VKB Theory Part
Visual Knowledge BuildingWhat is Visual Knowledge Building ? To answer this question we first have to define knowledge . What does knowledge exactly mean?
What is the definition of knowledge?
According to Wikipedia, knowledge is defined variously a s (i) facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, (ii) what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information or (iii) awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation. Philosophical debates in general start with Plato's formulation of knowledge as "justified true belief". " There is however no single agreed definition of knowledge presently, nor any prospect of one, and there remain numerous competing theories.
What is the definition of knowledge?
According to Wikipedia, knowledge is defined variously a s (i) facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, (ii) what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information or (iii) awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation. Philosophical debates in general start with Plato's formulation of knowledge as "justified true belief". " There is however no single agreed definition of knowledge presently, nor any prospect of one, and there remain numerous competing theories.
The process of acquiring knowledge is a complex one. Knowledge acquisition involves complex cognitive processes: perception, learning, communication, association and reasoning. The term knowledge is also used to mean the confident understanding of a subject with the ability to use it for a specific purpose.
Now that we know the definition of knowledge we can focus on the knowledge building part. So what is knowledge building?
According to Wikipedia Knowledge Building theory was created and developed by Carl Bereiter and Marlene Scardamalia in order to describe what a community of learners need to accomplish in order to create knowledge. The theory address the need to educate people for th e knowledge age society, in which knowledge and innovation are pervasive (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2003).
Scardamalia & Bereiter distinguish between Knowledge building and learning. They see learning is an internal, (almost) unobservable process that results in changes of beliefs, attitudes, or skills. By contrast, Knowledge building is seen as creating or modifiing public knowledge. KB is knowledge that lives ‘in the world’ and is available to be worked on and used by other people.
So according to Scardamalia & Bereiter the term learning is perceived as a more traditional way of gaining and acquiring knowledge. You as a person acquire knowledge as an individual. Learning is an individual cognitive process. You memorize information, you act upon this information and you cultivate information from these things you have a solid base from which you can further develop on.
Knowledge Building is a quite different form of gaining and acquiring knowledge.
Knowledge building refers to the process of creating new cognitive artifacts as a result of common goals, group discussions, and synthesis of ideas. These pursuits should advance the current understanding of individuals within a group, at a level beyond their initial level of knowledge, and should be directed towards advancing the understanding of what is known about that topic or idea.
We speak of knowledge building when the twelve principles can be found. Scardamalia (2002) identifies twelve principles of Knowledge Building.
- Real ideas and authentic problems. In the classroom as a Knowledge building community, learners are concerned with understanding, based on their real problems in the real world.
- Improvable ideas. Students' ideas are regarded as improvable objects.
- Idea diversity. In the classroom, the diversity of ideas raised by students is necessary.
- Rise above. Through a sustained improvement of ideas and understanding, students create higher level concepts.
- Epistemic agency. Students themselves find their way in order to advance.
- Community knowledge, collective responsibility. Students' contribution to improving their collective knowledge in the classroom is the primary purpose of the Knowledge building classroom.
- Democratizing knowledge. All individuals are invited to contribute to the knowledge advancement in the classroom.
- Symmetric knowledge advancement. A goal for Knowledge building communities is to have individuals and organizations actively working to provide a reciprocal advance of their knowledge.
- Pervasive Knowledge building. Students contribute to collective Knowledge building.
- Constructive uses of authoritative sources. All members, including the teacher, sustain inquiry as a natural approach to support their understanding.
- Knowledge building discourse. Students are engaged in discourse to share with each other, and to improve the knowledge advancement in the classroom.
- Concurrent, embedded, and transformative assessment. Students take a global view of their understanding, then decide how to approach their assessments. They create and engage in assessments in a variety of ways.
E-learning and Blended learning
According to Wikipedia electronic learning or e-learning is a general term used to refer to computer-enhanced learning. It is used interchangeably in so many contexts that it is critical to be clear what one means when one speaks of 'eLearning'. In many respects, it is commonly associated with the field of advanced learning technology (ALT), which deals with both the technologies and associated methodologies in learning using networked and/or multimedia technologies. 
