Subject: Re: When is CL not appropriate?
From: Bonnie Mullinix (bmullini@monmouth.edu)
Date: Tue Jun 20 2000 - 13:12:44 EDT
In response to what
Paul Hertzel wrote:
> regarding what Larry Spence wrote,
>
> >I disagree and many others would too. Learning is fundamentally
> >social. . .
>
> Paul Hertzel: If you can learn independently of a social setting,
> then for sure
> learning is not fundamentally social. Learning often happens in a
> social setting, but it is not fundamentally social any more than
> forgetting is fundamentally social.
>
Just to break this either/or cycle up a bit, I would venture the safe
guess that many people would agree that not only are we not sure
precisely how learning happens, but we maintain very different views of
this process. We do know that questioning our understanding of the
learning process helps to inform our practice as facilitators of
learning. The best models of learning (in my opinion) are those that
both recognize that learning happens in many different ways and settings
(by addressing learning styles and opportunities for individual
reflection as well as interaction with others and the environment using
a variety of techniques/approaches). They further recognize that while
everyone may have a prefered learning mode (which may well be
discipline-linked), the more we can learn to function in other
modes/settings/situations and expand our learning repertoire, the better
off we are as learners. So I guess I would be disappointed in any
learning environment that did not recognize that learning is not
either/or (not that you actually said it was by the way). Rather,
effective learning environments would strive to offer such strategic
variety as can help learners to push beyond their little bubble and
expand their comfort levels to encompass a broader and more dynamic
range of learning styles and modes.
Bonnie
Bonnie B. Mullinix
Millicent Fenwick Research Professor
Monmouth Unviersity, West Long Branch, NJ
****************************************************************************
* To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
* To unsubscribe, send mail to: mathedcc-unsubscribe@archives.math.utk.edu *
* Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
****************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Tue Jun 20 2000 - 14:01:22 EDT