Teaching philosophy involves a variety of learning activities.
The primary focus of the learning process is on
concepts and its components identification and relationships. Computer visualization techniques, such as 
computer graphics, animation and virtual
reality can be used to graphically
illustrate the various concepts and its components
identification and relationships
in philosophy.I
propose a virtual apprenticeship model for the
knowledge- and skills-oriented Web-based education for philosophy students. I
adapt the classical cognitive apprenticeship theory to the Web context utilizing
scaffolding and activity theory. The study reveals how web
based teaching techniques, computer programs and collaborative software can aid online or
blended philosophy instruction and facilitate discussion and collaborative work . The study offered intriguing insights and
implication for developing and designing philosophy courses and explored
alternative and more efficient ways to implement various elements of CA, such
as scaffolding and reflection in philosophy. The model provides an excellent
medium where students can visually observe, reflect upon, write and discover expert strategies in context.
INTRODUCTION
Philosophy of education is taught in higher schools where
teachers are prepared, colleges of education, polytechnics and
universities, Its focus is on giving and deepening the
understanding of educational concepts and problems. The program provides
students a challenging opportunity to deepen and widen their humanistic,
philosophical thinking about education. Course work centers around the
close reading of primary texts in the history of ideas, with a focus on how
these texts illuminate the meanings and significance of educational practice.
more specifically the philosophies of education and teaching methods and
practice. Supporting students, especially non-specialized
students, in a course that is philosophical in nature, is always a concern of
philosophers. The standard approach to teaching philosophy is usually
teacher-centered, which emphasizes a particular learning style with students.
With this method, the lecturer tries to impose his/her knowledge upon the
students, who more often than not lose the connections of lessons when dealing
with various concept and their interrelationships. On the other hand, the effort to engage students
in a genuine learning experience and the application of Computer
visualization techniques and tools within the cognitive apprenticeship framework in original research is an
approach proposed for the teaching and learning of philosophy of education.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Educational Model
Cognitive
apprenticeship is an instructional design model that emerged from situated
learning theory and was introduced in 1989 and developed by Allan Collins, John Seely Brown
they proposed an alternative model of instruction that is accessible within the
framework of the typical American classroom. It is a model of instruction that
goes back to apprenticeship but incorporates elements of schooling. We call
this model cognitive apprenticeship.(Collins, Brown, and Newman, 1989). It can
be described an instructional model that draws upon authentic classroom
activities and guided experiences that enable the development of mental skills
through reflection, articulation, collaboration, and practice, and that are
situated in authentic contexts.(Educational Technology Research &
Development, 47 (3),15-31).
The cognitive
apprenticeship theory forms the backbone of the proposed educational model.
However, I adopted a variant, the
virtual apprenticeship theory, which is also influenced by scaffolding and
activity theory, in order to adjust the classical theory to computer applications/Web as the educational
environment.
Cognitive Apprenticeship
The cognitive
apprenticeship theory (Guzdial, M., and Kehoe, C.,1998) addresses the problem of coaching a student
to perform a specific task. A student learns through active participation in a
task in an authentic setting in close collaboration with a master. The master
provides expertise and advice. The process of apprenticeship learning is characterized
by increasing
control and
ownership by the learner. The cognitive apprenticeship theory puts an emphasis
on reflection. A first phase of learning is typically coached, followed by
reflection. In the final phase, free and self-reliant learning is supposed to
take over. An authentic setting is another key element of an apprenticeship
model. Its allows a learner to train with or within the subject of concern
itself, i.e. to directly manipulate course-relevant resources.
Scaffolding
The term
scaffolding refers to a temporary support framework that is used in the construction of
buildings. Scaffolding is needed in the construction process, but will be
removed once the building process is advanced and the building supports itself.
Scaffolding has been suggested to support learners in their learning effort.
