Posts in Category: edci335
Community Contribution – Liv’s Instructional Method
Hi Liv, I enjoyed reading your post about direct instruction and I think it has a lot of great points in it. It is interesting that your group is planning on including several types of instructional methods. I think it is really beneficial to include this variety, as different learners will benefit through different methods. It is the lessons and learners that dictate what type of method to use, and it seems your group has done a good job in catering to that. From this I might even think about including a variety of methods in my resource! Your inclusion of your Hungarian background was also helpful to connect the material on a more personal level, and makes it easier for readers to understand your motivations. The post was really easy to follow and provided a detailed explanation about the method. Overall it was a good read. Thanks for posting!
Peer Review
Here is the link to group 9’s learning resource: https://janemortlock.wixsite.com/edci335
Reviewing group 9’s learning resource as quite an enjoyment. Choosing to lay out their information on a website provided a more interactive experience than I was expecting. Over several pages integrated within the site, the group gave a comprehensive overview of their lesson plan and activities.
Beginning with the first page giving some context and rationale towards the different theories and content we have reviewed in the course. It might be beneficial to include a longer description of the learning design, including more on what project-work includes and the strengths/weaknesses of the choice. This will provide more opportunity to engage with the material from class. As well, the demographic/context of the learner could be more detailed. Perhaps expanding on why you chose 5th grade specifically, and how the method of instruction would change in a virtual setting. Understandably your activity and content is fairly active and hands-on, making the technological side a bit more difficult. I think this is a great opportunity to explore what this looks like in a virtual class.
I enjoyed the aesthetics of your assessment plan. However, it might be beneficial to go into a bit more detail as to how you are going to assess the students. Even staying away from exact marks as you mention, more focused on the progress, how will you track this? You might have missed a summative assessment as well.
Throughout the learning resource, there were connections to some content/external resources used. While there was a bibliography section of the website, I might have missed the footnotes/in-text citations used throughout the site. You might want to consider citing the ideas, for example the technology rationale explanation connecting with the Gruno, J. & Gibbons article you include.
Each of the lesson descriptions and outcomes were very well detailed. Including clear descriptions and interactive activities for the students to complete. There were clear connections between the outcomes and activities. I think that the activities you have outlined would be perfect in the classroom environment you describe, and would be fun to participate in at that age level!
Overall I enjoyed going through your learning resource. It is quite strong and easy to follow. I believe that with some fine tuning, it will be a great resource for others to follow!
Interactive Design
The video above does not force students to respond, instead is an independent material that can be used by instructors to spur reflection and interaction.There is no designated activity for the students to complete to finish the video. However, as YouTube is a social media platform there is a level of designed interactivity with the comment section and ability to “respond” to the video. Commenting is not corrective, if a student decides to comment they will not be given feedback from an instructor/designed feedback from the creators. Instead, there is an opportunity to interact with others that have watched and commented on the video. This option is left to the student, and is not a key part of the material.Â
If this video were given to a group of students in a course setting, it would be easy to follow and make notes on. Beyond this, I do believe there is a certain level of reflection that can take place after the video. Thinking on previous group experiences, and where the viewer may fit into the roles that are described.
If this video were to be designed not for general viewership but a learning environment, there is room to make it more interactive. Prompting the students to fit themselves in scenarios and find their role that the video discusses. Having more question-prompts for the viewers to answer in the comments also promotes more activity and interaction among the viewer-creator and viewer-viewer. Tying in the social aspect in the social-media platform.
The video already includes closed-captions, something that is important when thinking on inclusivity. I think it’s important to recognize that this video would be a part of a larger lesson. Having a variety of material is beneficial depending on the learning barrier. The length of the video is fairly short, making it easier on those with tight schedules or attention issues. If possible, translating the closed captions into other languages would be useful for a variety of learners.
Having multi-media incorporated into an online environment can be used to encourage student interaction. Yet it cannot stand-alone, or else there will be limited levels of engagement. With other activities and prompts from teachers, this video can be used to accurately describe all of Belbin’s roles in a group dynamic.
Inclusive Design
The group project we are planning for our resource aims to provide as many pathways for learners as possible. We understand that group-work can be difficult for learners for a variety of reasons, but believe it is the best way to showcase the material.
