Personal Philosophy of Learning - Essay Example

? Learning Theories Task 3 Learning Theory Task 3 A.  Discuss how your personal philosophy of learning aligns with elements of each of the following learning theories: •  Cognitivism •  Behaviorism •  Constructivism My Personal Philosophy of Learning Learning involves various aspects, including motivation, environment, attitudes of learners, and other factors (Ryan, Cooper & Tauer, 2010). In order to promote learning, teachers should look into the different aspects that affect learning. As a teacher, I see to it that learners are well motivated, the environment is conducive for learning, students are relaxed and comfortable, and they receive enough time to rehearse and apply the concepts or skills learned. Putting all these considerations together, I would say that I combine three approaches to learning. These approaches include behaviorism, constructivism, and cognitivism. However, I lay more emphasis on behaviorism because it guides me in my classroom management. There cannot be any learning if a classroom is not managed. Applying Behaviorism in Teaching Behaviorism is an important approach in educating younger students. Young learners may sometimes be unmanageable especially when they are left on their own (Casas, 2011). In teaching, behaviorists usually lay down the rules to the students at the beginning of the year. This helps to avoid misbehavior. Teachers also use positive and negative reinforcements to affect students’ behavior. As such, it is imperative for teachers to know their students’ behavior and plan out reinforcements to influence negative behaviors and make them positive. Rewards that are meaningful to the students should be in place to strengthen positive behaviors, and rules must be set at the very start to avoid negative behaviors. Classroom management is one aspect that a behaviorist teacher focuses on. Students have different personalities but when they come to school, they act in uniformity according to the policies and regulations set by the school and its teachers. Establishing classroom rules is thus the first step to a well-managed classroom. Teachers should make it a point to establish rules at the beginning of the year and have them posted. In particular, classroom rules may be memorized by students and recited as part of routines. Rules may be posted on the bulletin board to remind students of their responsibility. In terms of assignments, it is best to make contracts for parents or guardians to sign. There should be an assignment notebook where students will write all their assignments. The teacher signs the assignment page, whether it was completed or not, and students will ask their parents to countersign the page so as to monitor students’ effort in doing their assignments. Practicing routines is another beneficial aspect of the behaviorist classroom. Routines help to make students become organized individuals. Students who learn routines in school will learn to keep a routine at home and eventually, in their professional field. With routines, performance and processes will be perfected. As part of everyday routine, students should greet the teacher and their classmates, check attendance by counting off (each should be assigned a class number), recite classroom rules, and report current news. The reporting of current events should be done in turns, based on the class number. These routine activities are supposed to prepare students for the day ahead, and to condition them to behave the way they should in school. Setting the mood of students is a must in the behaviorist classroom. In every lesson, the teacher should always give students some idea on what to expect for the day. This gets the students in the mood for activities, games, etc. For example, if the teacher says, “Today, we will play a game.” The students will know how to behave or react, and they will respond accordingly to the situation. If some serious activities need to be accomplished, then the teacher could say, “Have you made a Diorama? Today, I will teach you how to make one.” This statement prepares the students to concentrate on making a diorama. I have found that posting the days activities on the board helps set the tone of the day and students will know what to expect. Reinforcements also help to promote good behavior. Examples of reinforcement include praises, awards, tokens, prizes, etc. False praise should never be given, even when something is not perfect, a teacher can still say thank you for participating or I appreciate your hard work. Students know when praise is authentic. I found it best to have chips students will collect every time they do something good. These chips will be equivalent to some prizes, awards, or recognition of efforts. Reinforcing good behavior could promote positive behavior in the future, thus the teacher should always reward positive behavior of students. Teachers should always exert effort and find means to promote good behavior and do away with the bad ones. I focus on catching students doing the right thing in class because this reinforces for them that good behavior will be rewarded. Particularly, to ensure good classroom management, every teacher should establish and regulate rules, apply routines, set students’ mood to learning, and provide positive reinforcement of good behavior. Therefore, to ensure that students productively share in the learning process, I set the rules at the beginning of each class or activity. Making the students understand the rules that apply in the classroom will make it easy to manage the classroom. In particular, I implement classroom routines, for example, greeting each other at the start of the class, checking attendance, organizing their things, etc. I emphasize order and cleanliness in the classroom. I arrange students alphabetically at the beginning of the school year. This strategy makes it easy for me to remember their names. Each morning, I make it a habit to call them one by one to obviously memorize their names. When I have memorized their names, I gradually let them sit with their friends and teams during class activities. Students are arranged in groups like tables, and there is a leader for passing paper, checking assignments, and doing tasks. The leader keeps a record of those who did not do their assignment, and those students are reminded to do their tasks on time. Applying Constructivism in Teaching One of the learning theories that practically apply to the present education system is Constructivism. According to Piaget, learners undergo accommodation and assimilation during the learning process. Exposed to new concepts, they construct their own, relying basically on their prior experiences. Taking from this view, I always consider relating the lesson to the learner’s experience. This is possible because I take interest in knowing my students. For instance, I try to gain background knowledge of my students’ cultural or ethnic background to know which exercises or activities will be enriching to their experience. As a constructivist, I let students choose their seat after I have memorized their names. Feeling comfortable with their seatmates, students will be better adjusted to the learning environment. Likewise, seating arrangement should be for the purpose of grouping. Sitting with their friends, students are able to perform their best especially during creative presentations. Individual work is usually part of classroom activities. I let students discover the things they need to learn in a particular subject. Teaching English, I let them create dialogues using the computer and the software Extranormal. This software allows students to make up stories using animated characters. Through this computer software, I am able to enhance the creativity of my students. I also incorporate cooperative learning to allow students them interact with each other. Taking from Vygotsky, I believe that social interaction is important to enrich personality my students’ learning experience by making them interact with one another and with the social environment. I assign them to conduct interviews with classmates, schoolmates, school staff, etc. My district has provided me with discussion cards. These cards are labeled to help the student and teacher know which activity is best for each discussion card. I use these cards frequently because it helps my English Language Learners and my lower level students to stay focused on the discussion type. All of these activities help to improve their communication and interpersonal skills. Applying Cognitivism in Teaching Another important principle that I apply in class is Cognitivism. The challenge in teaching young students is to teach them clearly in such a way that they will understand and retain information to be used for future lessons. Because of their preoccupations with computer games, Internet, TV, and so on, many children find it difficult to concentrate and remember lessons. Cognitiivist strategies help to make students process information by emphasizing what is important and putting information in chunks to make them easy for students to digest. One way of emphasizing information for easy understanding and retention is to use colors (color coding) to highlight important terms and concepts. As a Cognitivist, I write words on colored paper. For new terms and concepts, I use neon green to remind students they are new. Next, I use blue paper to write brief explanations, pink for classroom tasks, yellow for assignment, and green for reminders. Implementing color coding, helps students to memorize and understand instructions I give. Another way to facilitate understanding is to write difficult or new terms on the board while speaking. In particular, I find it useful to highlight terms on the board whenever I teach. Whenever I see students curling their eyebrows after I have explained something, I usually get the pen and further illustrate my views on the board. I use examples that are related to their experience, materials they are familiar with, and situations appropriate to their age. I like to draw a picture, sometimes a sort of crazy picture, so they can have it imprinted in their mind. Importantly, I also make it a part of my routine to ask students to form generalizations or synthesis at the end of discussion. This helps to check if students really understood the lesson. It is also a good way to practice higher thinking skills. When something is not clear to them, I try to illustrate using pictures and videos using podcast and You Tube. I have found the more I can use technology in the classroom, the more my students retain the information. B.  Provide a lesson plan using the “WGU Lesson Plan Format” for each of the following instructional settings: 1.  Elementary (e.g., 3rd grade mathematics) 2.  Secondary (e.g., 11th grade science) LESSON PLAN Name: GENERAL INFORMATION Subject(s): Mathematics Topic or Unit ofStudy: Conversion of Simple Units Grade/Level: 3 Instructional Setting: Regular classroom setting; 25 students in class; students are seated in pairs, facing each other. Materials for measurement are provided to them for pair sharing. (e.g., group size, learning context, location [classroom, field trip to zoo, etc.], seating arrangement, bulletin board displays) STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVES Algebra and Functions 1.4 Express simple unit conversions in symbolic form (e.g., __ inches = __ feet x 12). 2.3 Use a variety of methods, such as words, numbers, symbols, charts, graphs, tables, diagrams, and models, to explain mathematical reasoning. 2.6 Make precise calculations and check the validity of the results from the context of the problem. Lesson Objective(s): 1. After the lesson, the students should demonstrate an above 60% capacity of measuring blocks and other materials using inches and centimeters. 2. After lesson, the students should be able to demonstrate an above average capacity of solving problems using the knowledge acquired on unit conversion. 3. At the end of the class, students should be able to demonstrate an excellent capacity of using graphs to represent answers. Identification of Prerequisite Skills: Students who attend this class must have attained the qualification of 3rd grade mathematics. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES Instructional Materials: Crayons Ruler Pencil Tape-measure Resources: Mack, F. Math relay. Retrieved October 12, 2012, from Teachers.net. INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN Sequence of Instructional Procedures/Activities/Events (provide description and indicate approximate time for each): 1. Identification of Student Prerequisite Skills Needed for Lesson: The teacher will ask students to bring out their rulers and tape-measure to see the two sides showing inch and centimeter measurements (5 minutes) 2. Presentation of New Information or Modeling: Students will identify how many cm there are in one inch, two inches, etc. For instance, 1 inch = 2.54 cm., 2 inches = 5.08 cm. (5 minutes) The teacher informs students that one ruler (12 inches) is equivalent to 1 foot. 3. Guided Practice: The students, working in pairs, will identify the answers to the following problems as a form of practice. The teacher provides them a sheet for answering. (5 min.) Identify the equivalent in inches through multiplication: 3 in. = ______ cm. (3 x 2.54) 9 in. = ______ cm. (9 x 2.54) 10 in. = ______ cm. (10 x 2.54) 20 in. = ______ cm. (20 x 2.54) 100 in. = ______ cm. (100 x 2.54) The teacher will check students’ answers. (5 min.) 4. Independent Student Practice: Working in pairs, students will measure their tables, paper, and length of the chair in inches and show the equivalent in cm. The teacher checks students’ answers as s/he roams around. (30 min.) 5. Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity/Event: The teacher assigns students to measure the height of 5 of their friends in inches and make a graph to show comparison of the height. Apart from this, students will interpret the graph, identifying who is tallest, smallest, and the difference between the tallest and smallest in inches. Pedagogical Strategy (or Strategies): Partner work; individual work Differentiated Instruction: Students with mathematical difficulties will be paired with advanced students. ELLs will be guided closely to understand instructions. Class demonstration shall take place to introduce the activities. Student Assessment/Rubrics: 1. Students will be assessed to determine their level of proficiency in measuring blocks and other materials using inches and centimeters. 2. The students will also be assessed to determine their ability to solve problems using the knowledge acquired on unit conversion. 3. Assessment will also be conducted to determine the student’s capacity to demonstrate an excellent capacity of using graphs to represent answers. Assessment Method: The assessment will take place at group and individual level. The students will be grouped and given tasks tailored on the three objectives of the study. The practical tasks will seek to test them in the areas of converting centimeters and inches, measuring blocks using centimeters and inches, and demonstrate the use of graphs. This assessment will be timed so that it takes place within 25 minutes. The second part of the assessment will be carried out at individual level. This will involve a 30 minutes assessment test on questions related to the three objectives. A mean score of 50 and above will be considered as an indication of a successful pedagogical strategy. The performance of the students will determine the steps to take including adjusting the pedagogical strategies involved. The cm to inch Relationship: In order for the students to figure out the cm to inch relationship, the teacher must develop a table of relationships between the two and back it up with about five conversions to help the students understand. Similarly, the teacher will develop a graph by displaying a hierarchy of values in ways that relate. In this manner, he or she will make a bar graph that will show the relationship between the various variables. C.  Discuss how you could modify the elementary lesson plan you provided to incorporate elements of one of the following learning theories: •  Cognitivism •  Behaviorism •  Constructivism Applying Constructivism in Teaching Math The lesson plan provided will be more meaningful if the teacher blends in constructivist principles in the activities. Unlike in the lesson where students sit on chairs, the constructivist classroom allows students to stay on the blanketed floor to work on measurements. For guided practice, where students will solve for the unit equivalent of inch measurements to centimeters, the teacher can employ what is called “Math Relay.” In this activity, the class will be divided in two or three groups and members will line up at the rear end of the classroom. The teacher gives a problem to be solved and three students at the start of the line will go to the board to solve the problem. The one that solves the problem with the correct answer will gain a score. The group that has the most points will win the game. Second, for independent practice, the students will measure their own things such as pencil case, bag, eraser, etc. They can also go out of the classroom to measure distances, e.g., from the classroom to the washroom, from one plant or tree to another in the garden, etc. This will enhance the naturalistic intelligence of the students as well as their social skills when they measure distances with their classmates. Activities in the constructivist class should be a combination of independent practice and cooperative learning situations. As such, for enrichment, students will present their graphs to class. The graph should be placed on a illustration board, big enough for the whole class to see. They will also show a photo of them with their friends and explain the procedure they did to measure their friends’ height. 1. Justify the appropriateness of the modifications for this instructional setting. Constructivism proposes the implementation of active learning for more meaningful experience. Proponents of constructivism such as Maria Montessori believe in the use of manipulative materials in order to master concepts to be learned. In the suggested activities, I highlight substituting pen and paper work with board work because board work will make use of kinesthetic skills, which is more fun and interesting for students. As constructivists believe, children are very active and they learn more when they are having fun. The teamwork that goes with the fun also promotes camaraderie among them, thus destroying barriers caused by cultural diversity. Measuring personal things such as bag and pencil case during independent practice is also recommendable for students because this will be more personal to them instead of measuring tables, chairs and school furniture. The activity will also heighten their perception of size hence guide them in deciding what to fit in their bags. Measuring distances between plants or trees in the school garden is also good for group practice because this will be a form of discovery and experiential learning. Identifying plants will have relevance to their science curriculum, thus establishing the connection between two academic subjects and making the academic experience more holistic. Working in groups outside the classroom also promotes interpersonal skills and naturalistic intelligence. Students will be more aware of their environment when they go out of the classroom. This would instill in their minds that learning does not end in the classroom. Rather, they would know the essence of measurements in the real world and realize the value of learning. Presenting graphs in front of the class is a way to enhance creativity and presentation skills. Young as they are, children need to practice presenting in public because this lifelong skill will be necessary for their further educational pursuit and future professions. PART B continued; Provide a lesson plan using the “WGU Lesson Plan Format” for each of the following instructional settings: 1.  Elementary (e.g., 3rd grade mathematics) 2.  Secondary (e.g., 11th grade science) LESSON PLAN Name: GENERAL INFORMATION Subject(s): Science Topic or Unit of Study: Carbon Cycle Grade/Level: 10th Instructional Setting: Students in a constructivist classroom – seated in groups of five for games and discussion STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVES Your State Core Curriculum/Student Achievement Standard(s): Earth and Life History b. Students know the global carbon cycle: the different physical and chemical forms of carbon in the atmosphere, oceans, biomass, fossil fuels, and the movement of carbon among these reservoirs Lesson Objective(s): 1. After the lesson, the students should be able to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the nature of carbon from the perspective of its distinguishing characteristics and relate it to its various aspects. 2. Upon the completion of the lesson, the students should be able to notice the difference in the various carbon pools and use the same awareness in expanding his or her body of knowledge on carbon. 3. At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to identify the different forms of carbon throughout the carbon cycle with over 75 percent level of understanding. 4. After the lesson, students should demonstrate an above average awareness of the nature of influence of humans on the carbon cycle. Identification of Pre-requisite Skills Students who undertake this course must have attained at least 11the grade secondary science qualifications. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES Instructional Materials: One copy of the game board and game cards for each group of 5 students (best if printed on card stock, or laminated) 5 different colored small nuts and bolts for each game board (Can be colored using spray paint) Dice Game Worksheet, Carbon Cycle Worksheet and Comprehension Worksheet Game Instructions Resources: Carbon adventures. Retrieved October 12, 2012, from Arizona State University Web Site. INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN Sequence of Instructional Procedures/Activities/Events (provide description and indicate approximate time for each): 1. Identification of Student Prerequisite Skills Needed for Lesson: The teacher reviews students’ knowledge about carbon and its sources. S/He shows the materials for the games and asks students to read instructions. She also explains the purpose of the game, that is, for students to find out what happens to carbon when released from the natural source. (5 min.) 2. Presentation of New Information or Modeling: Students identify carbon pools they can find in the game sheet. The teacher emphasizes that these pools make up the carbon cycle (Slade, 2007). 3. Guided Practice: The students play the game with the teachers’ guidance. (30 min.) 4. Independent Student Practice: The students answer the activity sheet to identify what happens to carbon and where they go when released from the original source. 5. Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity/Event: The class discusses specific places in their community where carbon can be found. Students give examples and explain the cause of too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Pedagogical Strategy (or Strategies): Cooperate learning groups will comprise the major pedagogical learning strategy to be used in the learning process. This approach will help in combining the strengths of the different students and encouraging group work. Cooperate learning groups are important in determining the levels of success as they foster a positive interactional climate. Differentiated Instruction: ELLs will be given further guide by checking their understanding of the places mentioned in the game. Students with impairment will be guided closely during the game such as in taking cards, following instructions, etc. Gifted learners can use advanced worksheets or board games showing the map of the world with particular places in each continent. Student Assessment/Rubrics: 1. Assessments will be conducted to determine whether the students have attained an in-depth understanding of the nature of carbon from the perspective of its distinguishing characteristics and relate it to its various aspects. 2. The assessments will also be conducted to measure the level of understanding of the students regarding the difference in the various carbon pools and use the same awareness in expanding their knowledge on carbon. 3. The third objective of the assessment will explore the capacity of the students to identify different forms of carbon throughout the carbon cycle with over 75 percent level of understanding. 4. The fourth assessment will seek to determine the level of students’ awareness of the nature of influence of humans on the carbon cycle. Presentation of New Knowledge: The teacher will introduce new knowledge by building on the ideas that he or she has already introduced in class. The process will entail the movement from the known to the unknown. This will help the students understand the relationship between the old knowledge and the new knowledge and extend the same to other related areas of knowledge. Assessment Methods: Students will be assessed from all the key objectives. A time frame of 45 minutes will be used for them to answer eight questions to test their levels of cognition about on the subject. The test will be administered at individual and group levels. A pass mark of 55 marks will be used to measure the degree of awareness about the subject matter. The scores of the students will help in establishing the fact of whether or not pedagogical strategy worked. D.  Discuss how you could modify the secondary lesson plan you provided to incorporate elements of one of the following learning theories different from the one you chose in part C: •  Cognitivism •  Behaviorism •  Constructivism Applying Cognitivism The lesson plan provided makes use of constructivist principles. The playing of games by groups to teach the different carbon pools adhere to the principles of constructivist that children will be able to understand and form constructs out of what they have and additional information they are given. On one hand, the activity chosen will be fun and interesting for students. On the other, the game, which emulates the snakes and ladders, may be boring for some. To introduce a new concept, the students will be divided in two groups. The first group will act as carbon pools while the other as carbons. The carbon pools will assign names for each member, i.e., bacteria and fungi, animal, atmosphere, ocean, industry, plant/vegetation, etc. Players will hold the ball and throw the carbon ball to the pool, without knowing the kind of pool it is. After getting the ball, the carbon pool player will declare its name/kind, and if the carbon from that pool will turn into carbon dioxide, the pool players will gain a point. If the carbon will go be converted for reuse, the ball players will gain a score. For independent practice, the students will cut pictures from magazines to give samples of carbon pools. This will elucidate what actually happens to carbon and how it is transported to a different pool. After which, the students will discuss their works, choosing a particular pool they want to discuss about. Examples of pools could be vegetation pools, factories, etc. For enrichment activity, students can conduct an experiment with baking soda to extinguish light from a candle. This experiment will show students that carbon dioxide can extinguish fire. 1.  Justify the appropriateness of the modifications for this instructional setting.   Cognitive principles are appropriate in teaching the concept of chemical change especially for carbon. The game to be played involving two groups acting as carbon and carbon pools will definitely make learning easier than using board games with complex rules. Although the game is likewise constructivist in nature, cognitive principle is injected as students identify whether the carbon deposited in the pool will turn into carbon dioxide. Unlike the board game which directs students to the correct carbon pools, the proposed game lets them process information and apply concepts in practice. The concept of carbon pools will be fully imaginable by students when they cut pictures and make a collage. Finding real setting (i.e., factories, farmlands, kitchen, etc.) for carbon cycle will transform general concepts into specific ones, from abstract to realistic. At the end of the lesson, students will see the connection of the lesson to the real world, and be able to apply learning in their everyday life. The purpose of the enrichment activity is to further make students realize the truth about carbon dioxide, specifically baking soda. This experiment will teach them the characteristics of carbon and its function in balancing ecosystems. References Casas, M. (2011). Enhancing student learning in middle school. New York: Routledge. Ryan, K., Cooper, J., & Tauer, S. (2010). Teaching for student learning: Becoming a master teacher. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Slade, S. (2007). The Carbon Cycle. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. Read More