Egitimde-yeni-paradigma-algicilik-olabilir-mi?

This excerpt from “Aklımda Kalanlar” by Prof. Dr. M. Yaşar Özden explores the concept of a new paradigm in education, suggesting it might be perceptionism. The author discusses how societal changes brought about by technological advancements, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence, are shifting the focus from knowing and doing to how we perceive information. The piece highlights the impact of the “post-truth” era and social media on learning, suggesting that individuals’ perceptions, shaped by these environments, are becoming the foundation for new forms of learning. It contrasts this emerging paradigm with established learning theories like behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism, arguing for a shift in how education approaches information in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Briefing Document: A New Paradigm in Education – Perceptionism

Source: Excerpts from “Eğitimde Yeni Paradigma: Algıcılık olabilir mi? New paradigm in education: Could it be perceptionism – Aklımda Kalanlar” by Prof. Dr. M. Yaşar Özden.

Date of Source: March 13, 2024

Author Background (from source): Prof. Dr. M. Yaşar Özden is a specialist in teacher education, distance education, multimedia applications on the internet, web design and programming, and currently focuses on Generative AI (GPT) applications in Education. He has a strong background in adapting curricula to online spaces and is recognized in science education and its impact on learning communities.

Main Themes:

• The Impact of Technological Advancements on Education: The source argues that rapid technological changes, particularly the rise of AI and the “post-truth” era, necessitate a fundamental shift in educational paradigms.
• The “Post-Truth” Era and its Educational Implications: The author highlights the significant impact of the post-truth era, characterized by the prevalence of emotional and personal beliefs over objective facts, on how information is consumed and perceived.
• The Emergence of “Perceptionism” as a New Learning Paradigm: The core argument is that the traditional learning theories (Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism) are insufficient to explain learning in the current digital and post-truth environment, proposing “Perceptionism” as a potential new paradigm.
• The Shifting Nature of Schools and Learning Environments: The concept of the traditional physical school is being replaced by distributed, digital learning environments, influenced by social media and AI tools.
• The Need for Critical Thinking and Media Literacy: The author emphasizes the critical importance of equipping students with skills to navigate misinformation, evaluate information critically, and identify manipulation in the post-truth landscape.

Most Important Ideas and Facts:

• Paradigm Shift is Inevitable: The author asserts that just as industrial revolutions led to changes in societal paradigms and consequently in education, the current technological revolution demands a new educational paradigm.
• From Knowing to Doing to Producing with AI: The author revises his earlier statement “Knowing is not enough, being able to do is necessary,” acknowledging that AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini have taken over the “knowing” and much of the “doing.” The new emphasis is on individuals using this readily accessible information to produce.
• The Post-Truth Definition: The source provides a definition of “Post-truth”: “Post-truth, objektif gerçeklik ve gerçeklikle ilgili olguların, duygusal ve kişisel inançlardan veya ideolojik görüşlerden daha az etkili olduğu bir durumu tanımlar” (Post-truth is a term that defines a situation where objective reality and facts related to reality are less influential than emotional and personal beliefs or ideological views). It also notes that the increase in information accessibility in the post-truth era is linked to a rise in information pollution, misinformation, and manipulation, exacerbated by social media.
• Social Media’s Role in Shaping Perception: The author highlights how social media facilitates the rapid spread of information, including fabricated “truths,” which can be difficult to control and can lead to the formation of new perceptions and potentially “non-learnings.”
• Perceptionism Defined: “Algıcılık (Perceptionism) yaklaşımında ise öğrenmeyi “algıdaki değişim” olarak tanımlayabiliriz.” (In the Perceptionism approach, we can define learning as “change in perception.”) This new paradigm suggests that learning in the post-truth environment is fundamentally shaped by perceptions formed within the social environment, independent of the individual.

1. Elements Influencing Learning in a Perceptionist Environment:Active Engagement: Being an active user of social networks.
2. Construction of Meaning: Individuals interpreting post-truth perceptions formed in the social environment through their own experiences and mental frameworks, integrating them into existing cognitive structures.
3. Social Interaction: Social interaction is acknowledged as important for co-constructing meaning, and in the context of the post-truth environment, it can enhance the learning experience of artificial realities.

