Assessing Emergent Learning

Re: Assessing Emergent Learning

by Phillip Rutherford -
Number of replies: 3

Moved the goalposts or learned that they were actually somewhere else? :-)

You are so correct - emergent learning does escape the 'prior definitions'. It is, after all, emergent  :-)

Seriously, I believe that emergent learning is un-lassoo-able (if there is such a word). The concept, perhaps, but not the phenomenon. IMHO for too long educationalists and training folk have tried to box learning in so that it could be controlled. But learning is continuous and happens without us even knowing. We see directly ahead but our conscious is scanning what is happning to the left and right of us. All of that is mixed with our prior experience and learning to contextualise and create what is happening to us. This is why learning is such a fluid, individual thing.

It is also why so many students learn very quickly what they must do to satisfy the examiner, and not necessarily their own curiosity. It is also why, in my experience, there is a real need to adopt your third point - the need to recognise the truths about learning and rethink education.

 

 

 

 

In reply to Phillip Rutherford

Re: Assessing Emergent Learning

by Kathleen Zarubin -

I so so agree with you Phil re: It is also why so many students learn very quickly what they must do to satisfy the examiner ... 

in fact in the recorded webinar I saw someone write in the chat ....  (words along the lines of ..)

...  Students say ...  "just tell me what to do" 

 

I have said this myself - or even more overtly ...  'LOOK - tell me what you want &  I will give it to you..."  

Especailly when I am doing some 'learning' because I have to ..   in fact I often go straight to the assessment requirements and begin 'there'. 

I am not saying this is 'good'  (or even bad I guess) - It is what it is - especailly  when Person X holds the 'ticks'  and I NEED x amount of 'ticks'  to get Z outcome (almost always a bit of paper)  so I can (most often) give it to Authority Z  ...

So (most often) Authority Z can put a really BIG TICK against my name (and then everyone is happy :) 

I know it sounds cynical and it is, I guess.  In many ways I am sad to say Uni taught me this the most.  (but to be fair that was a long time ago & I am sure things have changed now ) 

and also - please don't get me wrong.  I was the FIRST in my extended family to even go to Uni -  complete with a number of people in the street to see me drive off on my first day .....  and I do have much 'fondness' for my degree and I really did learn how to play  the game ...  a skill which has helped me in life and one I did overtly encourage my children to learn as well ......  (AND I also did learn other things ) 

Maybe a classic case of Emergent Unplanned Learning -  unassessable (except for the fact I got 'good' grades - even from the 'hard markers' lol ) - but valuable learning for some situations nether-the-less :)    ??

In reply to Kathleen Zarubin

Re: Assessing Emergent Learning

by Joyce McKnight -

Kathleen: From becoming acquainted with you in other venues, I would say you play the game well indeed and still manage to learn a lot and connect many diverse ideas well so it is possible to play the game, get the "ticks" and still win...too bad all the "ticks" often discourage folks.    I too have gone for some big "ticks" next to my name, but mostly while I was learning the really important things in life elsewhere and sometimes actually getting to apply that "real" learning to the "tick collection"...the real trick is to somehow find ways to get both "ticks" and satisfying learning...those who do have a right to feel smug about it!  :-)

In reply to Phillip Rutherford

Re: Assessing Emergent Learning

by Pat Tymchatyn -

I would agree with you Phil - "just tell me what I need to do . . .".  This is not only the attitude of students but professors - rubrics so that they can quantify the learning in some way and they tell themselves they are moving from subjectivity to objectivity - and what happened to expert opinion?  HOw to get to the "rethinking of education?"?