DP

My most memorable learning experiences

My most memorable learning experiences were during MA Hypermedia study at University of Westminster in 2001. The course structure really forced me to think out of the box and to start looking at technology in an innovative way. The lectures by the tutors and various guest speakers were a fascinating mixture of design, politics, media and technology.

I enjoyed independent study greatly, researching on various topics and books from Derrida,  Foucault, Zizek, Alexander Kojev to Erik Davis: Techgnosis, 60’s Beatnik writers and electronic music. We used Lego robots to learn the basics of software design as we were a mixture of programmers, designers and linguists. The experience of project work with other students was great as we tried to combine our different skills to come up with innovative ideas for our projects and push the new media further.

As a part of my work experience study I did a project for an electronic music group called Coldcut, founders of record label, Ninja Tune. I created a Coldbot, an interactive text-based programme with excerpts from their interviews.

(http://www.hrc.wmin.ac.uk/legacy/sasha_paravina.html)

Part of the course is still very much active through a research group called Cybersalon: http://www.cybersalon.org/

My formal studies & learning history (classroom and virtual)

I have a BA (Hons) Art and Design from University of Hertfordshire in England, 1996. The main subjects were: Visual Research, Printmaking, Ceramics and Contextual Studies.

Also I studied on an MA Hypermedia course from University of Westminster in 2001. The modules were: History of Convergence, Contemporary debates in Hypermedia, Interactive Media Design, Virtual Communities, Software Design, Practical Project and Dissertation.



My personal teaching history

Some of the photography work from my students
The IB Middle Years Programme

I taught ICT (Information Communication Technology) in various independent schools in London (St. Margaret’s, Sarum Hall School and Academy School in Hampstead) from 2005 – 2007. The material that I taught was part of Futurekids and approved by Cambridge.  As it was originally an American curriculum I had also worked on adopting it to British cultural context.  This material was really great for Primary school children from age 4. We used software called Kid Pix to teach them to draw and use keyboard.  Also I taught British Key stage 3 and 4 in the middle school.

I am currently working in Espoo International School since 2011 (ages 13-16) where I teach electives such as photography and technology to grade 8 - 9. Espoo International is an International Baccalaureate (IB) authorized school. EIS currently delivers the Middle Years Programme (MYP)  and in the last year I have worked on creating materials and projects that are linked to MYP assessment criteria; together with the main MYP themes (area of interaction) such as environment, human ingenuity, health and social education and community and service.


How do people learn the best in vocational settings?

I have not personally taught in an adult educational setting but from my personal experiences of studding on a Degree and Master level I believe that there has to be a combination of flexible learning styles.

Adults have perhaps different motivation for learning compared to children and also different levels of commitment and time. ‘Efficient learning strategies, supported by information learning technologies with a flexible, supported environment will produce learning experience which suits individual styles and maximizes the learner’s potential.’(Robson, 2006, p.17)

It is also interesting to note that the preoccupation with learning styles tends to obscure the importance of context learning and social interaction. For example if we look at different disciplines humanities and science there are different approaches to leaning. This is also discussed in the ‘Learning Theories’ Chapter 15:

‘Students still in the concrete operational stage in physics have difficulty revising their knowledge structures. For those in this stage, the concrete operations of the laboratory can be instrumental in helping them accept the new organization of knowledge. The laboratory exercise has other advantages as well. In the laboratory the student must be active, unlike in a lecture where a passive approach is allowed and often encouraged.’ (Wankart and Oreovicz, 1993, p. 285)

After studding on a Java programming course at the University of Helsinki I just realized how helpful the group session work was. These learning / exercise groups, twice a week, were organized by the Computer science department for about a month. We had instructors mostly from physics department to explain anything that was unclear. For example I never had this on my MA course as we were mostly encouraged to do independent study combined with the lectures.