• The “My School in the Cloud” Concept: The traditional school concept is being replaced by decentralized, digital learning environments (“My School in the Cloud”) on social media, without geographical constraints, where digital tools are widely used, and learning is time and place-independent.
• Shift from Knowledge Acquisition to Information Utilization for Production: Education is evolving towards individuals accessing information instantly through AI tools and using this information to become productive, rather than focusing on merely knowing or memorizing.
• Outdated Educational Practices: The author suggests that traditional methods like PowerPoint presentations and rote memorization for multiple-choice questions are no longer sufficient in this new paradigm.
• The Dual Nature of AI in Education: AI-powered environments have the potential for both beneficial and undesirable outcomes in education.

Key Takeaways for Educational Practice:

• Educators need to acknowledge the profound impact of the post-truth era and AI on how students perceive and learn.
• The focus of education must shift from knowledge transmission to developing critical thinking, media literacy, and the ability to evaluate information critically.
• Students need to be taught how to identify misinformation and manipulation in the digital environment.
• The potential of AI tools for positive educational uses needs to be explored and leveraged.
• Learning environments are becoming increasingly digital and decentralized, requiring new approaches to teaching and learning.
• The ability to utilize readily available information to produce new things is becoming more important than simply knowing facts.

Quotes:

• “Post-truth, objektif gerçeklik ve gerçeklikle ilgili olguların, duygusal ve kişisel inançlardan veya ideolojik görüşlerden daha az etkili olduğu bir durumu tanımlar.” (Post-truth is a term that defines a situation where objective reality and facts related to reality are less influential than emotional and personal beliefs or ideological views.)
• “Post-truth dönemi, bilginin erişilebilirliğinin artmasıyla birlikte, bilgi kirliliği, yanlış bilgilendirme ve manipülasyonun da artmasıyla ilişkilendirilir.” (The post-truth period is associated with the increase in information pollution, misinformation, and manipulation as information accessibility increases.)
• “Sosyal medyanın etkisiyle, bilgi ve haberler hızla yayılabilir ve kontrol edilmesi zor olabilir, bu da post-truth ortamının yayılmasına katkıda bulunur.” (With the effect of social media, information and news can spread rapidly and be difficult to control, which contributes to the spread of the post-truth environment.)
• “Algıcılık (Perceptionism) yaklaşımında ise öğrenmeyi “algıdaki değişim” olarak tanımlayabiliriz.” (In the Perceptionism approach, we can define learning as “change in perception.”)
• “Bilmek yetmez, Yapabilmek gerekir, bilenler kusura bakmasın ChatGPT’yi (Google Gemini’yi vb.) işe aldık şeklinde oldu.” (It became “Knowing is not enough, being able to do is necessary, excuse those who know, we hired ChatGPT (Google Gemini etc.).”)
• “Artık bildiğimiz okul kavramının yerini “Benim Okulum Bulutta” kavramı almakta…” (Now the concept of school as we know it is being replaced by the concept of “My School in the Cloud”…)

This briefing document summarizes the central arguments and significant points presented in the provided source, emphasizing the author’s perspective on the need for a new educational paradigm (“Perceptionism”) in response to the technological advancements and the rise of the post-truth era.

Education in the Post-Truth Era: Understanding Perceptionism

Study Guide

This study guide is designed to help you review the concepts presented in the excerpt “Eğitimde Yeni Paradigma: Algıcılık olabilir mi? New paradigm in education: Could it be perceptionism – Aklımda Kalanlar” by Prof. Dr. M. Yaşar Özden. The excerpt explores the evolving landscape of education in the context of technological advancements, particularly artificial intelligence, and the emergence of a “post-truth” era, proposing “perceptionism” as a potential new paradigm for learning.

