Abstract
This paper proposes that the principles of learning, as highlighted by Bransford and colleagues, require biological grounding. This process essentially amounts to the facilitation of, and development of, an enriched capacity for ongoing biofunctional activity (OBA)—physical biology in action. The learning sciences’ principles of active learning, i.e., accessing prior understanding, organizing knowledge through schemas, and self-monitoring are psychological-understanding vehicles that work only in the ground of biofunctional (deep) understanding. Biofunctional understanding is a form of understanding that rises out of OBA. In this sense, biofunctional understanding juxtaposes and inherently complements psychological understanding. Without biofunctional understanding, psychological understanding becomes synonymous with superficial understanding. By contrast, in the illuminating context of biofunctional understanding, psychological understanding enables accomplishments of the kind enjoyed by experts in the rich and deep, metaphorically speaking, experiences of their respective fields of specialization. In this perspective article, I show how and why the psychological principles of active learning are ready for grounding in biofunctional understanding.
Highlights
According to Bransford et al (2000), the learning sciences’ principles of learning should be supported through effective learning environments, which are structured around the learner, knowledge, assessment, and community
This paper argues that traditional educational methods rely too much on superficial metaphors, rather than focusing on the embodied learning resources inherent to the learner
For learning environments to be effective, from a biofunctional perspective, they must be constructed in such a way that they align with the principles of learning, and allow the principles to be grounded in the learner’s biological functioning
Summary
In the illuminating context of biofunctional understanding, psychological understanding enables accomplishments of the kind enjoyed by experts in the rich and deep, metaphorically speaking, experiences of their respective fields of specialization In this perspective article, I show how and why the psychological principles of active learning are ready for grounding in biofunctional understanding. A common approach in education is to direct the learning experiences for the less knowledgeable learners through lectures and similar activities In this type of learning environment, most of the emphasis is placed on helping the learners internalize 2nd/3rd-person knowledge given to them by classroom teachers and textbook writers. 1st-person knowledge acquisition demands a qualitatively different type of relationship with the external learning environment, whether this biofunctional learning environment is built into the traditional classroom or the external environment as a whole.
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