The objectives are self-reliant learning and the achievement of competency in a
domain. Classically, scaffolding refers to support learners get from
interaction with experts, teachers, and peers through learning material,
feedback, and demonstration (Guzdial, M., and Kehoe, C.,1998). In the presence of computer support, the
notion of scaffolding needs to be adjusted. The instructor’s role in providing
the scaffolding support is taken over by a software agent. This allows
innovative forms of support, but there is also the difficulty is to capture the
usually verbal communication and coaching process between an instructor and a
learner in a virtual Web-based setting.
Activity Theory
In a Web
environment, instructors can be replaced by agents that control learner
activities. Activity theory is a framework that can help us to adjust
educational concepts to the Web and other computer-based environments. Activity
theory is a conceptual framework that describes structure, development, and
context of computer-supported activities (Nardi,1997).
Its emphasis on agents in the interaction between learners and their
environments explains the principle of tool mediation - the key problem for the
virtual apprenticeship model. These agents – tools in some form – facilitate
the interaction. These tools shape the way humans interact with reality. Tools
- educational media in our case - reflect experiences other people such as the
master in the apprenticeship approach have made in trying to address similar
problems. This experience is accumulated in structural and behavioral
properties of the tool or medium. A
teaching and learning environment is a tool that provides a student with access
to a part of the reality – the course subject – through educational media
guided by structural and behavioural rules defined by the instructor.
Furthermore, scientists
in many disciplines use sophisticated computer techniques to model complex
events and visualize phenomena that cannot be observed directly. Weather
patterns, medical conditions and mathematical relationships are only some of
the uses to which virtual reality can be put to see many current problems in
three-dimensional simulations. In
education and learning, computer
visualization techniques are now used
for developing visual thinking skills and creative abilities in both
children and adults.
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Higher order thinking with graphic organizers
A
graphic organizer is a visual display that demonstrates relationships between
facts, concepts or ideas. A graphic organizer guides the learner’s thinking as
they fill in and build upon a visual map or diagram .Webs, concept maps, mind
maps and Venn diagrams are some of the
types of graphic organizers used in visual learning to enhance thinking skills
and improve academic performance on written papers, tests and homework assignments.
Webbing
A web is a visual map
that shows how different categories of information relate to one another. Webs
are typically used by students, teachers and professionals as brainstorming
strategies for developing and connecting ideas.Commonly used as a tool to help
begin the writing process or a research assignment, webbing is a brainstorming
method that provides structure for ideas and facts. Brainstorming webs provide
students with a flexible framework for idea development, organizing and
prioritizing information.
Typically, major topics
or central concepts are at the center of a brainstorming web. Links from the
center connect supporting details or ideas with the core concept or topic.
Brainstorming webs are powerful ways to
help students develop and improve fluency with
thinking, discover new ideas and relationships between concepts,Get the
mind going to generate and organize thought processes, new ideas and
information
Concept mapping
A
concept map is a type of graphic organizer used to help students organize and represent
knowledge of a subject. Concept maps begin with a main idea (or concept) and
then branch out to show how that main idea can be broken down into specific
topics. Used as a learning and teaching technique, concept mapping visually
illustrates the relationships between concepts and ideas. Often represented in
circles or boxes, concepts are linked by words and phrases that explain the
connection between the ideas, helping students organize and structure their
thoughts to further understand information and discover new relationships. Most
concept maps represent a hierarchical structure, with the overall, broad
concept first with connected sub-topics, more specific concepts, following.
When created correctly and thoroughly, concept mapping is a powerful way for students to reach high
levels of cognitive performance. A concept map is also not just a learning
tool, but an ideal evaluation tool for educators measuring the growth of and
assessing student learning. As students create concept maps, they reiterate
ideas using their own words and help identify incorrect ideas and concepts;
educators are able to see what students do not understand, providing an
accurate, objective way to evaluate areas in which students do not yet grasp
concepts fully.
Mind mapping
A mind map is a visual representation of hierarchical information
that includes a central idea surrounded by connected branches of associated
topics. Mind mapping is a visual form of note
taking that offers an overview of a topic and its complex information, allowing
students to comprehend, create new ideas and build connections. Through the use
of colors, images and words, mind mapping encourages students to begin with a
central idea and expand outward to more in-depth sub-topics Mind mapping
is a beneficial learning tool to help students brainstorm any topic and think
creatively. Mind maps are particularly helpful in the writing process and
provide students with a natural way of thinking and building thoughts on a story plot or theme.
