Institute of Adult Learning (IAL) Singapore Symposium - Day 1

Today and tomorrow, I am in Singapore for the IAL biannual symposium. As usual, a well organised event with over 500 participants and presenters. I presented a keynote 4 years ago and met a few people who remembered it!

Today's  symposium opened with an IAL video presenting IAL's role in Singapore's continuing education and training (CET). A welcome from IAL director, Ms. Hui Mei San followed by the Minister of Manpower- Tan Chuan-Jin's opening address. The Minister is particularly interested in deploying flexible delivery to the CET sector, to continually up-skill the workforce. Interest in deploying MOOCs and mobile learning as way to deliver to a diverse sector.

A panel presentation by 6 of the presenters to the minister (including myself) provide the minister with an overview and examples of symposium offerings.

The first keynote is from Dr. Shahid Yusuf, chief economist at George Washington University School of Business, on 'growth in small advanced economies- the role of continuing education and training'. Need to continually train to increase productivity. Covered structural transforantilnof economies, implications of growth and tech change for labour markets and efficacy measures to prepare workers in developed economies. Lower productivity across all countries will only exacerbate. Solutions suggested include good macroeconomic growth policies backed by trade, innovation and green infrastructure development policies.

Second keynote is with Dr. Matt Bower 'using augmented reality technologies to enhance classroom learning'. covers a link between AR and adult learning principles. Authentic and situated learning opportunities availed to develop flexible learning. Camera, microphone, touchpad, GPS, compass, accelerometer, gyroscope and clock and be used to create learning opportunities like instant translation from source visuals like signs. Examples of location based AR and games etc. Presented to show possibilities. Usually in the form of customised guided learning. Perfectly situated learning and ability to transcend physical barriers.

Concurrent sessions begin after lunch. I present next, so attend the session in the same room by Mr. Rahul Varma from Accenture on 'extracting  the most out of on-demand access to content and learning through digital and mobile devices, or any other technology platforms, to create new ways of learning and learning delivery' - short vimeo covers some of the material from this presentation. How people learn is changing, curated intelligence, mobile, social, video explosion, big data and visual engagement. However, might be too many options, how to choose? Philosophical approach to delivery is 'time away to learn, learning all the time' through regional hubs, network of connected classrooms and highly interactive virtual training delivered anywhere which is on demand, on the job and on the go. Uses 'learning boards' to provide democratic, personalised and fast learning solutions. Online access to personalised internal and external self-study learning including expert video,ebooks, self study training et. Boards can be shared and accessible to other learners, creating social networked learning. Boards curated by subject matter experts, in bite sized segments allowing ease in addition of new modules and refreshment. Learners are able to follow, endorse, share and comment, providing selection of most useful boards and incentivising curators to keep boards relevant.

My presentation is on the 'project surface tablet' initiatives. The first semester interim evaluations indicate some direction for institutional BYOD strategy, need for continual staff and student capability building, some pedagogical shifts possible through introduction of technology, and need to have clear pedagogical approach to inform TEL.

Then attended session with Nelson González from Declara and Susan Mann from Education Services Australia on 'learning as a service: data analytics for a new collaborative adult learning ecosystem. Rationale for addressing present skills imbalance of the present and long term skills shortage through learning ecosystems recognising formal and informal learning for not only individuals but work teams and organisations. Used scootle community, a PD platform for teachers to achieve better teaching practice across Australia. Scootle produces a range of analytics to help understand how it is being used to collaborate. The analytics also help teachers identify groups they may be interested in joining by location and interest. data minded on what is searched, what is clicked etc. Building personalised recommendations for individuals. patterns of collaboration also become better understood leading to user generated pathways being incorporated into future platform development.

Next, with Ms Lai Poi Shan on 'development of the learning facilitator competency instrument (LFCI)'. A tool used for self assessment through online rating and peer validation through feedback to video submission. 6 key and 2 sub competencies with practitioners' indicating importance of 'professional image'. elearning was perceived as least important and competency in this area judged to be low. Pros and cons of video validation evaluated with only 4 practitioners. Self assessment was safe but limited in impact for some. Videos provided sense of ownership but quality of videos uneven. Reflection better and validation found to be useful. Difficulty in bringing together all competencies into one video.

After afternoon tea, two more concurrent sessions. First up David Yao - Kydon Learning Systems Institute - on 'transformative perspectives to workforce training and learning'. Covered effects of the avalanche (volume, variety and velocity) leading to challenges of choice and analysis, globalisation (death of the tyranny of distance and increase in connectivity) and speed of technological change. Increase in complexity of work as mundane predictable work now digitised. Need to transform all aspects of teaching learning die to inter relationships between the aspects of people, technology, organisation, curriculum and content.

Last session of the day with Raja Chowdhury from Lithanhall Academy with 'transforming challenges into opportunities: a case study on just in time cooperative education'. Advocates learning needs to be open, engaging, collaborative, engaging and non-administrative. Cooperative learning brings together traditional and work integrated learning. Place and train programme used as example. Programme retrains business or IT to combine both into enterprise managers. Study nights and weekend and work in the day.

Networking drinks and dinner close a busy day.

Who am I? and if so, how many? – book overview

Who am I? and if so, how many? A philosophical journey by R.D. Precht originally written in German and translated by Shelley Frisch. A 2011 edition printed by Scribe Publications and borrowed from the local library.

In the introduction, Precht writes about how his initial introduction to the study of philosophy was stymied by the dry and difficult to access ‘text books’ on philosophy. These text books largely took an historical journey, meandering through the various philosophers. His book uses a thematic approach, bringing up one of more philosopher/ neuroscientist / palaeontologist as the need arises.

After the introduction, the book has three sections – What can I know? What should I do? And What can I hope for?

The first section, covers the foundations of philosophical thought in 9 chapters. These 9 chapters provide a concise but also critical overview. Precht does not just report various philosophers’ approaches but updates and brings in viewpoints from contemporary scholarship. In particular, findings in neuroscience, palaeontology and psychology either support, replace or introduce new ways of looking at the world. The work of Nietzche, with the call to view humans as not a ‘superman’ but an ape with evolved capabilities opens this section. Human evolutionary journey and the workings of the brain are summarised in the next 2 chapters. The work of Descartes ( of - I think therefore I am) leads the discussion on dualism and its effects. Then Mach’s work on ‘who is ‘I’’ discussed. Freud’s concepts are debunked followed by chapters discussing the frailities of our memory system, what are feelings, subconscious and language (Wittenstein’s contributions to philosophical thought on language’s role).

The second section has 15 chapters discussion various moral dilemmas posed by living. Discussed are various questions of why do we need others? Should we help others and should we be ‘good’ and does it ‘pay’ to be good? Is there morality in the brain and if so, why does it sometimes not reign in behaviour that leads to the detriment of others? Discussion also on should we become vegetarians? Allow euthanasia, cloning, designer babies? Pros and cons are introduced with the challenge to the reader to find their place in the continuum and pose their own substantiations.

The last section of 9 chapters provides some direction for the confused. Discussion on ‘what can I hope for’ discuss a range of big questions including: Does god exist? Does nature have meaning? What is love? What is freedom (of choice and free will)? Do we need possessions? What is just? What is a happy life? Can happiness be learnt? And Does life have meaning? All very weighty questions we mull over now and then when we lift our heads up from our busy lives. In short, life and the meaning of life is what we make of it. As individuals, we are only here for a short time. We can make that time miserable, or happy. Live in harmony with others or not. Mostly, we have a choice (sort of , within the bounds of our hereditary and social means) and each needs to make the best of what life throws at you.

