Transformingmoments.Dissonance,liminalityandactionaslearningexperiences
Internationalconference,15thand16thJanuary,2016
UniversityofKent,Canterbury
Learningbycluing.
Howtoevokeacreativeprocessininformation‐basedlearning
ThomasSchmaus(AlanusUniversity,Alfter,Germany)
EnhancedAbstract
Despite all attemps to introduce new didactical methods, higher education is still
dominatedbyinformation‐basedteachingandlearning.Ofcoursetherearestrongrea‐
sonswhythisisso.Butit’salsoafallacytoidentifyknowledgewithinformationasitis
preposteroustothinkknowledgecouldbedeliveredtostudentslikepackagestocusto‐
mers. Learning by heart doesn’t mean learning at heart. If you really want to learn
something,it’snotenoughtomemorize,youhavetointernalize.Otherwiseyou’reinformed
withouthavingaclue.
In my paper I discuss a proposed method, which helps to evoke a creative process in
information‐basedlearning.Icallit‘Learningbycluing’.Thisphraseisinneedofexpla‐
nation: the noun ‘clue’ means ‘hint’, ‘indication’, ‘guideline’ or ‘track’ in relation to
information.Aclueisaspecialkindofinformation,namelyonethatmayguidetoacer‐
taindiscovery,toasolutionofaproblemortherevealingofamystery.Followingthis,
theverb‘toclue’colloquiallymeans‘togiveguidinginformation’.WhenIemphasizethe
processual character in my vocabulary explanation of ‘clue’, I refer to the etymology of
this word: it’s a a spelling variant of ‘clew’ in the meaning of ‘a ball of thread’ with
concrete reference to Greek mythology. Before Theseus was entering the labyrinth of
MinotaurhewasgiftedbyhisbelovedAriadnewithaballofthreadinordertorollitout
and to orientate himself. In so doing Theseus found his way back through the tangled
paths.
‘Learningbycluing’alsoisaninnuendoto‘Learningbydoing’:likethatit’saprocess,
whichrequiresactivityandmobility.Indeeditstartswiththereceivingofinformation,
but goes many steps further. First of all the students are concisely informed about a
theory, a hypothesis or the definition ofa term. After that they receivea clew of clues
with the task to find their own way through the course of history which led to the
regardinghypothesis,isrelevantforthegenesisoftheregardingtermorthelike.Other
cluesmayhelptoorientateoneselfinthepolymorphicfieldsofapplicationofatheoryor
thediverselandscapeofinterpretationandsoon.
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Potential clues could be names of persons who were or are in touch with the
regardingtopic,relevantdates,quotes,argumentationsteps,keywords,bibliographical
references,hyperlinks,images,examples,applicationsituations,narrations,artprojects
orevenphysicalexercises.They’reallclueswhenthey’reabletosupportsomebodyto
getanadvancedunderstandingofatheory(e.g.ofjustice),hypothesis(f.i.oflinguistic
relativity) or an important term (such as ‘autonomy’). This advanced understanding is
baseduponself‐developedhistoricalandcontextualknowledgeconcerningscienceand
lifeworld: the students are challenged to use the clues, they’re given to take along, to
create their own approach to the regarding information and tell a story about the
experiencesontheirownwayof(in‐andtrans‐)formation.
Teachers can distribute different clews of clues (with different tasks) to different
groups of students, which they can then complete individually or collaboratively. In
thesewaysmultilayeredapproachestothetopiccanbecreatedandshared.Theteacher
moderatesthisprocessandinitiatescriticalreflection.
Itispossiblebutnotnecessarytointerpret‘learningbycluing’(andthemetaphorof
variouspossibleguidingthreadsthroughthelabyrinth)inthelightofconstructivisticor
poststructuralistictheoriesofrealityandeducation–withdifferentimplications.Inmy
paperIadducereflectionsonnarrativityembeddedinatheoryofeducationasaprocess
of(self‐)transformation.
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06.02.2016
Learning by Cluing
How to Evoke a Creative Process
i I
in
Information-Based
f
ti
B
d Learning
L
i
Thomas Schmaus
Information-based learning
Necessary – but not necessarily in the ordinary way



Information ≠ Knowledge

Learning by heart ≠ at heart

Memorizing ≠ Internalizing
Being informed ...
without having a clue?
The “Nuremberg Funnel”
as a metaphor for mechanical
teaching and learning
Schmaus – Learning by cluing
Alfter, 16.01.2016
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06.02.2016
Learning by cluing
What does it mean?

Clue (noun)




Hint, indication, guideline, track
to a conclusion, solution, discovery
Clue (verb)

To give guiding information

To follow or track by clues
Clew (etymology)

A ball of thread

R f
Reference
to the
h myth
h off Theseus
Th

Orientation in the Labyrinth of the Minotaur
Learning by doing (analogy)

A process requiring activity and mobility
Schmaus – Learning by cluing
Alfter, 16.01.2016
Learning by cluing
How does it work?

Getting concise information


Recieving a clew of clues to orientate



in the course of history, the polymorphic fields of application
of a theory, the diverse landscape of interpretation, …
e.g. names, dates, quotes, argumentation steps, keywords,
bibliographical references, hyperlinks, images, examples,
application situations, narrations, art projects, physical exercises
Creating your own approach to the regarding information
and narrating the experiences on your own way


about a theory, hypothesis, a definition of a term, …
for a an advanced understanding based upon self-developed
contextual knowledge concerning science and lifeworld
Sharing and discussing with other students and the teacher

moderated by the teacher (with initiation of critical reflection)
Schmaus – Learning by cluing
Alfter, 16.01.2016
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06.02.2016
Learning by cluing
A concrete example
autonomy
Schmaus – Learning by cluing
Alfter, 16.01.2016
Learning by cluing
Philosophical and pedagogical background

Human being as a work in progress

Performing yourself as a self

Process of (trans-)formation

Being yourself in a network of relations

Being part of other formation-processes

Being in the world

Knowledge by encountering, connecting and tracking


Living a
life in flow
Living in
relationsships
Narration as a creative act in the process of
(in- and trans-)formation
Teaching like Ariadne
Schmaus – Learning by cluing
Alfter, 16.01.2016
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