Deliberations

I've finally finished reading Carl Bereiter's Education and Mind in the Knowledge Age (2002). It is the culmination of 20+ years or academic research work in educational psychology and cognitive science (often publishing with his wife Marlene Scardamalia).

In the book, Bereiter argues that we are all inhibited by a folk-theory of mind which by its very nature pushes us into polarised, inflexible and mysterious ways of thinking. Whether directly or metaphorically, most people see knowledge as an immutable, transmissable entity with intrinsic truth.

He promotes the view of Karl Popper of a World 3 that is neither material nor mental, but rather intelligent constructs like theories, plans, designs, ideas, conjectures, graphs, diagrams, schemas and even language which he calls conceptual artifacts. By viewing such objects of knowledge as intentional, malleable and debatable, we offer ourselves an opportunity to better understand understanding itself. Conceptual artifacts allow for multiple views of reality.

Bereiter suggests that we should look beyond the simplistic explicit/tacit or declarative/procedural dualities of knowledge which typify our discourse, and include these six knowledge categories: statable, implicit, episodic, impressionistic, skill and regulative, each important. He puts ideals of truth and objectivity not as attributes of some omniscient scientific knowledge, but as components of the knowledge that regulates the conduct of inquiry. In short, they are port of regulative knowledge. Through this typology, Bereiter can address many facets of everyday activity, where knowledge can build on a number of parallel fronts. By celebrating many forms of non-explicit knowledge, narrative presents as a more meaningful conceptual artifact.

This post-positivist approach allows the knowledge embedded in conceptual artifacts to be treated as theoretical, interconnected, and historically and socially situated. Bereiter describes knowledge improvement as extending the limits of the learnable, in other words considering the nature of our understanding rather than just its content. To get there, Bereiter promotes progressive discourse, a set of virtuous commitments: focus on conceptual artifacts, improvability as a positive attribute of them, common understanding given priority over agreement, commitment to expand the factual base, selective criticism based on knowledge advancement and nonsectarianism.

Berieter places personal knowledge in the relationship between a person and the object of knowledge (eg a material object, another person, a theory), developed and manifested through activity. He refers to this situated view of knowledge as connectionism, which he sees as an expression of self-organisation emerging from the complexity of individuals and society in the form of conceptual artifacts. He then promotes a situated, problem-solving approach to all learning as a means of building a deeper relationship with the domain (ie. understanding).

With this framework, Bereiter is able to make sense of vaguaries like knowledge work, creativity, dreams, humour and collaboration.

In the second half of the book, Bereiter begins to address where education should head by examining current alternative trends such as back-to-basics and liberal education. He discounts learning how to learn as a vague mantra. He believes that an increasing attention on cultural diversification and multiple intelligences (Gardner) distracts from an exploration of the kind intellectual diversity (in terms of theory of mind) that he is promoting. Bereiter sees the objectives of schooling changing, stipulating that the purpose for which formal education is uniquely suited is enculturation into World 3, which he describes as joining the ranks of those who are familiar with, understand, create and work with the conceptual artifacts of our culture.

Berieter expands on the distinction between learning and knowledge building. He sees most teaching practice reducing substantive areas of studies down to simple subject matter (eg decontectualised, rote learning), activities (games) and self-expression (emotive reading). Knowledge building produces real cognitive artifacts. Learning changes how we think about things. Learning can occur through knowledge building, but it cannot be an assumed result of problem solving or other constructivist-oriented activities. Finally, Bereiter suggests that learning to be a knowledge builder is a useful educational approach.

While too much teaching reduces curricula to the level of shallow factual content, Bereiter sees concepts as the real subject matter. He notes that conceptual artifacts do have a reason to be, even if the concepts like gravity can just be accepted to exist as a natural phenomenon. The purpose of conceptual artifacts is for sensemaking. Thus, there is a distinction between understanding the world, which rests on mental beliefs often supported by weak circular arguments, and understanding theories about the world as an evolving conversation about conceptual artifacts. Narrative plays an important part in sensemaking, so long as it goes further than just shallow episodic accounts. By focussing on explicitly building knowledge as conceptual artifacts, Bereiter claims that the problem of motivation for learning can be sidestepped.

Bereiter criticises current attempts at critical thinking, which he finds contradictory and muddled. A critical thinking program is likely to include every sort of thinking, including for instance brainstorming exercises in which students are taught not bo be critical! Whilst it may be important to understand what makes a good argument (ie. formal logic), his identification of six types of knowledge leave it apparent that codifying how to think in all respects is not feasible.

Bereiter sees teaching practice and educational research as disjointed as if not part of the same professional, unlike medical or engineering professionals where science complements practice. This cultural separation requires a transformation. Although careful not to be damning of teaching, Bereiter nonetheless makes more suggestions about what teachers need to do, for example recognising that their conception of their craft needs to change. Most specifically, he recommends that teacher training focus on what it means to understand (basically, the ideas presented in this book.

Bereiter asks what it will take to advance the practice of education. The problem is that many subject areas are poorly treated through the educational system (eg number sense, world knowledge, thinking skills). He recognises that those in power do not recognise the nature of the problem. The efficacy of prevailing reductionist and surface approaches goes unquestioned. This makes it difficult to promote a solution. Bereiter recommends that to advance reform policies focus on qualitative outcomes rather than quantitive test scores as a measure of the success of the system.

In the educational research community, they are best known for their work with the Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environment (CSILE) they set up in the mid-1990s to study collaborative learning and knowledge building. (Now called Knowledge Forum). Many of the Bereiter and Scardamalia's ideas were formulated and tested through that project. Their work is cited in hundreds of educational research journal papers and books.

But four years after publication, I wonder if Bereiter has made an impact outside of research circles? Are his ideas really as accessible as he would like them to be? Why are there no references to him in the blogosphere? I do believe that people become stuck in over-simplified, dibilitating, culturally-entrenched ways of thinking. People like Eduard de Bono have made it their mission to get out and educate ordinary people to think differently. Writing a book for an insular research community isn't enough. Perhaps more educational researchers should be asking how they can reconnect to practice.

While this book labours several points, I found it thought-provoking to read. Therefore, I'd recommend it to anybody with an interest in learning and epistemology.

Category: Masters degree