I found the book to be readable, using contemporary examples and analogies to bring to life, the concepts of various philosophers. Each chapter covers the ground of various philosophical questions, posing more questions at the end for the reader to contemplate and reach their own conclusion. The book is never preachy but provides the basis of philosophical thought as perceived, argued and sometime empirically proven but various scholars. Each chapter may be read separately but there is some merit in working through the book as it is laid out so your philosophical journey is better scaffolded. Overall, the book provides a good introduction to the reader interested in gaining a better understanding of Western philosophical thought who does not just want to be ‘talked at’. The book encourages one to question one’s belief system, to select the ways individuals may become contributors instead of takers, and to live a ‘good’ life.

Notes from each chapter provide resources to follow up on. There is an index but no reference list as such.

Tell tale brain - book overview

Tell tale brain

Over the recent long weekend, worked through a 2011book by V. Ramachandran called – the telltale brain: unlocking the mystery of human nature.

The book is written in a conversational style and peppered with the author’s wry humour and story telling. Some of the case studies presented are from Ramachandran’s work with patients who have had neurological trauma or illnesses. Therefore, the book mirrors some of the techniques used in other books and over viewed in previous blogs.

Tell-tale brain consists of an introduction and nine chapters. Each chapter deals with an aspect of brain function and provide laypersons’ guides to contemporary understanding of neurophysiology and neuropsychology.

The introduction details the rationale for Ramachandran’s writing approach. In short, a need for a lay person’s book that does not ‘talk down’ to the intelligent reader but has sufficient substance to intrigue and inform.

Chapter 1 covers an aspect forming the foundation of Ramachandran’s work on ‘phantom limbs’. Neurological explanations for why some amputees still ‘feel’ their detached limb with a plausible reason for sensory regions to still be networked and accessible when parts of the brain in proximity to the detached bit are activated.

The second chapter summarise current understandings on seeing and knowing. Providing for an extension of the concepts discussed in the previous chapter.

Chapters 3 and 5 cover the interesting phenomenon of ‘synesthesia’, the ability to ‘see’ in colour or feel or taste numbers or music and the challenges presented by autism. A good overview, especially on autism and why and how savants develop.

The fourth chapter discusses the ‘neurons that shaped civilisation’. A precursor to the next chapter on language. Discusses how neurons have evolved to allow for social interactions. Therefore, takes on an evolutionary psychology / neurological stance. Importance of 'mirror neurons' and their role in human empathic processes discussed.

Chapter 6 delves into the evolution of language. How the brain works to allow us to learn languages. What is innate in us to allow language to develop and the role and contribution of ‘nurture’ – the socio-cultural dimension.

The topic of aesthetics is covered in chapter 7 with the authors’ ‘universal laws’ of how humans gauge ‘beauty’ and other forms of qualia discussed in chapter 8. Perhaps the weakest chapters in the book as Ramachandran argues for the neurological roots of art appreciation and our need to find  balance and patterns to deal with the complex audio visual sensory world we live in.

The last (and important) chapter provides food for thought on the topic of ‘how introspection evolved’. A summary on edge makes for good reading plus extensive summary and discussion from this blog on this last chapter 'an ape with a soul'. 

A glossary is provided along with notes pertinent to each chapter along with a bibliography and index.

Technology-enhanced professional learning - book overview

An brief overview of ' Technology-enhanced professional learning: Processes, practices and tools edited by Allison Littlejohn and Anoush Margaryan and published 2014 by Routledge.

16 chapters including introduction and commentary on each of the 3 sections – work practices, learning processes and digital technologies.

Relevant chapters to current project surface tablet work now summarised.

1)      The introduction by the two editors lays out the concept of technology-enhanced professional learning (TEPL). The rational for the book (i.e. there is very little research in the area of TEPL) is presented. TEPL has influences from ‘new’ work practices (organisational learning, distributed work), learning processes (expansive learning, networked learning, development of expertise, mimetic learning) and technologies that can be leveraged to enhance TEPL (semantic web, learning analytics, collaborative technologies, simulations and games). Brief overview of each of the chapters is also provided.

Section 1 – work practices has 4 chapters.

2)      Julie Clow writes on ‘work practices to support continuous organisational learning’. The historical and social movement of work from craft to manufacturing to ‘knowledge’ work is summarised. Current work requires the creation of rapid learning cycles for workers to learn and move on to next project. Workers are now required to ask questions, think big, work cooperative on complex problems in ever evolving teams. Learning and development within organisations now need to keep up with the pace of change. Crowd sourcing now used within and outside organisation to bring in training / development expertise as and when required. In-house programmes to share organisational learning also now a requirement, an example is the use by Google engineers of Snippets, to publish weekly updates of progress and learning on various projects.

3)      ‘Distributed work: working and learning at a distance’ by Matthew J. Bietz covers the move by organisations towards employing people, working on collaborative projects, who are separated geographically or temporally. Challenges include not only distance effects exampled by lack of ‘water cooler type serendipitous discussions’ but also the need to help employees work in diverse social and cultural contexts. Learning and development for distributed work is challenged to assist workers in accessing the organisations’ ‘tacit’ knowledge and meeting diversity of learning needs.

4)      The relatively new form of work organisation ‘crowd work and collective learning’ is discussed by Jeffrey V. Nickerson. Here, large numbers of usually unconnected people are brought together to complete objective/s. Relationships between worker and organisation may be fleeting and workers find it difficult to learn new skills when they are focused on specialised tasks. Crowd work sourcing sites (Amazon’s Mechanical Turk) and crowd work practices are introduced and discussed. Future direction includes possibility of moving crowd work from individuals on to groups, increasing the complexity of managing organisational TEPL expectations and goals for crowd sourced workers.

5)      A commentary on the three chapters on work practice is provided by Sebastian Fiedler. The emergence of ‘new forms’ of organisational work structures require review of existing ways workplace learning and development are enacted. This chapter evaluates each of the chapters in the section. The caution is not to apply generic approaches to TEPL but to study each context and develop appropriate TEPL responses.

Section 2 has 5 chapters on learning processes

6)      ‘new forms of transformative agency’ by Ritva Engestrom covers the contribution of cultural-historical activity theory (CHATs) on understanding work and learning at work. The chapter provides a good summary of CHATs. A Finnish case study is provided as an example and the model derived is explained.

7)      Chapter on ‘expertise development through schooling and work’ by Henry Boshuizen and Margje van de Wiel summarises studies on expertise development. An overview of the development of expertise is provided with emphasis on deliberate practice and self-regulated learning and performance.

8)      Stephen Billett’s chapter covers ‘mimetic learning in the circumstances of professional learning’. I have summarised this chapter in an earlier blog.

9)      ‘Networked professional learning’ is presented by Peter Sloep. Two fictitious companies are used to describe various aspects of networked learning. Then, there is discussion of social networking tools (Linkedin, mendeley, research gate) plus usual suspects Twitter, Scoop.it, Storify, delicious, google docs etc. and customised tools developed by the author – ASA (automous tutor locator) and COCOON (a group assembly instrument).

10)   The final chapter in section 2, by Terje Valjataga and Sebastian Fiedler is a commentary on ‘learning processes’ chapters. The diversity of the 4 chapters is acknowledged and each chapter is critiqued in relation to the others. Again, the recommendation is that TEPL needs further study to bring sense into how to best deploy TEPL across diverse sectors with complex learning processes.

The last section digital technologies has 5 chapters and is perhaps the weakest in the book as some are case studies and others based on preliminary studies. This could be due to the emergent nature of TPEL and the volume of empirical work still required to identify workable processes and approaches.

11)   ‘Orchestrating collaboration and community technologies for individuals and organisational learning’ by Tobias Ley, Kairit Tammets and Stephenie Lindstaedt. Communities of practice model used to develop organisation learning systems to encourage collaboration within and across and beyond organisations. Introduces the internal organisation APOSLDE system which generates a top down strategy. The system generates ‘individualised’ or customised learning programmes, based on individual’s expertise level to learn processes required to complete their work tasks. An ‘external’ bottom up cross-organisational system intelLEO also described. Both compared and reviewed.

