EduSci: Part 1 & 2

Part 1

THEORY 1

Jean Piaget theory of cognitive development

Jean Piaget theory of cognitive development is about the nature and the development of human intelligence. Piaget’s theory comprises of 4 stages and they are: Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational. According to this theory, from birth to about 2 years of age, humans perceive the world through the senses (seeing, hearing, touching and smelling, grasping).  From the age of two years and older till 7 years, humans are more intuitive and represent things with words and images. Logical reasoning is absent. From the age of 7 to 11, logical thinking starts, and the development of mathematical skills evolves. After the age of 12, humans are able to reason abstractly.

Photo by Samantha Sophia on Unsplash

In this picture, the child is about to grab something thrown in the air:

1. The child is looking up, instinctively as the object that she wants to grasp is up.

2. The hands are open to grasp.

3. Sense like seeing also, is shown as her eyes are open and she is looking at the object.

THEORY 2

Kolb's experiential learning

David Kolb’s theory of experiential learning is concerned with two types of levels and they are the four-stage cycle of learning and four separate learning styles. In this part, I will discuss the four-stage cycle. They are concrete learning, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. In this, the concrete stage deals with when the future learner encounters a new experience; this is followed by the reflection and observation. In the next stage, ideas are thought a process in relation to the reflection and observation, after which the last stage is experimentation where the future learner applies and tries what he/she observe while at the same time forming a new experience.

Photo by Rachel on Unsplash

In the picture above, the child is learning climbing in her sports class:

1. The teacher first demonstrated them the safety measures that is required when climbing (concrete stage & observation). 

2. The child observed the teacher and other senior students climbing (reflection & process of observation). 

3. With each step that the child takes now for climbing, she is experimenting and forming new experience, for e.g. keeping balance. (experimentation).

Part 2

My ideal learning environment:

My ideal learning deals with Gamification. This can be a good platform for students to learn by gamifying the content of what needs to be learn. Furthermore, the assessment and feedback can be given through the platform too. Second-life is a platform where students can do different activities and learn throughout the journey the game takes them through.

Theoretical foundations of gamification:

Gamification as a learning environment is new, has gain popularity recently in literatures. There is consensus yet on the exact theory that exist with gamification to support it.  However, several authors have published in the area of gamification and how it can support learning, detailing evidence on its advantages and disadvantages and its possible future in designing future learning environments (Miller, Cafazzo, and Seto 2016, 184-193; Cardador 2017, 353-365; Patel et al. 2017, 1586-1593; Basten 2017, 76-81). One theory that has been developed is the gamification effectiveness theory (Amir 2014). The model of this theory can be seen below:

Preliminary Theory of Gamification Effectiveness (Amir & Ralph, 2014)

Image source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266656865_Proposing_a_theory_of_gamification_effectiveness/figures?lo=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic

Target groups:

The target group can be learners that may not necessary be physically be in the same place. So teaching is virtual and students can be from Finland or also international.

The necessary components of the space:

• The space should include the software (free to use)
•  PC with basic hardware requirements and headset.

Here is a link of an example of the screencast that I would like to create in the future:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtZmMcZAIvA

Bibliography

Amir, Bilal. 2014. "Proposing a Theory of Gamification Effectiveness.". https://uef.finna.fi/PrimoRecord/pci.acm2591148.

Basten, Dirk. 2017. "Gamification." IEEE Software 34 (5): 76-81. https://uef.finna.fi/PrimoRecord/pci.proquest1943303166.

Cardador, M. Teresa. 2017. "A Theory of Work Gamification: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Cool?" Human Resource Management Review 27 (2): 353-365. https://uef.finna.fi/PrimoRecord/pci.sciversesciencedirect_elsevierS1053-4822(16)30068-7.

Miller, Aaron S., Joseph A. Cafazzo, and Emily Seto. 2016. "A Game Plan: Gamification Design Principles in mHealth Applications for Chronic Disease Management." Health Informatics Journal 22 (2): 184-193. doi:10.1177/1460458214537511. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cin20&AN=115739576&site=ehost-live.

Patel, Mitesh S., Emelia J. Benjamin, Kevin G. Volpp, Caroline S. Fox, Dylan S. Small, Joseph M. Massaro, Jane J. Lee, et al. 2017. "Effect of a Game-Based Intervention Designed to Enhance Social Incentives to Increase Physical Activity among Families: The BE FIT Randomised Clinical Trial." JAMA Internal Medicine 177 (11): 1586-1593. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.3458. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cin20&AN=126195998&site=ehost-live.