Mind maps also provide
teachers with insight into their students’ thought process regarding a specific
topic. By asking students to create mind maps demonstrating their comprehension
of a concept, teachers are able to understand
what a student’s prior knowledge was and how well the student understands the
assignment or the material being taught. This is a very effective way of
evaluating students’ understanding.
With free
open-source computer screen-sharing programs like (Dimdim.com) the instructor’s computer can be shared with the
student to ease or provide supplemental
instruction and virtually demonstrate
relationship of concepts , analogies, illustrations etc or the student’s
computer can be shared with the instructor to explain how the function is being performed.
Collaborative software
Collaborative software or groupware
is application software designed to help people working on a common task to
attain their goals. One of the earliest definitions of groupware is
"intentional group processes plus software to support them".
(Johnson-Lenz, Peter; Johnson-Lenz, Trudy 1991). As
regards available interaction, collaborative software may be divided into: real-time collaborative editing
platforms that allow multiple users to engage in live, simultaneous and
reversible editing of a single file (usually a document), and version
control (also known as revision control and source control) platforms,
which allow separate users to make parallel edits to a file, while preserving
every saved edit by every user as multiple files (that are variants of the
original file).[
Group
collaboration software provides tools and programs that are specifically
targeted for groups of individuals that will share information and coordinate
activities for the success of the business of learning. This allows the
instructor or coach to provide guidance , instruction and hints in real time. A
good example is Google docs-Google Docs is
a SaaS application that delivers the
basic office
automation capabilities with support for collaborative
editing over the Web. The application is executed on top of the Google
distributed computing infrastructure, which allows the system to dynamically
scale according to the number of users using the service. Google Docs allows
users to create and edit text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms,
and drawings.
Some other examples , just to mention a few are-
|
Software |
Description |
|
Team
Collaboration and workplace communication platform |
|
Airtable
is a collaborative project management tool for storing project structure and
content. It is a spreadsheet-database hybrid, combining the storage features
of a database with UI and flexibility of a spreadsheet. |
|
|
free/libre
enterprise content management system for Microsoft Windows and Unix-like
operating systems. |
|
|
collaborative
decision-making, team performance management and project management software.
|
|
|
web and
mobile application designed to improve the way teams communicate and
collaborate. |
|
|
web-based
team and content collaboration software |
|
|
online
collaborative writing tool for researchers |
|
|
web-based
project collaboration and management |
|
|
web-based
collaboration and content management for enterprises |
|
|
Basic
Support for Collaborative Work |
|
|
real-time
synchronised video review software |
|
|
enterprise-grade
collaboration with video, voice, screen sharing, messaging and filesharing |
|
|
web
conferencing service |
|
|
cloud-based
collaborative document editor with word-processing, spreadsheets, and
database functionality |
|
|
cloud-based
collaborative mind-mapping software |
|
|
LibreOffice
web based enterprise-ready edition, word-processing, spreadsheets and
presentations. Ships with Nextcloud and other collaborative solutions |
Examples of specific instances of Cognitive Apprenticeship
implementation
*Modeling. The
instructor offers periodic modeling sessions where the instructor explains and
illustrates the thought processes
developed while attempting to analyze philosophical concepts and problems:
Implementation.
Instructor-led videoconference session
*Coaching. The
instructor offer specific guidance to the student while brainstorming/working
on concepts or writing assignments so
that the correct approach is applied to the solution of the problems, with the
objective of providing hints and feedback:.
Implementation.
Individual asynchronous exercise sessions.
* Scaffolding.
Based on gradually more difficult exercises, the instructor leads the student
toward ever more complex challenges, until the student reaches the needed
learning objectives. As these exercises progress forward, the instructor’s
support is gradually removed, until at the end of the course practically no
support is needed:
Implementation. Individual asynchronous
exercise sessions
*Articulation.
