Fall 2000
Rebuttal to Learning is more
than incremental
Mark Viner
I have a few comments on last article "Learning is more than incremental." I believe the author of the review made a few misinterpretations. In chapter Five, entitled "Creating the Metacurriculum", Perkins lays the groundwork for teachers and students to achieve higher order thinking skills such as learning strategies that assist both in understanding and acquiring knowledge. Perkins talks about students’ perceptions of learning and about creating learning strategies for the metacurriculum. His beliefs are that students and teachers need to understand the nature of learning and knowledge.
In the first sentence the author suggests that Perkins is making a "bold," absolute declaration of truth. I don't believe this is the case. If you read Perkins further he states that "The more productive incremental attitude is worth cultivating" (p.119). Perkins is talking about students' attitudes and beliefs about how people learn. Perkins believes that students philosophize that their are two major theories of learning:
Perkins suggests that students’ theories about how people learn profoundly affects their own thinking and learning abilities.
I also disagree with the stone mason analogy in the next paragraph. The author suggest that Perkins believes incremental learning is like a stone mason building a project where sequential layers of knowledge are built up over time (a mechanistic process). Perhaps it's semantics, but I believe Perkins would suggest that knowledge is of course îbuiltî but more importantly created through a dynamic process of learning to learn, a strategy for knowledge construction. When I picture the stone mason metaphor, I picture a static structure, firm, unbendable. In other words, you either get it or you don't. It seems to me the author is turning incremental learning into entity learning.
The author relates layer building to Michael Jordan and basketball where skills are built up (practiced). I would suggest that we are talking about two very different types of learning: behavioral versus cognitive skills (higher order thinking). Behavioral skills involve physical behavior while cognition is directed towards knowledge acquisition and understanding. I also didn’t buy into the bike story. I play guitar and run long distances for hobbies. I enjoy periods of insights and "Aha" moments, but these usually always come after long periods of frustration and practice. I would suggest Perkins and the author are talking about two different ways of knowing and doing: apples vs. oranges.
As well, I didn't care for the psychologist Paul story. It is not amazing. In my opinion the psychologist used years of background experiences and knowledge to put the woman in that situation. That "Aha" experience evolved (in my opinion) because the woman came to an understanding of what she was doing (her previous experiences and knowledge made her see this). It was not enlightenment. I'm not saying these moments cannot happen, however I am saying that I think these are not good examples of entity learning. Once again, I believe they are talking about different kinds of knowledge and learning.
The Perleman statement supports Perkins, not the author. Yes, science and knowledge can come from insights, a light bulb going off, a dream and even a hunch, but even these are based upon past experiences, knowledge, skills and practices.I would agree that Science doesn't travel down a linear path. Science is interpreted by a community of learners who understand the nature of science (a metastrategy). Scientists understand how science operates (the methods of science). It is built upon existing theories and knowledge through observations, asking questions, testing, revising and collaboration with other scientists. Knowledge and science are not things that are explored in isolation. They are researched by a community of learners who understand the nature and methods of science.
Is Perkins reducing learning to a single perspective or point of view? I don't think he is. The metacurrriculum or creating metacognition provides the learning community with various pathways for understanding what we know and how we come to know it. It is not one road which excludes other types of learning. It is a road that leads to many other roads and destinations.
The author's suggestions for entity learning: Paragraph 1: I would suggest that a student sitting back and observing their own experiences is part of the metacurriculum, not entity learning. Journaling becomes a way for students to understand their own work and the process of change (the metacurriculum). Paragraph 2 & 3: I don't argue with creating trust and open ended environments. I believe Perkins would agree these are essential ingredients of all good learning environments. Paragraph 4 & 5: I believe and so would Perkins that we all make intuitive leaps and these leaps of insights are very valuable. I believe the author misinterpreted Perkins. Of course Perkins was going to talk about incremental learning instead of entity learning because that was the focus of the chapter. Perkins main point was that students' beliefs about how people learn effects how they themselves learn. I also believe that he would suggest that both entity and incremental learning are valuable.
