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The Theory and Practice of Mediated Learning Experience Introduction

Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) describes a special quality of interaction between a learner and a person, whom we shall call a "mediator". The function of a mediator is different from that of a teacher, as illustrated by the following two diagrams.



In this mode the teacher provides a suitable stimulus (homework, test, assignment, etc.) and then observes the response of the learner to the stimulus. Based on the response, the teacher interacts with the learner (praise, criticism, encouragement, grade, new assignment, for example) and the process is continued until either the teacher or the learner is satisfied or time runs out. Teachers develop their own repertoire of methods depending upon the siz e of the class, the apparent ability of the learner(s) and the subject matter.

In Feuerstein's method, the above diagram is replaced by one in which a warm human being, indicated by the "H" in the diagram, intervenes in the process by placing himself or herself between the learner and the stimulus and between the learner and the response.



The intentionality of the mediator is different from that of a teacher. The mediator is not concerned with solving the problem at hand. Rather the mediator is concerned with how the learner approaches solving the problem. The problem at hand is only an excuse to involve the mediator with the learner's thinking process. For the process to be successful, at least three important qualities must characterize the interaction.

1. Intentionality and Reciprocity

We have explained intentionality above. The mediator concentrates on understanding and helping the learner to understand how the learner is using his or her brain. Reciprocity refers to the need for the learner and the mediator to see each other at the "same level". That is, the teacher does not pretend to know the answer as to how the learner should be thinking. Only the learner knows how the thinking proceeds. The mediator is rather a fellow explorer.

2. Mediation of Meaning

The mediator interprets for the learner the significance of what the learner has accomplished. The mediator also mediates feelings of accomplishment. "Now that you have figured that out, you can probably use the same method on this harder problem.", "Now I'll bet you see the advantage of having developed a strategy for solving the problem.", "Did you notice how you went faster when you decided you could be flexible in your approach?&q uot; In various ways the mediator causes the learner to reflect not just on the solution to the problem but also on how the solution was obtained and the generalizations which flow from it.

3. Transcendence

Human beings differ from the other species in the way they can transfer lessons learned from one experience to rules and methods to use in another situation. Indeed, this is what learning should be about, for if a person does not generalize from experience that person does not gain 30 years of experience, that person simply repeats one year 30 times. Transcendence means "bridging" the experience and lessons learned in the current situation to new situations. "Where else in your life to you suppose it is important to have a strategy?", "How often has 'impulsivity' gotten you into difficulty in your family life?", "Where else do you find that you are imposing structure on what would otherwise be a confusing set of input information?", "When and where do you find it useful to categorize information?"

The above three criteria are essential in defining MLE. However, the mediator also pays close attention to other aspects of learning from experience, and mediates for other (affective) components of learning:

  • Regulation and Control of Behavior
  • Feelings of Competency
  • Sharing Behavior
  • Individuation/Psychological Differentiation
  • Goal Seeking/Setting/Achieving/Monitoring
  • Challenge: The Search for Novelty and Complexity
  • Awareness of the Potential for Change
  • The Search of Optimistic Alternatives
  • Feeling of Belonging

In examining the approach of the learner in a problem solving situation, it is helpful to the mediator to develop a mental image of the steps learners take in successful problem solving and what can go wrong. Dr. Feuerstein and his associates have developed the following examples of deficiency at the three stages of the mental act.

Difficulties of the Learner

During the Input Stage of Problem Solving

  1. Blurred and sweeping perception.
  2. Unplanned, impulsive, and unsystematic exploratory behavior.
  3. Lack of, or impaired receptive verbal tools that affect discrimination, (e.g., objects, events, and relationships are not appropriately labeled).
  4. Lack of, or impaired spatial orientation and lack of stable system of reference by which to establish topological and Euclidian organization of space.
  5. Lack of, or impaired temporal concepts.
  6. Lack of, or impaired conservation of constancy.
  7. Lack of, or a deficient need for precision and accuracy in data gathering.
  8. Lack of capacity for considering two or more sources of information at once. This is reflected in dealing with data in a piecemeal fashion rather than as a unit of facts that are organized.

During the Elaboration Phase

  1. Inadequacy in the perception of the existence of a problem and its definition.
  2. Inability to select relevant as opposed to irrelevant cues in defining a problem.
  3. Lack of spontaneous comparative behavior or the limitation of its application by an inhibited need system.
  4. Narrowness of the mental field.
  5. Episodic grasp of reality
  6. Lack of need for the establishment of relationships.
  7. Lack of need for and/or exercise of summative behavior.
  8. Lack of, or impaired need for pursuing logical evidence.
  9. Lack of, or impaired ability to use inferential or hypothetical (if) thinking.
  10. Lack of, or impaired ability to use planning behavior.
  11. Non-elaboration of certain categories because the verbal concepts are not part of the individual verbal inventory on a receptive level, or because they are not mobilized at the expressive level.

During The Output Phase

  1. Ego-centric communication modality
  2. Blocking
  3. Trial and error responses
  4. Lack of, or impaired verbal or other tools for adequately communicating elaborated responses.
  5. Lack of, or impaired need for precision and accuracy in the communication of one's responses.
  6. Deficiency of visual transport.
  7. Impulsive, random, unplanned behavior.

While MLE may be used with any situation in which the learner is challenged by a problem, there are some situations which are much easier to deal with than others. For example, in Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment (IE), the problems have been designed to be attractive and fun to solve. They have also been designed to emphasize one or another of the potential dysfunctions listed above. Another example is in the Learning Propensity Assessment De vice (LPAD) in which the problems posed to the learner are aimed specifically at one or another of the above potential difficulties.