CC0H01NDevelopment in TechnologyLecture 2

-Prakash Shrestha(derived from Week 2 slide of londonmet

presented by Mr. Peiyuan Pan

Learning• What is learning?• What does it involve?

Learning - Behaviourism• Learning as association• Pavlov’s dogs - associating bell with conditioned

response - salivating • B. F. Skinner - Learning as operant conditioningLearning as training - stimulus, response reinforcementPositive reinforcement increases a behaviourNegative reinforcement decreases a behaviourComplex behaviours - constructed from simple

behavioursSkinner box - controlled environmentPigeon learning to press leaver to receive food pellet

Chomsky’s critique & Cognitive Science• Skinner published ‘Verbal Behaviour’ in 1957 explaining language

learning as based upon operant conditioning.• Noam Chomsky in a review of ‘Verbal Behaviour’: • a child learns in an ad hoc fashion exposed to a finite number of

sentences• yet is able to master the complex rules of grammar and has the

capacity to construct and understand an infinite number of sentences• Innateness hypothesis - Universal Grammar• Significant internal processing of information• Explain human autonomy - free will• Birth of Cognitive Science - human psychology as information

processing - humans as computers• Cognitive Science - still controversial to some

Learning• What is learning?• Is it the same as memorising?• If not why not?

Learning

• Learning involves:• Understanding - applying knowledge to new

situations• Problem solving• Integrating new knowledge with existing

knowledge• Active process - questioning, evaluating,

criticising new ‘knowledge’• Abstracting - getting the essence - most important

features• Learning requires engagement - how do we

engage with the material?

Engagement - Notemaking• Making notes - active engagment:• Processing the information• Organising the information - ordering, connecting,

integrating• Abstracting - getting the essential concepts • Chunking - to handle complexity - limits of short term

memory - 7 ideas• Provides a record of ideas - to plan essays, revision for

exams

How to make Notes - linear outline• Linear • Organisation - outline- Main sections/concepts & sub sections - Numbering points- Highlight key words and phrases (capitals, colours,

underlining)- Brief summary in your own words- Keep notes brief - don’t copy large chunks- Record sources & direct quotations

How to make notes - Mind Maps• Graphic Organisers, Spider diagrams, Semantic

Networks, Mind maps (Tony Buzan)• Uses ‘Key Recall Words’ - all we need to recall the

rest of the information• Saves Time:- notemaking - reading- searching for key words in notes- searching for connections• Buzan claims Mind Maps work the same way as

the brain works through association rather than linearly

Mind Maps• Start with the central concept in the middle - draw a

coloured image if possible• Lines with descriptive text link to other concepts• These links may then branch further • Use colours and images to make the map memorable• Mind maps can also be used for ‘brainstorming’

Freemind• Freemind is a free open source mind mapping

tool written in Java• http://freemind.sourceforge.net/

Reading• How do you think reading for academic

purposes might differ from reading for a book for pleasure?

Academic Reading• Active - reading with a purpose- raise questions before reading- evaluate while reading - is it true, does it make sense,

are the conclusions justified?- take notes - main points, mind map, underlining,

highlighting• Selective - survey before reading the whole article/book - ‘Gut’ the book for the most important partse.g. just read the first and last chapters

SQR4• Survey• Question • Read• Recall• Review• Record

Time Management- Setting Goals

• “A computer on every desk and in every home, all running Microsoft software”

Bill Gates - Microsoft’s mission statement• What is the importance of setting goals?

Setting Goals• Its rare that you get what you want in life by

luck or accident• To achieve what you want it is important to set

your self goals.• Make these goals specific. Why specific?• Think of your goals when making your daily

plans. Why?

Time Management• Time is precious. If you are to achieve your goals

you need to use it consciously and carefully.• There are 168 hours in a week. To understand

how you are using it keep a Time Log.

Time Management- Planning• Make a Timetable for your week.• There is a timetabling tool in Weblearn. There

are tools online Google Calendar, Yahoo Calendar. Also MS Outlook or Apple iCal are useful.

• You can also use these for monitoring your use of time.

Planning - To Do lists• A useful way of making sure things get done.• Prioritise your tasks- Important and Urgent- Important but Not Urgent- Urgent but Not Important- Not Urgent Not Important (diversionary)Why might it be valuable to make sure you schedule time

for the ‘ Important but Not Urgent’ ?

Time Management• Pareto Principle - ‘vital few’, 80/20 ruleA small number of items bring the most benefits - which

ones on your To Do list are these? prioritise them and allocate time to these.

• Law of Diminishing Returns• Parkinson’s Law - ‘Work expands to fill the time

available’• Deadlines - why not give yourself an earlier deadline.

What benefits?

Procrastination

• When faced with a difficult task that you are tempted to put off, try using:

• Salami Technique - slice the task into a number of small steps - and promise to do at least the first step

• Balance Sheet Method -reasons for procrastinating vs benefits of doing the

job• 5 Minute Plan - promise yourself that if you work

for just 5 minutes on the task you can turn to something else. Evalaute after 5 minutes.

Sources• Learn How to Study, Derek Rowntree (Time Warner, 1998)• Use your Head, Tony Buzan (BBC Worldwide, 2000)• Getting Things Done, Edwin C. Bliss(Futura Publications, 1976) • Studying and Learning at University, alan Pritchard (Sage Publications, 2008)