Functional adventures in the deep end: The evolution of a pragmatic 48-month undergraduate curriculum By C. Harold McManus, Ph.D. ? 2010 Excerpt 8/10
At the third tier, students are no longer simply visiting web pages or using them to collect data; they are creating fully functioning web pages to facilitate the creation and dissemination of new knowledge. Professors, at this point, are no longer wasting paper to copy exams; examinations and quizzes are moved online and the entire examination process begins to take on an asynchronous look. Deadlines become flexible and an idiographic approach is emphasized to help facilitate the continued development of critical thinking skills. The move toward an idiographic and asynchronous approach is not a minor shift. Rather, the move represents a major shift in the educational paradigm.
At the beginning of the third year, the move toward a shared classroom reaches fruition. There were hints of a shared space from the very start. Again, the transmission model is a recipe for failure in higher education. Student participation is critical from day one. Table four outlines our description of the platform model in higher education.
At the third tier, students are no longer simply visiting web pages or using them to collect data; they are creating fully functioning sites to facilitate the creation and dissemination of knowledge. Professors, at this point, are no longer wasting paper to copy exams; examinations and quizzes are moved online and the entire examination process begin to take on an asynchronous look. Deadlines become flexible and an idiographic approach is emphasized to help facilitate the continued development of critical thinking skills. The move toward an idiographic and asynchronous approach is not a minor shift. Rather, the move represents a major shift in the educational paradigm.
An LMS facilitates the move toward an idiographic approach by giving the professor the flexibility to present a unique learning experience to each student. For example, if a student is having difficulty with a core concept or two, it is possible to provide extra support that is tailored to the individual needs of that student. The professor can provide PowerPoint slides of his or her lecture that the student can go through repeatedly. Interactive web sites can be used with the external links that provide additional information. It is also possible to offer practice quizzes to a student to provide feedback on progress toward understanding difficult concepts. In deference to the Contextualists’ position and the idea of the ZPD, students who do understand core concepts should be offered extra course credit for coaching their classmates on-line in a dedicated space on the LMS.
The students who understand core concepts can improve their knowledge by providing asynchronous web-based support sessions. They can also use the functionality of the LMS to assist their fellow students at a time that is convenient for them (the student tutor). Virtual classrooms can be established to talk about key concepts in real-time during evening hours. The available support functions could be tailored to the individual needs of a specific learner (idiographic approach and assessment) and the asynchronous approach would provide flexibility for both the coach and the learner. Since all of the interactions would take place online, the professor could monitor the communications and provide insight when necessary. This approach adheres to the (1956, 1960, & 1962) Vygotskian idea of learning as co-construction of knowledge within student-centered activities. At this stage, the students will form learning communities.
Learning communities are organized workgroups involving collaboration among students, the professor, and individuals outside the classroom, who investigate the driving question. Students could be given a list of former program completers who were in graduate school and establish a collaborative learning relationship with them. Students could add professors at their home college, or those from neighboring colleges around the world, to their learning community.
If the first three stages are handled properly, by the time a student becomes a senior, he or she is properly prepared for the P-4500 platform. The student would be excelling in the areas of independent inquiry, information development, and knowledge creation. He or she would be able to produce new information or novel insights into old problems. Their products would be of a caliber that can be presented at regional and national conferences. These presentations are an integral part of the growth of expert status. At this point, the educational process has moved from a passive-consumption model to an active-creative one.
At the P-4500 level, one should begin to see the results of divergent functionality and the continuation of the journey from convergent to divergent thinking (see Table 5). This journey continues because the “How, Why, and When” modality morphs into abstract thinking and knowledge creation. [Currently, AD 2020, the focus is on KTD—KNOW-THINK-DO- and High Impact Practices—HIPS].
This form of controlled independence will produce students who are motivated to find answers to complex problems and who engage in critical thinking to develop creative solutions. At this developmental stage, the main goal of the platform approach will be achieved—a majority of students trained in the inquiry-knowledge development process.
Summary
- A move towards an idiographic and asynchronous approach represents a major
the shift in the educational paradigm and an LMS facilitates the move.
2. Students who understand core concepts can improve their understanding by hosting asynchronous Web-based support sessions.
3. This student-centered hosting approach adheres to the Vygotskian idea of learning as a co-construction of knowledge within student-centered activities.
4. At the P-4500 developmental stage, the main goal of the platform approach should be achieved—a majority of students will pursue knowledge for the sake of becoming more informed.
References
Vygotsky, L. S. (1956). Selected psychological investigations. Moscow: IAPN-SSSR.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1960). Development of higher psychical functions. Moscow: APN.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Thought and language. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.