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Culture, Cognition and Technology

Course Activities and Schedule

Week 1: Getting to Know Us!

• Meeting each other: tell us about a time you became aware of a different culture. Maybe while traveling, or teaching, or just going about your everyday business. What happened? What did you decide? About other people? About yourself?
• Post your thoughts about the seminar topics: What is culture? What is technology? How do they relate to each other? How do they affect thinking and learning? Include specific examples from your own experience as a learner or teacher.
• Make a home page. What would you like others to know about you? How did you get here? What do you hope to get out of this seminar?

Week 2: Culture, Mind, & Education

Discussion:

• Key concepts from readings and their implications for design/use of learning technologies (e.g., cultural models, multiple perspectives, constraints [on meaning making], constructivism, identity, narrative).
• Read other posts from last week, and comment on at least two. What stands out? How are your own experiences and perspectives similar and different?

Creation:

Write a short case study—a first draft that you will return to and expand throughout the seminar: think about a specific example of technology use (e.g., a student using a web resource for the first time) and how you might examine and evaluate its learning potential in relation to culture, cognition, and technological features. Write a description of the scene (real or imagined), and list some questions that would be useful for your evaluation. Post for others to read.

Week 3: Technology Through a Sociocultural Lens

Discussion:

• Key concepts from readings and their implications for design/use of learning technologies.
• Read case studies from last week. Compare and contrast at least two frameworks. What aspects (questions) are unique to a specific example (case study)? What aspects are more general?

Creation:

Update your case study / framework using ideas from the readings and discussion, post new version.

Week 4: Apply Your Framework

Activity:

• Observe and record (use video, audio, and/or notes) an example of technology in use.
• Read others' case studies / frameworks.

Discussion:

• Share issues, insights from the activity.
• Write a new case study from your observations: describe the event, and analyze using your framework; post for others to read.

Creation:

Week 5: Compare Cases

Activity:

• Read others' cases.

Discussion:

• Compare and contrast at least two cases. What have you learned about culture, cognition, and technology?

Creation:

Extend your case study based on new insights and comments from others. What are the implications for your future teaching? Post final case with the new epilog.

Week 6: Looking Forward

Activity:

• Read epilogs.

Discussion:

• Share issues, insights.

Creation:

• Complete seminar feedback survey.

Course Readings

Bruner, J. (1996). The culture of education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.