1. A number of authors contest Siemens' ideas. It is unsettling to be challenged about existing perceptions of "knowing", in particular, the lack of purpose in asking our students to KNOW and be able to RECALL what they know in assessment. Do you agree with them? Can you see Siemen's point of view? What is your position?
Ultimately i agree with what Siemens is saying but i also wouldn't word it the same as he has. I see learning as the constant changing and growing of someones knowledge base. This includes how to come to an answer, not just knowing the answer itself. Siemens is saying that with knowledge increasing at the rate that it is, it isn't what the individual knows but whether they can find the answer. This is absolutely true, but i dont see this as 'learning' about something, rather learning how to find an answer, but than again if you step back and have a look at yourself, you'll be able to see that you do the exact same thing. I cant even count on my hands how many times i have come across a problem or question i couldn't answer and said to myself, 'ill just Google it'. After finding the answer id like to say i have learnt something and ultimately i have, i just havnt learnt the why, why is that answer correct and how did they get to it. If its possible i would describe this situation as having gained 'shallow knowledge' not 'deep knowledge', meaning that i would know the answer but its purpose goes no further than the immediate situation. But than again with all of the needed knowledge out there, not many people would need 'deep knowledge' on how to do a task or answer a question. One quote that i found in the article that really summed up what this theory focuses on is as follows:
"Learning
needs and theories that describe learning principles and processes, should
be reflective of underlying social environments"
That is exactly what Siemens focuses on. If we have the vast knowledge of the internet available to us, why assess us on what we know in our heads when in a real world situation most people would turn to other sources such as the internet. Students who write the best assignments arent the ones with the greatest head knowedlge but the ones that best use the resources available to them. The students that do well on exams have the head knowedge for that moment in time but it will be outdated after x amount of years depending on the subject. Which student will have the advantage in the future? The one that find answers through other sources that are continually updated or the one that is required to memorise and relearn the same content every few years? Clearly it is the student that knows how to locate information.
There is a simple example to illustrate this. Teach a students high school maths and have them know how to work through equations, the rules and processes to follow. Give that same student a calculator and pose to them a math question. Will the student use his head knowledge to solve the problem out on paper or just type it in a calculator? The fact that he has the necessary head knowledge means very little compared to having the technology available.
The fact is that we need to know very little in society nowadays, we just need to be able to Google what we need and it will be right there for us. This is a sad fact but its still reality, ultimately 'knowing' something just makes you one step ahead of someone else who needs to go Google the same thing and will know it in about five minutes anyway.
2. Give an example of ways in which you could use this theory in your classroom/learning context?
I can see the benefits of this theory and i agree with it, but very few changes could be made at the classroom level. Changes such as having more open book/ allowed computer access during exams could be integrated but would ultimately be frowned upon. If the LM has been teaching the knowledge but come exam time students ignore the how to knowledge and instead repeat what they find on the net, have they learnt anything?
The changes need to come from higher up the ladder, aka changes in the national curriculum. Paper testing that assess students head knowledge is a requirement in the classroom and cannot be ignored despite the claims of this theory. Until this theory becomes nationally recognized, accepted and integrated into the curriculum , i see no way i can 'officially' include this in my classroom context to the degree that it should be.
Monday, 7 November 2011
21st Century Learners
1. What is your belief and understanding of the nature of today's learners? Is there substance to the "engage or enrage" argument?
Having read the article all i can say is that i understand where the author is coming from, but i completely disagree with his opinion. I see the need in the classrooms, i see that students are bored out of their minds, but turning the teacher into the class entertainer isnt the solution.
