Dale'sCone

The Cone of the Experience

Retrieved on September 2,2009 from: http://www.edutechie.ws/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/cone_of_learning.png

· What is it?

The Cone of Experience is the visual representation to summarize the Dale’s classification system for the varied types of mediated learning experiences. The cone represents how the learning goes from the most concrete experiences (at the bottom) to the most abstract (at the top). The direct purposeful experiences represented at the bottom level of the cone are acquired through an active learning. Students can analyze, create and evaluate their reality or everyday life. Dale affirms that people generally remember more when they do something that really impact their lives.

· Is it still accurate and relevant?

I think Dale’s scone is still relevant since our educational system has changed a lot and the traditional ways of learning and teaching are not working as they did in the past. According to Dale’s point of view, currently students enjoy classes in which they can participate actively by performing different tasks that involve their senses. They enjoy learning from their relationship of various educational experiences to real life.

· How could it help us?

In my school context teenagers are not very motivated to attend regular classes since they do not find them interesting and challenging. I consider that students’ motivation and expectations could change if they are moved from passive teaching methodologies to more interactive classes. The implementation of activities which involve more direct experiences such as videos, music, games, hands on, and interactive online activities, could be very useful to improve the institutional learning environment.

Task :
Among the students I am teaching currently, I would like to talk about Sebastian, an eleventh-grade guy who is mainly a visual and social learner. He is very creative, enjoys using technological tools, and love working collaboratively. Although my students are provided with clear and precise instructions to carry out the activities, he prefers do things in his own learning style.

Last month my students had to work in groups of three to narrate a story based on some pictures given. They had to organize the pictures in the way they wanted, by pasting them on a piece of cardboard and writing some captions to narrate the situation in a chronological order. Sebastian worked in class, but next class he shared us a story created at home with the photo story program. He included photos, music, transitions and text. Due to he had experienced with the program in another class, he was able to apply the knowledge in a new learning context and now Sebastian is able to transfer this knowledge to their partners.