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The
Death of the Classroom,
Learning Cycles and Roger Schank
section
3 of 3 | designshare home
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| "Training
should open with a bang. In virtual learning, training starts by having
people do something. Even if they don't understand exactly what they
they're doing, it's ok as long as they understand they can ask for help
as they go along."
Schank
and the ILS advocate just-in-time learning and interactive, CD-ROM
game-like simulations. The multi-media simulations engage students
to take action, wrestle with failure and develop emotional connections
with the experience. Unlike scheduled courses, CD-ROM technology can
be employed whenever the student is motivated to learn the material.
The ILS method involves Goal Based Scenarios (GBS). GBS characteristics
include:
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- Goals
are clear and agreed upon
- No
telling or lecturing
- Teaching
occurs only after learners fail
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- Discussion
- Access
to experts
- Simulation
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"People
need to fail in order to learn. Nothing anyone says (no matter how
eloquent the speaker or insightful the words) will do any more than
inspire you. You must internalize procedures to do a better job. To
do this you must try them out and receive help when you fail"
Computer simulations versus live simulations:
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Advantages
of computer learning solutions:
- It's cheaper
over time.
- It allows
for failure without embarrassment.
- Do it once
and it can be used many times.
- The same things
happen each time.
- World class
experts can be the teachers if they have been videotaped.
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Live simulations
have their advantages as well:
- They are cheaper
initially
- They seem
more realistic
- Different
things happen each time.
- World class
experts can be the teachers if they are there.
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"It
doesn't make sense to learn something unless you use it immediately
... The way learning should be done is just-in-time. The mind can
only hold so much information for so long - when there is a lot of
data, it should be conveyed just before its needed."
How will educational delivery change? According to
Schank, virtual universities will offer services via the Internet
in competition to the existing secondary and university system. Introductory
physics for high school and college will be put together by the world's
leading scientists and multi-media developers. Many offerings will
provide a greater emphasis on life skills, with subjects such as:
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- Stress management
- Getting along
in groups
- Communication
- Cultural literacy
- Philosophy
of life
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- Health
- Math as needed
- Life decisions
- Business skills
- Daily physics
(how things work)
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"When
learning isn't fun, it's not learning…. What's fun is doing."
Material
for this article was gathered from Roger Schank's presentation at
the CEFPI conference in Columbus, Ohio, April, 1999, as well as Schank's
book "Virtual Learning."
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Roger
Schank
Director, Institute for Learning Sciences
Northwestern University
1890 Maple Ave., Evanston, IL 60201
847-491-3636 schank@ils.nwu.edu
http://www.ils.nwu.edu
Recent book: "Virtual Learning"
review and purchase details: Virtual
|
 Photo
of Schank, illustrations and text by Randall Fielding
Randy is DesignShare's founder and Editor. He is also an architect,
with 20 years of experience in the design of educational and religious
facilities. fielding@designshare.com
612-925-6897
DesignShare
4937 Morgan Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55409
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May, 1999
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