Constructivist Learning and Mantle of the Expert Pedagogy - A Case Study of an Authentic Learning Activity, the “Brain Game”, to Develop 21St Century Skills in Context

Grace Lawlor, Brendan Tangney

2016

Abstract

Making new meanings and relating them to existing knowledge and systems is at the heart of the constructivist approach to learning. Authentic learning builds on this by exploiting the power of information and communications technology (ICT) and is often delivered as a project based learning experience. Authentic learning aligns well with the 21st Century (21C) approach to teaching and learning which emphasises the development of key skills, such as problem solving, creativity and collaboration, along with the mastering of curriculum content. Against this backdrop this study seeks to explore a particular approach to technology mediated, authentic, project based, constructivist, 21C teaching and learning which uses the “Mantle of the Expert” pedagogy from drama education as a way of structuring an innovative learning experience. Mantle of the Expert learning explicitly uses role-play in which, within an imagined context, learners take on the role of experts within an enterprise and work together to solve a problem. The “Brain Game” is a model activity that immerses learners within an authentic context, collaborating with peers to manage a project within deadlines. Technology is a central element of the intervention as it provides a means for learners to engage in role-play through email, researching information online and producing deliverables. 144 students aged 13-14 from 11 schools participated in an exploratory case study involving two one-day workshops. The findings of the study suggest that a technology mediated approach was effective in developing students’ 21C skills and that “Mantle of the Expert” is an appropriate pedagogy to use in designing authentic learning experiences.

References

  1. Abbott, L. 2007. Mantle of the Expert 2: Training materials and tools. Essex, UK: Essex County Council.
  2. Aitken, V. 2013. Dorothy Heathcote's Mantle of the Expert approach to teaching and learning: A brief introduction. Connecting curriculum, linking learning, 34-56.
  3. Bell, S. 2010. Project-based learning for the 21st century: Skills for the future. The Clearing House, 83(2), 39-43.
  4. Bennett S., Maton K., and Kervin L. 2008. The 'digital natives' debate: A critical review of the evidence. British journal of educational technology. 39(5): p. 775-786.
  5. Blatner, A. 2013. Warming-up, action methods, and related processes. The Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry & Group Psychotherapy, 61 (2).
  6. Bruce, C. S. 1999. Workplace experiences of information literacy. International journal of information management, 19(1), 33-47.
  7. Diehl, W., Grobe, T., Lopez, H., & Cabral, C. 1999. Projectbased learning: A strategy for teaching and learning. Boston, MA: Center for Youth Development and Education, Corporation for Business, Work, and Learning.
  8. Eisenberg, M. B., Lowe, C. A., & Spitzer, K. L. 2004. Information literacy: Essential skills for the information age. Greenwood Publishing Group, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06825.
  9. Heathcote D, & Bolton G 1994. Drama for learning: Dorothy Heathcote's Mantle of the Expert approach to education. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Press. Heston, Heathcote, D., & Herbert, P. 1985. A drama of learning: Mantle of the expert.Theory into practice, 24(3), 173- 180.
  10. Herrington, J., Oliver, R., & Reeves, T. C. 2003. Patterns of engagement in authentic online learning environments. Australian journal of educational technology, 19(1), 59-71.
  11. Hong, N.S., 1998. The relationship between well-structured and ill- structured problem solving in multimedia simulation. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. The Pennsylvania State University Press.
  12. James, M and Lewis, J. 2012. Third Generation Assessment in a Primary Classroom In Gardner, J.N and Gardner J. (Eds.) Assessment and Learning (2012). Sage.
  13. Jones, B. F., Rasmussen, C. M., & Moffitt, M. C. 1997. Real-life problem solving: A collaborative approach to interdisciplinary learning. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  14. Johnston K., Conneely C., Murchan D., Tangney B. 2015, Enacting key skills-based curricula in secondary education: lessons from a technology-mediated, groupbased learning initiative. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 2015. 24(4): p. 423-442.
  15. Kay, K. 2010. 21st century skills: Why they matter, what they are, and how we get there. 21st century skills: Rethinking how students learn, 2091-2109.
  16. Lawlor, J., Conneely, C., & Tangney, B. 2010. Towards a pragmatic model for group-based, technologymediated, project-oriented learning-an overview of the B2C model. In Technology Enhanced Learning. Quality of Teaching and Educational Reform (pp. 602- 609). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
  17. Lawlor J., Marshall K., Tangney B. 2015. Bridge21 - Exploring the potential to foster intrinsic student motivation through a team-based, technology mediated learning model, Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 1-20.
  18. Lombardi, M. M. 2007. Authentic learning for the 21st century: An overview. Educause learning initiative, 1(2007), 1-12.
  19. Mitra, S., & Dangwal, R. 2010. Limits to self organising systems of learning-the Kalikuppam experiment. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(5), 672-688.
  20. Moore, R., Lopes, J., 1999. Paper templates. In TEMPLATE'06, 1st International Conference on Template Production. SciTePress.
  21. Moursund, D. 1999. Project-based learning using information technology. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
  22. Sullivan K., Marshall K., and Tangney B. 2015. Teaching without teachers; peer teaching with the Bridge21 model for collaborative technology-mediated learning. Journal of IT Education: Innovation in Practice, 2015. 14: p. 63-83.
  23. Tangney B., Bray A., and Oldham E. 2015. Realistic Mathematics Education, Mobile Technology & The Bridge21 Model For 21st Century Learning - A Perfect Storm, in Mobile Learning and Mathematics: Foundations, Design, and Case Studies, Crompton H. and Traxler J., Editors. Routledge. p. 96-105.
  24. Thomas, J. W. 2000. A review of research on project-based learning. Retrieved from http://www.bobpearlman.org/BestPractices/PBL_Rese arch.pdf 1/Feb/2016.
  25. Van Der Meij, H., & Boersma, K. 2002. Email use in elementary school: An analysis of exchange patterns and content. British Journal of Educational Technology, 33(2), 189-200.
  26. Wickham C., Girvan C., and Tangney B. 2016. Constructionism and microworlds as part of a 21st century learning activity to impact student engagement and confidence in physics, in Constructionism 2016. Bangkok. In press.
Download


Paper Citation


in Harvard Style

Lawlor G. and Tangney B. (2016). Constructivist Learning and Mantle of the Expert Pedagogy - A Case Study of an Authentic Learning Activity, the “Brain Game”, to Develop 21St Century Skills in Context . In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU, ISBN 978-989-758-179-3, pages 265-272. DOI: 10.5220/0005906102650272


in Bibtex Style

@conference{csedu16,
author={Grace Lawlor and Brendan Tangney},
title={Constructivist Learning and Mantle of the Expert Pedagogy - A Case Study of an Authentic Learning Activity, the “Brain Game”, to Develop 21St Century Skills in Context},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU,},
year={2016},
pages={265-272},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0005906102650272},
isbn={978-989-758-179-3},
}


in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU,
TI - Constructivist Learning and Mantle of the Expert Pedagogy - A Case Study of an Authentic Learning Activity, the “Brain Game”, to Develop 21St Century Skills in Context
SN - 978-989-758-179-3
AU - Lawlor G.
AU - Tangney B.
PY - 2016
SP - 265
EP - 272
DO - 10.5220/0005906102650272