It is also emphasized in ‘Teaching Engineering’ study that group work can benefit learners who are more people orientated and perhaps not so common in engineering professions. Here are also mentioned some gender differences as well, for example women are a minority in this field and that may be due to their learning style:

‘Field-sensitive individuals are strongly influenced by authority figures and peer groups. They tend to be more people-oriented and are often good at working with others because they are aware of subtle messages. ‘(Wankart and Oreovicz, 1993, p. 289)

The teacher should assess what type of learners they have, whether they are reflectors or theorists, pragmatists or activists for example:

Active experimenters want to do something with the information in the external world. For example, they want to discuss, teach, solve, or make something. They want to try the activity and learn by doing. This dimension is closely related to extroversion. Reflective individuals want to process the information internally (introversion). They want to ponder it. However, a noninteractive lecture is optimum for neither style of learner. ‘(Wankart and Oreovicz, 1993, p. 292)

Personally I very much agree with Kolb’s Learning Cycle and would like to incorporate it in my teaching:

‘The cycle can be entered at any of the four steps, but usually starts with the concrete experience method of grasping information. This information is then transformed or internalized by reflective observation (RO). For complete learning the individual should continue around the circle and use abstract conceptualization to perceive the information that has now been changed by reflection. Next the learner processes the information actively and does something with it.’ (Wankart and Oreovicz, 1993, p. 292)

References:

1.  Robson J., (2006) Teacher Professionalism in Further and Higher Education, Routledge

2. Wankat P.C., Oreovicz F.S.,(1993) Teaching Engineering, NY, McGraw-Hill

My preferred learning styles

I have done  The VARK Questionnaire in order to access my learning styles. These were the results:

• Visual: 11

• Aural: 13

• Read/Write: 11

• Kinesthetic: 7

I have a multimodal (VARK) learning preference; although I have scored slightly higher with Aural learning style. These are suggestions for better auditory learning:

OUTPUT

To perform well in any test, assignment or examination:

• attend classes

• attend discussions and tutorials

• discuss topics with others

• discuss topics with your teachers

• explain new ideas to other people

• use a tape recorder

• remember the interesting examples, stories, jokes...

• describe the overheads, pictures and other visuals to somebody who was not                there

• leave spaces in your notes for later recall and 'filling'

• Put your summarised notes onto tapes and listen to them.

• Ask others to 'hear' your understanding of a topic.

• Read your summarised notes aloud.

• Explain your notes to another 'aural' person.

• Imagine talking with the examiner.

• Listen to your voices and write them down.

• Spend time in quiet places recalling the ideas.

• Practice writing answers to old exam questions.

• Speak your answers aloud or inside your head.

Your notes may be poor because you prefer to listen. You will need to expand your notes by talking with others and collecting notes from the textbook.

How the curriculum directs the development of studies?

How do I use technology in my field of pedagogy?

Vocational curriculum in Finland is decided by the government with the structure of qualifications and the core subjects. Also the Ministry of Education and Culture decides on the studies and their scope. (1) As I am teaching technology and arts in the middle school, at the moment I have looked at the curriculum of those subjects.

(1) http://www.oph.fi/download/140425_vocational_qualification_in_information_and_telecommunications_technology_2009.pdf

I agree with the view that there is no defined uniform well -established academic field of technology compared to for example physics or chemistry. There are many areas /branches of technology that cover materials, energy, production, biotechnology and medical technology, communications, computer technology, space etc. Because of the lack of unity amongst these different areas of technology, it would be good to have one more specific guideline on for example teaching computer science. At least more uniform guideline for teaching technology in a school.

I have to say I have been referring to British GCSE Computer Science books to cover some of those modules in the English speaking middle school. I have also combined that with media and communication as well, for example teaching web design and HTML code. With computer science, we were looking at Visual Basic.

Technology is mostly considered as a discipline of its own. There are obviously links with natural sciences but technology has not been considered as a part of science studies. There are some views that it should be considered as part of science studies but generally there is a hierarchical view and technology is not considered as an academic subject.

What methods of assessment can I use and in which contexts?

Technology related topics require certain amount of group work and I have used assignments that incorporate independent study combined with group work and various other methods.

I have assessed project-based work with different criteria’s. For example (Investigate, design, plan, create, evaluate and attitudes in technology.)

For example choosing an essay type topic in Investigation part ensures deep learning on a chosen topic. The students have to investigate, quote sources and relate the question to their own knowledge.

Also assessing a portfolio is a good way to assess some of the hands on experience of the piece of research. This can be also carried out among the group of students where they can decide on individual tasks, or these can be assigned by the teacher. I have given grades for the whole project for example but this does sometimes question individual contribution to the project, as there are always those students that put more effort in. One way to be more precise with this type of evaluation is to ask students to assess each other and their individual contribution.

References:

Biggs, J. Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Assessing for Learning Quality: II.Practice

Rasinen, A., (2000) Developing Technology Education. Faculty of Education of the University of Jyväskylä.

Tags: learning styles, reflectors, theorists, pragmatists, activists,  Kolb’s Learning Cycle, methods of assessment