12)   A chapter on the ‘social sematic web and workplace learning’ by Melody Siadaty, Jelena Jovanovic and Dragon Gasevic provides introduction to this form of learning technology.the pedagogical framing strategy is discussed along with affordances and limitations within workplace learning contexts for leveraging the social sematic web.

13)   ‘Learning analytics and their application in TPEL’ is by Bettina Berendt, Riina Vuorikari, Allison Littlejohn and Anoush Margaryan. Defines different ways learning analytics assist the TPEL process and provides a case study to illustrate concepts. A good introductory chapter to learning analytics.

14)   Heide Lukosh, Allison Littlejohn and Anoush Margaryan write on ‘simulation games for workplace learning’. Provides overview of state of play in using simulation games to assist workplace learning and 2 case studies used to example utilisation.

15)   A commentary on the 4 chapters in the digital technologies section written by Colin Milligan. Identifies commonalities within the 4 chapters in this section. These are: training is now more difficult and it does not suit needs of modern worker; learning is learner-led (perhaps organisational-led as well); tools used are personal and social; and technology increasingly links peoples’ work and learning.

The concluding chapter by the editors discusses the challenges and future directions of TEPL.

The book provides a good overview of new organisational practices and efforts to develop TEPL appropriate for the diverse contexts. Many questions are raised and some suggestions to assist are discussed and critiqued. As always, food for thought.

mimetic learning

Book chapter from Technology-enhanced professional learning a 2014 Routledge book edited by Allison Littlejohn and Anoush Margaryan.

I came across this book through my yearly browse of Professor Stephen Billett’s publication site. Much of Billett’s chapter on mimetic learning is available via the google books site for the edited book.

Billett’s chapter summarises the nature of mimetic learning and its relevance to professional practice. The basic principles of mimetic practice are discussed with respect to ‘professional learning’ i.e. ongoing learning for work and practice.

Mimetic learning can be explained through nativist approaches alluding to the evolutionary, physiological and neurosensory foundations for animal learning. Empiricist approaches suggest human learning to arise from experiences with individuals constructing concepts and responses and learning through social interactions. 

Billett favours the empiricist explanation as studies in anthropology, developmental science, cognitive and neuroscience and cultural psychology support current explanations.

Mimetic professional learning is discussed with both advantages and limits and perils.

The four specific suggestions for using technology to enhance professional learning include:

·         Authentic instances of practice need to be provided;

·         Engagement with practice needs to be progressive;

·         Engagement in workplace practice important to observe, hear and sense workplace learning requirements;

·         Practice requires time.

UNEVOC forum on vocational learning pedagogy

Over the last two weeks, I have participated in an interesting eforum organised by UNEVOC, an offshoot of UNESCO.

The forum or virtual conference is titled ‘vocational pedagogy: what it is, why it matters and how to put it into practice’ is facilitated by Professor Bill Lucas.

There were almost 200 participants from over 60 countries although about 10% of the participants posted on the forum itself. Topics included 'signature pedagogies'; skills and attributes of TVET teachers and how to assist people to train to become TVET educators.

It was good to be able to catch up current thinking on TVET pedagogy with much of the discussion starting from the groundwork established by the 2012 report on vocational pedagogy by Lucas, Spenser and Claxton.

New report on 'thinking like an engineer' was shared, providing a resource modelling how 'signature pedagogies' can be leveraged.

Reading Heidegger - a simple guide to being and time

The work of Heidegger occurs regularly in the literature I work with. Some years ago, I have worked my way through two of his books. The books were hard work, something I attributed firstly to reading Heidegger’s work via translations from German to English and secondly, to my patchy conceptualisation of philosophical thought and my unfamiliarity with the presentation of philosophical writing. I am not the only one who finds Heidegger difficult to relate to or get into.

Heidegger’s books are part of this year’s on-going ‘catch up’ reading on things philosophical and neurobiological. I put off re-encountering Heidegger’s work until after I had attained a better grip on mind / body philosophical issues as a way of becoming more attuned to how philosopher’s write.

So, when I came across this book for the kindle, I downloaded to have a look through to see if it would help make the work of Heidegger more accessible. A simple guide to being and time (2012) is one of a series of books by NZer Steven Foulds. 

The concepts used by Heidegger – being, disclosedness, there-being, existential are introduced in the getting started chapter, setting up the scaffold to proceed with a lay person’s version of Being and Time. Then there is an overview of the there-being concepts.

The following chapters explain concepts of being in the world, being a whole and temporality. Appendices are included to further unpack occidental ontology, Edmund Husserl, Heidegger and the Nazis and Heidegger’s methods. A glossary of Heidegger’s terms used in the guide completes the book.

Overall, I found it useful to read the guide as it clarified many of the confusions I found through reading Heidegger ‘raw’. Now, I am better prepared to re-read ‘Being and Time’ and then attempt another of Heideggers’ work without recourse to a guide. Will report back on whether this strategy works!

Handbook of mobile learning - summary and overview

New book at the CPIT library published by Routledge (2013) and edited by Z.L. Berge and L. Y. Muilenburg. The book is a contains a comprehensive corpus of work to date on mobile learning frameworks, theories, pedagogies and challenges.

Book has 53 chapters in five parts. Relevant chapters to our project surface tablet summarised.

Chapters are short and cover a good spectrum of mlearning sphere to date. The list of contents has short summaries of each chapter.

Part 1 –Foundation and Future has 12 chapters providing overview of the evolution, foundational theories and possible future trajectories of mlearning.

Chapter 1 by Helen Crompton covers the development of mlearning through it’s elearning roots. Definitions of mlearning are proposed. The pedagogical shifts in education also summarised from the 1970s (discovery learning) to constructivist (1980s), constructionist (later 1980s), problem-based learning and socio-constructivist (1990s) along with learning centred developments. The advances in ‘educational technology’ also summarised through 1970s to 1990s.

Chapter 2 - W.C. Diehl covers ‘mlearning as a subfield of open and distance ed.’ A mainly American historical evolution of distance learning is summarised from the 1800s through postal / paper-based, to the emergence of radio and TV.

Chapter 3 by T. Cochrane provides ‘a summary and critique of m-learning research and practice’ through overview of the various phases and research approaches used. Key mlearning projects, sources of research funding, project contexts and methodologies are presented. The gaps in mlearning research summarised as being a lack of explicit underlying pedagogical theory, lack of transferable design frameworks, longitudinal studies, explicit support for student / lecturer support and poor integration with pedagogical; and general lack of awareness of ontological shifts required of learners and lecturers to move forward.

Chapter 4 covers the ‘sociocultural ecological frame for mobile learning’ contributed by N. Pachler, B. Backmir and J. Cook. Argues for the need to adopt a cultural ecology perspective for mlearning, Sociocultural structures include the inter-relationships and reciprocities between sociocultural structures, agency and cultural practices. ‘Appropriation’ of learning (new cultural products) needs to be couched in terms of individual’s habitus of learning as it is the individual who shapes knowledge out of their own sense of their world.

5^th chapter written by H. Crompton offering a new approach or theory for mobile learning. Proposed theories supportive of mlearning precepts include activity theory, conversational theory and connections between multiple theories (e.g. behavorist, constructivist, situated, collaborative, informal / lifelong and learning / teaching support). Mlearning ‘special’ contributions include context, connectivity, time and personalisation. The specialised and unique characteristics of mlearning is able to contribute to require a rethink and a need to develop a new theory for mlearning.

Chapter 6 by A. Moura and A.A. Carvalho describes a framework for mlearning integration into educational contexts. Activity theory is used to ground the study leading to development of the framework. Mobile learning is informed by pedagogy and aspects of mediation and learning through inter-relations between activity, tools and students.

