Week 10--Abstract and Reflection
Final blog post. What is your thesis in your final project? Share the abstract that you will present to the class here in your blog. And, finally, what are the three most significant things you've learned in this course, and how will you make use of them in your studies and/or work?Using Pathos in Online Learning: Engaging the User and the Learner
Abstract
Using pathos as defined in ancient rhetoric to examine the rhetorical situation of the online learning environment allows us to re-examine our concept of audience and shift our understanding to one that is more appropriate for online learning which in turn allows us to rethink the strategies we use to engage students. I redefine our concept of online learner and assert that an online student must first feel competent as a user of the tools of the course, and must become comfortable within the learning community before he can become a successful online learner. Classical concepts of pathos correspond to our understanding of the learning process and can be used to help us understand and construct new strategies to connect with our audience. Learning theories such as constructivism and cognitivism demonstrate the importance of the student’s existing knowledge and affective domain in learning. An online course designer must examine the existing "frame of mind" (defined as a predisposition to a particular emotion) in the audience towards online learning and its possible causes to be able to change it to the desired "frame of mind" better suited for effective learning in an online environment. Strategies which utilize pathos to create the desired "frame of mind" in the user, the online community member and the online learner are presented.
Three Most Significant Things Learned
1. One of the most important things that I have learned is how little I know which according to Socrates means that I am wise. Unfortunately, I don't feel too wise. Learning classical rhetoric has made me curious about the how the ideas which began with the ancients have changed. Many of them, I have learned, have not changed. Instead, our focus has shifted the way we discuss them or we have "zoomed-in" on an idea and have lost the broader meaning in which it was first discussed. For example, the idea that emotion affects persuasion goes back all the way to Gorgias and is also a focus of modern "brain research" which also shows that how a person feels about something affects the way he responds to a situation. Old idea, new way to support it. On the other hand, when we clutch an idea such as using the "modes" to teach writing, we really exclude much of more interesting strategies which we can use to teach writing.
2. The second most important thing that I have learned in this class is how important collaboration and developing a support system is when confronting a new and difficult subject. Looking back what seems to have caused the difficulty is the amount of learning that had to occur in such a short time. Because I had very little knowledge about the actual texts and rhetoricians which we read, I was busily constructing new schemas or tearing some down to build them up. It truly is frustrating when that happens and having our "study group" really did help. Thanks guys.
3. The third most important thing that I have learned is that rhetoric was born out of the need to educate which makes it a much more interesting topic to me since I am an educator at heart.
To be honest, I'm not sure how I am going to use these. But let me give it a try...
1. I will re-examine some of my methodology to integrate some of the strategies developed by Aristotle for invention. I like the series of questions in the Crowley book and I will try to integrate those. So that instead of presenting a way to the students, I present a way for them to explore to try and find their own way. I hope that makes sense.
2. I know I'm not losing track of my study group since we are taking another class together next term (I think) and we are planning stress-relieving activities for next May already. ; )
3. The only way I can use this is to continue to learn more. In fact, I wish I could take the 20th Cent. Rhetoric class next term but it will have to wait.
I've learned alot. Thanks all for sharing your knowledge as well as your frustrations.
Janie
posted by Prof Santoy @ 7:37 PM
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