Unit 4 Blog post - CBR v Cog Flex

Kevin’s explanation of case-based learning as a superordinate “learning in context” concept under which a multitude of models can be organized.

It does make sense that this originated in law school, and it is a very large component of the bar exams in most states.

Using case models in person seem more straightforward and less resource intensive than doing so completely in an electronic format. With the complexity of cases, and the vast difference in the way each student may approach a case, it becomes problematic for “incorrect responses elicit the “playing” of a correct response” (Kevin Oliver CBR Lecture slides) because each incorrect response is incorrect in a different way.  However, a benefit to having students struggle through a case online and individually would be that instead of playing off of one another each online student would need to think more deeply and problem solve more thoroughly, not relying on others with more problem solving or direct experience. However, it also diminishes knowledge transfer. The sharing of that experience can be a crutch or a future benefit, depending on the students. So, how this case-based learning is executed online could be challenging.

In my particular field of new media, cases would need to be redone every time a course is offered. Twitter, facebook, blockbuster, redbox, storify, etc are a topic of conversation now, but in a year blockbuster v redbox will have no relevance. It almost doesn’t now. So, in things that change quite quickly the investment in case development will need to be very strategic. Most of our courses do have at least one case study every week, with some having about three per week, each highlighting a different approach or application of the same theory. However these cases are usually presented in text pages with little multimedia. Students then discuss the case in the discussion board with the instructor leading the discussion. They are fairly similar to the cases provided by Virginia.

I think we use case-based reasoning because we are a professional degree. All of our students are working full time and have three years of full time experience in the field. We encourage them to look at the presented cases and frame and reapply them in the context of something they either have dealt with at work or see on the horizon. In program evaluations we ask students how the program has benefitted them professionally and we get reports of how they’ve applied coursework directly and indirectly in solving complex problem in their organizations. I wasn’t previously aware of the CBR cycle, but we do follow that surprisingly well. The idea of repair and re-versioning solutions as part of the application of case theory is important as nothing is static and even if a solutions fits now, in our industry the model can change overnight, literally. So repair is perpetual and necessary.

I see the difference in cognitive flexibility and case-based reasoning is the idea of similarity. I think in cognitive flexibility the cases/simulations are chosen specifically to stretch a student. The concepts are more difficult to apply intentionally, but the cases are still very familiar. The familiarity of the case allows the learner to have “pegs” on which to hang new information and approaches. An ability to incorporate what they’ve learned into a larger worldview and making them capable of applying it more broadly than just on the specific case/situation it’s transferred to. At least, that’s what I’ve taken away as the difference. Agree? Disagree?

PS – Learning objects – I didn’t really want to cover that in my blog post, which I see as more an evaluation of models, in this case CBR vs cog flex. I believe learning objects are great and could be used more. The school of public health has a large learning object they’ve developed to understand public health decisions and how government, budget, and the public impacts the process. They want to expand that object and use it in other programs across UNC-CH. In addition there are some things available nationally.  In my field, Poynter has some learning objects we repurpose in our courses. One example is The Language of the Image at Poynter's News University: http://www.newsu.org/courses/language-image
(The course is free and self-directed. It takes about an hour to complete.)