.:Blended Edu:.: YackPack: Social by Design

YackPack founder B.J. Fogg recently announced that San Jose's Tech Museum of Innovation will be utilizing YackPack as an educational tool in an upcoming exhibit on communication and innovation.

Here's an excerpt from his blog post:

"Now for the educational part . . . The kids will yack with other people inside their circle: a researcher, an inventor, and an engineer. We want the kids to see a pattern to innovation: Problem --> Invention --> Action.

At some point, the kids will listen to a message from a researcher, talking about finding a problem -- something that needs fixing. The kids will then (in theory), yack back to the researcher. Next, the kids will listen to an inventor talk about dreaming up solutions, and the kids yack back. Finally, the kids listen to an engineer talk about making things real."

At first glance, this seems like a pretty straightforward activity. But a closer look yields an example of how students benefit when learning activity takes place in a situated, authentic, and socially collaborative environment.

Let’s break down the key elements of this activity.

Social by Design: Situated Learning & Cognitive Apprenticeship

The situated learning theory argues that learning and knowledge acquisition takes place only when situated in a social and authentic context.

Ultimately this process –known as legitimate peripheral participation—moves the newcomer deeper into a community of practice leading them closer to acquiring the knowledge and skills required to be an expert.

Cognitive apprenticeship is an instructional design and learning theory wherein the instructor, through socialization, models the skill or task at hand for the student. Students may also receive guidance from their peers.

The role of the teacher is to help novices clear cognitive roadblocks by providing them with the resources needed to develop a better understanding of the topic. This process is called scaffolding.

Some of the most common cognitive roadblocks include: difficulty grasping theoretical concepts, unfamiliar terminology, or information presented in an abstract context.

In an effort to guide students around these roadblocks, an instructor would provide a scaffold consisting of resources, information broken into manageable chunks, or placed in a contextual framework.

The cognitive apprenticeship process requires students to take an active role in their own learning, creates a student-centered learning approach, and allows students to be a co-participant in their learning.

Ultimately the student becomes an expert who no longer needs the scaffolding. In turn, they will have a better understanding of potential roadblocks and are now equipped to guide others through the process.

Putting it All Together

In the YackPack museum activity, students will form a community of practice consisting of their peers, and several experts. Based on their existing knowledge, students will identify an issue and then Yack with the experts (and peers) on ways to solve the problem.

Since the students have been to the Tech Museum of Innovation the topic will be authentic and situated in a contextual framework. Moreover, the experts will be available to create scaffolding and clear cognitive roadblocks related to the topic.

Get Yacking!

Why not use YackPack and try something similar in your own classroom?

After a field trip to a local museum, arboretum, historical monument, or zoo break students into groups and have them reflect on their experience. Have them write down (or blog!) some questions or issues related to their field trip.

Then create a YackPack and invite an “expert” to answer the student’s questions. The “expert” can be someone from the education department at the museum, or a professor from a local university.

Or take a virtual tour of a museum located on the other side of the world! Combine the virtual tour with a group project, foreign language skills, or other skill set, and then invite an expert (see above!) to join your class in a YackPack discussion.

These YackPack-based learning activities provide students with opportunities to collaborate with their peers, learn from experts, use technology in a constructivist manner, and utilize information set in an authentic context.

So, what are you waiting for? Get Yacking!

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