diff --git a/06-objectives.md b/06-objectives.md index d3242c1b..92d5b3b7 100644 --- a/06-objectives.md +++ b/06-objectives.md @@ -149,117 +149,6 @@ Baume's guide to [writing and using good learning outcomes](papers/baume-learning-outcomes-2009.pdf) is a good longer discussion of these issues. -## Who Are Our Learners? - -The complement to clarifying the objectives for our lessons -is to be clear about who we're trying to teach. -One *[well-known scheme](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles#Learning_modalities)* -characterizes learners as visual, auditory, or kinesthetic -according to whether they like to see things, hear things, or do things. -These classifications are easy to understand, -but are [almost certainly pseudoscience](http://www.amazon.com/Great-Myths-Brain-Psychology/dp/1118312716/): -what little evidence exists for them is very weak. - -Another classification scheme developed by Honey and Mumford is based on an idealized learning cycle. -It is also frequently criticized, -but provides a more useful vocabulary for describing interactions with learners. -The four stages in the cycle are: - -1. *doing* something or having an experience, -2. *reflecting* on the experience, -3. *concluding* from the experience (i.e., developing an explanatory theory), and -4. *planning* the next steps to apply or test the theory. - -Different learners prefer to start with or spend more time in -different parts of this cycle. -This leads naturally to a four-way division: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TypeLearn best whenLearn less when
Activist -
    -
  • involved in new experiences, problems and opportunities
    • -
  • working with others in games and team tasks
    • -
  • being thrown into the deep end with a difficult task
    • -
  • chairing meetings, leading discussions
    • -
- 		-
    -
  • listening to lectures or long explanations
    • -
  • reading, writing or thinking on their own
    • -
  • absorbing and understanding data
    • -
  • following precise instructions to the letter
    • -
-
Reflector -
    -
  • observing individuals or groups at work
    • -
  • they have the opportunity to review what has happened and think about what they have learned
    • -
  • producing analyses and reports
    • -
  • doing tasks without tight deadlines
    • -
- 		-
    -
  • acting as leader or role-playing in front of others
    • -
  • doing things with no time to prepare
    • -
  • being thrown in at the deep end
    • -
  • being rushed or worried by deadlines
    • -
-
Theorist -
    -
  • they are put in complex situations where they have to use their skills and knowledge
    • -
  • they are in structured situations with clear purpose
    • -
  • they are offered interesting ideas or concepts even though they are not immediately relevant
    • -
  • they have the chance to question and probe ideas behind things
    • -
- 		-
    -
  • they have to participate in situations which emphasize emotion and feelings
    • -
  • the activity is unstructured or briefing is poor
    • -
  • they have to do things without knowing the principles or concepts involved
    • -
  • they feel they're out of tune with the other participants e.g. with people of very different learning styles
    • -
-
Pragmatist -
    -
  • there is an obvious link between the topic and job
    • -
  • they have the chance to try out techniques with feedback e.g. role-playing
    • -
  • they are shown techniques with obvious advantages e.g. saving time
    • -
  • they are shown a model they can copy e.g. a film or a respected boss
    • -
  • there is an obvious or immediate benefit that they can recognize
    • -
  • they are given immediate opportunities to implement what they have learned
    • -
- 		-
    -
  • there is no apparent pay-back to the learning
    • -
  • the event or learning is "all theory"
    • -
  • there is no practice or guidelines on how to do it
    • -
  • they do not see sufficient reward from the learning activity
    • -
-
- ## Learner Profiles Another way to characterize the audience for a course is to write *learner profiles*. @@ -290,6 +179,19 @@ A learner profile for Software Carpentry might be: > It will also show him how to put his programs and files under version control > so that he can re-run analyses and figure out which results may have been affected by changes. +> ## Pseudoscience +> +> One [well-known scheme](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles#Learning_modalities) +> characterizes learners as visual, auditory, or kinesthetic +> according to whether they like to see things, hear things, or do things. +> This scheme is easy to understand, +> but are [almost certainly false](http://www.amazon.com/Great-Myths-Brain-Psychology/dp/1118312716/): +> what little evidence that does exist for it is very weak. +> Unfortunately, +> that hasn't stopped a large number of companies from marketing products based on it +> to parents and school boards. +{: .callout} + ## Challenges > ## Develop Learning Objectives