So there are a vast amount of examples when you can speak of e-learning. As long as it is supported and enhanced by a computer. A clear example of e-learning can be attending and following an online class or lecture. Given this example therefore E-learning is best suited with distance learning. Nowadays people have the possibility to follow a whole study via the ways of e-learning. They can follow a study at home via the internet. A clear example of this is the Dutch LOI that offers complete courses and studies online.
The diagram below shows that e-learning can be very useful. There are three forms that show different goals of e-learning. Each form of e-learning have a different goals and outcomes on students on behalf of their learning methods. E-learning by distributing for instance enables the student to learn from information, this is a very basic and traditional way of how students learn. But when e-learning is combined with interaction, students will learn from feedback that is given through the interaction. And when we take it to the next level; e-learning by collaboration will have as a result that students will learn from different perspectives.
But with all the advantages that come with e-learning, there are also disadvantages. There is a lack of physical human interaction. And we are still pretty much used and accustomed to that fact. Blended learning takes away this problem.
Blended Learning
What is blended learning then? It is simply defined as a mix of traditional face-to-face teaching and learning combined with electronic learning.
The exact definition is; the combination of multiple approaches to learning, blending virtual and physical resources, e.g. combining technology-based materials and face-to-face sessions. A typical example of this would be a combination of technology-based materials and face-to-face sessions used together to deliver instruction.
In the strictest sense, blended learning is anytime any instructor combines two methods of delivery of instruction. However, the deeper meaning lies in engaging the students of the current generation. Thus a better example would be using active learning techniques in the physical classroom and a social web presence online. Blended learning is a term that represents a shift in instructional strategy.
Current usage of the term
With today's prevalence of high technology in many countries, blended learning often refers specifically to the provision or use of resources which combine e-learning (electronic) or m-learning (mobile) with other educational resources. Next to the formal live face-to-face part where a lecturer or an instructor leads the class, or gives a training or workshop, coaching and mentoring, other forms can be included such as online virtual collaboration. Examples are live e-learning classes or e-mentoring. And then there is the form of self paced learning. Examples of this form can be seen in web learning modules, online resource links, simulations, scenarios, video and audio CD/DVDs, online self-assessments and workbooks.
Digital Natives vs Digital ImmigrantsA digital native is a young person who was born during or after the general introduction of digital technology, and through interacting with digital technology from an early age, has a greater understanding of its concepts. Alternatively, this term can describe people born in the latter 1970s or later, as the Digital Age began at that time; but in most cases the term focuses on people who grew up with 21st century modern technology.
A digital immigrant is an individual who was born before the existence of digital technology and adopted it to some extent later in their life.
Between these two groups of generations there is an obvious conflict. Education, as Marc Prensky states, is the single largest problem facing the digital world as our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language. Immigrants suffer complications in teaching natives how to understand an environment which is "native" to them and foreign to Immigrants.
Prensky described 10 cognitive style changes between the two groups.
Digital Immigrants VS 
Conventional Speed
Step by step
Linear Processing 
Text First
Work-Oriented
Stand Alone 
Passive
Patience
Reality
Technology as a foe
Constructivism What is constructivism? It is a learning theory that argues that humans construct meaning from current knowledge structures.
Constructivism is a set of assumptions about the nature of human learning that guide constructivist learning theories and teaching methods. Constructivism values developmentally appropriate, teacher-supported learning that is initiated and directed by the student.
Constructivist theory
Formalization of the theory of constructivism is generally attributed to Jean Piaget, who articulated mechanisms by which knowledge is internalized by learners. He suggested that through processes of accommodation and assimilation, individuals construct new knowledge from their experiences.
About Assimilation
So to make it clearer; How do you learn? Do you make links to previous knowledge?
About Assimilation
So to make it clearer; How do you learn? Do you make links to previous knowledge?
If you do, how do you adapt your learning?