Chapter 7 on ‘learning and teaching as communicative actions’ is by S.J. Warren and J.S. Wakefield. Communicative actions to support teaching and learning are defined as normative, strategic, constative and dramaturgical. Each of the communicative actions inform instructional design principles and establishes the design directive. An interesting concept to follow up on.

Chapter 8 by C. Quinn discusses the ‘future of m-learning’. Mlearning is defined to afford content consumption, interaction to compute, ability to communicate with others and to capture context with combination of one or more of the 4 Cs. Suggested ways in which mlearning may move forward include capabilities that may allow the ‘making of thinking’ visible; ‘meta-learning’ supporting formal and informal aspects of learning between contexts; and meeting learners’ needs when (connected through calendars) and where (location awareness via GPS) required.

Chapter 9 is written by 6 authors with M. Milrad the first author. The chapter focuses on ‘seamless learning: an international perspective on next-generation technology-enhanced learning’. The 10 dimension of Wong and Looi (2011) are used to help provide anchoring points. The dimensions are: encompassing formal / informal learning; personalised / social learning; across time; across location; ubiquitous access to content for learning; encompassing physical / digital worlds; combining use of multiple devices; seamless switching between multiple learning tasks; knowledge synthesis; and encompassing multiple pedagogical and learning activity models. Projects from Taiwan, UK, Sweden, Singapore and Japan are provided as examples.

The next three chapters, report on the state of the play with regards to mlearning. Discussions are on ‘educational change in the palm of our children’s hands’; ‘future of mobile apps for learning’; and ‘mobile learning across developing and developed worlds’.

Part 2 – learning and learner support covered in 9 chapters

Chapter 13 by A.Kukulska-Hulme summarises the profile of mobile learners ‘who they are and who will they become?’ Targeted learners have included school children and their carers; higher education students; young adults not in education or work; the underserved in development contexts; workplace learners including employers, apprentices and professionals; communities, friends and families; and learners with special needs and abilities. Not represented as much are older people and retirees; engaged, enthusiastic and talented young adults;  families; support for disabilities; and under privileged in all countries, both developed and developing.

Chapter 15 by O. Ozan and M. Kesim covers ‘rethinking scaffolding in mobile connectivist learning environments’. Summarises Vygotsky’s scaffolding concept and Berge’s learner support strategies and synthesises with Siemen’s connectivism approach. Provides an example of how a mobile connectivist learning environment may occur through collection of ‘mobile learning management system’ with social community and various affordance of mlearning as summarised in chapter 8.

Part 3 – teaching in instructional design has 10 chapters

Chapter 22 by T. Cochrane on ‘mlearning as a catalyst for change’ uses case studies from performing arts, architecture and journalism to argue the case for the entry of a ‘disruptive’ form of technology to become the lever to change pedagogical practice.

Chapter 23 by A. J. Sams is on ‘flipped classroom meets mobile learning’ detailing the implementation of a sustainable flipped classroom learning model. The 4 flipped classroom models are also defined as pretraining, inquiry, flipped-mastery and project-based.

Chapter 24 by J. Gerstein provides the rational for ‘team and community building using mobile devices’. Increased usage of mobile devices along with characteristics of the millennial and igenerations along with the greater need for building of collaborative skills push the adoption of mobile devices. Examples of team building activities using mobile devices are detailed.

M. M. Grant and M.K. Barbour in chapter 25 provide case studies from the K-12 context on using mobile to teach and learn both in the classroom and when on-line.

 A.M. O’Loughlin, S.M. Barton and L. Ngo report on the use of mobile technology to enhance teaching in chapter 26. The framework is that learning occurs through processes of ‘test programming’, questioning, reflection on the programming and feedback. The need to ensure ‘human and social’ capital investment is a strong recommendation from the evaluation.

Chapter 27 on ‘teacher tools’ contributed by S. Price, P. Davies and W. Farr. The designing of customisable applications for mlearning activities is reported.

In chapter 28, S. Huber and M. Ebner report on ‘iPad human interface guidelines’ and why the interface with mobile devices is important towards ensuring learning is assisted.

X Ge, D. Huang, H. Zhang and B. B. Bowers report on chapter 29 the ‘three dimensions design for mobile learning’ to include pedagogy, design and technology considerations using a case study based on learning through simulations for nurses.

S.A. Nikou and A.A. Economides summarise the current ‘mobile assessment’ landscape in Chapter 30. A range of approaches in deploying mobile learning to assessments are discussed. Included are classroom response systems, self / peer assessments, collaborative assessments, computerised adaptive tests, dynamic assessments, context-aware assessments, location aware assessments and mobile game based learning (mGBL).

Chapter 31 by I. de Waard explores the concept of mobile MOOCs and the design aspects required to work mMOOC in the cloud.

Part 4 – 7 chapters on policies, administration and management. Issues covered include: institutional move to mobile platforms (chapter 32 by G. Baroudi & N. Marksbury); Framework for implementation of mobile technology (33 with R.M Seilhamer, B. Chen and A.M. Sugar); BYoD case study by J. LaMaster and J.D. Ferries-Rowe; holistic framework for ethical mlearning by L.E. Dyson, T. Andrews, R. Smith & R. Wallace; copyright and fare use by P. Aufderheide; accessibility issues with J.B. Roberts; and role of academic libraries with R. Wexelbaum and P. Miltenoff.

Part 5 has 15 chapters providing various cases and perspectives. Of note are:

Chapter 41 by S. Stoerger on ‘becoming a digital nomad’. Chapter 42 with R. Brandt and R. Rice on ‘mobile medicine praxis’. Closer to home, chapter 44 by J. A. Willems with ‘mlearning during emergencies, disasters and catastrophes. Chapter 45 with H.G. Tuttle on ‘improving students’ modern language speaking skills through mobile learning.

Overall, the most relevant chapters are in Sections 1 and 3. Specific case studies, especially those involving the customised production of mobile apps, become dated very quickly in the fast changing mobile technology world. We learn from every project deploying mlearning to a range of diverse and often challenging contexts. Mlearning is still to meet its potential especially in helping to bring affordances to learning to remote, deprived and transient communities most in need of access to education. This book is an excellent resource for any educator embarking on the mlearning journey as it reports triumphs and challenges, modelling the complex political and social area mlearning occurs in.

CPIT professional development day - new city:new CPIT

Today is CPITs second whole institution professional development day. The occasion opens with a welcome from CE Kay Giles. Joe Bennett returns as a popular MC. The theme for the day and following year is new city: new CPIT. Kay commends on the resilience of staff and the institution and how we need to mine the learning to move CPIT forward into the futures. The earthquakes present a unique opportunity. Following last years PD day a catalyst team was formed and 3 key projects identified to increase collaboration across the institute. A video produced by students at Olds College in Canada on gamification and another Victoria University, Melbourne on work integrated learning used as example of whole institute direction towards future proofing the institute. Two other objectives include sustainability and opportunities for all. A scene from the play by the 'no limits group' is presented as a way to illustrate marginalisation and its effects.

First keynote is with Michael McQueen on decoding the next generation. Aims to provide practical suggestions at the end of the presentation for educators to bring back into their teaching. Summarising some of the concepts from his book. Engagement with Gen Y often thought to be difficult. Important to be authentic, not assume gen Y have no moral compass as they possess post-modern mindset and respect is not bestowed but earned through reciprocal relationships. Gen Ys may be 'unreliable' but their post-modern mindset prepares them well to cope flexibility and innovatively with change. If things don't work out they actively seek a different route and that causes them to be seen as lacking resilience. Gen Y are assumed to be technology savvy and also seen to be high maintenance. Strategies for engaging and equipping Gen Y is to prioritize the relationship, embrace new learning formats using appropriate technology and learning activities (check Donald Tapscott book on 'growing up digital') and use stories to make your point.

A staff activity follows morning tea. We broke up into 56 groups of about 12 in each group to work out the values CPIT should hold on to and work out what behaviours and activities would reflect these values. Group suggestions are to emailed into one repository and collated into informing the values development process of the new CPIT strategic plan.

