JOT2 – Task 2 (Adapting Lesson Plans) Student Mentor: Dee Caddie Jennifer S Mroz Student ID: 000493324 JOT2 – Task 2 (Adapting Lesson Plans) Student Mentor: Dee Caddie January 17th 2016

Task A: Learning Theories & Learners Constructivism, Cognitivism, & Behaviorism Task A: Learning Theories & Learners

Constructivism – Learner Benefits Student focused model Emphasizes the creation of knowledge with collaboration and communication Views students as individuals with skills, knowledge, and history that they will utilize in learning Encourages critical thinking and problem based learning

Cognitivism – Learner Benefits Focuses on facilitating students in processing information Ordered and sequenced lessons that are taught to be easily comprehensible Teacher models tactics and strategies for learning step by step Prepares students to be lifetime learners as it imparts the very tools for learning

Behaviorism – Learner Benefits Well defined, attainable goals are clearly set for students Reward system makes learning positive and fun – like gamification Corrective feedback encourages students to attain goals Most rewarding for students with no foreknowledge on a topic

Task B: Learning Theory in Action Constructivism, Cognitivism, & Behaviorism Task B: Learning Theory in Action

Cognitivism– Lesson Plan The lesson plan was a demonstration at a crafting day during the holidays. All materials for the project were packaged into kits and colorways prior to the craft day, so that learners had everything necessary for the project. The learners were actively involved throughout the process as we made the projects in tandem during the lesson. This lesson plan was carefully developed into easy steps for the learners, with three main segments, the inner ring, the outer ring and the decorative spires. The inner ring taught a new skill, the outer ring used the same skill with a different bead, and the decorative spires applied the beading lingo to complete the final rings on the project. Each chunk of the lesson had a checkpoint to check for understanding and to make sure the project was successful.

Task C: Adaptation of Lesson Plan Changing Things Up for Next Time Task C: Adaptation of Lesson Plan

Behaviorism– Lesson Plan Instead of completing the project in tandem with the learners, an example of each step should be provided. An emphasis on the earlier steps with reinforcement of the importance of thread pathing may have cleared up learner misconceptions that I encountered. This also would have allowed me to monitor and provide feedback of the participants more consistently. Also, none of the learners had sufficient tension in the completed work. Therefore a behaviorist plan should include corrective feedback about tension, stressing the importance regularly so that the finished items had sufficient tension This lesson plan could also be modified for behaviorism by building in rewards at the completion of each chunk of instruction. The lesson ended up taking over three hours to complete so breaks would have been welcomed.

Task d: Lesson Plan Discussion Cognitivism or Behaviorism? Task d: Lesson Plan Discussion

Behaviorism – The Winner Since bead-weaving is not a well known craft the Behaviorist lesson plan would likely be more successful, the learners are “blank slates” to a degree. Behaviorism would still allow the retention of many of the elements of the original lesson plan – step-by-step planning and careful presentation of knowledge in a step-by-step manner However it would add necessary layers of feedback – both positive and corrective in order for the learners to have a more successful crafting experience.

Task E: Effective Instruction Through the Use of design theories

Design Theories for Instruction The theories of instructional design offer different frameworks upon which to build your lessons. These frameworks provide guides that will improve student accomplishment By following a framework your information will be organized into a format that streamlines both the design process and the student’s learning

Task F: Design Theories Strengths and Limitations: Wiggins, Gagne & Teaching for Understanding Task F: Design Theories

Strengths of Wiggins Theory You design backwards from what you want students to know Assessment is key to design – aligning with expectations in many workplaces Authentic tasks are scored with rubrics that explain to students expectations clearly

Limitations of Wiggins Theory Assessment drives the entire design process, and becomes the main focus of the design Assessments are ongoing throughout the process to gauge learner understanding, teacher is always assessing This design could be viewed as “teaching to the test” because you design with the test as the first step

Strengths of Gagne’s Events Gagne’s approach is very systematic with easy to follow steps both for designing your lesson and delivering the lesson The learners are provided with distinct goals that fall with in domains of learning There is an emphasis on engaging the learners throughout the lesson

Limitations of Gagne’s Events The systematic nature of this design model can be seen as very limiting Goals are written in a very rigid “fill in the blanks” style that may not suit all instructional designers This learning system does not stress transferability of learning

Strengths of Teaching for Understanding Highly transferable, connects easily to other areas as it focuses on generative topics Focuses on ideas central or core to disciplines and subject areas Creates a self-reflective learner who is engaged in their own learning

Weaknesses of Teaching for Understanding Goal of “understanding” can be difficult to assess and categorize it is not quantifiable The nesting and extension of goals throughout periods of time do not suit short-term populations Not suited for detail oriented subjects or topics where minutiae must be remembered

Task G: Most Suitable design Process

Going with Gagne! The rigid system of Gagne’s events will work well for my learner population, they are adult learners who are always short on time. This design system will allow for a standardized format for each discreet learning module. The systematic checklist type lesson planning will make designing each of the lessons formulaic Since these lessons will deal navigating the learning management systems at our school they need to be very standardized, this will allow for easy updating if anything should change. My goals are straightforward and should fit into the Gagne format easily The management at our school desires that each learning module have a direct, measurable goal this is best achieved utilizing Gagne’s methods.