Students must explain to the instructor why a specific approach to a problem
works, so that the thinking process leading to the solution can be analyzed and
solidified in the student’s mind.:
Implementation.
Individual concept perspectives discussion with collaborative software
*Reflection.
After each main learning experience, a “reflection” exercise is developed where
the student summarizes what they have learned during the previous period and
how it can be used in practice. .:
Implementation.
Individual concept perspectives discussion with collaborative software
*Exploration.
Students are encouraged to try out new approaches to resolution of the
problems, with the intent of developing independent thought.
Implementation. Discussion forum
participation; and Individual concept perspectives discussion with
collaborative software
CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The study offers
intriguing insights and implications for
developing and designing philosophy courses and explored alternative and
more efficient ways to implement various elements of CA, such as scaffolding
and reflection in philosophy. The study also gives insights into the
development and validation of online or blended philosophy courses and course
guides.
An online or
blended course integrating various forms of learning activities in an authentic setting goes far
beyond the classical provision of lecture material online only. As the study revealed, computer
visualization tools and techniques provide
powerful ways that can help philosophy students
develop and improve fluency with thinking, discover new ideas and
relationships between concepts
• The
cognitive apprenticeship theory is the central
theory that supports teaching and learning ideally where a knowledge/skills mixture is required.
• Activity
theory explains tool-mediation, which is essential for Web-based teaching and
learning systems such as an online or blended philosophy course.
• Scaffolding is
a supporting theory addressing the autonomous, self-reliant learner, which is
needed to adjust the apprenticeship
approach to the Web.
The
implementation shows the feasibility of the virtual tool-mediated apprenticeship
model. Within the framework of cognitive apprenticeship, computer-based
technologies can be powerful pedagogical tools that enhance and expand the
power and flexibility of the resources that can be deployed to support the
various component of cognitive apprenticeship . In turn, cognitive
apprenticeship approach can serve as solid foundation for the instructional
design of computer-based environments whether it is a multimedia, hypermedia,
web-based, or any means of technological delivery systems (Casey, 1996). Using the cognitive apprenticeship framework,
innovative and successful software as well as collaborative tools can be
employed to enable students to quickly learn the essentials of philosophy.
Adobe captivate , articulate storyline and moodle are just some few software
that can be used to create and/or supplement the tutorials for individual
students by simulating the live classroom experience and instructing students
online in real time as they conduct their studies. As the Internet continues to
broaden the opportunities available, the age of computer mediated cognitive
apprenticeship is on the horizon. Like its predecessors, cognitive
apprenticeship and traditional apprenticeship, this new theory will take time
to discover and will most likely be combined with a multitude of other theories
to create the best possible learning environment for all students. The paper
concludes with the charge for an
integrative review of the state of research in this area, for a more
systematic approach and coordinated
program of studies working toward the development, advancement and implementation of guiding principles to
support instructional systems design and pedagogy in philosophy based on
emerging technology and the underlying theories and prevailing practices of
cognitive apprenticeship.
REFERENCES
Collins, A.,
Brown, J. S., & Holum, A. (1991). Cognitive apprenticeship: Making thinking
visible. American Educator: The Professional Journal of the American Federation
of Teachers, 15(3), 6-11, 38-46.
Brown
JS, Collins A, Duguid P (1989) Situated
cognition and the culture of learning.
Educational Researcher. 18: 32–42.
Casey,
C. (1996). Incorporating cognitive apprenticeship in multi-media. Educational
technology research development
44(1),71-84
Guzdial,
M., and Kehoe, C. Apprenticeship-based learning
environments: A principled approach to providing software- realized
scaffolding through hypermedia. Journal of Interactive Learning Research,
9(3/4), 289-336. 1998.
Johnson-Lenz,
Peter; Johnson-Lenz, Trudy (March 1991). "Post-mechanistic groupware
primitives: rhythms, boundaries and containers". International Journal of
Man-Machine Studies. 34 (3): 395–417. doi:10.1016/0020-7373(91)90027-5.
Nardi, B.
(ed.) Educational Context and
Consciousness: Activity Theory and Human-Computer
Interaction. MIT Press. 1997.
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