After lunch, another activity to drive off the post lunch blahs.
Rhythm interactive takes through some collective flow activities with drumming, clapping, chanting and singing.

Second keynote from Peter Townsend CE of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce. A video 'new city, new Christchurch' is shown to provide an update of rebuild plans for the city. He opens his presentation with a vision of  Christchurch into 2030. Participatory democracy applied to inform the various innovative and future directions of development. For the city to become a centre of excellence that supports NZ and South Island economic, research, commercial and education goals. Currently, there is population and capital inflow, increase of economic activity due to business resilience and the recovery has only just begun. We need to capitalise on the opportunities and to understand the scale of the work coming and the place of CPIT in contributing. He challenged the institution to strategically plan for the future.

Jenn Bestwick, chair of the CPIT council follows with an overview of the day's activities and updates on the council's direction. CPIT needs to continually work at leading innovation and embracing change for the benefit our students. We have performed well but demands for education and training increasing from industry, schools and students. Going forward requires remaining relevant to our communities and stakeholders and continuing with evolution and innovation to meet diverse needs.
The CPIT staff awards are next. There were 19 nominations for the rising star award which goes to 4 people. Charlotte Griffiths, Hemi Hoskins, Natalie Thomas and Jan Connolly. Certificates also to Nick McQueen, Clare Brokelhurst, Marion Peawini and Manu Fata. 10 nominations for the management awards with the winner Bree Underhill. sustainability awards from 6 nominations to Emma Meijer and the outdoor and sustainability education team. The excellence in teaching award goes to the midwifery team. The practitioner award goes to the teaching team of the 'next step' centre who work with women second chance learners to help them re-enter tertiary education and the workplace. The teaching award from the CE goes to the manufacturing team and then front-line management team.

The day closed with the great waiata challenge for the institute to learn the CPIT waiata.

AVETRA day 2 afternoon

After lunch, I attend a session with Drs. Daryl Dimock and Ray Smith on 'models of continuing education and training: VET practitioner perspectives'. A report back on one aspect of a 3 year study to identify and evaluate potential models for CET appropriate for Australian context. CET used to keep current, maintain employability and develop skills required for future production. interviews and short surveys with 137 workers and 60 managers. 4 'models' were identified to trigger discussion. These were wholly work based experiences; work based with direct guidance; work based with educational interventions; and wholly educational institution based. 62 VET professionals were asked about how applicable each of the 4 models were to their context. In general, CET in workplaces or authentic work activities considered important. interpretations of authentic work activities ranged from simulation (model 4) to full on job learning (model 1). All 4 models supported. Model 3 - work based with educational interventions - most favoured. most reservations about model 1 - wholly workplace based. To work well, work place needs to be responsible for developing a learning culture; provide access to learning pathways; plan and finance training as part of business plans; contribute to development of national training system; and engage more fully with VET professionals and RTOs. VET professionals need to take responsibility for developing practitioner skills; strengthen support and involvement in workplaces; and need both technical as well as industry specific knowledge and regulations. Workers also were responsible for being self-directed and value work as learning; be self motivated, confident and be commited and open to learning; develop capacities of active inquiry; contribute to others' learning; investigate practice outside of own immediate experience. Challenges occur with existing attitudes to work-based learning including strict adherence to regulatory framework with potential value of workplace learning still seen to be difficult to encompass within administrative and regulatory requirements.

Then a session on 'self-directed learning and apprenticeship: an emerging grounded study' with Damien Pearce. Presentation on PhD in progress. Semi structured interviews with 7 apprentices, 3 employers and 3 vocational teachers analysed using grounded theory approaches. Interested in the process of learning to support competency completion as self direction is important to deal with complexity. Presented part of the initial analysis on how apprentices find value in the process. How apprentices decide to engage include influence of family and friends; experiences with work through part-time work; and high self-efficacy.

Next with Stephen Kemmis and Ros Brennan Kemmis on 'VET practices and practice architecture'. Based on study from 2010 to 2012 on leading and learning: developing ecologies of educational practices. Places, sites and situations are used as framework to understand learning. Definition: A practice is a form of socially established cooperative human activity involving sayings, doings and relatings to form a project. Practice architecture are the preconditions that prefigure practices. There are cultural-discursive, material - economic, and socio-political arrangements. Used an example from a carpentry unit to illustrate the sayings, doings and relatings overarching the practice. For an apprentice - as per recent project on retention, there is the need to learn how practices occur in various settings (school, workplace, TAFE), each with their own perspectives and ways.

After afternoon tea, a panel discussion convenes with Thomas Bailey, Gog Soon Joo, Erica Smith, Stephen Billett and Michele Simons. The broad topic is how to disseminate research so it is relevant to the target audience.

Closing keynote is with Rod Camm, the new director of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) on 'research has a role. Does it?' Research needs to be relevant to policy makers and other VET stakeholders. Need to have a layered approach to dissemination. Short, concise and pithy for some, longer and academic for journals. So research needs to be easily digestible, timely and disseminated using synthesis pieces and convening round tables. Impact of NCVER's research finds out if research has made a difference in terms of knowledge production, capacity building, influencing policy and practice. Reviewed 2 projects that have contributed include apprenticeship / traineeship completions and where are STEM students heading. Ran through several important topics for Australian VET where research is required.
Overall, a busy conference with many relevant presentations to follow up on.

AVETRA day 2 morning

Day two opens with a welcome from the chairperson, Professor Michelle Simons.
The keynote is from Professor Erica Smith on 'apprenticeship: not just a learning experience'. Although apprenticeships seem to be old fashioned, there has been a revival of interest in the way apprenticeships work. New economies need trained workers, mature economies need more highly skilled workforce and struggling economies need to engage youth in work. Apprenticeship seen as a way to meet economic workforce skill development needs. However, apprenticeships are country specific to aspects of culture, social, politics and economics. Presented some of the different ways apprenticehips are enacted. Presented a summary of a 2012 project for the ILO on finding out how different apprenticeship systems work and a synthesis to meet the Indian context.

Then provided an overview of the Australian apprenticeship system. Research in apprenticeship involves economic, labour process, learning and political theories, providing a fertile ground for study. Some of the people research include: Sociologists - Volker Wedekind, Marius Busemeyer. education - Felix Rauner, Thomas Deissinger, Lorna Unwin, Alison Fuller, Roger Harris. The 'dark side' of apprenticeships also discussed included exploitation / bullying, paternalism / infantilisation, conservatism and resistance to change of the system, new colonialism through the adoption of the 'German' dual system in Africa and Asia and exclusion across gender, ethnicities, age, disabiliites. Can apprenticeship meet social and economic expectations? Future questions include effects of globalisation; avoid widening have / have not gap; reconcile stakeholder interests; flexibility in careers. INAP 6th conference at Ballarat in 2015.

in the first series of concurrent sessions today, I attend Professor Stephen Billett's session 'constituting VET professional development in contemporary ties'. Summarising an evaluation of the VET development centre's professional development programme. Used online survey garnering 532 responses and supplemented by f2f and telephone interviews. Finding that VET PD is becoming a hybrid provision. VET PD used to advance knowledge; support novice practitioners. Demand from RTOs as they often have small staffing bases, distributed workforces and limits of internal professional support requires external provision. PD participants use the sessions to engage with other practitioners for guidance, support and affirmation. Literature informing what works is if VET practitioners influence, design and conducts kinds of learning experiences supporting their immediate teaching skill development; institutional support availed and theories used aligned to practice.