An entertainer may be what they want but not what they need
Heres a quote from the article- "“Engage me or enrage me,” these students demand". That is one of the most selfish quotes i have read in a long time. I am all for engagement in the classroom and catering to the needs of the students, but for the classroom to work, the LM manager needs to bring certain things to the table same as the students. The LM needs to bring engaging and relevant lessons and students need to bring an attitude to learn. At the same time though the LM cannot present perfect lessons each and every time, just like students cannot be expected to always be engaged in the learning, this is the harsh reality of imperfection. There is a balance that needs to be met and adhered to, this article though completely ignores this balance and lays all of the blame on educators. The apparent solution is to create a game based curriculum. This has got to be one of the most ridiculous ideas i have ever heard. The students arent stupid, turning the learning into a game isn't going to excite them to any degree. I can see the lessons being abit more fun but what is this really teaching students in the long run? It is important to take a step back and look at the schooling system from the outside. The question that needs to be asked is; What is the purpose of education?To make my point here and ensure im not bending the facts to suit myself, the answer to this question is taken directly from the Melbourne Deceleration of Educational Goals for Young Australians.
"Education equips young people with the knowledge, understanding, skills and values to take advantage of opportunity and to face the challenges of this era with confidence."
So we know the purpose of education and the quote even answers the age old question of why. The reason is to prepare them for life. Looking at life after school, what are these challenges they will be facing? The first one that comes to mind and that will apply to every student, is the work force. Assuming their education has prepared them for this challenge, that is by equipping them with the necessary 'knowledge, understanding, skills and values' to succeed, they will be well prepared. That quote has four areas that students need to be equipped with, one of them, the one which i believe to be the most important of all is unfortunately the one this whole 'Engage or Enrage' argument is ignoring.
This ignored aspect is the one of values. Students need to value the education that is being provided to them. They need to value the work educators put in and value the importance of their behavior in the classroom. Without this key aspect the other three are useless. Assuming the success of this 'Engage me, Engage me' curriculum where educators play the role of class entertainer, students will be graduating from school with all the knowledge, understanding and skills they need. The time comes to graduate and students either find a job or go on to further study to later get a job. As soon as students leave the education system, their employer isn't going to play that role of the entertainer to ensure the worker does what is expected of them. The role is reversed and its time for the worker to play to the tune of somebody other than themselves. Having never experienced this, will the students get any job satisfaction? Will they succeed in their job? Workers wont want to be there, and their work will reflect this. Not every day is engaging and fun, work needs to be completed whether or not the worker is engaged or not.
This suggested education system will be preparing students for a world of magical ponies and fun, where the work demands that will be expected of them will gladly be modified to suit their entertainment needs. This is an imaginary world, not reality.
Here's a finishing statement made by the article author;
"So hi there, I’m the tuned-out kid in the back row with the headphones. Are you going to engage me today or enrage me? The choice is yours."
My answer to you Marc Prensky is sit up and step up. Life is hard and work is required, whether you want to do it or not. Here's the How to Guide on Life, one boring page after the other, take it or leave it. The choice is yours.
Multiple Intelligences
1. Undertake the multiple intelligence test.
Wow its seems like i am far more Intrapersonal than any of the other traits. I had abit of a look on the website for abit more of an explanation as to what that means exactly and this is what i came across:
Wow that sounds terrible! Haha sounds like a nice way to say that you
are completely self-absorbed. Admittedly though it does sound quite
true to me and if this is correct in saying that i know myself quite
well its not a good sign. After reading that i even went and took the test again just to make sure that i had done it correctly because it seems weird that i am so strong in one area and not the others. Heres my new result:
Slight changes, dropped abit in the Intrapersonal area but i think thats because after reading the description of what it was i was abit hesitant to click the 'I am always like this' button in some questions, knowing that they were clearly an Intrapersonal related question. Finally accepted my own self obsession and went on to do some further reading:
2. How would you use this information to inform your learning design?
I guess by knowing myself and how i think will give me a good idea as to how to conduct myself in lessons, especially how i act and what i should and shouldn't say. This ability to know how to regulate my own behavior given different circumstances would be useful in the classroom due to knowing how to approach certain students. For example if i have identified that there is a student in my class who doesn't handle authority very well, i would use words that are friendly rather than demanding and pose questions to the student and make a point to appreciate and value their answer. This brings them up to being like an equal in the classroom where their not told what to do but rather told this needs to be done, how would you go about getting it done? I would know my students individually and know what strategies are best to use with each of them, in particular how i would pose questions, talk to them, when to call on which students and when it is better to leave a student to their own devises regardless of whether they are on task or not, knowing the negative result that teacher action would cause.
