Teaching with Contrived Experiences

TEACHING WITH CONTRIVED EXPERIENCES

Introduction

If for one reason or another, we cannot employ direct experiences as materials for instruction, let us make use of an “edited” version of direct experience-the contrived experiences.

Discussion Questions:

1.      Did the materials help you visualize an atom? Understand better the rotation of the planets on their axis and their revolution around the sun? With a clearer picture of the earth?

2.      Do you think the school election would give the students a feeling of what it means to conduct or participate in an election process?

3.      Why is the atom depicted by a model? Is it not better if you see the real atom itself?

4.      Can you think of a better way of seeing planet earth other than the globe? Why?

5.      Is there more interesting way of showing the rotation of the planets on their axis and their revolution around the sun? Why?

6.      What good do students get when they are made to participate in an election process very similar to what take place in a democratic country like ours? Wasn’t making the students observe the conduct of local and national election process enough for them to learn about elections? Why? Why not?

7.      Biology is a real science of life if what you study are alive. Justify the use of preserved specimens in Biology.

What is Contrived Experiences?

1.      These are “edited” copies of reality and are used as substitutes for real things when it is not practical or not possible to bring or do the real thing in the classroom.

2.      These contrived experiences are designed to simulate to real-life situations.

3.      The model of the atom, the globe, the planetarium, the simulated election process and preserved specimen fall under contrived experiences, the second band of experiences in Dale’s Cone of Experience.

Various Forms of Contrived Experiences

1.      MODELS

A model is a “reproduction of a real thing in a small scale, or large scale, or exact size – but made of synthetic materials.” (Brown, et al, 1969)

2.      MOCK UP

A mock up is “an arrangement of a real device or associated devices, displayed in such way that representation of reality is created.” (Brown, 1969)

3.      SPECIMENS AND OBJECTS

A specimen is any individual or item considered typical of a group, class or whole.

Objects may also include artifacts displayed in a museum or objects displayed in exhibits or preserved insects specimens in science.

4.      SIMULATION

Simulation is a “representation of a manageable real event in which the learner is an active participant engaged in learning a behavior or in applying previously acquired skills or knowledge” (Orlich, et al 1994).

5.      GAME

Is there a difference between a game and a simulation?

Games are played to win while simulation need not a have a winner.

Simulations seem to be more easily applied to the study of issues rather than the processes.

WHY DO WE MAKE USE OF CONTRIVED EXPERIENCES?

We use models, mock ups, specimens and objects to:

1.      Overcome limitations of space and time;

2.      To “edit” reality for us to be able to focus on parts or a process of a system that we intend to study;

3.      To overcome difficulties of size;

4.      To understand the inaccessible

5.      Help the learners understand abstractions.

We use simulations and games to make our classes interactive and to develop the decision-making skills and knowledge construction skill of our students.

Orlich, et al, (1994) enumerates ten general purposes of simulations and games in education:

1.      To develop changes in attitudes.

2.      To change specific behaviors.

3.      To prepare participants for assuming new roles in the future.

4.      To help individuals understand their current roles.

5.      To increase the students’ ability to apply principles.

6.      To reduce complex problems or situations to manageable elements.

7.      To illustrates roles that may affect one’s life but that one may never assume.

8.      To motivate learners.

9.      To develop analytical processes.

10.  To sensitize individuals to another person’s life role.

Games

Games are used for any of these purposes:

1.      To practice and/or to refine knowledge/skills already acquired.

2.      To identify gaps or weaknesses in knowledge or skills, purposes:

3.      To serve as a summation or review, and

4.      To develop new relationships among concepts and principles.

GUIDE QUESTIONS IN EVALUATING CONTRIVED EXPERIENCES

Edgar Dale (1969) enumerates the following:

•  Is the model or mock up necessary or can you make use of the original?

•  Could some other devices such as photograph or chart portray the idea more effectively?

•  Is the idea appropriate for representation in a model? (is it too elementary? Too complicated?)

•  Are the important details of details correct?

•  Could wrong impressions of size, color, and shape result from using  this model?

•  Does the model oversimplify the idea?

•  If it is workable, will it stand up under frequent use?

•  If it is to be made by students, is the model likely to be worth the time, effort, and money involved?

•  If it is purchased, will the model be used often enough to justify its cost?

•  Will the model act as a stimulus to further learning?

•  Does the stimulated procedure reduce the amount of instruction required to master the desired skills, attitude and information?

 “We teach through a re-arrangement of the raw reality: a specimen, a manageable sample of a whole… when the direct experience cannot be used properly in its natural setting.”

                                                                     - Edgar Dale