The Science of Learning Skit
Mr. Smith, Instructor
Billy Bob, Student
It is the beginning of a new school day, and Billy Bob is ready to learn. Seated in his desk, Billy Bob eagerly waits for Mr. Smith to begin his lesson. Mr. Smith walks in wearing a lab jacket.
Mr. Smith: Good morning, class. Today we will be learning about Learning Science.
Billy Bob: Oooooh... (thinks a minute, then raises his hand) What is Learning Science, Mr. Smith?
Mr. Smith: What is Learning Science? Why, it is the science of instruction! It is how we come to gain deep learning through the aid of a good learning environment.
Billy Bob: Uh... (thinks a minute, then raises his hand) Mr. Smith? What is deep learning?
Mr. Smith: Deep learning is having ownership of your information- making it your own. Deep learning is exhibited by adaptive expertise, the ability to apply knowledge to another area, as opposed to routine expertise, such as memorization of a specific text for the correct answer on a test. For instance, in learning about the Civil War, deep learning is organizing information and shallow learning is knowing the names and dates.
Billy Bob: Does that mean I don't need to know the names and dates?
Mr. Smith: No. You must learn them for the test! Routine expertise is much easier to measure, so I will continue to use it.
Billy Bob: Okay... (thinks a minute, then raises his hand) Mr. Smith, what is a good learning environment?
Mr. Smith: A good learning environment is one in which students are encouraged to use deep learning.
Billy Bob: Well it seems to me that deep learning leads to more deep learning. It seems like it would take a lot to prepare for an environment like that, but when that is done, the learning might be deeper.
Mr. Smith: That is exactly right. Much preparation, time and energy is spent to break the traditional trends that emphasize the ability for students to think about their own learning. Because of that, many students get in the habit of letting their instructors make their own choices for them, not to mention the stress students receive from their parents who want them to get good grades on their tests instead of truly learn and understand information.
Billy Bob: Boy do I know what you're talking about there! My Mom sure wants me to do well in this class. But she also really wants me to do really well with my friends, in my other ten classes, in soccer, baseball, and tennis, and piano and violin lessons, and in my church and community.
Mr. Smith: Whoa, sounds like you have cognitive overload, or too much content!
Billy Bob: Yeah, I guess I really do. It's really hard to take the time to learn things deeply when I have so many other things to do, especially in-between baking bread and texting my friends all day long and checking e-mail and reading the news.
Mr. Smith: Hmm.... I'll tell ya what. Let's take time next class about the Civil War to really just think about things, and apply them. We'll use our class time to let you do that instead of memorize dates and names.
Billy Bob: Gee, thanks Mr. Smith. This is a really great learning environment.
Mr. Smith: Well, that's enough for today! See you tomorrow, Billy Bob.
Billy Bob: Bye, Mr. Smith!
Billy Bob, Student
It is the beginning of a new school day, and Billy Bob is ready to learn. Seated in his desk, Billy Bob eagerly waits for Mr. Smith to begin his lesson. Mr. Smith walks in wearing a lab jacket.
Mr. Smith: Good morning, class. Today we will be learning about Learning Science.
Billy Bob: Oooooh... (thinks a minute, then raises his hand) What is Learning Science, Mr. Smith?
Mr. Smith: What is Learning Science? Why, it is the science of instruction! It is how we come to gain deep learning through the aid of a good learning environment.
Billy Bob: Uh... (thinks a minute, then raises his hand) Mr. Smith? What is deep learning?
Mr. Smith: Deep learning is having ownership of your information- making it your own. Deep learning is exhibited by adaptive expertise, the ability to apply knowledge to another area, as opposed to routine expertise, such as memorization of a specific text for the correct answer on a test. For instance, in learning about the Civil War, deep learning is organizing information and shallow learning is knowing the names and dates.
Billy Bob: Does that mean I don't need to know the names and dates?
Mr. Smith: No. You must learn them for the test! Routine expertise is much easier to measure, so I will continue to use it.
Billy Bob: Okay... (thinks a minute, then raises his hand) Mr. Smith, what is a good learning environment?
Mr. Smith: A good learning environment is one in which students are encouraged to use deep learning.
Billy Bob: Well it seems to me that deep learning leads to more deep learning. It seems like it would take a lot to prepare for an environment like that, but when that is done, the learning might be deeper.
Mr. Smith: That is exactly right. Much preparation, time and energy is spent to break the traditional trends that emphasize the ability for students to think about their own learning. Because of that, many students get in the habit of letting their instructors make their own choices for them, not to mention the stress students receive from their parents who want them to get good grades on their tests instead of truly learn and understand information.
Billy Bob: Boy do I know what you're talking about there! My Mom sure wants me to do well in this class. But she also really wants me to do really well with my friends, in my other ten classes, in soccer, baseball, and tennis, and piano and violin lessons, and in my church and community.
Mr. Smith: Whoa, sounds like you have cognitive overload, or too much content!
Billy Bob: Yeah, I guess I really do. It's really hard to take the time to learn things deeply when I have so many other things to do, especially in-between baking bread and texting my friends all day long and checking e-mail and reading the news.
Mr. Smith: Hmm.... I'll tell ya what. Let's take time next class about the Civil War to really just think about things, and apply them. We'll use our class time to let you do that instead of memorize dates and names.
Billy Bob: Gee, thanks Mr. Smith. This is a really great learning environment.
Mr. Smith: Well, that's enough for today! See you tomorrow, Billy Bob.
Billy Bob: Bye, Mr. Smith!
2 comments:
thanks for sharing this with us - definitely a creative way to think about it.
Were you inspired to do this by the IPT forum talk by Sorenson?
I was actually just thinking about how well I learned the scriptures when I decided one day to write "Scripture Scripts" for some stories, and I decided to try it on IP&T! But I may have been motivated by Sorenson. :)
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