"You may be myself smart. You will know about yourself and your strengths
and weaknesses. You will probably keep a diary. This is sometimes
called being Intrapersonal smart."
The part about knowing my own strengths and weaknesses is true but this explanation wasnt very indepth so i also found this:
"People with intrapersonal intelligence are adept at looking inward and
figuring out their own feelings, motivations and goals. They are
introspective and seek understanding. They are intuitive and typically
introverted. They learn best independently."
Slight changes, dropped abit in the Intrapersonal area but i think thats because after reading the description of what it was i was abit hesitant to click the 'I am always like this' button in some questions, knowing that they were clearly an Intrapersonal related question. Finally accepted my own self obsession and went on to do some further reading:
"Very few of us will
have been taught the importance of developing Intrapersonal skills for
the ability to reflect and monitor your own progress, thoughts and feelings,
strengths and weaknesses are not encouraged in educations... Those few who do posses
Intrapersonal Intelligence have often acquired it for themselves by taking
an active interest in their ability to control their own destiny."
"A strong awareness of ones own strengths, weaknesses and needs in
order to plan effectively to achieve personal goals."
"If you have the ability
to self reflect, you are able to recognize and change your own behaviours,
build upon your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses, resulting
in very rapid development and goal orientated achievements."
"They focus inward and may often be deemed as someone who marches to the beat of a different drummer"
"Values are awakened in intrapersonal intelligence through strategies that inspire kindness, listening, compassion, and care."
"Skills include: Seeing things from other perspectives (dual-perspective), listening,
using empathy, understanding other people's moods and feelings,
counseling, co-operating with groups, noticing people's moods,
motivations and intentions, communicating both verbally and
non-verbally, building trust, peaceful conflict resolution, establishing
positive relations with other people."
2. How would you use this information to inform your learning design?
I guess by knowing myself and how i think will give me a good idea as to how to conduct myself in lessons, especially how i act and what i should and shouldn't say. This ability to know how to regulate my own behavior given different circumstances would be useful in the classroom due to knowing how to approach certain students. For example if i have identified that there is a student in my class who doesn't handle authority very well, i would use words that are friendly rather than demanding and pose questions to the student and make a point to appreciate and value their answer. This brings them up to being like an equal in the classroom where their not told what to do but rather told this needs to be done, how would you go about getting it done? I would know my students individually and know what strategies are best to use with each of them, in particular how i would pose questions, talk to them, when to call on which students and when it is better to leave a student to their own devises regardless of whether they are on task or not, knowing the negative result that teacher action would cause.
Learning Styles
1. What is your learning style? What sorts of learning experiences would suit you best with your learning style?
Active/ Reflective Learners
How can reflective learners help themselves?
If you are a reflective learner in a class that allows little or no class time for thinking about new information, you should try to compensate for this lack when you study. Don't simply read or memorize the material; stop periodically to review what you have read and to think of possible questions or applications. You might find it helpful to write short summaries of readings or class notes in your own words. Doing so may take extra time but will enable you to retain the material more effectively.
The best learning experiences for me seem to be ones that allow for quiet reflective time to occur. Rather than spending an entire lecture absorbing new information, i need to have some time to reflect on it and link it to my prior knowledge and applicable applications. I this as being absolutely true, i can never sit through a lecture of just content, i don't take a single thing in. Ive had lectures where after 4 hours i walk out and haven't learn t a single thing. If someone were to ask me what we did i could probably provide a brief verbal summary that is simply a regurgitation of what the lecturer will have said but if pushed for details i would have nothing. Luckily subjects that are like that seem to be very rare in the course I'm studying so Ive had little trouble with this so far.
