Tech-Mediated Learning

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Subject: [PD 3903] Re: text to speech is just one feature of tech-mediated learning
From: Silver-Pacuilla, Heidi
Date: Wed Aug 5 21:24:25 EDT 2009

Hello all—sorry to be coming late to this very interesting discussion.

I see that the element of social learning/socially mediated literacy is being raised and discussed as well tonight, but I thought I'd respond here first.

As someone who has taught and studied literacy mediated through technology such as Anne describes, what I would like to emphasize as the strengths of the approach is the availability of the kinds of supports Heide mentions as necessary to comprehension, but there is still a strong role for a mentor/instructor/guide/facilitator.

Text to speech is only one feature supplied by literacy software packages - or thoughtful bundles of accessible technologies. Hearing the text is only the beginning, and if the vocabulary or structure of the text is too complex, it's not going to lead to comprehension.

Other features must be taught to be used strategically so that learners can not only hear a text but LEARN with and through it. These scaffolding features include e-dictionaries and other reference sources, including video supports; highlighters and other note makers for annotations and later extraction; word processors w spell checkers; drafting, outlining, and webbing tools that can serve as the graphic organizers, etc.

These tools are clearly instructional as well as study tools. First, many adult learners need to learn how to draw information from these kinds of scaffolds (what does a graphic organizer represent? how do you annotate a text? what is a summary?); at the same time, they need to learn how to use them technically/get comfortable manipulating them; AND also at the same time, they are learning to use them to learn with and through text. As learners learn to do all of this, they can really boost their ability to self study -- this is NOT to say, however, that all texts become comprehensible. I'm sure we could each find a text in our home that is incomprehensible without serious study, even if someone (trying to be helpful) reads it aloud to us (garbage disposal installation, anyone?).

As many of you know, I'm a big proponent of teaching all of this at the same time. I advocate for computer classes that are also teaching content and vice versa, I think the research is pretty clear that technology-mediated learning (for all of us!) is most efficiently done through authentic, meaningful tasks and rarely in isolation.

Peers and family support networks are excellent mediators for all of this. It takes some good humor, patience and humility to learn in new ways!

So, I'll try to watch the rest of the discussion, learn from what you all are doing, and jump in in a more timely way if I can share some examples or resources.

Heidi Silver-Pacuilla
American Institutes for Research
Washington, DC

Subject: [PD 3916] Re: text to speech is just one feature of tech-mediated learning
From: Steve Kaufmann
Date: Wed Aug 5 23:24:56 EDT 2009

Rubem Alves is a Brazilian educator that I discovered as part of my Portuguese studies.

Some of his comments are pertinent to the discussion of teaching people how to understand what they read.


There is a complete incompatibility between the pleasant experience of reading, a vagabond experience, and the experience of reading for the purpose of answering questions of meaning and understanding.

"Nothing destroys the pleasure of reading as much as questions from the teacher about interpretations, strategies or analysis".

Once a centipede was asked how he could operate all of his numerous feet in such an orderly manner without getting them confused. The centipede shook his head, shrugged, and said that he had never given it a thought. From that time on, the centipede became unable to move, the legs all got in the way of one another.

Steve Kaufmann

Subject: [PD 3917] Re: text to speech is just one feature of tech-mediated learning
From: Alpha Computer Live
Date: Thu Aug 6 07:56:57 EDT 2009

Hi Heidi,

Excellent points. Especially those on learning computer skills while teaching content. Thanks.

Jeff Brown
www.alphacomputer.ca

Subject: [PD 3931] Re: text to speech is just one feature of tech-mediated learning
From: Michael S. Curry
Date: Fri Aug 7 08:29:38 EDT 2009

Steve,

R. Alves has done considerable work on contextual influences in interpretative analysis...not unlike Gestalt-like "filling in the gaps" that are highly subject to cultural and socioeconomic conditions. How these existential realities effect understanding and interpretation is as relevant to learning as are the technologies used. Reading is a hermeneutic circle that entails not only the written word (either read or heard) but also the reality of the setting in which the learning takes place. The same technology applied in an upper class living room using the same text will be interpreted differently when applied to a contrasting setting like a bomb shelter or a jail cell. I'm interested in any work being done to measure the effects of such differing "reading rooms" upon technology usage and consequent interpretation/understanding. Alves has touched upon this theme via Bible studies conducted in barrios versus cathedral settings and the results are truly amazing. I wonder what studies have been done on such a concept when technologies are layered into the mix?

Michael

Subject: [PD 3938] Re: text to speech is just one feature of tech-mediatedlearning
From: Steve Kaufmann
Date: Fri Aug 7 14:49:36 EDT 2009

Michael,

This sounds interesting. I do not know of any such studies. It does argue in favour of letting the reader/listener enjoy the content in his or her own way, without too much deliberate instruction on how to interpret the content. This is more likely, in Alves' opinion, to engage the reader and encourage the reader to read more, and reading more is the key to reading better.

Steve

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