In comparison to linear education, what are the benefits of
non-sequential learning and instruction?
Could Arab students benefit from a rhizomatic learning approach?
As always, the readings of this week presented a multitude
of intriguing ideas and opportunities for experimentation with lesson planning
and instruction. In a similarly predictable fashion, these high spirited
hopes were quickly dashed by the somber fact that there is no technology, nor
desire or even willpower for its presence in my school. Which brings me to my
unsolved question of this week.
Would Khaleeji and Arab students benefit from rhizomatic
learning?
As some may already know, I am currently living in what the
western world identifies as the “Persian Gulf” but due to political
disagreements with Iran, most Arabs in this region refer to this Gulf as the
Arabian Gulf or the Khaleej Al Arabi which translates to The Arabian Gulf. Non Gulf citizens living in Arabic speaking
countries are commonly (non-offensively) referred to as Arabs so my question
hopefully is now a bit clearer.
In Learning from
Cyberspace, Cousin refers to the instructional and hierarchical challenges
presented by the ever present growth of the internet by referencing Deleuze and
Guattari's postmodern view of technology influenced instruction. (Cousin 2003, p.124; Deleuze, G. and Guattari, F. 1987)
If society teaches one to value the accumulation of knowledge,
and the equation of a person’s individual worth boils down to the measurement
of their education and an estimation of their success within this realm; then
learning processes and application (of content either by mastery of skills or
accurate regurgitation) are simply a means of acquiring social and economic
capital and we must also agree that the transfer of knowledge entails a
constant power struggle between the possessor of knowledge (instructor) and the
receiver of input (student). (Bourdieu, 1979)
Sadly, a Bourdieu influenced analysis of the internet's
impact on hierarchy and the accumulation of social capital is not what I am
aiming for…today at least. Though, Deleuze and Guattari's initial inquiry is
more than dated (1987) and most certainly thoroughly answered by now, I am
curious whether or not applying the concept of rhizomatic learning would better
suit the learning styles and philosophical approach to life and learning
displayed by students defined as Arab and Khaleeji.
Due to certain constraints such as my lack of data and the
simple fact that this is nothing more than speculation rather than an actual
study I intend to conduct; I cannot provide and define a set of authentic
cultural norms that would serve to distinguish and identify the cultural specificities
and exact learning styles of the Khaleeji and Arab student, but I will project
a few ideas and perhaps make a few conclusions on whether the use of rhizomatic
learning using ple / pln are better suited for this regional learning
environment.
Most people would agree that within the realm of
socialization (in the Gulf) there is a well-established culture of assistance
(physical and verbal) , endless socializing (f2f talk, texting, phone
conversation, physical gestures), multiple tasks being initiated, carried out,
paused by interruption, and completed all in the physical constraints of
tangible space and measurable time. Certainly, this experience is far from
linear but all the while; a majority of participants are drawing meaning and
eliciting emotions of satisfaction and completion during a process that, if
mirrored in a western classroom would be deduced as absolute chaos.
Now, if we could safely assume that this process of rampant,
high energy communication was occurring in classrooms all throughout the Arab
world (MENA –Middle East and North Africa), and I could provide a range of
interviews highlighting educators observations, opinions, experiences and emotions
in regards to personal levels of satisfaction and effectiveness in this region
we might have handfuls of valuable data that make my question all the more
intriguing.
I know that most teachers adhere to a linear distribution of
knowledge as this is what we believe to be a logical, traceable trajectory for
transmitting new information that can be monitored, assessed and stored by both
the transmitter and recipient. What I mean to say is, both students and
teachers can track, observe, test and understand that the linear delivery and
absorption of information builds skills and in order to improve our ability
whether it be a language or mathematical concept, we test our previous
knowledge and extend it by adding on to it once it is agreed (by the instructor)
or understood (by the student).
As mentioned by Deleuze and Guattari, educators introduce
topics and list objectives then check for understanding by asking questions
such as:
What are we learning today?
What do we hope to achieve by the end of this
lesson?
What are you doing right now?
What do you do next?
Afterwards we will…
And so on…
In fact, for many students and
teachers, the entire educational process entails a repetitive cycle of sequential
questioning related to direct objectives tied to a lesson task or value based
inquiries that prod and condition our psyche to submit , accept and provide
answers that align with the social construction that accumulating knowledge enhances
our economic potential and achieving success during our limited stay in the
educational phase of our life somehow adds to our social worth as living
beings.
If following directions and giving the right answers is the
line between success and failure, then fine, in some if not most situations,
the process of sequential learning is suited for the majority of learners
depending on their style and preference and when sequential learning is not
effective, alternate methods for content delivery and practice have been long
developed for a diverse set of learning styles.
Now, have a look at this study detailing where technology is
used most by youth around the world:
Or this article which also details the potential revenues to
be generated by youth tech use in the MENA, along with data outlining how ICT
integration could create 77 million jobs in a region where youth unemployment
has soared above 25% for more than a decade. FYI, there 85 million people
living in Egypt and this is the Arab world’s most populous country.
Lastly, an article detailing the potential of social
networking applications and technology to improve learning for Arab Youth in
the MENA region:
I suspect that a rhizomatic, non-sequential method of
instruction would be exceedingly more efficient and successful in spurring
student interest, participation, content retention and ambition for educational
success. Given that there is a strong culture of non-sequential socialization
that most westerners unfortunately categorize as either scatterbrained irrational
thought processes or misbehavior, I would endeavor to convince those adherents
to consider whether the people of this region are more advanced in their
ability to multitask. When I reflect on the social patterns I have observed and
imagine that I could take a snapshot of this behavior and replicate it as a
template to be placed over the overall learning process I notice many incongruencies.
A typical day in any classroom in my school entails the
following:
1. A teacher standing at the front of the room, or
sitting behind the desk, sternly lecturing.
2. Students sitting at their desks, listening,
transcribing, regurgitating and struggling to stay
focused.
3. After 65-80 minutes of talking, students are
quizzed on what they’ve absorbed, either
from the teacher, textbook or a paper
assessment.
Day in and day out, this is how students are expected to
function and there is very little active learning taking place. When you take
this learning experience, which could be representative of a students’ entire
career as a learner and then consider the nature of socialization in this
region, it is no great wonder that students abhor school, are unmotivated,
apathetic, and struggle to display 21st century skills that are
vital for success as an independent learner and a future job seeker. As mentioned by the referenced articles, MENA
youth that have access to technology are very enthusiastic and adept at its use
when directed toward entertainment and communication. These kids are already well hooked up to ICT
and mildly native in this respect but within schools and society a culture of
self-learning, critical thought, analysis and pushing the envelope of
established boundaries are not encouraged perhaps due to political and cultural
reasons, along with gender and role definitions.
It could be said that the infrastructure for a recreational
and communicative ple/pln is already in use by youth in the MENA region and I
think extending this model to include school based learning should be
implemented and would prove to be a fruitful experience for all parties
involved.
Lastly, I can’t congratulate myself for reinventing the
wheel by highlighting phenomena that have already occurred in the developed
world, so it might be useful to mention some of the factors that distinguish
the Arab digital native from the rest of the digital natives in the developed
world. First, due to poverty and a lack of infrastructure, access to technology
remains a challenge for Arab youth living in developing countries. Second,
though there are monumental reforms taking place within primary and secondary
schools, more emphasis should be placed on the acquisition and practice of 21st
century skills in classrooms. Additionally, teachers should be trained to
deliver a more dynamic, forward thinking, culturally relevant pedagogy and it
is equally important that the education system links with government projections
of future employment demands and economic diversification.