How can intuitive learners help themselves?
Many college lecture classes are aimed at intuitors. However, if you are an intuitor and you happen to be in a class that deals primarily with memorization and rote substitution in formulas, you may have trouble with boredom. Ask your instructor for interpretations or theories that link the facts, or try to find the connections yourself. You may also be prone to careless mistakes on test because you are impatient with details and don't like repetition (as in checking your completed solutions). Take time to read the entire question before you start answering and be sure to check your results.
This explains why i was so bad at maths and science in grade 12. I could never remember the facts and formulas. Give me a simple equation and a set of rules and i would not be able to solve it, give me an ad in English though and ask me to critically analyze it and i could write a thesis on it. I love thinking abstractly and doing this in new and innovative ways, this explains why i used to love writing essays and answering short/ long response questions in exams but could never write a report or a succeed in a maths exam. The one part of the suggested help for intuitve learners though that i see myself having difficulty with is the last line where they suggest i check my question answers. With a maths question i probably would, it was tedious to complete the first time and will be just as tedious to complete the second time so it makes little difference. With a english question though ill write my answer out and i will not re read it. If i do i will continually be re writing and adding to it, with new ideas coming up each and everytime i read it, id never finish the exam at that rate! Probably why i never start assignments early, i plan out how long i need and start it when i have to. If i do it beforehand ill write it, edit it continuously right up until the due date. Rather than spending one day on it and completing it i would instead be spending 2 weeks on it with the same result. It will probably be of better quality but will take 13 more days than the required one day.
How can visual learners help themselves?
If you are a visual learner, try to find diagrams, sketches, schematics, photographs, flow charts, or any other visual representation of course material that is predominantly verbal. Ask your instructor, consult reference books, and see if any videotapes or CD-ROM displays of the course material are available. Prepare a concept map by listing key points, enclosing them in boxes or circles, and drawing lines with arrows between concepts to show connections. Color-code your notes with a highlighter so that everything relating to one topic is the same color.
This one Ive always known is true. I learn from pictures far, far more than a set of verbal instructions. I can listen to a lecturer for hours on end on how to do something and still not understand but give me a picture and ill get it right away. Sadly though not many textbooks have many diagrams and the ones that do, the ratio of pictures to writing is probably 1 picture for every 5 000 words. I remember things visually far more as well, i remember diagrams shown in lectures and can explain what they depict/ show to others but ask me what else the lecturer was talking about that lesson and i couldn't tell you. I like the idea of color coding everything though, I'm not an organized person at all though so its very unlikely to happen but the idea still appeals to me.
How can global learners help themselves?
If you are a global learner, it can be helpful for you to realize that you need the big picture of a subject before you can master details. If your instructor plunges directly into new topics without bothering to explain how they relate to what you already know, it can cause problems for you. Fortunately, there are steps you can take that may help you get the big picture more rapidly. Before you begin to study the first section of a chapter in a text, skim through the entire chapter to get an overview. Doing so may be time-consuming initially but it may save you from going over and over individual parts later. Instead of spending a short time on every subject every night, you might find it more productive to immerse yourself in individual subjects for large blocks. Try to relate the subject to things you already know, either by asking the instructor to help you see connections or by consulting references. Above all, don't lose faith in yourself; you will eventually understand the new material, and once you do your understanding of how it connects to other topics and disciplines may enable you to apply it in ways that most sequential thinkers would never dream of.
