Learning from those who know

FRAMEWORK FOR eLEARNING Design

Both Learning Engagement Theory and Bloom’s Taxonomy relate to learning and how the collective body of knowledge is revised and expanded.  This activity required us to consider what we had discovered about Learning Engagement Theory and Bloom’s Taxonomy through our guided readings, and use this information to construct our own framework for elearning design. 

Bloom’s New Taxonomy (Clark, 2010) presents a framework for the way in which individual learners expend differing amounts of time and energy in the process of learning, starting from Creating and Evaluating, moving though to Analysing and Applying, culminating with Understanding and Remembering.  This framework is a well accepted framework for the learning process.  Kearsley and Shneiderman’s (1999)Learning Engagement Theory, on the other hand, presents a framework for the learning process that a collaborative group of peers might follow.  It is based on the progression of the learning journey through members Relating, Creating and Donating ideas, resulting in a clearly defined end result of the process. 

The task of coming up with my own learning theory framework seems a little out of my realm of ability.  However, with an understanding of these two learning frameworks I can see how they can be complimentary to each other.  There is no doubt that the collaborative team process of the Learning Engagement Theory is indeed a powerful thing; drawing on the opinions and experience of many provides opportunities that the individual may not consider.  To my way of thinking, the effectiveness of this framework, coupled with the well accepted Bloom’s Taxonomy could possibly enhance both frameworks.  A suggestion for the way in which they could be integrated is as follows:

COLLABORATIVE TEAM MEMBERS ê
	ç              è		ç              è		ç              è

ê

RELATE                                 ç         é                                                      ê
	Creating Evaluating Analysing Applying	CREATE	é
	Understanding Remembering	DONATE	é
	ê Project Completed? ê                    ê Yes                         No ê                    ê   è Product of Process Available for Application	è          è	é é é

Clark, D. (2010).  Bloom’s taxonomy of learning domains:  the three types of learning.  Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html#cognitive.

Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999).  Engagement theory:  a framework for technology-based teaching and learning.  Retrieved from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm.