Section 2: Chapters 4-9

A learning goal that I have for myself, through the course of this course ;D is to find ways to use technology more appropriately in my 5th grade class room. I have lots of great ideas, and opportunities, it just seems that when the time comes, I never quite get to do them. However, a goal I have for my students this year may be to be able to tell and describe what the events leading up to the Civil War were, and their effects on the Nation.

Chapter 4 focused on the learning theories of B.F. Skinner (Behavioral Learning), Atkinson and Shriffin (Cognitive Information Processing), Sweller et. al. (Schema and Cognitive Load) and those who studied Situated Learning. In addition to these Robert M. Gagne developed his theory of nine events. I believe that a large amount of learning that occurs in our classrooms focuses on the need for schema and automation along with a healthy mix of constructivist beliefs. I would use a combination of a Schema theory in which "knowledge is represented in long-term memory as packets of information called schemata. Schemata organize information in categories that are related in systematic and predictable ways" (Reiser 39) as well as Gagne's Theory of Instruction focusing on the Nine Events.

(Disclaimer): I know this picture, may be hard to see, but I am working on slim resources due to the winter storm. Our cable/Internet box was fried during a rolling blackout and will not be fixed until the 9th. I am using a family member's computer that does not have the publishing tools I'm accustomed to using. Thank God for smart phones. :D

The picture is a Double Bubble Map (Thinking Map) that is used in place of a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast ideas etc. We see in my map that Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction are centered around 9 specific, separate events in which the learning of the individual is very alytical in nature. On the same note we see that the First Principles introduced in Chapter 7 are developed in a Four Phases Cycle in which the Problem is the center context to everything. Each of the two theories have components that are uniquely theirs, however I found three main areas of agreeance. I found the first phase and the third event to be similar in that they both deal with the stimulation and recall of prior knowledge. The third phase and sixth event both allow an opportunity to practice their new learning. Finally, the fourth phase and ninth event deal with the examples and activities that go beyond the learning and allow the learners to use their knowledge in new ways. More information about Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction can be found here.

Interestingly, I encourage my students to make connections when reading to prior knowledge. As I was reading I made a connection between the First Principles Model and the Frayer Model that we use to introduce new vocabulary words and concepts.

In thinking about my goal for my classroom mentioned above, here are my ideas in using the First Principles Theory. Activation: We would create a Bubble Map (Thinking Map) together listing what we know about the colonies at the time directly before the Civil War. With guidance to focus on the people, financial situation, jobs, everyday lives, etc. We would discuss and compare the Loyalists and the Patriots and discuss why they felt the way they did. Demonstration: Here we would take the list of beliefs from each category Loyalists and Patriots and categorize them into overall reasons. We would be introduced to the reasons for and against succession from the Union and have the students classify them into would this be from a Northern or Southern viewpoint etc. Application: Students would take a stance on the issue and would describe why they believe what they believed using evidence from what we've learned. Integration: The learner would write a journal entry as if they were living in the time period and would describe what life was like, things they saw and things they heard. Then they would reflect on their life now, and describe how life would be different had the Civil War not occured.

Approaching this task with a whole-task approach in mind I would do a lot of "Teacher Talk". I would mainly share the needed information with the students as it is needed and they will develop ideas about concepts through the acquisition of this knowledge. This reminds me of the saying that the teacher is the "sage on the stage".

Using scaffolding I would need to make sure that each learning activity provided gave the students may opportunities to apply themselves in each of the KCAASE areas. **A neat acronym I learned in Undergrad to help me remember the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. (Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation). I would also make sure each of my question stems were using Higher-Order-Thinking-Skills (HOTS as we call them at school) to ensure the students were truly grasping the depth of the concepts.

Mathemagenic methods are often what we would call "teaching to the test". I would focus directly on what TEKS would be tested on the 5th grade Social Studies Benchmark at the end of the year, and only teach the students the concepts that related to that TEKS and give them examples of ways that fact may be tested at a later date. It is most a Knowledge, Comprehension based skill with little interaction occurring.

To motivate my learners at the Attention Level of the ARCS model, I would possibly dress up as a famous person from the Civil War, I could read a poem or diary entry from the time period, I could even show them a painting such as George Washington Crossing the Delaware. At the Relevance Level I would need to make sure I am allowing all of my learners to be exposed to multiple learning styles and that I am presenting my information in a variety of manners, such as oral, auditorally, visually, kinesthetic, etc. I would find ways to allow the students to tie in what we are learning to personal experiences in their lives that they can make connections to. At the Confidence Level I will create learning experience such as those mentioned in the First Principles Theory paragraph above, as well as integrate concepts into other subjects, such as reading the novel George Washington's Socks in reading. I would also need to make my expectations clear and provide rubrics whenever possible. Finally in the Satisfaction Level I would allow my students ways to apply their newly gained knowledge such as in the diary entries mentioned earlier, give copies of the graded rubrics to the students, consult with them when creating artifacts and give them applicable, useful feedback.

Engaging in Design Research is beneficial because it allows the teacher to constantly reevaluate the methods being used due to its cyclic nature. Design Research focuses on the trajectory of a lesson and what factors could affect it's effectiveness.