This one is also very true. I love seeing the bigger picture, the details mean very little to me when i understand the general concept. The piece of suggested advice that really stood out to me though was the suggested study method. "Instead of spending a short time on every subject every night, you might find it more productive to immerse yourself in individual subjects for large blocks". Luckily i discovered this early on in my schooling and it seems to work well for me, especially come assessment time. Allot of my peers i notice do little bits of each assignment and finish them at them all at the same time. Ive never been able to do this though, i set a week per assignment and work solely on it in that time period until its completed. This caused allot of trouble in certain subjects in school, in particular ones where the teacher set checkpoints where she would try and break the task up into sections each week in an attempt to help the students.
Studying teaching now i see that this is an excellent thing to do due to scaffolding the learning for students but for myself as a learner this was an absolute nightmare. I cant do little parts of an assignment and piece them all together at the end. In some cases i would meet the set checkpoints set my teachers but come assignment time what i had done would require heavy editing to the point of basically re writing the assignment. Other times if i knew the teacher wasn't strict on the checkpoints i would ignore them and follow my own schedule of setting a time frame, whether it be a week or a few days before the assignment is due working non stop on it. Allot of people Ive spoken to think that this is silly due to the great workload that it gives but it is far easier to me than the other method of little bits at a time. I always saw it as my assignment is in at the due date so that's what matters right? Whether i work on it 10 to 6 everyday for days or 1 hour a day for 2 weeks, the result is the same so it doesn't matter which method you chose. I was lucky enough to have had a few teachers in my schooling who seemed to understand my way of learning and didn't push the checkpoints on me. Actually looking at this blog, its a perfect example of this. First week i didn't get a chance to work on it due to group meetings from other subjects, but here i am today planning to work on it for the next 4 hours nonstop till my next group meeting and i have all of tomorrow set aside for E-Learning until its complete. I probably should have scored higher on that scale looking at my extensive response to it : p
2. In a traditional classroom of 25 students, how would you support the range of learning styles each lesson?
It is vitally important to cater for each and every student in a classroom, realistically it may not be possible to cater for each and every learning style in every lesson but there should be an opportunity for learning to occur in at least most of the methods at one time or another. Ill use an example to demonstrate what i mean. Its a typical maths lesson and students are being introduced to the topic of trigonometry. The LM will have each student pull out their text books, Firstly allow for some time for students to individually skim through the topic summary, have a class discussion on it, firstly with the LM explaining it in their terms and than asking students for any interesting things they picked up in the summary/ any difficulties they may have come across so far and what not. In the summary the LM will verbally explain what students read, linking it to their prior knowledge and providing a real life application. The LM will than complete a question or two on the board, first one alone, the second one bringing in students and asking for their help. Students complete on on their own and than the LM has students guide the LM through it, with no LM input until the end where he LM either tells students they are correct and allow for students to continue on alone/quietly in pairs or works through the problem with them again, either with the whole class or after allowing the students who understand to continue on ans working with the remaining students, picking up on the error/s and repeating the question until the student get one or two questions correct before allowing for individual/ quiet group work to occur for the rest of the set problems. This lesson catered for all of the learning styles as shown below:
Active- Group work, students worked both as a class and in pairs.
Reflective- Time was allocated for individual work time before and after teacher clarification.
Sensing- LM provided a real world application and repeated the problems on the board establishing a set method to complete the problem.
Intuitive- Real world application would be of great help, same with the linking of the new to prior knowledge. The LM also provided student with a summary before going into the details.
Visual- All of the work was completed on the board, with each step being laid out one after the other until a solution is reached. Having this example on the board will be super helpful to visual learners.
Verbal- Throughout completing each of the problems the LM will be explaining each step out loud.
Sequential- Each step in the problem, from the question to the solution is displayed on the board and explained all of the way through.
Global- A few example problems are completed as a group, when students seem to have grasped the concept they can continue on at their own pace to complete the rest of the problems.
3. With your current knowledge of ICT, how could your design and digital pedagogy support your learners better?
By keeping a record of student observations in regards to their individual students learning preferences or difficulties in a simple organization method such as an excel document, lessons can be designed to cater to these identified difficulties and the results recorded and organized in a far easier method than the traditional pen and paper methods. Using digital record keeping methods are far easier edited and pulled up than paper folders.
