Conceptual Thinking in Statistics and Data Science Education: Interactive Formative Assessment with Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron S. Kenett
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Formative Assessment ◽  
Data Science ◽  
Learning Objects ◽  
Conceptual Thinking ◽  
Reusable Learning Objects ◽  
Meaning Equivalence

scholarly journals Pedagogy for Conceptual Thinking in the Digital Age: Enhancing Learning Outcomes with Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO) Formative Assessments

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uri Shafrir ◽  
Masha Etkind ◽  
Ron Kenett ◽  
Leo Roytman
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Objects ◽  
Formative Assessments ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
Conceptual Thinking ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
Reusable Learning Objects ◽  
Meaning Equivalence

The research presented in this paper is the fruit of an ongoing international collaboration with the goal of enhancing students learning outcomes by implementing and sharing a novel pedagogy for conceptual thinking, and use of an innovative didactical and methodological tool: Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO) that provide student-centered, weekly formative assessments for exploring and discussing conceptual situations in small groups. It was developed, tested, and implemented in Canada at University of Toronto and Ryerson University, as well as in Israel, Italy, Russia, and Australia, in different knowledge domains, including: physics; biology; mathematics; mathematics teacher education; teacher training; developmental psychology; English as a second language; architecture; management; business; project management. Statistical analysis of MERLO data collected since 2002, shows that conceptual thinking enhance learning outcomes and deepens students’ comprehension of the conceptual content of learned material.  Conceptual thinking is learnable, and provide metrics to document continuous increase in higher-order thinking skills such as critical conceptual thinking, transfer of knowledge, and problem solving. Pedagogy for conceptual thinking is currently implemented with Brightspace (http://www.brightspace.com/), Integrated Learning Platform (ILP) offered by D2L (http://www.d2l.com/) that supports customizable online pedagogy.

Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO) Access to Knowledge in Early Digital Era and Development of Pedagogy for Conceptual Thinking

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-53
Author(s):  
Uri Shafrir
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Learning Objects ◽  
Formative Assessments ◽  
Conceptual Thinking ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Reusable Learning Objects ◽  
Digital Knowledge ◽  
Meaning Equivalence ◽  
And Mathematics

This chapter describes the effects of availability of digital knowledge on teaching, learning, and assessment, and the emergence of pedagogy for conceptual thinking with meaning equivalence in different knowledge domains in early digital era. It includes three proof-of-concept implementations of meaning equivalent reusable learning objects (MERLO) in three different contexts: 1) Course ‘Risk management in the Supply Chain' at Material and Manufacturing Ontario (MMO) Centre of Excellence, in 2002, to evaluate the potential of MERLO to assess and improve learning outcomes in workplace workshops to be offered jointly by MMO and University of Toronto Innovation Foundation; 2) in 2004, secondary school courses in mathematics, physics, and chemistry at Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, Lycee ‘Physical-Technical High School' at St. Petersburg, to train teachers in administering MERLO formative assessments and evaluate learning outcomes in STEM courses (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics); 3) in 2006, implementing MERLO pedagogy, including development of MERLO databases for grades 9 – 12 mathematics courses at Independent Learning Center (ILC) of TVOntario.

Learning in the Digital Age with Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO)

2016 ◽  
pp. 310-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masha Etkind ◽  
Ron S. Kenett ◽  
Uri Shafrir
Keyword(s):  
Common Good ◽  
Evolutionary Dynamics ◽  
Higher Order Thinking ◽  
Learning Objects ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Attentional Processing ◽  
Reusable Learning Objects ◽  
Information Research ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Meaning Equivalence

In this chapter we describe a novel pedagogy for conceptual thinking and peer cooperation with Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO) that enhances higher-order thinking; deepen comprehension of conceptual content; and improves learning outcomes. The evolution of this instructional methodology follows insights from four recent developments: analysis of patterns of content and structure of labeled patterns in human experience, that led to the emergence of concept science; development of digital cyber-infrastructure of networked information; research in neuroscience and brain imaging, showing that exposure of learners to multi-semiotic inductive problems enhance cognitive control of inter-hemispheric attentional processing in the lateral brain, and increase higher-order thinking; research in evolutionary dynamics on peer cooperation and indirect reciprocity, that document the motivational effect of knowledge of being observed, a psychological imperative that motivate individuals to cooperate and to contribute to the common good.

Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO)

2017 ◽  
pp. 80-102
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Objects ◽  
Knowledge Domain ◽  
Representational Competence ◽  
Attentional Processing ◽  
Sign Systems ◽  
Reusable Learning Objects ◽  
Semiotic Representations ◽  
Meaning Equivalence ◽  
Teaching Learning

In the chapter we discuss Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO), a multi-dimensional database that allow sorting and mapping of important concepts in a given knowledge domain through multi-semiotic representations in multiple sign systems, including: exemplary target statements of particular conceptual situations, and relevant other statements. MERLO pedagogy guides sequential teaching/learning episodes in a course by focusing learners' attention on meaning. The format of MERLO assessment item allow the instructor to assess deep comprehension of conceptual content by eliciting responses that signal learners' ability to recognize, and to produce, multiple representations, in multiple sign-systems - namely, multi-semiotic - that share equivalence-of-meaning. Exposure of scholars and learners to multi-semiotic inductive questions enhance cognitive control of inter-hemispheric attentional processing and enhance higher-order thinking. It highlights the important role of representational competence in scholarship, teaching and learning.

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