Class Notes: 2/21/08

We reviewed some of the Maps that people created.
The maps had all different forms, some were very detailed and some were more sparse. The more you use the mind mapping tools the more proficient you will get at it.
Sensory memory: .05 seconds, working memory 30 seconds- if you rehearse or encode you will remember more and convert to long term memory.
Episodic- Story, Procedural- how to do something, semantic-
The behaviorist don’t explain the learning theory completely, that is why cognitive theory and constructivist are needed as well.

Recognition Memory game. The group split into two teams. One team left the room. The other team had 30 second to look at a box of twenty items. Then they had to write down everything they saw. Then the other team came in and did the same thing. This team was told that the items were things that she found.
We discussed the different techniques for how each of us remembered the items. Some used rehearsal, others encoding, others could not identify how.


The next exercise the class did was the classic gossip game. One person was told a story, then each person told the next person in order. The discussion centered around how our minds recall different pieces of the story based on our cultural backgrounds and experiences. The English as a second language was also a factor. One group had visual cues to remind them of the facts. This team remembered more of the facts. The foreign names were the first to go.
Key points:
Visual aides increased retention.
The most important information should be communcated first.
Unfamiliar words nd names are the first to go.

Fourth Class Session - Teaching Theories: Behaviorism. 02/14/08.

We discuss about teaching new behaviors.

Shaping, changing, and fading theories used in the readings and homework assignments, and the key behavioral theorist: Skinner, Pavlov and Watson.

Dr. Foreman asked the class:

How do you strengthen or weaken behaviors? How do you set goals, determinate reinforcing methods, select one procedure (Shaping, changing or fading), and how do you implement and evaluate them?

Behaviorism breaks down into details any lesson, instructional or educational plans. You work it step by step, following a pattern to change attitudes and actions.

The example of the geography memory game showed us an external reinforcement by trial and error. After playing the game for a while you get better at the game because you memorize the states. But how do we get an internal reinforcement of this game?

Behaviorism could not explain some people’s reactions so Cognitivism does.

Dr. Kim explained us the importance of children imitating parents’ behaviors as a reinforcement of their own actions and how behaviorism was included on language and math curriculums.

We discussed how Skinner got a bad reputation because he used rats and animals in his experiments on behavioral science. Then, we watched the video “Fresh appraisal of Skinner”. This video was a fair representation of his life and his behavioral theories because it illustrates his experiments in an objective point of view.

We saw the context of Skinner theories and the influence of other theories including Darwin’s evolution, Freud’s psychoanalysis and Pavlov’s conditioning of behavior (example of dog’s stimulus-response).

His research explored:

- Response-stimulus (behavior/selection/individuo).

- Reinforcement and discriminate stimuli.

- Conditional reinforcement (follow an action).

- Consequence as an action.

- Punishment as a negative reinforcement.

- Behavior frequency.

We concluded the video with the creation of his “Teaching Machine”.

After watching the video, the class broke into three groups and shared theories, concepts, and opinions about the video. During the teamwork exercise, we used some free software to organize ideas. (Freemap, Inspiration and others. See: www.thebrain.com some of them let you attach videos and pictures).

We built a map for a behavioral plan based on our homework exercise: Kim's doctor ordered her to take a break every half an hour from his computer, but he forgets it. Your job is to devise a program to change his behavior.

We had almost the same conclusions on our behavioral plans:

1. Computer reminders.
2. Rewards as positive reinforcement.
3. Computer lockouts as negative reinforcement.
4. Fading strategies.
5. Evaluation.

Arl mentioned that those maps give more than behavior theories because it helps people to understand some concepts and theories better.

“Free writing is like brainstorming” Walter said.

Gordon explained how graphics relate info and the important relation of visual concepts and our actual visual learner generation.

Finally, we concluded that these maps are more Cognitive because they can be used as visual learning strategies and tools that help people to plan, research, and complete projects successfully. People develop essential learning strategies as they create graphic organizers to visually represent concepts and relationships.

In this class we gained and retained a better understanding of Behavioral concepts and demonstrate knowledge thru maps. We also discussed the power of TV screens and the content of internet pages because they use a lot of graphics and present a lot of information in very short time.

Natalia Calle-Giraldo.

Fooling around with Freemind mapping software

I used Freemind mapping tool, a free software to draw this map. There are other software like Inspiration (you have to buy, there is a 30 day trial version) or Cmap (free)

Third Class Session - Learning Theory

Every class session someone is to enter a blog summary of the course (like this entry).

To post an entry to the blog go to: http://itec800sfsu.blogspot.com/

Log on ID and Password are in iLearn.

Everyone is to pick a date and enter it on the Wiki in iLearn.
The link to the Wiki for this is located in the information for the first day of the class: Class Blogging Schedule (Thursday)

A recommended Wiki is wetpaint. I have personally looked at several and this one is very good.

The "Millineum generation" learns differently. This is important for how knowing how this generation learns. The Millineum Generation are those born in the mid-eighties and later (after the Baby boomers and Gen X).

Learning Theory is about how people perform.

Here are the principle learning theories that we will cover in this class:
Behavorism - behavioral perspective
Constructionism - constructive learning perspective - The learner constructs their own knowledge.
Cognitive Theory - cognitive perspective


There is also Social Interaction as a learning theory - we learn through interaction with others.


The class broke into groups with the assignment to design a day long (8 hours) training for a group from Japan who want to experience San Francisco.


All groups decided on a tour of San Francisco, covering educational and historical historical sites