Inclusive design begins with the initial planning of a learning resource. Due to the interactive nature of our resource, and key group-work elements, there are several challenges to plan a fully inclusive design. Barriers to student learning includes social set-backs (autism, social anxiety, language differences etc.), lack of stable online accessibility, and scheduling conflicts. When building our resource, there are solutions to these complications. Having a variety of ways to communicate to other group members will allow students to choose whichever works best for them. This can mean written/text-based communication over social media, blogs or email, or verbal communication with tools like Zoom or Discord. Breaking down the group work into manageable, independent aspects can alleviate the pressure of different scheduling as well as the social set-backs, paired with asynchronous communication styles. With most of the work being done online, having a limited wi-fi/online accessibility is difficult to overcome. One aspect to consider is the use of videos/larger filed needed, and trying to limit them as much as possible. Blog posting and other text-based technologies require less data comparatively.Â
Approaching the content with cooperative learning benefits a variety of learning needs. Students are encouraged to find their own strengths and fit into the group as appropriate. If needed, we as instructors can assist students in this process. Boosting self-esteem in students while advancing their learning about collaborative projects. Hopefully the students feel comfortable with asking for assistance as necessary, and communicating with instructors about their needs.
Learning with Curiosity
   Inquiry-based learning has grown over the past years, and has become a forefront in introductory STEM fields. Broken down into different stages, students are encouraged to explore what peaks their interests within a topic. With the expansion of web-based learning, the inquiry method has grown due to the ease of access and availability of information. The learning approach goes through a cycle/number of stages that end in a deeper understanding of the topic at hand.
Beginning with introducing the material in a more general way, the students begin to think on what peaks their interests. The following stages of conceptualization and investigation are student lead. Researching (often times independently) about their chosen topic and following a more self-directed path compared to other approaches. Those who are teaching can help guide learners in this process, and become more hands-on during the conclusion and discussion stages. After the investigation, students present the information that they have gathered for a larger discussion. The reflection period after the initial learning is beneficial to both guide future lessons and for other students to learn more. I have attached an image going over all of the stages and what they can include depending on the level of assessment and learning.
When researching this approach, Montessori schools came to mind. In Montessori programs, students are encouraged to be more self-directed in their learning with guidance from the teachers rather than direct instruction. Being an example of an inquiry-based learning structure, these types of school are more common in the younger streams. This approach can be very beneficial in more advanced scenarios as well, especially with the usage of technology. The rise of web-based learning has provided learners with all of the tools necessary to find and research topics that might interest them. Different formats, such as animated videos like CrashCourse, go over niche topics in great detail. As well, providing the ability to communicate with others that are interested in similar topics.
Inquiry based learning would not be the best approach for our group’s topic. Due to the specific models/theories that we are teaching the learners, there is limited opportunity for them to properly conceptualize. As well, we want to encourage learners to work together and delve into how cooperative learning is. Inquiry based learning can be more advantageous to independent learning rather than group work.
Works Cited
Pedaste, M., Mäeots, M., Siiman, L. A., de Jong, T., van Riesen, S. A. N., Kamp, E. T., Manoli, C. C., Zacharia, Z. C., & Tsourlidaki, E. (2015). Phases of inquiry-based learning: Definitions and the inquiry cycle. Educational Research Review, 14, 47–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.02.003
Learning Theories throughout School
When trying to fully understand the three major learning theories throughout the reading by Ertmer and Newby, I found myself relating each theory to a period of time during my education so far.
Beginning in early childhood, large moral concepts that are often too complicated to be taught at a young age are broken down and digestible through different stories and exercises. The cognitivist method focusing more so on what and how things are learnt, rather than obtaining a correct answer. During early childhood education, before grade school, this seems to be the desired approach. While the students are given rules and boundaries, learning objects often intertwine with each other to further the individual’s overall understanding. Paired with the strong usage of hierarchical structures during this time to assure which is right/wrong. Active involvement (often literally at this stage) during learning to fully captivate and engage learners.
Moving forward to the high school era, students repeatedly test boundaries and have a much harder time being engaged. In my personal experience, understanding what is deemed as the correct answer to most concepts rather than actively learning them. The behaviouralist method seems to be more like Pavlov-ing students, trying to shape behaviour based on a response. This becomes a larger issue when transferring from high school into higher education, as most of what is taught in high school is this form of cue-based response that rewards students on memorization and pattered behaviour.
During university and higher education, the goal of learning is often to fully apply and understand material that is built off of previous learning. Learning occurs more as a building block or web, utilizing previous knowledge to better understand larger/more complex concepts. Cognitivism helps with this by understanding that each learner is very different. How people connect to what they are learning will be varied, and when instructing it can be hard to predict what exactly this might be.
With a more general, larger foundation and working up from there to be more specific and complex, building on the previous knowledge gathered. While I have had little time as an instructor, through study groups and in class I find it easiest to explain complex or specific learning objects through examples and personal experiences. Trying to connect the learner/fellow student with something that is specific to them and a previous experience that they have had. I think information is much more digestible this way, being more personal, rather than trying to simply mimic and memorize what others have learnt.
Over almost decades of school, the theories present themselves depending on the time, instructor, and environment. Currently, I am thoroughly enjoying the constructivist method and will continue to try and engage others in this way.
Test Learning Design Post
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