Then, Susanne Francisco's session on 'novice VET teacher learning through mentoring'. Presented on her work towards a PhD thesis. Based on a qualitative study framed by Kemmis et al 2014) work on practice architectures. The cultural discursive architecture included shared understanding of discipline knowledge, development of a shared language related to the teaching role and teacher support, expectations of supporting teacher learning. Material economic architectures include employment arrangements, time unavailable for support, 'informal' support during 'smoko', physical shared spaces need to be organized and mentoring needs to be formalized. The social political architectures include shared teaching areas, reciprocal sharing and valuing (recent industry experience) and mentoring structures.

Lunch followed and summaries of afternoon sessions in the next blog.

AVETRA day 1 afternoon

After lunch, Dr. Gog Soon Joo, Executive Director of Singapore's Institute for Adult Learning presents 'continuing education and training in Singapore: skills innovation and productivity'. The Singapore experience in building research capability for their Continuing Education and Training (CET) sector is shared. Presentation centred around economic development and the role of education; journey of CET research development and capability building; and informing change in CET policy and practice - lessons learnt from 3 projects. An overview of the history of Singapore and the critical role education plays in contributing to future economic development. CET only seen to be essential since 2000 with CET training system set up in 2003. Key challenges to keep CET system in step with economic restructuring and workers' demand. From 2009, with no research taking place in CET, research strategies set up to build capability starting with mentoring of young Singaporean researchers with overseas research fellows mentoring. Also, Master of CET set up to increase pool and create pipeline of promising local researchers. Role of CET research includes developing local research capacity; create the disposition and capability of the CET community to interpret and use research; and influence CET practice and policy through research. Important to help industry and policy makers understand CET research through relevant dissemination means. Impact focused system of research requires researchers who are aware of their biases (social origin, theoretical bias, critic without practical implementation of advice) and pedagogical disposition to help others to truly learn. Three studies include skills utilisation; contingent workers in Singapore (learning and identity); and sectoral learning and performance transformation. Future plans embedded in the 2013 - 2020 CET strategy plan also shared.

I assist with the chairing of the following 2 concurrent sessions. First up a presentation by Adeline Goh on 'an authentic approach to facilitate vocational and technical education students' transition from education to work' in the context of the Brunei TVET. Presented on the literature review leading to a project to improve learning for vocational students. Provided background on Brunei VET context; and a summary of the literature on VET learning and how authentic learning contributes to better VET learning. VET learning may occur at college or workplaces. The 7 VET institutions tend to take a traditional didactic approach but need to assist students to become critical thinkers, and self-directed and lifelong learners. Need for present VET curriculum to encourage links between workplace and college learning. Authentic learning seen to be one way to help bridge theory and practice gap. Learning is based on "real-world, complex problems, their solutions, using role playing exercises, problem-based activities, case studies and participation in virtual communities of practice (Lombardi, 2007)". Need to look up Berry (2011) on planning authentic learning activities using workplace pedagogies and De Bruijn and Leeman (2011) on powerful vocational learning environments. Authentic learning in the Brunei context needs to include key content, employability skills, authentic tasks (workplace practices) and authentic assessment in industry.The challenge is to increase pedagogical capability with VET teachers and combine learning at both college and workplace is considered to provide a basis for lifelong learning.

Second presentation from Associate Professor Philip Thomas on 'co-creating innovation through shared expertise: principles underpinning the epistomology and scholarly contribution of a portfolio-based professional doctorate'. Philip provides a workshop on the programme which is run to allow for a ''custom built space' to allow for a 'workplace based' scholarship with mutually shared knowledge to occur. Candidates are supported through academic, industry and professional sectors. Sensible intersections are created to bring university, workplace and profession to share expertise. Candidate is tasked with coming up with an 'innovation' in the form of product, project, new paradigm etc. Portfolio tracks the journey from taking a idea to contributing to change in the workplace. Workplace attributes to provide project environment for a candidate needs to have vision, climate of excellence, participative safety and norms of innovation. Requirements t form the candidature include instutional mechanisms are aligned; workplace commitment; sound project; candidate expertise; and academic support. The concepts from this presentation contributes to my work with designing post-graduate qualifications at my own institute.

After afternoon tea, two more concurrent sessions. First up, Dr. Colleen Young provides an update on NZ tertiary academies with 'students perceptions of their learning experiences in the first two years' a focus of her PhD thesis. Colleen provided the background, rationale and details of the development of tertiary high schools in NZ. The study explored the ways the tertiary high school impacted on students - who were identified as likely to fail. Students responded with improved attendance; move away from school rules and culture and into 'adult' and work expectations and responsibilities; wider choices for tertiary study; applied learning; a headstart into a qualification; exposure to work based learning to inform career choice; need to set goals and take responsibility for own learning. Programme included high levels of pastoral care; monitoring if required; requirement for student to use individual learning plan. Students reported improved achievement, engagement with learning and completed qualifications they would not have otherwise.

Last concurrent session of the day with Ingrid Berglund wigith provides a Swedish perspective on 'workplace based learning in the Swedish upper secondary apprenticeship education'. Firstly ran through the Swedish context for upper secondary VET and the various reforms undertaken to make the programmes more vocation-specific. The last three years of school used to undertake a start with apprenticeship through workplace attachment and school. Decisive differences in the new systems is to assign role of apprentice as student, not employee; education contract voluntary between school and workplace; workplaces receive money to keep apprentice; equal curriculum learning objectives as in school-based VET. However, as apprentices are viewed as trainees their legitimacy in the workplace as learners is affected. The study surveyed over 300 students in 9 locations from 21 schools. Found 3 industries (construction / electrical, business and administration, health and care) had different approaches both in the workplace and in the school based structure. The enacted curriculum was difficult to achieve within workplace conditions.  Finding workplaces to participate was difficult and VET teachers became responsible for organizing the education and time was now sufficient to complete assessments. Follow up and assessment feedback was not sufficient. More study required to come up with pragmatic recommendations.

The AGM for AVETRA is held in the early evening, followed by the conference dinner. All in a long but, as always, interesting day.

AVETRA day 1 morning

At the annual Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) conference today and tomorrow. A busy programme to fit into the two days as the conference is flanked by Easter and Anzac Day.

So an early start on the official day one for the 17th AVETRA conference organised around the theme of 'Informing changes in VET policy and practice: The central role of research'. Pre-conference workshops and and evening 'welcome reception' were held yesterday.

The day opens with a welcome from the conference chairperson, Professor Stephen Billett and an official welcome to country from Yugembeh descendent, Ted Williams. Conference officially opened by John Paul Edward, who is minister of education, training and employment for Queensland.

The first keynote is with Professor Thomas Bailey from Columbia University, providing an American view on Career and Technical Education (CETE) with emphasis on 'developments and anxieties and the completion agenda in American post-secondary education system’. Tom is the director of the community college research centre. Tom has a long history of research and scholarship in the American post-secondary education system. In America, higher education includes VET. American higher ed. tends to concentrate on generic /foundational skills before final ‘rounding off’ in occupational focused skills. Therefore, trades like plumbing, follow similar education structure to professionals (law, medical etc.). A good overview of the American structure and how some parts of it may usefully inform other systems. For instance, community colleges offer the first two years towards a four year Batcherlor degree. Some professions provide all parts of a four year qualification (e.g. nursing).

After morning tea, the first of the concurrent sessions across seven streams begin. My presentation 'learning a trade: Apprentices' perspectives on workplace learning' is in this concurrent session. I presented on last years' 'learning a trade' project. Summarising the report with an overview of the literature foundations, key findings and recommendations. The session generated a good range of questions and discussion for follow up.

In the second concurrent sessions, I attend Andrew Dolphin's presentation ' when art becomes food: an application of Bourdieu's distinction to hospitality pedagogy'. Baandsed on Andrew's Phd literature review arguing that food as art is a contentious concept. Bourdieu uses social capital as the ability to 'see art' which is a learnt skill more easily acquired by people already in possession of a level of social standing. Cultural pedigree asists as access to the learning actitivies associated with 'seeing art' are important. So,there will be a variance in aspiring hospitality workers' social capital. How can the required 'seeing food as art' ability be facilitated? Suggested market identification, behaviour can illuminate scial class and capabilities required by employers.

