C1, Q1
Do you believe that the implementation of standards identified by national, state, and curriculum organizations has accomplished their intent? Explain why or why not?
Established standards typically act as guidelines in any setting. The field of education is no different in that many local, state and national standards are in existence today. Standards offer achievable benchmarks that ensure young students receive appropriate instructional components depending on their grade level. What these standards do not guarantee is that they will be readily accepted and easily adopted.
I have seen challenges associated with educational standards throughout my time at CISE. One issue that comes to mind is how to go about creating student-centered environments that take into consideration individual learning styles all within the constraints of today’s budget restrictions. It is the old business adage of doing more with less. Not all school districts have similar financial resources and so the “one size fits all” mentality will not work. In terms of the SAMR model of technology integration, schools that lack resources seem to get bogged down in the S (substitution) and A (augmentation) phases of enhancement while they really need to be moving more towards M (modification) and R (redefinition). Instructional Technology classes like IT 645 are just a small piece in the overall curriculum being delivered by our faculty here at CISE and the infusion of classroom technology into the teacher licensure programs remains a primary focus. Our graduates will need to be familiar with computer applications to keep up with the demands of young tech savvy students.
After listening to comments made by faculty members and reading what parents have to say on the subject of the Common Core Standards, it seems to be a very controversial topic. One can argue that the educational system here in the state of Mississippi needs to be improved, but the changes that have been put into place seem to have created additional problems. Change can be hard and forced change is often overwhelming. Parents expressed concerns when the Common Core Standards were first introduced and it seemed that the main point of contention was that the first group of students being tested was already being expected to perform poorly. There was little said about those students other than “someone had to be first.” I suppose if my own children were impacted by these changes, I may have more of a vested interest in the subject and a slightly different opinion. So, have these standards achieved their purpose? If the main goal is to enact changes that would lead to overall improvements, then I would agree. On the other hand, if the goal was to level the playing field by delivering quality instruction on all levels in all locations, we still have as long way to go.
C2, Q2
Discuss your understanding on different learning styles and its influence on learning.
Diversity exists in many forms, some are just more obvious than others and learning styles in a classroom can vary almost as much as the physical characteristics of the students. The text describes it as the conditions that must be present to achieve optimum learning outcomes. Classrooms are typically composed of students who prefer to learn via audio, visual or hand-on methods. The instructor is tasked with designing lessons that capitalize on a student’s learning strength while avoiding creating any unintentional learning distractions for others. Presenting educational materials in ways that do not stimulate the desire to learn would be counterproductive. Maintaining a student’s motivation to learn relies on how well the instructor matches his or her delivery methods to the preferred learning styles of the students. Motivation influences learning and frustration from a lack of it can have a negative effect on a student’s success.
Today’s technology can offer options for delivering instructional materials that can be tailored to an individual student or a group of students. For example, classroom centers can include computer stations with headphones for audio presentation. Likewise, visual learners can view recorded video or animated presentations on a topic. This option allows the teacher to work with more closely with the group needing more of a hands-on approach but it does tend to fragment the class by placing students into separate groups. A better alternative is to address the issue of different learning styles by having the class identify their preference while recognizing those of their classmates. Learner-centered classrooms are no longer based on the classes as a single entity, but as groups of individuals. Today’s students often recognize learning differences between themselves and their peers and should be encouraged to identify with a style that works best for them while being aware of that a fellow classmate may choose another style. Awareness of learning styles plays into designing lesson plans that should include reaching each and every student in a way that promotes success.
C3, Q3
Identify, describe and use the most common steps in lesson planning.
If one looked at the process of instructional design as if it was a road trip, lesson plans would be the map used to get students from Point A to Point B. According to the book, the steps include readying the learner, targeting objectives, implementing the lessons, and checking for success.
Step #1 Readying the Learner
Let’s imagine that a particular fourth grade class needs to become proficient in identifying certain meteorological terms in preparation for a class group project on weather. The teacher’s first step in putting together a lesson plan is to get the students motivated to receive this new knowledge. In our scenario, the teacher knows that the class will need a quick tutorial of weather basics due to the fact that the subject was not a part of the third grade curriculum. To keep students engaged, they will be asked to share with their classmates a story about anything related to weather. Students will be asked to complete a short survey as a way to analyze existing knowledge and experience.
Step #2 Targeting the Objectives
This step involves creating an action plan for each identified objective. In our scenario, one objective could be:
Given a set of meteorological terms and their definitions, students will be able to correctly spell and define at least 8 out of the 10 key terms being introduced.
Lectures with handouts and video presentations can contain the information to be learned. Web-based applications such as GoAnimate allow static information to be transformed into entertaining lesson supplements and tutorials.
Step #3 Implementing the Lessons
Here, the teacher is tasked with actually putting things into motion. Because our scenario calls for the students to be able to collaborate in small groups, working spaces must be created to allow for 3-5 students to work together.
To motivate the students, some friendly competition among the groups can be encouraged by asking them to list as many weather terms as they can, with the winning group receiving a small prize. The teacher can build off of these ideas and briefly discuss the material that will be covered. Instruction of the new material can involve lectures, chapter assignments and viewing videos or animated presentations. To reinforce the lesson, students will be asked to role play and give weather reports to the class. Flashcards can be created as terminology study guides.
Step #4 Checking for Success
Mastery of the previously mentioned objective can be measured with a spelling test, multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank test. In addition, comprehension can be evaluated via crossword puzzles and other web based applications. A pattern of commonly made mistakes may indicate the need for further instruction so that students can achieve the desired level of proficiency.