Vicarious Learning: Cognitive and Linguistic Effects of Observing Peer Discussion.

The Vicarious Learning project is aimed at understanding the role of dialogue in learning about complex conceptual domains. The fundamental assumption of “vicarious learning” is that students can receive benefits from exposure to discussions among their peers and between students and tutors. To elicit dialogues that can be captured, F. Dineen developed “Task-Directed Discussions” (TDDs) based on exercises used in teaching English as a foreign language. Students using TDDs are able to have productive discussions very quickly. Videotapes of student discussions using TDDs were used to develop a dissemination system that allows multimedia to be integrated with the primary teaching material. An experiment was run to investigate the efficacy of these “vicarious learning” resources insa controlled laboratory setting using part of a Master’s level course in computers in teaching. Eighteen students used the vicarious learning materials and 18 others did not. Results show some benefits in learning and substantial positive changes in attitudes and discussion behavior for students having access to vicarious learning resources. Implications for instruction are discussed. (Contains 17 references.) (SLD) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** Vicarious Learning: Cognitive and Linguistic Effects of Observing Peer Discussions John Lee Finbar Dineen Jean McKendree Ten-y Mayes U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 00<document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI posifion or policy. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY 5,ect_yi ofk&tkelAcifee TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This paper is prepared for the: Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association in Montreal Canada April 1999 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Presented at American Educational Research Association, AERA ’99, Montreal, Quebec, 20-23 April, 1999. Vicarious Learning: cognitive and linguistic effects of observing peer discussions John Lee*, Finbar Dineen^, Jean McKendree*, and Terry Mayes^ *Human Communication Research Centre, University of Edinburgh ^Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation, Glasgow,Caledonian University The Vicarious Learning project is aimed at understanding the role of dialogue in learning about complex, conceptual domains. Experience and research have shown that dialogue is an essential component of learning, particularly in complex, conceptual domains [5, 11, 16]. However, with increasing class sizes and the move toward more computer-based courses, particularly in tertiarylevel and distance learning courses, this component is ever-decreasing and in some danger of disappearing completely. We believe that the role of technology should be to push back the threshold imposed by these constraints by opening up new media for discourse that are not subject to the same bottlenecks as traditional methods [10]. The fundamental assumption of ‘vicarious learning’ is that students can receive benefits from exposure to discussions among their peers and between students and tutors. Our aim is certainly to promote learning, but also to facilitate modeling of patterns of language in new domains. This acquisition of ‘speech genres’ or specialised patterns and vocabulary is an important component of learning any new domain and, we believe, one which requires exposure to language ‘in use’ by practitioners [17] as well to texts and other written curriculum material. In several experimental laboratory studies and university courses, we have developed and refined our understanding of how to design, capture, store, index, retrieve and re-use educational discussions. This new type of learning resource holds out promise both for isolated or distance