Key Concepts:

• Paradigm: A term used to describe a worldview, knowledge base, and a set of guidelines that determine how a group of people thinks and behaves within a specific time frame. Paradigms change in response to environmental shifts and the evolving meaning assigned to life.
• Industrial Revolutions: Significant historical periods marked by major technological and societal changes that have profoundly impacted life and consequently shifted existing paradigms.
• Technological Advancements: The rapid development of technologies like the Internet of Things, Web 3.0, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence, which are creating new questions and possibilities in various aspects of life, including education.
• Shift in Skill Emphasis: The transition from simply knowing information to the necessity of being able to do things with that information, especially with the advent of tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
• Post-Truth Era: A period where objective facts and reality are less influential in shaping public opinion and discourse than emotional appeals, personal beliefs, and ideological perspectives. This era is characterized by increased information pollution, misinformation, and manipulation, exacerbated by the rapid spread of information through social media.
• Perceptionism (Algıcılık): Proposed as a potential new paradigm in education, particularly relevant in the post-truth era. It is a philosophical and psychological approach that focuses on how individuals perceive, process, and interpret sensory information from their environment. It emphasizes the role of individual perception, influenced by social environment and the construction of meaning, as the basis for new learning.
• Perception: The process of processing and interpreting sensory information received from the external world through our sense organs. It allows us to notice and make sense of objects, events, sounds, smells, and tactile sensations.
• Evolution of Learning Theories: The excerpt traces the historical progression of dominant learning theories in response to changing paradigms:
• Behaviorism: Learning is defined by observable changes in behavior, assuming learning occurs independently of the individual if the environment and materials are well-designed. Individual differences and social interaction are secondary.
• Cognitivism: Learning is defined as a change in knowledge, comparing the mind to a computer that stores information in short-term and long-term memory. Knowledge is seen as the same for everyone, although personal differences exist, and social environment is acknowledged.
• Constructivism: Learning is defined as the construction of meaning, which is entirely individual and influenced by past knowledge and social environment. Social environment is emphasized as highly influential in meaning-making.
• Perceptionism: Learning is defined as a change in perception. New learning is fundamentally based on perceptions formed within the social environment, particularly in the post-truth context.
• Factors Influencing Learning in Perceptionism:Active Engagement: Active use of social networks.
• Construction of Meaning: Individuals interpret post-truth perceptions created in the social environment based on their own experiences and mental frameworks, integrating them into existing cognitive structures to form deeper understanding.
• Social Interaction: Accepted as important in learning, interaction with peers, teachers, and the wider community provides opportunities for collaborative meaning-making and increases exposure to artificial realities constructed in the post-truth environment.
• Challenges of the Post-Truth Era for Education: The potential for AI-supported environments to be used for harmful purposes, the erosion of critical thinking skills, the difficulty in accessing accurate information, and the encouragement of emotionally or ideologically driven decisions rather than evidence-based ones.
• Importance of Media Literacy and Critical Thinking: The need to equip students with the skills to think critically, evaluate information, identify misleading information, and recognize manipulation tactics in the post-truth era.
• “My School in the Cloud” (Benim Okulum Bulutta): The concept that the traditional idea of school is evolving into a paradigm where learning occurs in virtual environments, free from the constraints of physical location or time, utilizing various digital tools and AI. Learning shifts from knowing information to accessing it instantly and using it to produce.

Quiz

Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.

1. What is a paradigm and why are paradigm shifts considered inevitable?
2. How have the industrial revolutions impacted educational paradigms?
3. According to the author, how has the emphasis in required skills shifted in the face of new technologies?
4. Define the “Post-Truth Era” as described in the excerpt.
5. How does the rise of social media contribute to the “Post-Truth Era”?
6. What is “Perceptionism” as proposed in the excerpt?
7. Briefly explain how learning is defined in the Behaviorist approach.
8. How does the Constructivist approach differ from Behaviorism and Cognitivism in defining learning?
9. What is the primary factor influencing learning in the Perceptionist approach?
10. Why is media literacy considered important for students in the context of the post-truth era and perceptionism?

Essay Format Questions

Consider the following questions for potential essay responses. Do not provide answers in this section.

1. Analyze and evaluate the author’s argument for “Perceptionism” as a new paradigm in education. How does it build upon or depart from previous learning theories like Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism?
2. Discuss the implications of the “Post-Truth Era” and the increasing use of artificial intelligence on the role of the educator and the design of learning environments.
3. The author suggests that the traditional concept of “school” is evolving into “My School in the Cloud.” Explore the potential benefits and challenges of this shift towards digital and AI-supported learning environments.
4. How can educational systems effectively equip students with the critical thinking skills and media literacy necessary to navigate the information landscape of the post-truth era?
5. Examine the relationship between social interaction and the construction of meaning in the context of the proposed Perceptionist paradigm. How might social media and AI tools influence this interaction?

