The Cone of Experience

The “Cone of Experience”

What is Dale’s cone of experience?

·    The cone of experience is a pictorial device used to explain the interrelationships of the various types of audio-visual media, as well as their individual “positions” in the learning process.

·   The cone's utility in selecting instructional resources and activities is as practical today as when Dale created it.

Principles on the cone of Experience:

• The cone is based on the relationships of various educational experiences to reality (real life), and the bottom level of the cone, "direct purposeful experiences," represents reality or the closest things to real, everyday life.
• The opportunity for a learner to use a variety or several senses (sight, smell, hearing, touching, movement) is considered in the cone.
• Direct experience allows us to use all senses.
•  The more sensory channels possible in interacting with a resource, the better the chance that many students can learn from it.
• Each level of the cone above its base moves a learner a step further away from real- life experiences, so experiences focusing only on the use of verbal symbols are the furthest removed from real life.
• Contrived experiences are ones that are highly participatory and simulate real life situations or activities.
•  Dramatized experiences are defined as experiences in which the learner acts out a role or activity.

Verbal Symbols

•         Principal medium of communication

•         Bear no physical resemblance to the objects or ideas for which they stand

•         May be a word for concretion, idea, scientific principle, formula or philosophic aphorism

•         Disadvantage: highly abstract

Visual Symbols

•         chalkboard/whiteboard, flat maps, diagrams, charts

•         fits the tempo of presentation of idea, topic or situation

•         very easy to procure and prepare

•         Limitations: lack of ability to use the media size of visuals simplification of visual materials  leads to misconceptions

Recordings, Radio, Still Pictures

•         Attention – getting, particularly projected views

•         Concretized verbal abstraction

•         Limitations: size of pictures or illustrations expensiveness of projected                              materials and equipment timing difficulties between radio shows and classroom lessons

Television and Motion Pictures

•         a solution to time and space constraints

•         provides “windows to the world”

•         effective for presenting movement, continuity of ideas or events

•         substitute for dangerous direct learning experiences

•         Limitations:

•         Expensive

ü  viewing problems 

ü  timing with classroom lessons

ü   misconceptions about time, size, and ideas

Exhibits

•         present objects or processes otherwise impossible inside the classroom

•         exposure to new ideas, discoveries, inventions

•         problems  that may be encountered:

ü  too little space

ü  time – consuming

ü  maintenance

Demonstrations

•         visualized explanation of an important fact or idea or process

•         may require nothing more than observation or students may be asked to do what has just been shown how to do

•         Disadvantages: Ideas or processes might not be interpreted or conceived very well visibility to all learners

Field Trips

•         undertaken primarily for the purpose of experiencing something that cannot be encountered within the classroom

•         a rich experience in learning about objects, systems, and situations

•         Disadvantages: time-consuming  expensive high exposure to danger /accidents inadequacy of the community’s resources

Dramatized Experiences

•         help get closer to certain realities that are no longer available at first hand

•         stirring and attention getting

•         participant learns to understand intimately the character he portrays

•         teaches cooperative work

•         Disadvantages: time consuming without  commensurate results participation is limited to few individuals

Contrived Experiences

•         an “editing” of reality

•         substitutes for confusing or unmanageable first – hand experiences

•         easier to handle, manipulate or operate

•         Disadvantages: simplification leads to misconceptions, distorted views, and incomplete pictures of reality no freedom to handle expensive or fragile models, mock – ups, specimens, etc.

Direct, Purposeful Experiences

•         unabridged version of life itself

•         direct participation with responsibility for the outcome

•         the basis for the most effective and lasting learning

•         Disadvantage: not all things can be learned through direct, first hand experiencing

Model of Learning By Jerome S. Bruner

Jerome S. Bruner Harvard psychologist, Jerome S. Bruner, presents a THREE-TIERED MODEL OF LEARNING where he points out that every area of knowledge can be presented and learned in three district steps. He presented a similar idea, emphasizing the mental operations of learners. Bruner suggested that successfully “thinking” at abstract levels involved progressing from related direct experiences (enactive), through related iconic experiences, and then into the realm of abstraction.

—  ENACTIVE- refers to the direct or actual experiences or encounter with what is. This is a life on the raw, rich and unedited. They form the bases for all other learning experiences.

—  ICONIC- Refers to the more abstract experiences which could be in the form of picture

—  SYMBOLIC- refers to the use of the words or printed materials which no longer resemble the subject under study.

The BRUNER’S THREE-TIERED MODEL OF LEARNING - suggests that learning is more impressive if one proceeds from the concrete to abstract, or from specific to general because more senses are involved and the relationships are built in a more pronounced manner.

The roles of Educational Technology in Learning

Technology has many roles in learning. In terms of  traditional role, technology is a delivery vehicles for instructional lessons. In this role, he learner learns from the technology and the technology serves as a teacher. In other words, the learner learns the content presented by the technology  in the same way that the learner learns knowledge presented by the teacher.   From the traditional point of view, technology serves as sourse and preseter of knowledge and it is assumed that knowledge is embedded in  technology. From the constructivist point of  view, educational technology serves as learning tools that learners learn with. It engages learners in" active ,constructive, intentional, authentic, and cooperative learning. It provides opportunities for technology and learner interaction for meaningful learning.  Technology  serves as  supporter of knowledge construction such as representing learner's ideas, understanding and beliefs,producing organized,multimedia knowledge bases by learners. It serves as informatin  vehicles for exploring knowledge to support learning by constructing such as accesing needed informatin,comparing perspectives ,beliefs and world views.It serves as context to support learning -by - doing like representing and simulating meaningful real- world problems,situation and contexts,defining a safe ,controllable problem space for student thinking.  It serves as a social medium to support learning by conversing like for  instance  collaborating wih others, discussing, arguing,and building consensus among members of the community. It serves as  intellectual partner to support learning- by- reflecting such as helping learners articluate and represent what they know,reflecting of what they have learned and  how they come to know it,supporting learner's internal  negotiatins  and meaning making. Whether  used from traditional or constructivist point of view,when used effectively, research indicates that techology increases student's learning, undrestanding,and achievement but also augments motivtion to learn , encourages collaborative learning and supports the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By effectively using the technology, I can now apply my learning.

Educational Technology

Educational technology is the effective use of technological tools in learning. As a concept, it concerns an array of tools, such as media, machines and networking hardware, as well as considering underlying theoretical perspectives for their effective application.

Educational technology is not restricted to high technology.Nonetheless, electronic educational technology, also called e-learning, has become an important part of society today, comprising an extensive array of digitization approaches, components and delivery methods. For example, m-learning emphasizes mobility, but is otherwise indistinguishable in principle from educational technology.

Educational technology includes numerous types of media that deliver text, audio, images, animation, and streaming video, and includes technology applications and processes such as audio or video tape, satellite TV, CD-ROM, and computer-based learning, as well as local intranet/extranet and web-based learning. Information and communication systems, whether free-standing or based on either local networks or the Internet in networked learning, underlie many e-learning processes.

Theoretical perspectives and scientific testing influence instructional design. The application of theories of human behavior to educational technology derives input from instructional theory, learning theory, educational psychology, media psychology and human performance technology.

Educational technology and e-learning can occur in or out of the classroom. It can be self-paced, asynchronous learning or may be instructor-led, synchronous learning. It is suited to distance learning and in conjunction with face-to-face teaching, which is termed blended learning. Educational technology is used by learners and educators in homes, schools (both K-12 and higher education), businesses, and other settings.