In session three, the session on safety training 'safety beyond classroom training to workplace learning for workers in perilous work environments' by Dr. Kristine Yap seems appropriate for my work with trades tutors training workers for the Christchurch rebuilt. Context includes a shift from training to learning; emphasis is on compliance and licencing; classroom learning is authentic with workplaces seen more to be a legitimate site for learning. Study undertaken in the petrochemical industry in Singapore, a company recognised for good safety record. Comprehensive data analysis process used to unpack what assisted workers to learn and practice safely. A combination of personal and organizational approaches essential to cope with diversity of workers' language and culture.

Session four is a change of topic with Hilary Timma on 'distance-based learners navigating between remote and real-time learning contexts'. A more interactive session. Presentation based on a small study with Cert. IV students who were completing the qualification via on-line courses. Sociality of learning between work and learning improved through authentic learning and assessment; workplace others; and learning facilitation process. Workplace colleagues, supervisors, others who had completed the course were key inter mediators between workplace experiences and newly learnt concepts. Mediators assisted learners to check on their learning progress, clarify confusion and make connections.

Off to lunch and will post on the afternoon's sessions this evening.

Guitar Hero - book overview

Marcus. G. (2012). Guitar hero” The new musician and the science of learning published by Penguin Press.

Probably the least satisfying of Gary Marcus’ books. Professor Marcus uses his sabbatical year away from university teaching to learn how to play the guitar. Marcus is realistic about his poor sense of rhythm and tone deafness. However, his experience just prior to going on sabbatical through playing music via the computer game ‘guitar hero’ ignites a long wished for ambition to play the guitar.

The book tracks Marcus’ journey from neophyte to being able to play the guitar as part of a band. On the way, reflections on learning a skill are detailed. Descriptions of the deliberate practice cycle are sprinkled through the book along with Marcus’ new learning on music theory. Importantly, how he starts to make sense of how chords are constructed and how they contribute to musicians’ expertise. Identifying and learning the ‘signature discipline’ does make a difference to learning progress.

When I was a child, I learnt to play the piano and in hindsight, realise how much learning music has contributed to my toolbox of life skills. Aside from providing a lifelong love of music (both Western and Eastern – Chinese and Indian), learning the theory of music meant I practised the ability to make sense of symbolic concepts and acquiring the motor skills of piano playing provided improved hand-eye and brain coordination.

Marcus’ book provides practical advice for others intending to take a similar route as adults to learn how to play an instrument. Of note is the correct assertion that we are never too old to learn. Our brains were evolved to be plastic and flexible. Older people may bring with them life experiences which contribute to learning difficult skills and concepts better. Adults tend not to have the time to put into deliberate practice time to build up the 10,000 hours required for expertise but they may have acquired metacognitive skill sets assisting them to leverage off deliberate practice cycles better. The key is to maintain motivation, find the right teachers, put aside dedicated time to the task of learning and not be afraid to make (and learn) from mistakes.

The book has a useful glossary to explain musical and neurological terms, short notes for each chapter, 25 pages of relevant references (especially useful on skills learning) and index. 

Soul dust: the magic of consciousness - book overview

Soul dust: the magic of consciousness by Nicholas Humphrey (2012)

This book is an interesting read. It provides a counter argument to the scientific neurobiological stance of the non-existence of a soul. In this book, the presence of the soul in the form of human consciousness is presented. Humphrey puts forward the view that our consciousness puts on a show for us inside our heads to make our lives worth living. Consciousness evolved to provide us with the means to sustain a spiritual side to ourselves, so that we sense wonder and experience quality graduations.

The book is sprinkled with beautiful poetry to illustrate the ways humans try to articulate their ‘soul niche’. The argument is carefully constructed with philosophical discussions, examples and the aforementioned poetry. The writing style is conversational and accessible although some of the first few chapters (part one) introducing the philosophical background underpinning the book requires the reader to concentrate on following the main threads.

Part two is the most enjoyable part of the book. There are 5 chapters discussing the concepts of ‘soul dust’ and ‘soul niche’. The presence of consciousness is reiterated and levels of consciousness are explored in some detail. The poems of Rupert Brooke are used to provide examples of the philosophical concept of qualia.

Part three closes the book with the call to live one’s life well, to find, enjoy and extend one’s ‘soul niche’ and to be enveloped and nurtured by one’s ‘soul dust’. 

Mistakes were made (but not by me): book overview

Tavris, C. & Aronson, E. (2007) Mistakes were made (but not by me): Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions and hurtful acts.

This is an interesting book for educators to read. Some of the ways we go about justifying our decisions, whether good or bad, have implications for how we could approach understanding learning. After all, learning is one way we overturn some of our core beliefs, adopt new ways to understand and perhaps better ourselves and learn how to empathise with others.

Good examples from studies in psychology are used, although many of the studies reported involve the ubiquitous research participant, the American college student.

Topics covered include cognitive dissonance and why we indulge in self-justification. The reasons why we become enmeshed in vicious and virtuous circles are introduced and discussed. The pyramid of choice is also introduced as when a moral stance is initiated, two people who originally take on similar views, move to be far apart once they start to self-justify their moral choice.

Prejudice and biases, how we form them (indeed bias is one of the first things we use to make decisions through ‘confirmation bias’ and ‘naïve realism’) and how to counter are discussed in chapter 2.

The way our memory is ‘selective is the topic for chapter 3. Our memory is not a video recorder but filters the information to make sense. Hence, biases and stereotypes creep in and we are prone to suggestions and selective about what we chose to remember.  The perils of ‘imagination inflation’ are revealed through examples of people who genuinely believe that they survived concentration camps as a child or were abducted by aliens.

Chapters 4 to 7 continue the main theme, using examples from science and clinical diagnosis in chapter 4, law and order (including difficulties in overturning judgements even when alleged perpetrator is found innocent) in chapter 5, marriage and love in chapter 6 and war and peace in chapter 7. Chapter 8 discusses why it is so difficult for us to own up to mistakes and to change our beliefs, switch allegiances, move to a different way of seeing the world or to use other or new points of view. However, being able to recognise and then say ‘I made a mistake’ plus correct what our preconceptions have wrought is truly the mark of being a good person.

The books is pitched at an American audience as most of the examples, especially the political ones are drawn from American politics. There are comprehensive endnotes and an index but no list of references.

Overall, the book is worth a read as it brings up topics many of us would rather not face up to. A thought provoking book which draws on neuro psychology and contemporary examples to illustrate it's message. We need to be aware of our weaknesses and challenge our biases through careful, critical thought. 

The rational animal - book overview

The rational animal: How evolution made us smarter than we think a book by D.T. Kendrick & V. Griskevicius (2013) published by Basic Books.

This book promotes an interesting concept within the discipline of evolutionary psychology. The core argument is that we have 7 personalities, driven by evolutionary ‘instinct’ sub-consciously driving the decisions we make and the ways we approach our lives.

The 7 subselves are:

Self-protection – the night watchman

Disease avoidance – the compulsive hypochondriac

Affliation – the team player

Status – the go-getter

Mate-acquisition – the swinging single

Mate-retention – the good spouse

Kin-care – the nurturing parent

The chapters than work through each subself and how our beliefs and perspectives are coloured by the way in which each subself organises the world. Each chapter has a snappy title and lays out the argument with contemporary and historical examples.

The last chapter recommends 3 lessons to cope with being a rational animal. These are:

Don’t assume other people are morons; rational self-interest is not in your self-interest; don’t leave home without consulting your other selves.

The book has notes for each chapter organised according to topics (which I really like), a comprehensive references section and index. Overall, an accessible but slightly over-hyped introduction to the concepts of evolutionary psychology. The book summarises some of the traits that have evolved through various socio-cultural and socio-material influences over the long history of humankind. Some of these traits are useful to our present lifestyles but other may impede or cause dissonance with current societal forces.