Glossary of Key Terms

• Paradigma: A term used to describe a worldview, knowledge base, and a set of guidelines that determine how a group of people thinks and behaves within a specific time frame.
• Endüstri Devrimleri (Industrial Revolutions): Significant historical periods marked by major technological and societal changes.
• Nesnelerin İnterneti (Internet of Things – IoT): The network of physical objects—”things”—that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet.
• WEB 3.0: The potential next phase of the internet, envisioned as a decentralized web powered by blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
• Makina Öğrenmesi (Machine Learning): A type of artificial intelligence (AI) that allows software applications to become more accurate at predicting outcomes without being explicitly programmed to do so.
• Yapay Zeka (Artificial Intelligence – AI): The simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. These processes include learning, reasoning, and self-correction.
• Post-truth (Hakikat Sonrası Dönem): A situation where objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.
• Algıcılık (Perceptionism): A proposed new paradigm in education, particularly relevant in the post-truth era, that focuses on how individuals perceive, process, and interpret sensory information as the basis for new learning, heavily influenced by social environment.
• Algı (Perception): The process of processing and interpreting sensory information received from the external world through our sense organs, allowing us to notice and make sense of our surroundings.
• Davranışçı Yaklaşım (Behaviorism): A learning theory where learning is defined by observable changes in behavior, focusing on the environmental stimuli and behavioral responses.
• Bilişselci Yaklaşım (Cognitivism): A learning theory where learning is defined as a change in knowledge, focusing on mental processes like memory, problem-solving, and information processing.
• Oluşturmacı/Yapılandırmacı Yaklaşım (Constructivism): A learning theory where learning is defined as the construction of meaning, emphasizing the active role of learners in building their own understanding based on experiences and interactions.
• Aktif Katılım (Active Engagement): Actively participating in activities, particularly in the context of social networks in the Perceptionist paradigm.
• Anlamın İnşası (Construction of Meaning): The process by which individuals build their own understanding and interpretation of information, influenced by prior knowledge and experiences.
• Sosyal Etkileşim (Social Interaction): The way people communicate and interact with each other, considered important for collaborative learning and meaning-making in the proposed paradigms.
• Medya Okuryazarlığı (Media Literacy): The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in a variety of forms.

Quiz Answer Key

1. A paradigm is a worldview and knowledge base that determines how a group of people thinks and behaves within a specific time frame. Paradigm shifts are considered inevitable because they occur in response to changes in the environment and how people assign meaning to their experiences.
2. The industrial revolutions have profoundly impacted life through technological and production changes, leading to necessary changes in human profiles and consequently bringing about corresponding changes in education and teaching paradigms.
3. The author suggests that the emphasis has shifted from simply knowing information to needing to be able to do things with that information, especially now that AI tools can instantly access knowledge.
4. The Post-Truth Era is a period where objective facts are less influential than emotions, personal beliefs, and ideological views in shaping public opinion and discourse.
5. Social media contributes to the Post-Truth Era by facilitating the rapid spread of information, including misinformation and manipulation, which can be difficult to control and can quickly create and propagate new “realities” or perceptions.
6. Perceptionism is a proposed new paradigm in education, particularly for the post-truth era, that suggests learning is defined as a change in perception, heavily influenced by the social environment and the construction of artificial realities.
7. In the Behaviorist approach, learning is defined by observable changes in an individual’s behavior, assuming that learning will occur independently of the individual if the learning environment and materials are well-designed.
8. Constructivism differs by defining learning as the individual construction of meaning, which is unique to each person and heavily influenced by their past knowledge and social environment, whereas Behaviorism focuses on observable behavior and Cognitivism on internal knowledge storage.
9. The primary factor influencing learning in the Perceptionist approach is the change in perception, which is shaped by the social environment and the constructed realities within it, particularly in the post-truth context.
10. Media literacy is considered important for students in the post-truth era and the context of perceptionism because it equips them with the skills to critically evaluate information, discern accurate information from misinformation, and recognize manipulation tactics prevalent in the current information landscape.