Learning to learn revisited

 

          Learning to learn revisited: Computers and the development of self-directed learning skills an article by Lieberman, D. A., & Linn, M. C. (1991), has great insight on educational software that focuses on self-directing learning. The author Debra A. Lieberman. Ph.D. is someone to admire and take into high regard. She focuses on social, behavior and cognitive outcomes and produced interactive health education software, evaluates automated medical records and clinical information systems. Computers have brought a wide range of educational resources that can provide either collaborating learning or autonomous learning.  There is attention to self-direct learning throughout the article where educators can find a broad variety of lessons and educational theories.  When using computers for autonomous learning, scaffolding, skilled strategies, and motivation should be included to assure a successful self-directed learner, (Lieberman, & Linn 1991).  The self-directed learner should be able to hold the role of an educator to themselves.   They should be able to guide their learning, setting plans to reach their goals, evaluate their achievements and failures, and evolve their skills. According to (Lieberman, & Linn 1991), they can develop more advanced solving strategies, procedural skills, and self-monitoring through computer-based learning.  Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) gives the learner the ability to be self-directing, offer accommodating scaffolding and motivation because of positive outcomes.  Another advantage of CAI is the development of self-monitoring, higher order thinking, managing one’s own education, reinforcing what has been taught and skill development. “A curriculum could first provide a computer tutor for topic knowledge instruction, evaluation, and remediation and then make simulation available to allow the learner to use the topic knowledge in a realistic setting”, (Lieberman, & Linn 1991). Learners also benefit from being in control of the pace they learn and can get immediate feedback from certain educational software. There are recommendations for teacher facilitation in order for the learner to improve on advanced skills. The computer-delivered instructional content requires high-quality content with clear instructional delivery to achieve the lesson's objective.   There are several programs that are mentioned, such as DISCOVER, STELLA , Rocky’s Boots and others that enforce computer software ability to provide self-direction, motivations and structured learning to the learner.

      Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) has evolved immensely since this article first published and I have been lucky to not only see the development but experience its evolution.   Presently, CAI is used in the company I work for to refresh or learn skills, policies and new processes.  There are online training courses that are called computer-based training (CBT).  There are courses that are assigned which are mandatory to complete in a certain due date.  These CBTs are taken in masses to assure that there is compliance with regulations and policies by all employees.   CBTs in the corporate world develop self-direction.  The employees have CBTs designed to motivate, reinforce and add to their knowledge.  CBT implements self-directing, self-monitoring, and independent learning but also are used to simulate bank processes that have been taught to the employee.  The simulation permits the employee to advance their skill without fear of mistake in real-life situations, in turn, increase their motivation and confidence towards their work.  Completing my CBTs give me a better self-perception and drive for autonomous learning.  With the CBTs, I can dictate when I go in to complete it, or how slow or fast I go through it, as long as it is done on the due date. In a corporation that holds a high mass of employees, it is important to apply autonomous and self-directing learning wherever possible and CAI delivers this reality.

 

Reference:

Lieberman, D. A., & Linn, M. C. (1991). Learning to learn revisited: Computers and the development of self-directed learning skills. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 23(3), 373. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1080/08886504.1991.10781968