Everyone Is An Expert!
All the articles we read this week seem to stem from or expound on the Granddaddy article "Learning by Doing," which explains and details Schank's Goal Based Scenario (GBS) Instruction method. As I am very fond of baking and especially love chocolate chip cookies, I had no problem following the example set forth in the article. The additional articles seemed to hash and rehash Schank's theory and approach and just did not excite me quite as much.
Not that I didn't appreciate all the examples, models and advice on applying GBS in an online environment - I did! But, should I say it? Just reading all the articles seemed to put me in a state of conflict. I thought - here I am reading about learning from doing. I really felt like I should be trying to design a online GBS system, rather than reading about one! Ahh, but that is what this course is all about and I will definitely get my chance. No doubt, I'll be referring back to these articles when that time comes!
Which reminds me; there was plenty of discussion about memory (which I do find fascinating) and how we file information away for use at a later date. This is a key to understanding true learning. We are capable of absorbing information, storing and using it. Information that has already served its purpose or has not been used is purged from the mind. This is what makes GBS an exceptional method for retention of knowledge; the content will be used.
If there was one true gem that I really took from this segment of our studies - it is that everyone is an expert at something! I really like this concept! Reading that was one of those light bulb turning on over the head, big smile on my face moments. It is profound. Who really cares that GBS has 7 essential features - when EVERYONE is a expert!
OK, so I really do care, and I will probably follow the guidelines closely to develop a module that does contain all the essentials!
Not that I didn't appreciate all the examples, models and advice on applying GBS in an online environment - I did! But, should I say it? Just reading all the articles seemed to put me in a state of conflict. I thought - here I am reading about learning from doing. I really felt like I should be trying to design a online GBS system, rather than reading about one! Ahh, but that is what this course is all about and I will definitely get my chance. No doubt, I'll be referring back to these articles when that time comes!
Which reminds me; there was plenty of discussion about memory (which I do find fascinating) and how we file information away for use at a later date. This is a key to understanding true learning. We are capable of absorbing information, storing and using it. Information that has already served its purpose or has not been used is purged from the mind. This is what makes GBS an exceptional method for retention of knowledge; the content will be used.
If there was one true gem that I really took from this segment of our studies - it is that everyone is an expert at something! I really like this concept! Reading that was one of those light bulb turning on over the head, big smile on my face moments. It is profound. Who really cares that GBS has 7 essential features - when EVERYONE is a expert!
OK, so I really do care, and I will probably follow the guidelines closely to develop a module that does contain all the essentials!
Hi Cindy,
I can't agree more on what you said about the readings of this week. It's hard for me to think and come up with ideas from the statistics examples that I have no idea about. Although I still could get some ideas of how the system work, but just not as clear as the chocolate chip examples
Miya
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At the school I used to teach at we used to refer to the expert in us all as the "light within" - as in, there's always that still, yet powerful part of each one of us... and our work was to teach to that (in addition to all of the other aspects of teaching the children)
I hadn't focused on the everyone being an expert - so glad you wrote about it so that I could make that connection!
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Matthew, Miya - Thanks to both of you for your supportive comments! I guess my light within shines a little brighter when it focuses on chocolate chip cookies!
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Cindy,
I had the same experience you did. There I sat reading about doing and feeling all wrong about the situation. I did appreciate the examples though and do learn much easier when I am given a concise explanation of the theory or method and then am given solid examples. Another idea for presentation would be to take the presentation and use a screen capture program and narrate through the example showing how the method is used. Reading about doing just doesn't DO IT for me.
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OK Jill! Let's see what we can DO on our next module!
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I liked your comment on everyone being an expert. I remember the first time I took a class and the instructor told us we were going to proceed like experts. At first I was scared, I'm no expert. But with guidance I learned we can all be experts at something. Or at least learn the skills the experts use.
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Cindy, it's fascinating that you bring up reading about learning about doing. What a great point. I think we're still learning by reading and then applying what we learn by doing, if that makes sense.
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Rachel and Jennifer, thanks for your comments. Yes, if we proceed by following the examples of experts we can get to our own expert status much quicker!
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