All in, an interesting read illustrating how emergent theories on evolutionary psychology is applied to explaining why and how humans react to various inputs and circumstances. There is a danger of the concepts in the book becoming enshrined in 'pop' psychology as although the authors provide compelling examples and conclusions make sense, the overall direction of the book seems to be to 'sell' the concept. So read with caution. However, the book is written in a clear, readable prose and provides a good introduction to precepts of evolutionary psychology.

The need to use findings from neuroscience with caution

Three books on why recent neuroscience discoveries need to be treated with caution.

First up, Kluge: the haphazard construction of the humanmind. An accessible 2008 book for laypeople by G. Marcus published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Kluge promotes the idea that the development of the human brain through the process of natural evolution has produced a kluge. In engineering speak a kluge is a put together, sometimes inelegant, solution to a problem that works. So our brains have many quirks, making things like our memory system suspect (i.e. eyewitnesses cannot be relied on), our decision making systems fraught with bias and even the way we use language is filled with inconsistencies. The human body has several kluges arising from the evolutionary pathway from four legged mammal to two legged homo. So the brain is no exception.

The book is a short read of just over 150 pages. There are 8 chapters, with the first chapter providing a thought provoking overview of why the brain can be viewed as a kluge. The next 6 chapters cover a myriad of examples in support of the thesis including memory, belief systems, how we make choices, language development, our need to put pleasure before all else and the existence of ‘brain breakdowns’ in the form of mental illnesses and susceptibility to addictions.

Last chapter brings concepts together and recommends 13 ways to become better thinkers:

Whenever possible, consider alternative hypothesis; 

Reframe the question;

Remember always that correlation does not also equate to causation;

Check the size of the sample;

Anticipate own impulsiveness and precommit;

Don’t just set goals, make contingency plans;

Try not to make decisions when tired or stressed;

Weigh benefits against costs;

Imagine your decisions will be spot-checked;

Distance yourself;

Be aware of the vivid, personal and anecdotal;

Pick your spots;

Try to be rational.

Second book, Brain washed: The seductive appeal of mindlessneuroscience (2013) by S. Satel & S.O. Lilienfeld

Warns of the generalisation of neuroscience research, especially in politics, marketing and psychology / psychiatry (from studies of addition and brain diseases). In particular, explains how fMRI works. The images look very pretty but the colours refer to oxygen activity in a brain not actual ways in which neurones form connect or form connections. So, one needs to be very cautious about applying information from any form of brain imaging or brain activity measurement. We know too little about how the brain actually works but only have  guidelines to areas related to certain physical and cognitive activity. The role of neurotransmitters also not quantifiable through present means. As the brain works not only through neuro-activity but also through a whole host of bio-chemical triggers, dampeners etc. it is premature to use studies of the brain, to predict how someone reacts to stimuli through recording images of the brain.

The third book, The future of the brain: The promise and perils of tomorrow’s neuroscience (2006) by S. Rose. Covers the evolutionary development of the brain. Balances the emerging understandings we are deriving from recent neuroscience discoveries and cautions of how our learnings are still relatively new. This book melds some of the understandings I have gleaned from previous readings. The evolutionary development of the brain is summarised succinctly. Then aspects of neurophilosophy are discussed through chapters on becoming human, becoming a person and having a brain, being a mind. The prose is pitched at the level of a layperson with some understanding of neuroscience. The last chapters discuss the implications of current understandings are the need to be continually aware of the implications on social order and ethical and legal complications.

The problem of the soul: book overview and reflections

Owen Flanagan (2002) The problem of the soul: Two visions of the mind and how to reconcile them, published by Basic Books.

My meanders through neuroscience, neuropsychology, neurophilosophy and evolutionary psychology has led to some confusion as I wrestled with relativism, dualism, navitist, empirist etc. In short, exposure to a range of viewpoints and difficulty in weighing up the arguments from each perspective.

So, Flanagan’s book brings some relieve although no sure answers, and I accept there never will be. Life is a journey made exciting by meeting ongoing challenges. My present short term goal is to find some answers to whet my intellectual curiosity and to form a ‘to do’ list for my own learning. A bonus if some of this new learning merges with my academic work but I am not too fussed at this stage as all the new learning is challenging some of my belief systems and causing me to reassess things.

Back to Flanagan’s book, written in clear, accessible language. Some familiarity with how philosophical texts are laid out is helpful but the argument is signalled through the book and not obfuscated by dense text. The preface spells out the objective of the book and lays down foundation for understanding the two viewpoints – scientific and humanistic. Flanagan also used pertinent parts of his biography as a lapsed Catholic and academic, to illustrate important points through the book, modelling the good use of analogies to assist the reader to make their own meaning from the concepts explored in the book.

Flanagan introduces the ‘dualism’ way of understanding body and mind prevalent in Western thought and philosophy for two millennia. He argues that the scientific approach is now ascendant as the approach is starting to supply empirical explanations of how the brain works. Yet the humanistic and theological approaches also have some contributions.  The book discusses the ‘dualism’ between science with its logical, empirical study of the brain and how it works and the question of where then is the soul? If the brain is also the mind, then where is consciousness, free will and our identity? Does free will exist when we make decisions based on connections between our neural networks as triggered responses (neurotransmitters, hormones etc) and ‘conditioned’ responses? Does Ryle’s ‘ghost in the brain’ exist? Who and what are we as in ‘where is the I’ in the brain? 

Six chapters work through what makes us human covering the mind, free will, permanent persons, natural selves. The last chapter ‘ethics as human ecology’ discusses the implications of accepting the idea that science and the image of the mind in humanism and theology have common frameworks. In particular, the concept of freewill is possible regardless of whether accessibility to freewill is explained via scientific or humanistic / theological reasoning. However, the caveat is our brains are not designed to be rational due to its evolutionary development.

All in, a worthwhile read which is pitched at the right level for someone with sufficient curiosity and background to persist through the many concepts. I enjoyed the book as it provided a cogent discussion from the neuroscience and philosophical / religious points of view and provided sufficient space for the reader to weigh the evidence and come to their own conclusions. After all, that is why we have a mind :) There is a need to be open to various viewpoints and to come to some resolution in one own's mind frame. Flanagan's book provides an example of writing that expands the reader's horizons without dogmatic flogging of one perspective. The book recommends respect for each approach towards understanding what makes us who we are. 

The brain and the meaning of life - book overview

Thagard, P. (2010). The brain and the meaning of life. Princeton University Press.

A prosaic book compared to the other books read so far this year in neurobiology, neurophilosophy and neuropsychology. As such, a pragmatic read for those who want to get to the knub of the matter and form a framework for their own understanding of the subject. Research from various disciplines are brought together to explain why we should abandon our concepts of soul, free will and immortality.  Alternatives are offered through recent findings in brain science to provide foundations for morality, reality and the meaning of life. This cartoon provides an apt illustration of how we 'overthink' when compared to our animal friends.

This book revolves around the theme of ‘why we live the lives we live’. It provides a good overview of how recent advances in neuroscience have changed the way the world is viewed. Importantly, the concept that individuals are made up of their physical brain and mind. Once the physical body dies, so does the brain and mind. So why are we here then? and what is our purpose in life?? Thagard argues that it is us that builds our reality, therefore  through our work, love and play, we express what we stand for and who we are.

The book is a good ‘textbook’ introduction to some of the complex ideas presented by other authors exampled by the Churchlands, see blog earlier this year. Thagard’s writing swings towards to academic but is made accessible through the use of analogies and examples.

There are extensive notes provided from each chapter, a glossary of neuroscience and philosophical terms, 15 pages of references covering the salient readings in the field and an index. Therefore, the book provides a good source for people seeking an introduction to the subject.