Week 3: Learning Theories and Motivation

Learning Theories:
I really enjoyed reading about the different learning theories and thinking about how I'm already applying them (in my current one-shot sessions) and how I might bring them into this semester-long course. Although, I see advantages for all of them, I find myself particularly drawn to Constructivism.

This past semester I tried an activity where I built upon a story the faculty member told me that she shared with the class. I was actually able to use that story and have students find an article on the topic. I asked half the class to use Google and the other half to use our combined search. Only the students using combined search found the article. Those using Google either didn't find anything or found an article but didn't have access. I was so surprised by how well this activity worked that I've been looking for more ways to include that type of learning in my classes. With a semester-long class, I hope I can find many ways to include this type of learning.

I anticipate I might still do a similar activity in a semester long class as the one I tried before. I would use that activity in a class that discusses the difference between the open web and library databases. Additionally, I would really like to design an activity that would help students learn that research is a process. I've mentioned this goal many times because I think it's so important. I work with students all the time who seem to just want the perfect article to appear on the first search. In a semester long course, I might have to create a series of activities to help students understand this concept. I might create different activities for different parts of the process.

For example, one of the first steps is to define the research question or topic. So many students, when asked, say their topic is something like GMOs or abortion. I want students to learn how to narrow down a broad topic (or broaden a too narrow topic). In one shot classes I have a video I often show that illustrates this concept but I know it's not as effective as having the students actually DO something. I also often show them that as they add keywords to a database they get better results. But again, not as good as having students discover that themselves. I'm still trying to formulate an actual activity but I suspect it would be something like having students work in pairs and try researching in a database with a broad topic. Then asking them a series of questions (like a reference interview) that would help them think through how they developing their topic as they search. It's still pretty fuzzy at this point.

Motivation:
Admittedly, I found Small's article a bit overwhelming. There are a lot of great things in there! But I do want to think about these things as I'm designing this longer course. I really identified with the Attribution Theory. I think, at least students I work with, often do not see the importance of effort when it comes to research. They want the the perfect article to just appear quickly without much effort. This might be the luck part of the theory or possibly the ability - that they 'already know how to search'.

The other parts of the article I identified were the Relevance and Confidence parts of the ARCS Model of Motivational Design. I think that helping students see how information literacy is relevant to their lives (academic or personal) is so important. Giving context for what they're doing makes a lot of sense to me. And the confidence part is something I want to focus on -- giving students manageable tasks. In my one shot classes I try really hard to keep the goal simple so students will be able to finish, e.g. find one article and email it to themselves. Now I need to focus on adding that to my semester long class.

Overall, I thought these readings were very helpful! I'm realizing, though, that designing a semester long course is going to take a while! :) Not only do I need to determine goals for the course but then I also need to determine learning goals for each class period and then go through the design process and learning theories for each. The motivational piece will also most likely have to be thought through for each class period plus for the course. Here's hoping thinking about these processes and theories get easier the more you do them and think about them. :)