Principals for Learning

Gee identified ten principals that were considered fundamental for learning (Jonassen, 2008, p. 54).  The three I would like to discuss are the Active, Critical Learning Principle, the Committed Learning Principle and the Discovery Principle.  I feel all three of these principals are important to the education process.

The Active, Critical Learning Principle states that every aspect of the learning environment should encourage active learning and not just sitting and passively taking in information.  This principal promotes learning through discovery and active experimentation.  The Committed Learning Principle states that learners participate in an extended engagement, where there is lots of effort and practice, as an extension of their real-world identities in relation to a virtual identity to which they feel some commitment and a virtual world that they find compelling.  All this to say, it is important that the student identify with what they are learning in order to completely accept what they have been exposed to.  The the Discovery Principle states obvious telling is kept to a well-thought-out minimum, allowing ample opportunities for the learner to experiment and make discoveries.  This principal seems much like that of the Active, Critical Learning Principle and this is why I believe it works well together and even supports each other in the learning process.

If I were to create a simulation for a Social Studies class, I would support the contemporary world simulation.  Students would be given the choice to study a society via the computer, choosing from Europe, Russia, North America, Middle America, South America, Southwest Asia-North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, or the Pacific Realm and the types of technology that was used during that era.  The variables that students would be able to manipulate would be the location in which they choose to research, historical and contemporary event in the society they chose and the manner in which they present their information.  Students will learn to compare institutions common to all societies such as government, education, and religious institutions. Students explain how the level of technology affects the development of the selected societies and identify different points of view about selected events.

In conclusion, I believe if learning is engaging and fun, students will be more likely to take an active part in their education.  I also, feel the more senses an educator can involve in the learning process, the more beneficial she will be in reaching her entire audience.

Jonassen, D, Howland, J, Marra, R, & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill/ Prentice Hall.