1. “It is not what you teach, but what they learn that counts!”
2. 1st Acquire information, 2nd Remember it, 3rd Use it!
(not just about box ticking.....)
FITTING LEARNING TO HUMAN COGNITION
Dr Itiel Dror
[email protected]
users.ecs.soton.ac.uk/id/train.html
School of Psychology
University of Southampton
United Kingdom
If it fits the human cognitive system, then:
• Learning is optimised
• Less effort in design
• More learning in less time
 Efficient and effective learning!
How do we optimise learning?
How do we optimise learning?
Let’s see an example: Please count the number of
appearances of the letter ‘F’ in the paragraph below
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE
SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI
FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH
THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS...
Let’s see another example: Please count how many times the
white team passes the ball (without it bouncing off the ground)
Let’s see another example, please read:
THE PWEOR OF COGITVIE KONLWDEGE
Say the colour of the ink, not the word:
Tunnel vision not to take the way learners
learn into account (i.e., drive design and delivery)
How do we optimise learning?
• Fit it to human cognition/brain
• Best medium
– Technology?
– Which technology?
– Blend learning?
– How to properly blend?
• Technology is not always needed (sometimes it is even
detrimental)
• Technology too often drives the learning (not supports it)
• Because ‘we can do it’ does not mean we should!
 Does technology enable a better fit to cognition/brain?
Does technology enable a better fit to cognition/brain?
•
•
•
•
Sometimes... (need to know when)
How to use it properly (need to know how)
‘Using it’ does not mean/entails/guarantees success!
Can lead to grand failures...
However,
• TEL offers a great set of tools with huge potential
• IF......
• Take the time and effort to utilise these learning
technologies
• Give them a proper ‘chance’ with proper resources (also
commitment)
What is the ‘practicality’ of this?
Must understand cognitive underpinning to make informed
decisions how (if) to use technology and construct
training.
For example, how encoding determines if/how information is
going to be used!
 gaming, interactive video, immersive learning, etc.
For example, be aware of cognitive load
not surpass the limited capacity of the system
does not mean less (quantitative), just work with it
(qualitative) utilising technology to convey the information
more efficiently and effectively.
Training to identify aircraft
What orientations
are best to
use during
training?
And in what order
(& progression)
are they most
effective?
F-14
Galab
F-15
F-18
Mig 19
Mig 21
Mig 29
SU-27
Optimising learning:
What aircraft, what order, aircraft/orientation within/between
presentations, individual vs. category learning, ‘clever’ and
sophisticated ways to making learning efficient!
F-15
F-18
Mig 29
SU-27
Increase learning,
but memory too…
and its application!
Modularity
Different parts of the brain do different things,
specialise in certain cognitive processes.
This is not a new idea….
We know the brain sub-specialises:
• Selective brain damage
• Dual task paradigm
• Functional brain scans
What is the practicality of ‘modularity’?
• What parts of the brain are we ‘targeting’?
• What are their characteristics?
• How can we spread the learning load among different
modules?
Qualitative approach
Where we use our knowledge of the human brain to
enhance learning, to maximise its efficiency!
Understanding of
the brain/mind
Specific and practical
ways to construct
enhanced learning
Thank you!
For more information,
[email protected]
www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~id/train.html
Dr Itiel E. Dror
School of Psychology
University of Southampton