Strategies for Learning with Computers

The last groups of strategies are best described as constructivist in orientation. Learning with computers refers to learners using their computers as tools for learning rather than relying on their computers to act as reference books or as teachers. Interactions in learning with computers rely on the computer’s computation power to do things such as calculate, remember, retrieve information, sort, organize, and graphically present. Jonassen (1996) has coined the term “mindtools” to describe this kind of learning strategy. He defines mindtools as “computer applications that, when used by learners to represent what they know, necessarily engage them in critical thinking about the content they are studying”

The research and application of learning with computers has focused on using computers as mindtools in traditional K–12 and higher education classrooms. The importance of this is that learners are more and more working in physical spaces equipped with computers, Internet access, and other technology and so are able to build or construct knowledge working with others. The group learning aspect of learning with computers cannot be discounted. Steketee (2002) researched students’ perceptions of cognitive tools in this kind of environment to understand why, despite the impressive qualities of cognitive tools, the tools have largely failed to deliver a transformation in learning. Her findings suggest that successful use of mindtools requires more than a single learner using the computer to enhance his or her thinking. The real value of learning with computers is realized when a group of learners uses the tools in a collaborative effort to achieve a common goal. This has implications for the design of instruction and strategies that employ mindtools.

Instructional designers who want to use mindtools a part of an e-learning program have several options. The tools can be used in live virtual classrooms, in asynchronous group learning, and as part of a blended learning program.

Strategies for learning with computers are most effective for group learning, as opposed to self-paced instruction. Using the computational power of the computer to offload work means groups can focus on higher-order learning such as analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information in order to construct knowledge. These programs will also require a significant change in roles for learners and facilitators. Learners must take responsibility for their learning and be willing to work with others. Facilitators, meanwhile, must shift to the role of posing authentic problems, encouraging learners to value diverse points of view, and encouraging learners to compare their personally constructed meanings with those of a larger community of experts.

Before looking at strategies for learning with computers, it should be noted that constructivist strategies are not frequently found in corporate or professional development. A review of the literature by Thompson suggests that “adult learners tend to want to learn skills quickly without entering into the kinds of reflection and elaboration brought about in a constructivist learning environment”. He also notes that corporate training primarily utilizes an objectivist model for learning.

The following section provides a sampling of the mindtools available for designing programs that encourage group learning and the construction of knowledge. Agents or intelligent agents are programs that gather information or perform some other service without the user’s immediate presence and on some regular schedule. These programs are also called bot, short for robot, because, like a robot, they can be given directions (parameters) and sent off to search the Web for information. To see example of bots, visit the Bot Spot at www.botspot.com/ to see search bots, chatter bots, and tracking bots.

Blogs or Web logs are journals kept on the Web. A blog is a web page made up of usually short, frequently updated postings arranged chronologically. The content and purposes of blogs varies greatly—from links and commentary about other websites to news about a company/person/idea. Blogs can have a single author or they can be shared by a group. Because they are easy to access and use, they offer a tool for promoting critical reflection and insight.

Calculators are online programs that perform computational operations via data input. The processing is done on a remote computer and does not require the learner to have any software. The result is displayed onscreen. Examples of calculators range from the frivolous to the fantastic. There are discipline-specific calculators for astronomy, engineering, medicine, and finance. These calculators can be used to model problem solving and, in some cases, the calculators graph the data to make visualization possible.

Concept maps offer a way to represent information visually as means of making complex information understandable “at-a-glance.” As a tool, concept mapping applications allow learners to construct, communicate, share, navigate, and critique knowledge in a representative model.

Digital cameras offer yet another means of engaging learners with visuals. Learners can document events, gather information for later analysis, clarify their communication, and add dimension to their presentations with digital images.

Databases offer students powerful tools for storing, organizing, managing, and sorting information. Creating the database requires reflection and a tangible conceptualization of information. Once the database is designed, learners can manipulate large amounts of data and see relationships and trends not possible without a computer.

Expertise locator applications link learners to experts in a domain. These sites allow learners to access knowledge from an expert that may not be available elsewhere. Learners can use the Internet to expand their resources for learning.

Instant messaging applications make learners aware that colleagues and experts are online and allow them to communicate with others in real time through private chat areas. These programs enable learners to get quick answers and tap into resources that might not otherwise be available.

Modeling tools are applications that enable one to enter variables and observe the outcomes. Examples of this are spreadsheets where one can explore the impact of supply and demand by observing what a change in demand will do to price, project management software where one can see the impact of changing items on the critical path, and financial applications that show the impact of changing the interest rate.

Organizers are templates and applications that allow learners to plan in a structured fashion. The organizers can include fishbone diagrams, Venn diagrams, storyboards, flowcharts, and family tree software. These online tools can help students visually organize data and share it with other learners.

Presentation tools encompass a number of web-based applications that enable learners to organize and communicate their knowledge. Give serious consideration to alternative presentation software such as digital video, audio-based tools that produce radio-style documentaries, and other technologies that force learners to organize information and critically reflect on communicating the information.

Productivity applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, databases, and other tools can be used to support learners in constructing knowledge. The files created by these applications can be shared via e-mail, stored in a shared directory, or posted to a website.

Surveys online allow learners to gather data using Internet-based data-gathering applications such as interviews and focus groups. The value of these kinds of tools is limited by the nature of what is to be studied. Facilitators must assist learners by providing a clear understanding of research design and analysis for this medium.

Team spaces are applications that create a virtual workroom in which learners can assemble collective materials, check documents in and out, keep a calendar, post notes, create a library, and manage who has access to the room. Team spaces are ideal for collaborative learning and resource sharing.

Threaded discussions, forums, and discussion boards enable learners to post a topic and engage peers in a running dialog about the topic. Notes are posted and dated so that participants can see the dialog evolve. In some cases, old threads can be datamined for best practices and lessons learned. These forums can also be places for communities of practice where new members can ask questions of those more experienced.

Visualization tools graphically display data to facilitate better understanding of its meaning. Graphical capabilities range from simple scatter plots to complex multidimensional representations.

This section has classified three ways computers can be used in interactions: learner-material, learner-learner, and learner-instructor. The challenge is to sort through the interactions to understand the available options. There is no magic formal for interactions; there are simply a number of strategies available to instructional designers.