Learning In School and Out   Instructor Leona Schauble University of Wisconsin-Madison Purpose and Goals: A good understanding of the design "tools" available (and how to use them) is essential for the design of effective learning environments. However, I do not know of a systematic consideration of the design tools available across a range of learning contexts, in and out of school. Similarly, we now have several theorists reminding us of the importance of "context" in learning, but we do not yet have anything like a theory of context. Accordingly, the purpose of this class is to grapple seriously with the challenge of identifying and contrasting key "ingredients" of a range of learning contexts, including the aspects of those contexts that one might deliberately vary to design an environment where learning is likely to occur. Although we are not likely to develop a robust theory of context over the course of one class, our overall purpose is to understand better the general shape that such a theory might take. We will do this by engaging in consideration of the characteristics and properties of different kinds of learning environments. Our investigation will entail both direct experience and reading. We will start off with a very brief discussion of schools, but move quickly to "informal" learning environments. So that we can build together on a base of shared experiences, we will focus especially on two illustrative cases: museums and television. However, we will also be considering learning environments identified on the basis of the interests and knowledge of participating students. As part of our common class experience, we will design two studies that can inform the design of informal learning environments: one within a children's museum and one with material produced by an educational television production company. Depending on the interests of the students in the class, we will carry out one or both of the studies and (if we succeed!) prepare them for publication under group authorship.   Expectations of Students: This class will be conducted as a seminar. The instructor will not lecture or "deliver" material to the students. Instead, we will be working together -- sometimes as individuals, sometimes in small groups -- to make sense of a new area of investigation. This means all students will be expected to participate actively as co-investigators. Responsibility for making our class time productive will be shared by all of us. Students who do not wish to struggle with the ambiguity and responsibility that this approach requires may want to re-evaluate their commitment to the course. I expect that students will have thoughtfully read the assigned readings before class begins. Students will occasionally be asked to visit a learning environment in the neighborhood (e.g. the Madison Children's Museum, a local karate school) and return with an analysis of the context. Students will participate in a class-conducted research project. Those students who are not able to or prefer not to make a trip out of town to work on data collection for the project will be asked to introduce the class to one additional informal learning environment.   I. What kinds of questions do we want to use to guide our analysis of learning environments?   II. Considering our most familiar learning environment: schools. Two views of schooling. Reading: Resnick, L.B. Learning in school and out. Educational Researcher, 16, 13-20. Carpenter, T.P., & Lehrer, R. (in press). Teaching and learning mathematics with understanding. In E. Fennema & T. Romberg (Eds.). Mathematics classrooms that promote understanding. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.   III. Practice-based theories of learning Reading Lave, J. (1991) Situating learning in communities of practice. In R.B. Resnick, J.M. Levine, and S.D. Teasley, Eds. Socially shared cognition. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Collins, A., Brown, J.S., & Newman, S.E. (1989). Cognitive apprenticeship: Teaching the crafts of reading, writing and mathematics. In L.B. Resnick, Ed. (1989) Knowing, learning and instruction. Hillsdale, JN: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Schauble, L., Beane, D.B., Coates, G.D., Martin, L.M.W., & Sterling, P.V. (1996) Outside the classroom walls: Learning in informal environments. In L.Schauble & R. Glaser (Eds.) Innovations in learning: New environments for education. Mahwah, JN: Erlbaum.   IV. Television: Is television a learning environment? Reading: Huston, A.C. & Wright, J.C. (1989) The forms of television and the child viewer. In G. Comstock, Ed. Public communication and behavior. San Diego: Academic Press. Huston, A.C., & Wright, J.C. (1997). Mass media and children's development. In W.S. Damon, I. Sigel, & A. Rennings, (Eds). Handbook of child psychology, Vol. 4. New York: John Wiley.   V. Television II: Planning a study Reading: Anderson, D.R., & Collins, P.A. (1988). The impact on children's education: Television's influence on cognitive development. Working paper No. 2. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement. Gleick, J. (1997) Addicted to speed. New York Times Magazine, Sept. 28, 54-61.   VI. Community-based youth organizations Reading: Brown, B.B. & Theobald, W. (in press). Learning contexts beyond the classroom: Extracurricular activities, community organizations and peer groups. In K. Borman and B. Schneider, (Eds.) Youth experiences and development: Social influences and educational challenges. National Society for the Study of Education. Flower, L. (1996). Collaborative planning and community literacy: A window on the logic of learners. In L. Schauble & R. Glaser, (Eds.) Innovations in learning: New environments for education. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.   VII. Youth organizations II: Spotlight on performance Reading: Fine, G.A., & Mechling, J. (1993). Child saving and children's cultures at century's end. In S. B. Heath & M. W. McLaughlin, (Eds). Identity and inner-city youth. New York: Teachers College Press. Ball, A., & Heath, S.B. (1993). Dances of identity: Finding an ethnic self in the arts. In S.B. Heath & M.W. McLaughlin, (Eds.) Identity and inner-city youth. New York: Teachers College Press.   VIII. The world of work Reading: S. Scribner (1984) Studying working intelligence. In B. Rogoff & J. Lave, Eds. Everyday cognition: Its development in social context. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Martin, L.M.W. & Scribner, S. (1991). Laboratory for cognitive studies of work: A case study of the intellectual implications of a new technology. Teachers College Record, 92, 583-601. Beach, K. (1993). Becoming a bartender: The role of external memory cues in work-directed educational activity. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 7, 191-204. Hall, R. (1997). Following mathematical practices in design-oriented work. Draft manuscript obtained from author, Berkeley, CA: University of California at Berkeley.   IX. Sports Reading: Heath, S.B. "It's about winning!" The language of knowledge in baseball. In L.B. Resnick, J.M. Levine, & S. D. Teasley, Eds. Socially shared cognition. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.   X. Museums Reading: Matusov, E., & Rogoff, B. (1995). Evidence of people's development from people's participation in communities of learners. In J. H. Falk & L. D. Dierking (Eds.), Public institutions for personal learning: Establishing a research agenda (pp. 97-104): American Association of Museums. Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Hermanson, K. (1995). Intrinsic motivation in museums: What makes visitors want to learn? Museum News, 74(3), 34-37, 59-61. Leichter, H. J., Hensel, K., & Larsen, E. (1989). Families and museums: Issues and perspectives. Marriage and Family Review, 13(4), 15-50.   XI. Museums II Reading: Gelman, R., Massey, C. M., & McManus, M. (1991). Characterizing supporting environments for cognitive development: Lessons from children in a museum. In L. Resnick & J. Levine (Eds.), Perspectives on socially shared cognition (pp. 226-256). Washington, DC: American Psychology Society. Crowley, K., & Callanan, M. A. (in press). Describing and supporting collaborative scientific thinking in parent-child interactions. Journal of Museum Education, ?(?), ? Schauble, L., & Bartlett, K. (1997). Constructing a science gallery for children and families: The role of research in an innovative design process. Science Education (Informal Science Education - Special Issue), 81(6), 781-793. Plan Study   XII to XV Research studies conducted and final presentations.