book XVI – HSIO KI (Record on the Subject of Education)
Isn't it remarkable how Confucius seems to capture all that we would now
call best practice in teaching others.
She leads but does not drag
Most learning practitioners would agree with this - for adults the mantra
is adults learn what they want to learn and what they find useful.
One can facilitate, encourage and lead people in the pursuit of
learning outcomes but there are few situations where compulsory
learning is successful.
She strengthens and does not discourage
Positive affirmation and feedback when matched with realistic goals will
enable learning.
She opens the way but does not conduct to the end
without the learner's own efforts
This is wonderful advice. To 'open the way' could suggest something like 'scaffolding'
a term used in constructivist approaches to learning. What is suggested here is that a teacher
may provide just the appropriate level of support for learning but in the end the
outcomes will be achieved by the learner's own effort.
Leading and not dragging produces harmony
Yes!
Strengthening and not discouraging makes attainment easy
Absolutly!
Opening the way and not conducting to the end makes the learner thoughtful
and willing to invest the mental effort
She who produces harmony, easy attainment,
and thoughtfulness may be pronounced a skillful teacher
I know many who fit this description.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Cardiff and the Rugby Grand Slam
This weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Cardiff and watch the Irish Rugby Team beat Wales to win the Six Nations Tournament and the Grand Slam. We were thrilled to be labeled as champions of the six nations. For those of you who may not know the six nations are England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy. These are the countries in the Northern Hemisphere where rugby is played by a significant section of the population.
Have you ever asked why is rugby played in one nation and not in another? Even withing countries, it is even the case that rugby is associated with different social and cultural groups; the Welsh regard rugby as a working class game whereas in parts of Ireland, rugby is considered as an elitist game, associated with mainly private schools.
I grew up in the Phoenix Park in Dublin and went to school in CBS North Brunswick Street. Our inner city school was run by the Christian Brothers and rugby was not encouraged - it was considered a foreign game. In fact, in school we were only allowed to play the games of our 'nation' - these were hurling and Gaelic football - known as gah (after GAA - Gaelic Athletic Association). Of course our game was soccer - this was (and still is) the street game for inner city Dublin. We often played football in the school yard and whenever we broke a window we would try to get back the ball and then start playing gah - we knew we were in trouble but the sanction for breaking a window playing the nationalist game of gah was going to be far less than that for playing a foreign game like soccer.
When I went to university (UCD) I became more aware of how different games were associated with different schools and social backgrounds. I even played a bit of rugby - very badly - but I enjoyed it and have, ever since, had a keen interest in the game.
We often distinguish between the terms of 'nation' and 'country' - a nation is a people and country is a land, a nation signifies a common cultural identity, a country (for example the US) can be made up of many nationalities. One might therefore expect that the Six Nations Tournament is so-titled because it is a competition between six peoples or cultural identities.
This is true to a certain extent, Scotland, England and Wales compete as three nations - in the Olympics they compete as Great Britain (or, more precisely, the UK of GB and NI).
Strangely enough (or perhaps its not strange at all) the situation is more complicated in Ireland. The 'Ireland' that presented itself on the field in Cardiff on Sunday was a united Ireland - representatives of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland play on the same Irish team. We even sing a special song, Ireland's Call, instead of our national anthems.
Actually, the Welsh too wouldn't dream of singing God Save the Queen - the UK National Anthem - they use the awesome Welsh anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. Believe me, when you hear 70, 000 of them singing this in Cardiff before a match its one of the best displays of communial singing one could experience.
So we have two teams, two nations, one in green and one in red - bringing together the working class Welsh with the posh people of South Dublin (fast being challenged by the vibrant rugby playing communities of Navan, Boyne, Naas and Barnhall), the tribes of Munster (definitely not posh!) and the men of Ulster (Ulster not Ireland!). For eighty minutes all these peoples unite for one purpose -to play rugby, to watch rugby. Across the six nations many millions watched on TV - they gathered in pubs and in houses, community halls, sports clubs - they wore their colours, their nation's colours and they participate in the game.
In common with the southern parts of France, the slopes of northern Italy, the lowlands and borders of Scotland the valleys of Wales and the public schools and communities of England - we play rugby. We could say their were no nations - just parts of nations or we could say there were many nations - many more than six. In the end I think the six nations works fine - I am still happy, very happy that we grand slammed the other five.
Have you ever asked why is rugby played in one nation and not in another? Even withing countries, it is even the case that rugby is associated with different social and cultural groups; the Welsh regard rugby as a working class game whereas in parts of Ireland, rugby is considered as an elitist game, associated with mainly private schools.
I grew up in the Phoenix Park in Dublin and went to school in CBS North Brunswick Street. Our inner city school was run by the Christian Brothers and rugby was not encouraged - it was considered a foreign game. In fact, in school we were only allowed to play the games of our 'nation' - these were hurling and Gaelic football - known as gah (after GAA - Gaelic Athletic Association). Of course our game was soccer - this was (and still is) the street game for inner city Dublin. We often played football in the school yard and whenever we broke a window we would try to get back the ball and then start playing gah - we knew we were in trouble but the sanction for breaking a window playing the nationalist game of gah was going to be far less than that for playing a foreign game like soccer.
When I went to university (UCD) I became more aware of how different games were associated with different schools and social backgrounds. I even played a bit of rugby - very badly - but I enjoyed it and have, ever since, had a keen interest in the game.
We often distinguish between the terms of 'nation' and 'country' - a nation is a people and country is a land, a nation signifies a common cultural identity, a country (for example the US) can be made up of many nationalities. One might therefore expect that the Six Nations Tournament is so-titled because it is a competition between six peoples or cultural identities.
This is true to a certain extent, Scotland, England and Wales compete as three nations - in the Olympics they compete as Great Britain (or, more precisely, the UK of GB and NI).
Strangely enough (or perhaps its not strange at all) the situation is more complicated in Ireland. The 'Ireland' that presented itself on the field in Cardiff on Sunday was a united Ireland - representatives of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland play on the same Irish team. We even sing a special song, Ireland's Call, instead of our national anthems.
Actually, the Welsh too wouldn't dream of singing God Save the Queen - the UK National Anthem - they use the awesome Welsh anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. Believe me, when you hear 70, 000 of them singing this in Cardiff before a match its one of the best displays of communial singing one could experience.
So we have two teams, two nations, one in green and one in red - bringing together the working class Welsh with the posh people of South Dublin (fast being challenged by the vibrant rugby playing communities of Navan, Boyne, Naas and Barnhall), the tribes of Munster (definitely not posh!) and the men of Ulster (Ulster not Ireland!). For eighty minutes all these peoples unite for one purpose -to play rugby, to watch rugby. Across the six nations many millions watched on TV - they gathered in pubs and in houses, community halls, sports clubs - they wore their colours, their nation's colours and they participate in the game.
In common with the southern parts of France, the slopes of northern Italy, the lowlands and borders of Scotland the valleys of Wales and the public schools and communities of England - we play rugby. We could say their were no nations - just parts of nations or we could say there were many nations - many more than six. In the end I think the six nations works fine - I am still happy, very happy that we grand slammed the other five.
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