Another excellent digital resource i would use to support students would be creating a Weebly for each term. This Weebly would layout the learning to occur each week with additional activities and explanations being made to students in their own time, whether it be in the classroom or at home.
Being quite good with technology at the present time, i also feel comfortable using a variety of learning objects and other digital resources in my lessons to support students and enhance their learning.
4. What sorts of profiling questions would you be asking about your learners to ensure you cater for everyone's preferences?
Where is ______ demonstrating difficulty in their learning?
What measures can be taken to compensate for this recognised difficulty?
What type of learners are present in my class?
What activities seem to provide the most difficulty in teaching?
What type of lesson do i as a LM seem to focus most on?
How can i change my lessons to meet the needs of the majority while catering for individuals?
How can the learning be adjusted to build students in the recognized problem areas?
What scaffolding is necessary to ensure all students are able to learn the necessary content?
What checks for learning will occur prior, during and after the learning?
What support is available to me as the LM to support struggling students?
5. How does ICT support differences in learning styles?
The content being taught in the classroom is available online in a hundred different ways. While i the LM may be focusing on teaching the content through one particular method to cater for the majority of students, students who need additional support, especially the ones that struggle with the learning style i am focusing on in that lesson can be directed to a computer. The computer will have a LM selected website or learning object open on it that presents the same content in a different style more suitable to the individual student. Although this will not be possible in all lessons, it is important that the option be available when necessary to those students who despite repeated attempts to understand the LMs explanation, they have another method available to them. It is also important to note that the LM will select the style that caters to the majority of students, so although not every student will understand the content immediately as as easily as some of their other classmates, with practice and work they will just as a good an opportunity to succeed.
Active/ Reflective Learners
ACT X REF
11
9 7 5
3 1 1
3 5 7
9 11
<-- -->
I seem to be pretty balances in regards to being an active/ reflective learner, leaning over abit more onto the reflective side with a score of 3.
If you are a reflective learner in a class that allows little or no class time for thinking about new information, you should try to compensate for this lack when you study. Don't simply read or memorize the material; stop periodically to review what you have read and to think of possible questions or applications. You might find it helpful to write short summaries of readings or class notes in your own words. Doing so may take extra time but will enable you to retain the material more effectively.
The best learning experiences for me seem to be ones that allow for quiet reflective time to occur. Rather than spending an entire lecture absorbing new information, i need to have some time to reflect on it and link it to my prior knowledge and applicable applications. I this as being absolutely true, i can never sit through a lecture of just content, i don't take a single thing in. Ive had lectures where after 4 hours i walk out and haven't learn t a single thing. If someone were to ask me what we did i could probably provide a brief verbal summary that is simply a regurgitation of what the lecturer will have said but if pushed for details i would have nothing. Luckily subjects that are like that seem to be very rare in the course I'm studying so Ive had little trouble with this so far.
Sensing/ Intuitive Learners
SEN
X INT
11 9
7 5 3
1 1 3
5 7 9 11
<-- -->
I am clearly an intuitive learner, being right over on that end of the scale with a score of 9.
Many college lecture classes are aimed at intuitors. However, if you are an intuitor and you happen to be in a class that deals primarily with memorization and rote substitution in formulas, you may have trouble with boredom. Ask your instructor for interpretations or theories that link the facts, or try to find the connections yourself. You may also be prone to careless mistakes on test because you are impatient with details and don't like repetition (as in checking your completed solutions). Take time to read the entire question before you start answering and be sure to check your results.
