[Xerte] Pedagogical Patterns (was non coders?)

Mon Feb 22 11:39:09 GMT 2010

Here's a pattern I know quite well, written up in as simple a format as
possible. I think  the aim has to be to make these easily undestood and
accessible to the layman, like a good recipe book. The main criticism I
have of intructional design tools is that you normally need a good
insight into ID to use them - in which case, you probably don't need
them. We need to get this to people who don't have the ID insight, and
make it readily accessible.

I took the patterns language from the wikipedia page on pedagogical
patterns, and ripped out most of it, this is what was left. I think as a
guideline we would not want more than a page per pattern. I'm happy to
include the bits I missed out, but I found them a bit confusing. What do
you think?

Design Pattern: Multiple Perspectives

Problem: In many disciplines problems do not have simple, single
solutions. Some problems, particularly in the arts and social sciences,
become more complex as more thought is given to them. Introducing
students to points of view they might not have considered helps broaden
their thinking on the relevant issues, and helps develop a deeper
understanding.

Solution

Present the students with opinions of a diverse group of people on the
issue. Try and include opinions outside the experience of the student.
Prompt discussions between the students. Prompt the students to consider
various aspects of the person and their opinion, and to compare and
contrast the various views portrayed. Ask the student to make a brief
statement before reviewing the media setting out their own position on
the issue. After the media has been reviewed, ask the student to
consider if their position has changed.

Example

Students are developing ideas of a perfect society, and are attempting
to answer the question 'what would make a perfect society?' Prior to
reviewing the material, students print out a worksheet and make a brief
statement of their own view - these might be discussed in the peer
group, where different views will be apparent. However, it is likely
that the peer group will share many viewpoints.

The students are then presented with views on 'the perfect society' from
several different people from very different walks of life and are asked
to consider how the background of the person might influence their views
on society. Students are then prompted to record how the media has
influenced their own viewpoint, and whether it has changed. 

Students then work together in a group to discuss their findings, and
are prompted to discuss other factors with questions such as 'does our
view of society change as we age?' or 'what are the factors that
influence someone's view on society'. Ask the students to identify the
things that have most influenced their own point of view throughout the
exercise, and to suggest further opnions that would be helpful.

See http://example.ac.uk.

Related Patterns

This is useful, but the problem here is that related patterns might not
have been documented yet, so I think this information needs to be held
outside the pattern itself.

From: Tenney Julian 
Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 8:31 AM
To: 'Xerte discussion list'
Subject: RE: [Xerte] non coders?

OK, lets make it happen:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedagogical_patterns has some useful
suggestions for how to document a pattern.

http://csis.pace.edu/~bergin/PedPat1.3.html has some examples of
patterns.

http://www.pedagogicalpatterns.org/ is another project doing this work.

So there is some stuff to start to go at. For me, the result would be a
very friendly set of patterns that are easy to read and understand to
people coming to this for the first time. The problem with some of the
existing work is it quickly gets quite ID-heavy, and I think that might
be a barrier to the target audience we are trying to reach.

I think there is also a can of worms in attempting to classify them as
any taxonomy probably relies on some underpinning theory. I think
behaviourists would probably classify their patterns differently to
constructivists - and indeed would probably have quite different
patterns - it's not my intention to get drawn into those sort of
debates, rather, where a particular strategy has been found to have
value, it should be offered up for re-use.

I like the idea of developing a template with which to describe a
pattern as a first step: what do you think of the headings documented at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedagogical_patterns? Maybe we should try
using them to document a pattern or two of our own?

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
[mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Peter
Pretorius
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2010 7:50 PM
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: Re: [Xerte] non coders?

J,

That sounds like a very worthwhile project.  What you're suggesting is
non-existent, as far as I know.  A toolkit full of pedagogical designs,
complete with illustrations and/or examples.  Wow!  That's an
instructional designer's dream.

- Pete 

On 2/19/10, Julian Tenney <Julian.Tenney at nottingham.ac.uk> wrote: 

Good idea. I was thinking about setting up a page on the xerte web site
maybe, or the wiki, where we can contribute pedagogical design patterns,
maybe with links to examples. I agree entirely that the instructional
strategy is what underpins the actual learning. As a technologist I have
heard educational types chastise me with 'well, we can't have the
technology leading the pedgogy', to which my muted response is usually
something along the lines of 'ok, lets see the pedagogy then'.

I think it would be great for people starting to use online materials in
their teaching to have a source of inspiration for how to use them
effectively. Simple, sound ideas that we can describe in a couple of
paragraphs, and not necessarily Xerte specific.

J

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.nottingham.ac.uk/pipermail/xerte/attachments/20100222/80bf049c/attachment.html