Adding new info to what you already know (existing framework)?
Filling up spots which have been left open?
A puzzle that is being completed bit by bit?
Assimilation:
When individuals assimilate, they incorporate the new experience into an
already existing framework without changing that framework.
This may occur when individuals' experiences are aligned with their internal
representations of the world, but may also occur as a failure to change a
faulty understanding; for example, they may not notice events, may
misunderstand input from others, or may decide that an event is a fluke and
is therefore unimportant as information about the world.
About Accommodation
Again: How do you learn?
About Accommodation
Again: How do you learn?
Have you ever had to adapt you views after making mistakes?
When you expected you ‘ know’ something and act accordingly, but this turned out to be wrong?
This ‘piece’ does not belong to the puzzle you thought you were working on.
Accomodation:
In contrast, when individuals' experiences contradict their internal
representations, they may change their perceptions of the experiences to fit their internal representations. According to the theory, accommodation is the process of reframing one's mental representation of the external world to fit new experiences.
Accommodation can be understood as the mechanism by which failure leads to learning: when we act on the expectation that the world operates in one way and it violates our expectations, we often fail, but by accommodating this new experience and reframing our model of the way the world works, we learn from the experience of failure, or others' failure.
Pedagogies based on constructivism
In fact, there are many pedagogies that leverage constructivist theory. Most approaches that have grown from constructivism suggest that learning is accomplished best using a hands-on approach. Learners learn by experimentation, and not by being told what will happen. They are left to make their own inferences, discoveries and conclusions. It also emphasizes that learning is not an "all or nothing" process but that students learn the new information that is presented to them by building upon knowledge that they already possess.
In most pedagogies based on constructivism, the teacher's role is not only to observe and assess but to also engage with the students while they are completing activies, wondering aloud and posing questions to the students for promotion of reasoning (DeVries et al., 2002). (ex: I wonder why the does not spill over the edge of the full cup?) Teachers also intervene when there are conflicts that arise; however, they simply facilitate the students' resolutions and self-regulation, with an emphasis on the conflict being the students' and that they must figure things out for themselves. For example, promotion of literacy is accomplished by integrating the need to read and write throughout individual activities within print-rich classrooms. The teacher, after reading a story, encourages the students to write or draw stories of their own, or by having the students reenact a story that they may know well, both activities encourage the students to conceive themselves as reader and writers.
Social constructivism
views each learner as
- a unique individual, backgrounds, needs
- complex and multidimensional
- active learners, learning by doing
Social constructivist approach
- Instructors have the role of facilitators and not teachers (Bauersfeld, 1995).
- No Teachers who only “tell”, but Facilitators who “ask”
- Learners should themselves actively construct knowledge with the help of a facilitator
Have student to ‘discover’ principles, concept and facts themselves through interactions with others and their environment
Connectivism
Connectivism is a theory of learning based on the premise that knowledge exists in the world rather than in the head of an individual. Connectivism proposes a perspective similar to the Activity theory of Vygotsky as it regards knowledge to exist within systems which are accessed through people participating in activities. It also bears some similarity with the Social Learning Theory of Bandura that proposes that people learn through contact. The add-on "a learning theory for the digital age", that appears on Siemens paper indicates the special importance that is given to the effect technology has on how people live, how they communicate, and how they learn.
One aspect of connectivism is the use of a network with nodes and connections as a central metaphor for learning. In this metaphor, a node is anything that can be connected to another node within a network such as an organisation: information, data, feelings, images. Connectivism sees learning as the process of creating connections and developing a network. Not all connections are of equal strength in this metaphor; in fact, many connections may be quite weak. The idea of organisations being cognitive systems where knowledge is distributed across a network of nodes can be traced back to the work of March and Simon. This metaphor is directly borrowed from Connectionism, a paradigm in cognitive sciences that sees mental or behavioral phenomena as the emergent processes of interconnected networks.
Principles of connectivism
- Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.
- Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources.
- Learning may reside in non-human appliances.
- Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known
- Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.
- Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
- Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities.
- Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.