This explains why i was so bad at maths and science in grade 12. I could never remember the facts and formulas. Give me a simple equation and a set of rules and i would not be able to solve it, give me an ad in English though and ask me to critically analyze it and i could write a thesis on it. I love thinking abstractly and doing this in new and innovative ways, this explains why i used to love writing essays and answering short/ long response questions in exams but could never write a report or a succeed in a maths exam. The one part of the suggested help for intuitve learners though that i see myself having difficulty with is the last line where they suggest i check my question answers. With a maths question i probably would, it was tedious to complete the first time and will be just as tedious to complete the second time so it makes little difference. With a english question though ill write my answer out and i will not re read it. If i do i will continually be re writing and adding to it, with new ideas coming up each and everytime i read it, id never finish the exam at that rate! Probably why i never start assignments early, i plan out how long i need and start it when i have to. If i do it beforehand ill write it, edit it continuously right up until the due date. Rather than spending one day on it and completing it i would instead be spending 2 weeks on it with the same result. It will probably be of better quality but will take 13 more days than the required one day.
Visual/ Verbal Learners
VIS
X VRB
11
9 7 5
3 1 1
3 5 7
9 11
<-- -->
Seems like im also a very visual learner with a score of 11.
If you are a visual learner, try to find diagrams, sketches, schematics, photographs, flow charts, or any other visual representation of course material that is predominantly verbal. Ask your instructor, consult reference books, and see if any videotapes or CD-ROM displays of the course material are available. Prepare a concept map by listing key points, enclosing them in boxes or circles, and drawing lines with arrows between concepts to show connections. Color-code your notes with a highlighter so that everything relating to one topic is the same color.
This one Ive always known is true. I learn from pictures far, far more than a set of verbal instructions. I can listen to a lecturer for hours on end on how to do something and still not understand but give me a picture and ill get it right away. Sadly though not many textbooks have many diagrams and the ones that do, the ratio of pictures to writing is probably 1 picture for every 5 000 words. I remember things visually far more as well, i remember diagrams shown in lectures and can explain what they depict/ show to others but ask me what else the lecturer was talking about that lesson and i couldn't tell you. I like the idea of color coding everything though, I'm not an organized person at all though so its very unlikely to happen but the idea still appeals to me.
Sequential/ Global Learners
SEQ
X GLO
11
9 7 5
3 1 1
3 5 7
9 11
<-- -->
Similar to the active/ reflective learner scale i seem to be pretty balanced in this area leaning slightly towards being more of a global learner.
If you are a global learner, it can be helpful for you to realize that you need the big picture of a subject before you can master details. If your instructor plunges directly into new topics without bothering to explain how they relate to what you already know, it can cause problems for you. Fortunately, there are steps you can take that may help you get the big picture more rapidly. Before you begin to study the first section of a chapter in a text, skim through the entire chapter to get an overview. Doing so may be time-consuming initially but it may save you from going over and over individual parts later. Instead of spending a short time on every subject every night, you might find it more productive to immerse yourself in individual subjects for large blocks. Try to relate the subject to things you already know, either by asking the instructor to help you see connections or by consulting references. Above all, don't lose faith in yourself; you will eventually understand the new material, and once you do your understanding of how it connects to other topics and disciplines may enable you to apply it in ways that most sequential thinkers would never dream of.
This one is also very true. I love seeing the bigger picture, the details mean very little to me when i understand the general concept. The piece of suggested advice that really stood out to me though was the suggested study method. "Instead of spending a short time on every subject every night, you might find it more productive to immerse yourself in individual subjects for large blocks". Luckily i discovered this early on in my schooling and it seems to work well for me, especially come assessment time. Allot of my peers i notice do little bits of each assignment and finish them at them all at the same time. Ive never been able to do this though, i set a week per assignment and work solely on it in that time period until its completed. This caused allot of trouble in certain subjects in school, in particular ones where the teacher set checkpoints where she would try and break the task up into sections each week in an attempt to help the students.
