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García-Cabrero et al. (2018). Design of a Learning-Centered Online Environment: A Cognitive Apprenticeship Approach. Educational Technology Research and Development, 66(3), 813-835.
Background:
In this article, the authors (2018) discussed the successful implementation of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), SOFIAA, which was created using the cognitive apprenticeship model (CAM). Since there are many problems that students have to face with online classes and there are more and more online technologies in higher education, SOFIAA will help the instructional designers and instructors create better teaching materials to improve student learning experience on a deeper level. The article provides the case study of a master’s level blended learning course on Educational Program Evaluation (EPE) to illustrate the instructional design to improve student’s learning through 4 main phrases: phrase 1 – assessment of the online course materials (OCM); phrase 2 – expert workshop and planning of the VLE; phrase 3 – design of the VLE, SOFIAA, phrase 4 – validation of the virtual learning environment, SOFIAA. The cognitive apprenticeship model is one of the most comprehensive instructional methods. In order to perform tasks in expert ways, this model helps to develop mental, cognitive, and metacognitive skills. The authors conclude with the positive results of course improvement and better students’ performance in the case study presented.
Summary of Key Points
- Four components of the cognitive apprenticeship model
- Sociological context: Using community of practices, learners need to be situated in the environment where they work or interact with professional stakeholders such as parents, teachers, students, and so on.
- Sequencing of activities: We want the learners to experience from different level of learning from simple to complex tasks or go from global to local skills.
- Kinds of knowledge: include domain knowledge, heuristic knowledge, control knowledge, and learning strategies.
- Instructional methods: modeling expert performance, coaching to give learners feedback, scaffolding to guide learners, fading assistance once learners externalize their understanding through appropriate articulation, reflection activities, and exploration.
- The results of three phrases of the instructional design case study
- Phrase 1: after accessing the online course materials, the results show that students received lack of support from the OCM to help them work on their course projects.
- Phrase 2: There are three recommendations addressed including helping the learners know how experts make their decision, providing enough scaffolding for difficult tasks, and using a blog rather than a discussion board to upload the group progress and get feedbacks from others.
- Phrase 3: two analyses were carried out to check the validation of the VLE. Firstly, qualitative expert assessment (to determine whether the VLE SOFIAA covered the materials of the course) concluded that “VL