Nelson uses John Holland who is a theoretical biologist and the father of genetic algorithms to investigate how L2 students learn in a second language composition classroom. Nelson covers the four properties (aggregation, nonlinearity, flows and diversity) and three mechanisms (tagging, internal models, and building blocks) that Holland proposes all complex adaptive systems have. Nelson also discusses the role of building blocks in individual students’ learning from a case study based on his own first-year university rhetoric and composition course for international students.
I’m not sure if I’m misunderstanding Nelson’s case study but I had trouble finding the connection between Holland’s model of complex systems and Nelson’s case study done in his class. The only connection apparent to me was between was in Holland’s final mechanism building blocks although Holland’s model is used differently for teachers. Nelson used this mechanism to show how interactions can generate learning. Nelson discovered that when an individual becomes aware that their own building blocks are unsuitable for a purpose then “dissonance occurs that can propel one to ‘combine relevant, tested building blocks to model the situation in a way that suggests appropriate actions and consequences’. Meaning that these individuals learn to adapt to and correct these specific areas by using/replicating tested building blocks to create an optimum outcome.
Questions: Although Nelson’s case study seemingly makes sense, there are a few questions that came to my mind while reading, and I would have liked for Nelson to expound on. The first question centers on the different backgrounds of each student and where they are in their language abilities. The next set of questions are based on the individual students that Nelson mentions in his essay. The first is about Maria who chose to use a powerpoint for her presentation. I wonder what caused this transformation for her and wish Nelson could have explained this in his research. Another question occurred for me surrounding Nelson’s idea that students who were on their own were able to link composition to other subjects, disciplines, and other personal interests outside the class. I question how were these students able to accomplish this. Nelson also concludes that students naturally select and combine building block on their own without direction from the teacher, but how do they do this? Is this done with purposefully thinking or is this done like subconsciously? Nelson also concluded that building blocks “flowed across individuals through observation and imitation”. However, if students are imitating (or in other words mimicking) have student truly committed these building blocks into their own learning, or are they just recreating what they see?
I enjoyed Nelson’s research and how it focused on the student’s own self-evaluations/portfolios. As someone who has been skeptical of self-evaluations in the past, during my graduate studies I’ve come to appreciate them. Nelson used his students’ self-evaluation to determine how his L2 learners shed their own building blocks to incorporate the new ones they’ve studied and create a new understanding altogether. Nelson’s research was interesting to read and I think more research can come from it as well.
Composition Studies: Research and Methods 