Preview Some Analogies of B-learning: Give You a Little Feel and Guess of it

Submitted by Kathy on Tue, 2009-09-22 16:09

In Adobe Photoshop, users can manipulate lines, shapes, colors, lights, & patterns etc, to discover and create an image. In B-learning, users can manipulate abstract learning concepts to discover and create a learning solution. Maybe in not too far future, users can manipulate both abstract learning concepts and simulated learning activity to discover and create a learning solution.

In Microsoft PowerPoint and Publisher, users can design professional-look files without having to do the graphic design from scratch; Microsoft has embedded the knowledge and skills of graphic designers into templates. In B-learning, users can design professional learning tools and materials without having to know about learning like a learning scientist does; B-learning has embedded the knowledge and skills into templates.

When learning a language, we tend to systematically learn and practice a lot in different situations; at novice phases, we might use dictionaries a lot. In B-learning, users can systematically learn about learning, and practice the learned knowledge in different situations. There are dictionaries in B-learning for helping users understand and apply the language of learning, to ensure that the understanding is as precise as possible.

For a programming task, programmers apply a series of functions in a programming language. In B-learning, users can manipulate functions (key decision-making process in learning analysis) for a task: designing a learning solution, or learning about learning.

When navigating a complex place that is new to us, a map, traditional or digital, will help a lot. In B-learning, there are maps for helping users navigating among the sea of abstract concepts and principles of learning-science. In other words, in the journey of conducting learning analysis, users can access to a map-guide when they need to know what to do or what are possible choices in next step.

In a library, you can find books on a subject matter in terms of difficulty level or scope. For example, for all children’s books about natural science, they are more or less the simplified versions than high school textbooks. This can be called spiral curriculum. In B-learning, for any abstract learning concept, there are spiral curriculums, so there is a high chance that you can find the one that is relevant and understandable to you.

In the field of accounting, law, medical science, or architecture, there are certificate tests to ensure that the practitioners at least have systematically learned the ‘language’ in their fields. In B-learning, there are certificate tests for instructional designers and teachers. This is for ensuring and promoting the collective quality of educational practices.

Moreover, since each learner needs to systematically improve their knowledge and skills in conducting a learning analysis (make decisions in what and how to learn), B-learning provides different levels of certificate tests for learners. A driver needs driver license tests to obtain a driver license, so would not a learning-license be helpful in ensuring that a learner truly knows how to learn, just like a driver knows how to drive?

There are lots of other analogical situations that we would like to share and promote the wide discussions about the implication of these analogies, and we are going to discuss them in later issues of The Journal of B-learning. You can download B-Learning journal from here.