Distributed_Cognition_and_Learning

**2. DISTRIBUTED COGNITION AND DISTRIBUTED LEARNING** (TOC)
Distributed learning are the processes that help us develop shared or distributed cognitions. Distributed learning can take place in the context of a special type of learning community that arises as people evolve a set of thoughtful practices in specific contexts with mediating tools. Distributed learning communities hold the promise to help move education out of the 19th century and into the 21st. The goal is to use technology for more than just a replacement of paper, pencils, and textbooks. It is about granting students access to content, experts, and tools beyond the four walls of the classroom. It is about a form of collaboration that distributes learning among people in ways that result in shared forms of both mental and physical action (Pea, 1997).

One outcome of distributed learning is a form of a learning community, or community of practice, "Distributed learning involves an orchestrated mixture of face-to-face and virtual interactions, often centered on a "learning communities" model" (Dede, 2004). We think it is helpful therefore, to have an understanding of why so many people find the concept of a learning community so powerful.

According to Bielaczyc & Collins, (1999)in a learning community, the goal is to advance the collective knowledge and, in that way, support the growth of individual knowledge (Scardamalia and Bereiter, 1994). The defining quality of a learning community is that there is a culture of learning, in which everyone is involved in a collective effort of understanding. There are four characteristics that such a culture must have: 1. Diversity of expertise among its members, who are valued for their contributions and given support to develop. 2. A shared objective of continually advancing the collective knowledge and skills. 3. An emphasis on learning how to learn. 4. Mechanisms for sharing what is learned.

What makes a distributed learning community special is that participants are contributing over time and space. Participants have access to the community via technology tools which enable asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities. Tools such as Skype, Moodle, Blackboard, wikis, and blogs allow members of the community to share their knowledge. They allow cognition to be distributed so that each member can be a part of the community regardless of their geographic location or chronological location. In other words, learning is not limited by time or place.

Members of a distributed learning community are concerned with both their individual knowledge and the group knowledge. By sharing their individual expertise and putting forth their cognition into the group, each member benefits and the collective knowledge is advanced. This is one of the key goals behind distributed learning. The participants are not necessarily working towards the same goal, but towards " the development of individual expertise and collective knowledge..." (Dede 22).

4. What is the relationship between Distributed Learning and Distributed Cognition?


 * The relationship between distributed learning and distributed cognition centers on the learning process and the context within which the interaction takes place. Coghlan (1997) defines the adult learning process as: experiencing, reflecting, interpreting, and taking action. This is also referred to as the experiential learning cycle. If we use this model as a definition of learning then complete learning takes place when information is synthesized and applied in a new way by an individual or group.

Distributed cognition is an integral component of distributed learning. When individuals are involved in an effective distributed learning environment, they will be acquiring and internalizing knowledge that they then can distribute to the others. Therefore, in an effective distributed learning environment, distributed cognition is part of the process.**


 * Distributed Cognition and Distributed Learning can be engaged at the same time, while distributed learning takes place as individuals continue to evolve, that evolution often takes place as individuals begin to "share one mind. Jazz improvisation presents a potent example. A musician can play what is written on the pages of the musical score. Several musicians practicing a particular piece to hone individual and collective talents is at the essence of collaborative learning. All while working together with a goal to share one musical thought.

Frnak Barret (1998) discusses seven characteristics that allow a jazz bands to “improvise coherently and maximize social innovation in a coordinated fashion.” 1. Provocative Competence – Deliberate efforts to interrupt habit patterns 2. Embracing errors as a source of learning 3. Shared orientation toward minimal structures that allow maximum flexibility 4. Distributed task – continual negotiation and dialogue toward dynamic synchronization 5. Reliance on retrospective sense-making 6. “Hanging out” – Membership in a community of practice 7. Taking turns soloing and supporting.

Jazz improvisation provides all of the necessary tools for individuals to be collaborative while learning and more importantly begin to become one “collective conscience.” The interchange between a soloist and the rhythm section is critical The pianist, bassist, and drummer must work together and communicate often non-verbally to achieve a heighten awareness of the music. This allows the solist to take musical risks with timbre, notation, rhythm and tempo; all done with the knowledge of a structure lying underneath. “Paul Desmond said that the improviser must crawl out on a limb, set one line against another and try to match them, bring them closer together.” (Barrett)

The key to improvisation is fearlessness and spontaneity once the musician is no longer afraid to fail that is when learning takes place. Jazz improvisation at its core welcomes “errors”, a misplayed note in orchestral music sticks out like a sore thumb; whereas in jazz improvisation, a misplayed note is an opportunity for the community (band members) to parley with one another.

Jazz musicians work off of each other and respond to each other on a continuum, at times mirroring the melody or harmony between two melodic instruments or rhythmically between a melodic instrument and percussionist. When a musician begin to solo, a reflective moment becomes available to the other members, allowing them to gather in new information to be used in their own solo or as an accent to featured musician.

Most importantly jazz improvisation provides a time of camaraderie, individuals working together towards a collective goal of sustained intensity. As musicians work together as band over time habits and rituals develop amongst the members and commonalities begin to surface that allows the musicians to work as once and produce something greater than they could on their own.**

//MR: This section needs some help...How is the adult learning process related to distributed Cog/learning? I get the second point although the way it is stated feels a bit circular. Distributed learning, when effective, results in distributed cognition. Distributed cognition is internalized knowledge? Agree or disagree? But the real issue is that this is section 4 following the introduction Seems like you need some re-org of this?//

5. Isn't distributed learning just the same as collaboration? Collaboration occurs synchronously or asynchronously within distributed learning. Collaboration is the basic idea of contributing to the task at hand. Distributed learning is Collaboration 2.0; it is the improvised version of individuals coming together to complete a task. Distributed learning allows individuals to share their expertise with the world //and it// // takes place in the context of a special type of learning community that arises as people evolve a set of thoughtful practices in specific contexts with mediating tools. // Technical formats allow members from all walks of life to learn together, grow together, and to develop new ideas, theory and logic; this grants a more in depth, distribution of knowledge. 



//MR: I am not sure I am clear on what is meant here and I don't feel like I have a clear sense of how these two terms are same or different. And remember that when you are reviewing ideas of others (as in a lit review) there can be differences. You might find that different people have different ideas about these concepts.//