Studying teaching now i see that this is an excellent thing to do due to scaffolding the learning for students but for myself as a learner this was an absolute nightmare. I cant do little parts of an assignment and piece them all together at the end. In some cases i would meet the set checkpoints set my teachers but come assignment time what i had done would require heavy editing to the point of basically re writing the assignment. Other times if i knew the teacher wasn't strict on the checkpoints i would ignore them and follow my own schedule of setting a time frame, whether it be a week or a few days before the assignment is due working non stop on it. Allot of people Ive spoken to think that this is silly due to the great workload that it gives but it is far easier to me than the other method of little bits at a time. I always saw it as my assignment is in at the due date so that's what matters right? Whether i work on it 10 to 6 everyday for days or 1 hour a day for 2 weeks, the result is the same so it doesn't matter which method you chose. I was lucky enough to have had a few teachers in my schooling who seemed to understand my way of learning and didn't push the checkpoints on me. Actually looking at this blog, its a perfect example of this. First week i didn't get a chance to work on it due to group meetings from other subjects, but here i am today planning to work on it for the next 4 hours nonstop till my next group meeting and i have all of tomorrow set aside for E-Learning until its complete. I probably should have scored higher on that scale looking at my extensive response to it : p
2. In a traditional classroom of 25 students, how would you support the range of learning styles each lesson?
Active- Group work, students worked both as a class and in pairs.
Reflective- Time was allocated for individual work time before and after teacher clarification.
Sensing- LM provided a real world application and repeated the problems on the board establishing a set method to complete the problem.
Intuitive- Real world application would be of great help, same with the linking of the new to prior knowledge. The LM also provided student with a summary before going into the details.
Visual- All of the work was completed on the board, with each step being laid out one after the other until a solution is reached. Having this example on the board will be super helpful to visual learners.
Verbal- Throughout completing each of the problems the LM will be explaining each step out loud.
Sequential- Each step in the problem, from the question to the solution is displayed on the board and explained all of the way through.
Global- A few example problems are completed as a group, when students seem to have grasped the concept they can continue on at their own pace to complete the rest of the problems.
3. With your current knowledge of ICT, how could your design and digital pedagogy support your learners better?
By keeping a record of student observations in regards to their individual students learning preferences or difficulties in a simple organization method such as an excel document, lessons can be designed to cater to these identified difficulties and the results recorded and organized in a far easier method than the traditional pen and paper methods. Using digital record keeping methods are far easier edited and pulled up than paper folders.
Another excellent digital resource i would use to support students would be creating a Weebly for each term. This Weebly would layout the learning to occur each week with additional activities and explanations being made to students in their own time, whether it be in the classroom or at home.
Being quite good with technology at the present time, i also feel comfortable using a variety of learning objects and other digital resources in my lessons to support students and enhance their learning.
4. What sorts of profiling questions would you be asking about your learners to ensure you cater for everyone's preferences?
Where is ______ demonstrating difficulty in their learning?
What measures can be taken to compensate for this recognised difficulty?
What type of learners are present in my class?
What activities seem to provide the most difficulty in teaching?
What type of lesson do i as a LM seem to focus most on?
How can i change my lessons to meet the needs of the majority while catering for individuals?
How can the learning be adjusted to build students in the recognized problem areas?
What scaffolding is necessary to ensure all students are able to learn the necessary content?
What checks for learning will occur prior, during and after the learning?
What support is available to me as the LM to support struggling students?
5. How does ICT support differences in learning styles?
The content being taught in the classroom is available online in a hundred different ways. While i the LM may be focusing on teaching the content through one particular method to cater for the majority of students, students who need additional support, especially the ones that struggle with the learning style i am focusing on in that lesson can be directed to a computer. The computer will have a LM selected website or learning object open on it that presents the same content in a different style more suitable to the individual student. Although this will not be possible in all lessons, it is important that the option be available when necessary to those students who despite repeated attempts to understand the LMs explanation, they have another method available to them. It is also important to note that the LM will select the style that caters to the majority of students, so although not every student will understand the content immediately as as easily as some of their other classmates, with practice and work they will just as a good an opportunity to succeed.
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