Concrete Thought Confirmation Process/Cognitive Processing utilizing Confirmatory Methods in Distance Learning/Margith Strand

Concrete Thought Confirmation Process/Cognitive Processing utilizing Confirmatory Methods in Distance Learning


“Abstract theory” formation in distance learning in the area of the Sciences is something that is enabled through the assistance of what I will term “concrete thought confirmation process” (C.T.C.P.). CTCP is an area which includes the use of application-driven models in that real world examples are used to support and facilitate the understanding and visualization of the theoretical connections to the “abstract.” “Abstract” in Science includes the visualization of physical processes in the dynamic form and integral mathematical form of stepwise processes where real-time and dimensional approaches are used to describe the natural way of doing things. CCTP can be used in Distance Education to promote the enhanced-learning of the more difficult concepts in various areas of subject fields which encompass calculus-driven functions and matrices-modeled physical theories. Within the educational context of distance learning and distance teaching, we see that the use of the transformative, step-wise driven “abstract to concrete” change of cognitive assimilation of information to a knowledge-base is facilitated by the presentation of an exchange of theory to application and application to theory in context of the subject matter. I believe that this process can hold true for various fields of study. Namely: law, economic theory, political theory, social science, mathematics, physics, engineering, among others. In addition, within the context of empirical and experiential theory applications, I feel that the integration of “abstract to concrete” and “concrete to abstract” idea formation in the student, in the effort to bring about the assimilation of information for the needed conversion to a knowledge-basis set for that area of study proceeds through the same track of learning.