The Conversational Framework

To get ready to talk about changing education, we are looking again at the Conversational Framework. This is a model that explains how teaching and learning work through interaction. We learned about it in the first course, and it remains important for this course.

Learning is not only about quietly taking in information. It is an active process. It happens through back-and-forth interaction between students and teachers, and also between students and other students.

The video shows Professor Diana Laurillard talking about the Conversational Framework that she developed. In it, she explains the cycles of learning that take place for learners as they interact with the teacher (on the left side of the diagram), and as they interact with other learners (on the right side). The cycles in the top half show how learners learn new concepts, and those in the bottom half show how learners develop their practice, or their practical skills. If you want to go through this information again after watching the video, you might find it helpful to read the video transcript, which is available as a Download below.

The Conversational Framework is a model that explains the teaching-learning process. It has six types of learning. Each type is a different way to get involved in learning:

• Acquiring: Taking in information, for example, by reading books, listening to lectures, or watching videos.
• Inquiring: Finding out new things, for example, by using a library, searching online, or doing research.
• Practising: Using what you have learned to improve your actions, for example, by doing homework or practising a skill. You get feedback and work toward a goal.
• Discussing: Talking with others. You share your ideas and respond to their ideas, for example, through peer discussions, class discussions, or online forums.
• Collaborating: Working together with others. You share practice and agree on an approach to reach a common goal, for example, through group projects.
• Producing: Making something that shows what you have learned, for example, by writing an assignment or a report, or building a model.

The Conversational Framework shows that learning happens in cycles. Students try different types of learning, think about what they experienced, and change how they understand things.

The best learning happens when several of the six types are used together. This helps students reach the intended learning outcomes. Teachers can use this framework to plan lessons, choose activities, and improve teaching.

Optional extra reading

If you would like to learn more about the Conversational Framework, these books (available in many university libraries) will give you a more in-depth understanding:

• Laurillard, D. (2002). Rethinking University Teaching: A Conversational Framework for the Effective Use of Learning Technologies (2nd ed.). London: RoutledgeFalmer.
• Laurillard, D. (2012). Teaching as a Design Science: Building Pedagogical Patterns for Learning and Technology. New York and London: Routledge.

ePortfolio Task on the Conversational Framework- Reflecting on how you use the six learning types in your teaching

Now it is time to start building your ePortfolio. You can download the ePortfolio template in Word (.docx) or Open Document (.odt) format from the Downloads section below. Please do not request “edit” access to the ePortfolio. It is view-only to enable everyone to see it without changing it. Once you have downloaded it, you can start creating your own ePortfolio document.

We will do ePortfolio exercises for every topic in the CoMOOC, so that you build your ePortfolio step by step during the course.

For your first entry, think about the subject you teach. Think about the activities that learners do. Can you estimate how much each of the six learning types are used during your course? Include your learners’ personal study time and assessment. Then complete the first entry of the portfolio by following the instruction here.

Over to you

Share your thoughts about what you learned from this ePortfolio activity in the chat below. Are you satisfied with the balance of learning types in your teaching, or do you want to change something? Explain why.