The Pedagogical
Use of ICT in Schools
- on how the desire to learn may
survive the educational demands for learning
Associate Professor Hans Henrik Knoop
2003, Danish University of Education
Contact: knoop@dpu.dk
Basic Bio-Psychological Dynamics - I
Human biological
Neo-cortex evolution
Code: Order - Chaos ~ 2,5 mi. years
Human cultural ~ 200.000 generations
evolution Learning
~ 1.000 generations The Limbic System
Creativity Code: Pleasure - Pain
Mammals
~ 200 mi.
years
Emotions
Reptiles
Reptile Brain ~ 350 mi. years
Code: Life - Death Basic instincts
Universal tendency towards spontaneous
self-organized complexity growth 2003 Hans Henrik Knoop
Basic Bio-Psychological Dynamics – II
- Essential, Processual Ideals
Spontaneous self-organised growth through
inner and outer construction:
Bildung through active learning and creativity
Inner Locus of Control / Self- Experienced usability
initiative / Large degrees of before, during, and
Freedom / Curiosity after learning /
/ Use it or lose it
2003 Hans Henrik Knoop
Meaning, Joy, and Effective Learning
∞
Anxiety
A3 A4
High
Challenges
A1 A2
Low Boredom
0
0 Low Skills High ∞
Flow: The natural balance between challenges and competence
(Knoop 1997 after Csikszentmihalyi, 1991)
2003 Hans Henrik Knoop
The Flow-Dynamic
It is most fun, most learning rich and most
creative when it i adequately
difficult/challenging
-
Because, in this situation, our entire organism understands
that it is fulfilling its purpose:
To effectively develop its fitness / complexity /competence
–
And reacts with positive emotional feedback
to make us continue in the same manner.
2003 Hans Henrik Knoop
Summary:
Basic assumptions about learning
Learning proceeds better when:
– Learners are active and responsible
– Learners feel secure and adequately
challenged
– Learners enjoy learning through both playful
and disciplined investigation
– Learners experience strong positive emotions
– Learners find the content immediately
useful/enriching
– Learners find content meaningful in a larger
perspective
Educational status 2003:
Often problems on all accounts
Learning proceeds better when:
– Learners are active and responsible
– Learners feel secure and adequately
challenged
– Learners enjoy learning through both playful
and disciplined investigation
– Learners experience strong positive emotions
– Learners find the content immediately
useful/enriching
– Learners find content meaningful in a larger
perspective
The Organizational Basis for Flow
Environmental conditions that are likely to produce flow:
– Clear, liberating, goals
– Clear, manageable rules
– Possibility of adjusting the opportunities for action to our capacities
– Clear information about how well we are doing
– The screening out of distracting elements
Personal skills that are likely to produce flow:
– The ability to set manageable goals for ourselves even if there does
not seem to be anything to do at the moment
– The ability to understand, follow, and create manageable rules
– The ability to match our skills to the opportunities around us
– The ability to read feedback that others fail to notice
– The ability to concentrate easily and not get distracted
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1993) 2003 Hans Henrik Knoop
More flow with ICT than in real life..?!
Environmental conditions that are likely to produce flow:
– Clear, liberating, goals
– Clear, manageable rules
– Possibility of adjusting the opportunities for action to our
capacities
– Clear information about how well we are doing
– The screening out distracting elements
…are often easily found with ICT and difficult to find in
real life…
2003 Hans Henrik Knoop
Basic Organizational Architecture
in Integrating ICT in Schools - Ideally
Guiding ideas (What we want)
– Educational values
– Processual principles
– IT plans
Competence (What we can)
– Theories, Methods, and Tools
Innovative infrastructure (What we do)
– Not too loose, not too rigid collaboration
– Open resource channels
– Open communication balancing dialogue and
discussion
Educational status 2003:
Often problems on all accounts
Guiding ideas (What we want)
– Pedagogical values
– Processual principles
– IT plans
Competence (What we can)
– Theories, Methods, and Tools
Innovative infrastructure (What we do)
– Not too loose, not too rigid collaboration
– Open resource channels
– Open communication balancing dialogue and
discussion
BUT 2003:
The problems are clearly being dealt with
– however, the question remains whether
adequately so…
For Further Reading
Andresen, B. B. & Knoop, H. H. (2003). Pedagogical Use of ICT in Schools. The Danish
Ministry of Education.
Knoop, H. H. & Gardner, H. (1998/2001). Good Work in a Complex World. Cambridge,
Mass.: Harvard University. Online at
http://pzweb.harvard.edu/eBookstore/PDFs/GoodWork7.pdf
Knoop, H. H. (2002). Play, Learning & Creativity – Why Happy Children are Better Learners.
Copenhagen: Aschehoug.