Re: cognitive apprenticeship

Katherine Goff (Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu)
Mon, 19 Jan 1998 08:40:45 -0700

Rachel writes:
>The first thing I do is sit the person down in front of the computer and
>sit or stand behind their shoulder. Then I _tell_ them which button to
>push (sometimes literally guiding their hand the first few times if it's
>necessary), watch them observe the effect, make a comment and go on to
>the next step. The important thing is that the student is always
>_doing_
>the action him/herself, not _watching you_ do it. Joking and
>reassurance
>are essential, e.g. "It always does exactly what you tell it - that's
>the
>problem!" The key word is "demystify." Which means, of course, letting
>go of the omniscient "expert" role as we usually like to play it. After
>whatever time seems appropriate, I start asking _them_ which button they
>think should be pushed, or item menu clicked, etc. Sooner or later
>(usually sooner) it becomes a game for them, and they don't want you to
>be too directive!

>The idea is to empower the junior member of the dyad, not confer some
>sort of mystical ordination and gnostic knowledge. Most
>non-computer-literate people really would like to learn, if only to
>break
>the feeling of being at something else's mercy. The trick is to make it
>look achievable so they're willing to take the risk, and not have to
>fear
>losing face in the process.

I feel uncomfortable taking up so much time/space on my personal
situation, but I was trying to tie this into the discussion of levels
of context and systemic analysis of educational change.

I also teach Staff Development courses and do "on the spot" training"
and will attest that Rachel's suggestions are very effective in a
limited way.

Schools are not structured to support this kind of new learning for
teachers. I can teach a class to teachers who then go back to a
classroom with older equipment than I have in my lab, or a class that
has to share a computer with another class, or no support when she
first runs into trouble. Repairs of equipment can take up to 4
weeks-enough time for a junior to forget how to do something. I have
some success with on the spot the training, but most of my working day
is scheduled for teaching classes to students, I can not run down the
hall whenever there is a need for help in the classroom. Many teachers
still view computers as an enhancement of learning and if they spend
105% of their time trying to get every student on grade level (as
assessed by some standardized test)for reading and math, computers fall
at the end of the list of important things to do.

I can see how this supports a reproduction of capitalism in the
Information Age. Students with computers at home already know how to
use the one in their classroom, students with no access to computers
except 25 minutes a week in the computer lab will not have the skill or
comfort level with computer technology that the high status and high
paying jobs of the future will require.

And, yes, I do see some hope, but the glimmer of light at the end of
the tunnel is a long way off. Lots of things need to change, not just
teacher expectations.

Kathie

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Life's backwards,
Life's backwards,
People, turn around.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Sinead O'Connor and John Reynolds
Fire on Babylon: Universal Mother^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu
http://ouray.cudenver.edu/~kegoff/index.html