Using Psychology to Save You From Yourself

This article Using Psychology to Save You From Yourself was very interesting. I learned about behavioral economics, defined as "a school of economic thought greatly influenced by psychological research — which argues that the human animal is hard-wired to make errors when it comes to decision-making, and therefore people need a little 'nudge' to make decisions that are in their own best interests." Apparently obscure psychological research into human decision-making back in 1955 later revolutionized economics. Daniel Kahneman, an Israeli psychologist, won a Nobel Prize in economics for his work on the subject of the "illusion of validity," a phrase he coined. "From stockbrokers to baseball scouts, people have a huge amount of confidence in their own judgment, even in the face of evidence that their judgment is wrong," according to the article.

Kahneman worked with psychologist Amos Tversky cataloging the ways the human mind systematically misjudges the world around it. Enter economist Richard Thaler, now a well-respected professor at the University of Chicago, who was intrigued by the idea of integrating psychological research and economics. The three of them began to publish their ideas, and initially, mainstream economists largely rejected the work. Economists had been working under the assumption that rational human beings can be counted on to make the best choice for themselves. The new research countered that notion and presented evidence (through research, of course) that flawed decision-making occurs more often than not.

Cass Sunstein and Thaler wrote a book titled Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness. Sunstein, a Harvard Law professor, is President Obama's pick to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, and apparently there are a number of high-level appointees now working in the Obama administration who favor this kind of approach. There is also a blog called Nudge which I found interesting.

Looking back at how many times in my lifetime my judgment turned out to be WRONG - big-time - I am glad to know research backs up this judgment about my judgment.

My Personal Learning Network #3

Since my brain seems to be completely occupied with research (a result of taking a research course in grad school), I find myself drawn to articles written about the “R” word. Amazing how many there are, when you start paying attention. Research really IS everywhere I look these days, and as I learn more about it, I look at it all a little bit differently.

For PLN #3, I will focus on what my Google Reader found to further fill my brain with research topics. Here’s one for my brain ABOUT my brain. What educators can learn from brain research: Breakthroughs in neuroscience are measuring brain response to stimuli and beginning to alter classroom practices. “Enriching and informing classroom practices,” to be exact, which sounds interesting to me. Researchers are using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to scan the brain and measure neural activity in response to stimuli. This has led to a concept called neuroplasticity, meaning the brain's structure is more flexible than previously thought. The article mentions studies that measure reading aptitudes, the causes of and workings of attention-deficit disorder, and the way the brain processes mathematics.

Michael Atherton, a researcher in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota, describes a methodological framework to assess how applicable a study might be for classroom implementation. There are three progressive stages to this framework: Discovery, Functional analysis, and Pedagogical evaluation. According to Atherton, studies that answer the question "Which pedagogical method results in students achieving higher levels of performance?" fit into this last category and can be used to guide instructional design. To me, that just seems like such common sense.

This article came to me from eSchool News, to which I used to subscribe, but now have added to my feed in Google Reader. eSchool News also gave me this interesting article. It tells about Project RED (for Revolutionizing EDucation) which will “examine the outcomes of educational technology initiatives using a cost-benefit analysis to determine which ed-tech programs and devices are having the most cost-effective impact for schools, parents, and states.” According to Jeanne Hayes of the Hayes Connection, one of the consulting firms leading the project, very little research has been done to show the connection between educational technology and cost savings. This does not surprise me.

After identifying and selecting schools that have implemented “ubiquitous technology initiatives,” data gathering will begin. The data will be used to develop a framework for determining which programs and services are most effective in raising achievement. In the next phase, several partner states will join with Project RED to examine larger factors that may be influenced by ed-tech initiatives, and how much money can be saved by using virtual learning. The final phase will deliver data and findings to stakeholders. The project is expected to take about a year. I will be very interested to see the results.

My Personal Learning Network #2

I went to college as an undergraduate in the 1970s. I went to class and the library on campus. I typed my papers on a typewriter. Now, in college as a graduate student, I do none of the above. I have not visited campus, or the library, and I have never even printed a copy of anything I have produced. I have met some of my professors and a few of my fellow students, but only because I went to a couple of social events. Yet I feel like I have a more personal relationship with all of my professors and classmates than I ever did as an undergraduate. This is because I am an online learner. Mostly I learn when and where I want. Sometimes I take my laptop with me on an airplane and keep up with my assignments while visiting with my grandchildren. Other times I am working from home in my pajamas.

For PLN #2, I will focus on online learning. The California K12 High Speed Network feed gives me an article about online learning from eSchool News: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=59508 which refers to a report titled "Learning in the 21st Century: 2009 Trends Update," released June 30 at the 2009 National Educational Computing Conference and jointly sponsored by Project Tomorrow and Blackboard Inc.

According to the report, students want more online learning, and the supply has outpaced the demand. This research study found that “…more than 40 percent of sixth through 12th graders have researched or demonstrated interest in taking a course online, but only 10 percent have actually taken an online course through their school.” Lack of funding and teacher preparation were given by school administrators as key barriers to offering expanded access to online courses in their districts.

I decided to check out what else was available through Google Reader regarding online learning. Finally I came across an interesting blog called Dangerously Irrelevant. I decided to add it to my subscriptions. I thought the author’s name looked familiar: Scott McLeod. Associate Professor, Iowa State University, Director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. None of that rang a bell, but then I saw that he was a co-creator of the “wildly popular video,” Did You Know? (Shift Happens). Now that I remember: as technology coordinator at my school site, I wanted to show that video to the staff, but I was told it was too long. Here it is:

My search led me to a March 2009 post about online learning. http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/03/iowa-a-robust-system-of-online-learning.html Scott McLeod points out, “When most people think about online learning, they think about adults taking online university classes. Or they might think about the online training that occurs in many workplaces. But online learning opportunities occur in the K-12 sector as well and are increasingly popular with students and their families.” He cites some research and talks about efforts underway in different states to facilitate online learning. California is not mentioned. Somehow I am not surprised.