Summary
Chapter 15 outlines several principles
that can help teach specific types of thinking skills in an
e-learning environment. One
of the big questions the beginning of the chapter addresses is if
thinking skills can be taught to people or if they just naturally
occur in specific people. The research that the book presented
indicated that people are able to learn thinking skills to a small
extent, but that training does not have a significant impact on a
person's ability to develop thinking skills. The main types of
thinking skills include creative, critical, and metacognitive skills.
Creative skills address a person's ability to be unique and propose
innovative ideas. Critical thinking skills are those related to
thorough investigation and consideration of problems and ideas.
Metacognitive skills relate to a person's intrinsic motivation for
setting their own goals, evaluating the process of their goals, and
then revising their course of action to meet those goals (Clark &
Mayer, 2011) .
Principle
one is entitled “focused on job specific cognitive and
metacognitive skills” (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p.344). The text
outlines this as teaching relevant job-related thinking skills that
workers can apply to their current situation, specific roles, and
work environment in order to think through situations. One of
the main points made in the section of the chapter is that the goal
of e-learning and training, is for the learners to truly use the
information they have learned within their own settings and apply it
to their daily routine when non-routine issues happen. This principle
expresses the importance of teaching job skills and problem solving
skills specifically related to the learners work environment, not
just a general problem-solving course for a wide variety of
environments (Clark & Mayer, 2011).
Principle two is entitled “consider a
whole task course design” (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p.345) . This
specific type of instruction is based upon a specific objective or
goal in mind. Then, throughout the lesson the skills and knowledge
needed to complete that objective or goal are introduced into the
lesson. Problem solving and critical thinking skills are also
integrated into the assignment. The three parts of whole task
instruction include problem centered learning, guided learning, and
inductive learning. The text compares whole task course design to
part task instruction, which is basically building one skill on top
of another in order to reach a goal at the end or scaffolding. Where
whole task course design starts with the end in mind, presents the
goal first and then gives you the steps in how to get there. Problem
centered whole task instruction begins, first, with a case study, for
example, which sets the stage to a specific issue. The material
presented at the forefront of the lesson sets the environment and
feel for the learner to start identifying problems in using critical
thinking skills. Guided learning is also scenario-based. The
difference is the learner may be able to have a simpler scenario and
problem to solve or even possibly a demonstration from an instructor,
perhaps, to guide them in the learning process. As learners start to
get an idea of what is expected, their scenarios or case studies
would get more complex with less and less help from someone else.
Inductive learning enables learners to try different approaches to
solving their problems or case studies, and then being able to see
feedback or consequences from the choices they made. Research
provided within the text indicated that problem-based learning serves
not only as a viable option to problem solve and critically think,
but also to increase interpersonal skills, overall clinical skills
(in a group of medical students) and performance , and personal
attitudes toward problem-based learning. Research also indicated
that other important skills such as teamwork and communication were
more developed when problem-based learning was taught (Clark &
Mayer, 2011).
Principle three is entitled “make
thinking processes explicit” (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p.355) .
This particular principle emphasizes the importance of teaching
learners processes of mental thought, instead of just patterns or
instructions to follow to get a job done. When foundational work is
laid, meaning the processes of how to think through scenarios or
issues, then a learner can intentionally follow the mental steps to
work through the issue. Unfortunately, many companies just teach
people how to use instructions or a model to perform specific duties
without going in depth and explaining the purpose and the rationale
behind performing the job. Teaching a learner the metacognitive
skills of “planning, monitoring, and revising” enables them to
intentionally see what they're doing, evaluate whether what they're
doing is correct, and changing what they're doing in order to provide
a better process (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p.356). By developing this
thought process in learners, learners become more like experts in
their subject matter (Clark & Mayer, 2011).
Principle four is entitled”to find
job specific thinking processes” emphasizes the importance of
cognitive task analysis (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p.360) . The text
reflects different methods within this principle that help learners
identify problems that need to be addressed, as well as processes
that can be used to address those problems. Some of the methods
identified in this portion of the chapter were concurrent reporting,
retrospective reporting, queued retrospective reporting, critical
decision method, and structured expert interview. These are all
methods that learners can use to identify problems within their work
environment and use specific thought processes described in each of
these two solve their issue (Clark & Mayer, 2011).
Reflection
Chapter
15 was truly enlightening in how to think through the process of
intentionally designing e-learning to initiate and build
problem-solving and critical thinking skills in each learner. I
really find it fascinating that one can purposefully and meaningfully
invoke learners to develop these skills in a more thorough approach.
I also found the research very interesting. Honestly, I would've
guessed that trying to develop more generalized thought processes,
problem-solving skills, and critical thinking skills would be more
beneficial to use in various environments. However, the research
indicated in this chapter led to the conclusions that job specific
scenarios are more valuable to learners in developing their overall
thought process.
The
main points to consider within this chapter are the four main
principles outlined above: the importance of allowing learners an
opportunity to use their own specific situations to develop their
thought process; to consider whole task course design and the
benefits of starting the thought process with a specific objective or
goal in mind; allowing learners the ability to plan, monitor, and
revise their own actions and consequences in order to become experts
within their own areas; and to develop thought processes specific to
task-related or job specific problems. These points are valuable to
consider when designing an e-learning course in order to successfully
develop an educational environment that is truly stimulating and
pertinent to the learners needs. Due to the fact that learners are
not in a face-to-face environment with their instructor, it is
especially important to be able to provoke meaningful thought
processes within your students in an asynchronous environment.
This
chapter did not necessarily change my views about e-learning as much
as it helped me gain a better understanding of the importance of
intentionally developing critical thinking and problem solving
scenarios within e-learning courses I may help create in the future.
After graduation, I hope to be influential in the transition of
moving some of our more traditional classroom courses into an online
environment in the college where I work. This concept of building
personal thinking skills will prove very beneficial and invaluable in
that design. Adding this layer of complexity to the course will
ensure 21st century learning skills are being developed and that
students are more eligible for more quality job opportunities.
Specifically, within my ISD project, I feel as though this chapter
provided a more in-depth layer that our team needs to consider while
designing our professional development modules. While our team has
already built in specific problem-based learning scenarios,
implementing at least one of these four principles into each of our
professional development modules will ensure that even the
instructors we are teaching within our modules will continue to
develop their own thinking processes as they begin to teach in online
environments and design their own courses. Our team should also
consider implementing the idea of these four principles into the
curriculum of the professional development modules, as they relate to
Best Practices for Online Teaching. This entire chapter adds a
unique component to online course development that could, perhaps,
determine whether an online course is quality or mediocre.
Reference
Clark,
R., & Mayer, R. (2011). E-Learning to build thinking skills. In
E-learning and the science of
instruction
proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning,
third edition
(3rd
ed., pp. 339-367). San Francisco, Calif.: Pfeiffer.
