15 Oct 01
INST 6260
Dr. Mimi Recker
REFLECTION PAPER ñ SCHEMA THEORY
For this second reflection, I shall present my viewpoints on Schema Theory and its implications to instruction.İ As a recapitulation from what I have read, a schema is defined as a data structure for representing the generic concepts stored in memory (Rumelhart, 1980, p. 34); schemata are packets of knowledge, and schema theory is a theory of how these packets are represented and how the representation facilitates the use of knowledge in particular ways.
İİİİİİİİİİİ When I was first read about the term, schema, it invokes a thought in me that schema derives its origin from the word scheme. To me, the word scheme would probably mean a system, plan, method or perhaps strategy. And so the word, schema, would most likely be a subset of a scheme. After having read Chapter 4 of Marcy Driscollís book on Psychology of Learning for Instruction, I am inclined to say that I am not totally off the point in my initial interpretation but neither am I also correct.
But the interesting thing I experienced here is in fact the notion about activating our prior knowledge when we are exposed to new information. Honestly, there was not a single bit of any conscious effort on my part but rather naturally or subconsciously, I somehow developed an almost immediate mental interpretation or perceived meaning to the word schema and its possible connection to the other word that I know, which is scheme. I now question myself - is this what really occurs in us when we are exposed to a piece of new information; that we will somehow invoke what we already know and seek to find some relations in terms of similarities or differences between what we already know and what we are about to know?
İİİİİİİİİİİ This above example has indeed prompted me to examine the concept of schema in greater depth and its implication to instruction. I told myself that I would want to conduct some simple experiments or tests to assess if the amount of prior knowledge possessed by a learner together with oneís interests through his life experiences can indeed affect his interpretation and recall of information as well as his ability to solve problems. I pondered for quite a while on how I can actually devise a simple test to agree or disagree with this theory. Before I decided how to go about carrying out my intended test, something sad happened today on 15 Oct 01.
As usual, I phoned home to Singapore to chat with my mum and heard a sad news that my grandmother has just passed away that very day. My grandmother had been terminally ill since early this year. From the conversation, my mum appeared to have accepted this matter pretty calmly but I can feel that deep inside her, she feels sad and perhaps sorrowful. As I am concerned about my mum (she has not been feeling well last few weeks and has visited the hospital a couple of times too) and coupled with the fact that I cannot be with her in Singapore right now, the least I thought I can do was to ask my wife to take good care of my mum. I therefore phoned my wife, who is also in Singapore now, to spend more time with my mum and to help out with the funeral too. Based on our Chinese tradition, the funeral wake would usually last five days before the body is sent for cremation or burial.
When I instructed my wife to do certain things as part of helping out with the 5-day funeral wake, her immediate response was that she felt ëscaredí.İ I could have got angry when I heard that but I did not. When I asked her why, she related to me that her grandfather passed away when she was five and that stigma of groups of people weeping in front of a coffin scares her. I believe I can understand her experiences and feelings then when she was just a little kid. Right now, when I tried to ask her to help out with the funeral, it seems that I am not able to effectively communicate my intent to her. I can sense that although she feels obliged as a daughter-in-law to be around at the funeral wake, the sense of reluctance and fear seems to be overwhelming her.İ
Back to my intended experiment, it appears that there is no need for me to think of one because I have already been presented with a good example here.İ My wifeís response of fear and reluctance to my intended instructions was a manifestation of her self-perceived mental model or schemata of a funeral. Based on her schemata of funeral that is ëscaryí, it naturally translates to her feeling reluctant, stressed and worried about what she has to do ahead in the next few days. It also explains why I had to spend so much more time over the phone to get my concerns, intentions and instructions across to her over this issue; and even then, I do not think I have managed to communicate effectively to her.
My thoughts right now suggests that there is indeed some truth about the notion that schema is used to represent generic concepts stored in our memory. What is important to me now is how this knowledge of schema theory impact on instruction; and is it true that what learners bring to the learning situation dictates to a large extent what they will take away from it in terms of new knowledge? Based on an educational setting in a school, college or institution, I would be inclined to perceive that when presented with a set of new information, learners would tend to view this piece of new information in its raw state that is separate and distinct from what they already know or their prior knowledge.
To me, the intention and motivation of learning can play a significant role and maybe even overrule how effective one can invoke his prior knowledge in learning. If a learner is not too enthusiastic or motivated about a particular course, lesson or lecture, he will most likely just accept what is presented to him without really wanting to activate any possible linkages with his schemata or mental model even if they do exist.
Marcy Driscollís book on Psychology of Learning for Instruction suggested that as instructional designers, we should design meaningful instructional materials to encourage the activation of prior knowledge in order to enhance learning. I have a differing opinion on this. I tend to see that the ability to invoke our prior knowledge may not necessarily be beneficial towards learning. I do not entirely agree with the notion that to assure meaningful learning to take place, instructors and designers must employ a variety of strategies to help learners relate prior knowledge to new information they are to acquire.
To me, it may be wiser at times to accept new information as they are and create a new mental model or schemata at that particular point of receipt. It is akin to the saying that ëif your mind is not cluttered, you can think betterî. Sometimes it is really good to keep our mind simple without using too much of what we think we already know to perceive and accept new information. And this could be useful when tackling a problem by attempting to adopt a new perspective to the problem. It is also analogous to encouraging one to adopt the ëthink-out-of-the-boxí approach to solving a problem, regardless whether it is an old or new problem.
Nevertheless on another perspective, I agree with the statement that as designers, it is our duty to develop systems and instructional materials that aid users to develop more coherent, useable mental models and as teachers, to help develop conceptual models that will aid the learner to develop adequate and appropriate mental models. Apart from the use of schematic drawings as a representational strategy to help students in conceptualizing and solving a variety of problems, the challenge I foresee is how for us, as designers or teachers, be able to effectively make use of the knowledge of schema theory to help students develop mental models that have elements of learnability, functionabilty and usability.
As a conclusion, I personally see a big challenge if we want to make that conscious effort to ascertain and understand learnersí mental models, and subsequently designing appropriate pedagogical models to be used as an instructional strategy. After having read, explored and discussed on the schema theory and its implication to instruction, I admit I still bear some skepticism that the end result after applying the knowledge of schema theory may not be significantly better than a basic instructional method that does take into account any of the learning theories at all.
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