Gordon Pask’s Conversation Theory
“A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than ten years mere study of books.”
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Since the beginning of time, people have both conversed and learned via spoken, written, and demonstrative forms of communication. This format has changed since the invention of the internet, in that technology is now involved. We are given more convenient opportunities to engage conversation since a majority of all humans are connected to technological resources. According to Scott (2011) the foundation of conversation theory is simple, “knowledge is created through conversation” (as cited in Lankes et al., 2007).
Conversation theory was proposed by Gordon Pask in the 1970s after his extensive works in cybernetics. Through this interest, he determined conversation to be a human-machine interaction, a dynamic process. Cybernetics, from the Greek word meaning “steersman” is defined as the theoretical study of control processes in electronic, mechanical, and biological systems (Conversation theory). Pask attempted to explain the theory of education and learning in both living organisms and machines through the use of conversation on a particular subject matter.
The Conversation Theory Wikipedia page (2014) discusses that conversation can be accomplished at different levels, including natural language (general discussion), object languages (for discussing subject matter) and metalanguages (for talking about learning/languages). Throughout this course we have engaged in the aforementioned conversation at one level or another through the use of technology. Though this is completed in a format that Pask may not have dreamed of, we have achieved conversation through the use of blogs, social media and Skype, to name a few.
References
Conversation theory: gordon pask. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/learning/Pask.htm
Conversation theory. (2014). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversation_theory
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved March 15, 2014, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/henrywadsw138607.html
Lankes, R. D., Silverstein, J. L., Nicholson, S., & Marshall, T. (2007). "Participatory Networks: The Library as Conversation" Information Research, 12(4) paper colis05. Retrieved from http://InformationR.net/ir/12-4/colis05.html
I really like the theory that you chose. I feel as though the conversation theory is one of the major theories where online learning is concerned. Like you said based on Pask, conversation is a dynamic process. I was a communication major as an undergrad and very skeptical of online academics because you do not get the same kind of human interaction or conversation. In some ways I felt that online learning hindered or disengaged the student from the learning process. However, like you said this course has taught us to use different types of technology such as blogs, social media or Skype. I for one now think that sometimes we actually have more interaction in some online classes that we actually have in face-to-face classes. I think back to some of my large lecture classes where the faculty members did not take attendance and it was up to you to come and participate and be an active member of small group discussions. I think this class is much more active than that class was. Don’t get me wrong I have taken my fair share of online classes that do not require group projects or discussion board but none of them are nearly as educational as the ones that do. Human interaction can show you knowledge and different perspectives on topics. It is always good to have another view than your own.
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