The next step in teaching

There is a lot of hype in the area of Virtual Reality and teaching.
Could Virtual Reality be the next big thing is an article that discusses the idea of Virtual Reality in the classroom to augment Virtual Learning Environments.

This news is not really that new, and it has been around for the last fifteen years in some form or other. I am still waiting for the virtual glass classrooms that Corning Promised years ago, and Oculus Rift has gone through more versions than my hair style. So where are the learning pods already? Well, don't worry, they are almost here. We just have to give them just a little more time.

So hurry up already; we have the technology, and it will be the thing of the future. Just not where I work right now.

Lesson Plan Components

1. Bloom’s Taxonomy

For developing resources for Bloom’s Taxonomy, we go to the course development tools at The Centre for Teaching and Learning through Humber College. Like many of these resources on this blog, there are many links in the one resource. In this example we have links to the domains and explanations. There are blogs and even teaching tips on the subject.

3. Creating a Positive Learning Environment

For Positive Learning Environment, I have chosen, University of Saskatchewan / The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness, because of its videos, and multiple links to other resources on the bottom right side of the page. This section deal with all of the sections listed in developing this in the classroom, as well as strategies for implementation.

Then after the video section there are further step by step descriptive approaches, for further clarification. The website goes onto describe classroom management, as well as many of the other topics listed in this assignment. Resources inside this resource.

4. Motivational Techniques

The motivation of adult learners is probably one of the most important aspects of the lesson plan. Without the learner having motivation to lean, there is no education of the subject matter. For this reason, I have actually added four resources. Each in themselves okay, but together much stronger than the sum of the parts.

1.     Teaching techniques that motivate adult learners through the Cengage Learning web site has practical advice

2.     The eLearning Coach site offers thirty motivational techniques

3.     The Faculty Focus site only offers 9 strategies

4.     And finally UMBC.edu gives motivational strategies

5. Assessment

With respect to assessment in the lesson plan, we are looking at both formative and summative assessments. The resources for these are usually specific to the institution or awarding body that the program is being run under, but there are also some resources that appear to be useful in the planning stage. Here are two that I think look handy;

1.     Starting Point has a How to Assessment Strategies page which give some very good examples

2.     And although we have used this site before, the Course Development Tools at the Humber College site are also useful

7. Media

When it comes to resources for media in lesson planning, there are just too many sites to mention. I have only added a few of those that I use now.

·         Edtechteacher is a really good resource for resources to Google Classroom

·         The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has free course material that I have used in the past

·         This is similar to the Khan Academy Canada, edx, Umedy, and Lynda University

·         In the courses I am teaching now, I use both GCF Learning Free, and Law Lessons of Canada

Journal Entry four

Entry Four:

Quote:	In addition to the linguistic and logical-mathematical forms of intelligence that are at a premium in the schools, I proposed five additional intelligences… musical, special, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal.[1]
Section:	Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences (MI)	Ch. 9	The Brain and Cognitive Functioning

Objective:

Chapter nine, the brain and cognitive functioning deals with the physical aspect of the brain and how we cognate with it. Although it starts off with structure, it also assigns mental attributes to the physical structure, such as memory, intelligence, and cognitive development. The quote that I have used here deals with Gardner’s concepts of multiple intelligence. Prior to this theory, the notion of intelligence was fairly flat. There was one type of intelligence and if you had it, you had it, but if you did not you, you didn’t. This did not account for higher than average abilities for people with low, “traditional” IQs. This quote is the beginning of an understanding of differing types of intelligence, independent from each other.[2]

Reflective:

The reason for choosing this particular quote is directly with the cliental that I deal with, First Nations. In Canada, educational standards for reaching higher education, and graduation from grade twelve has always been at a lower level for FN learners. Traditionally, they have also scored poorly on standard IQ tests. And yet, after working with this group of learners, it is easy to see that their strengths lay outside traditional held belief about intelligence.

I was made quite aware of this when I taught for seven years in Japan. From my observations there, I found that most (although not all) Native English Speakers, don’t learn another language, because English is the only language they think they need to know. If you think about it, this is a bit arrogant, but not without validation. Most English teachers in Japan stay less than a year (about 95%), and never learn Japanese. This mentality about the importance of learning the language of the culture you are in, is reflected in how knowledge is perceived. “I speak English, so I already know all the language I need.” The same could be said of traditional concepts of intelligence. “If you don’t know what I know, you are not intelligent.”

Interpretive:

Gardener proposed that this limited view of intelligence was just that, limited. His proposal was that we have five additional types of Intelligence. It should be noted that other have expanded to this list, and many MI tests will look for eight types of intelligences, and there is even talk that there might be as many as 50 kinds. Mind you, this is not a new notation, we regularly give learning needs analysis and aptitude test to potential learners all of the time. Through these, we see what the learner’s strengths and weaknesses are, and plan our lessons around what is needed to meet the minimum standards of the knowledge and how best to achieve them.

Gardner however does have some weaknesses in his theory.[3]

1.       He did not use traditional definitions of intelligence and incorporated the concepts of abilities and skills into his definition of intelligence. Although you could argue that they should have been included before, this does not help, when you change the rules of the testing.

2.       When he first made his proposal, he never actually made any MI tests in order to measure these types of intelligences. The tests listed in the decisional are actually made from his research, but not by him.

3.       And of course there is also the glaring lack of empirical evidence. As a science major myself, this is concerning.

And yet, there still appears to be value in this theory, because it accommodates many learner’s needs for further education, in particular my group of learners. This could also be taken into account with Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence theory, which also has validity (in the opinion of this reporter) in adult education.

Decisional:

There are many ways in which to view MI. You can view it as a new hypothesis that has not been proven into an accepted theory, or you can look at the benefits of utilizing the concepts in this proposal. I tend to use the latter, because of the nature of my learning group. I have found that looking at the different strengths of the learner is a good start for the delivery of effective learning. There are many ways to do this. As mentioned the college that I work at utilizes skills testing, but there are also online tolls as well, such as BGFL’s Multiple intelligence tests, or the Multiple Intelligence Test for Adult Education and Literacy, that I have used in the past.

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[1] Gardener, H., (2000). A case against spiritual intelligence. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 10(1), 27 – 34

[2] Merriam S.B. & Bierema, L. L (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. Wiley & Sons., P. 178

[3] Sternberg, R. J. (Winter 1983). "How much Gall is too much gall? Review of Frames of Mind: The theory of multiple intelligences". Contemporary Education Review 2 (3): 215–224.

Journal Entry three

Entry Three:

Quote:	“If something can be learned, it can be learned in a motivating manner…every instructional, plan also needs to be a motivational plan.”[1]
Section:	Wlodkowski and Ginsberg’s Integrated levels of adult motivation	Ch. 8	Motivation and learning

Objective:

In this chapter the reader is introduced to things that motivates learners. Motivation is the thing that moves a person for a cause; the driving energy we put into doing something. There are several theories on motivation, not the least of which incorporates the learning theories that we previously read in chapter two. In the chapter we looked at motivation being both intrinsic and extrinsic, depending on the situation. The three key contexts of adult motivation in education help justify the quote used in this journal entry.[2]

Reflective:

I originally wanted to work with McClusky’s Theory of Margin, as I thought it was an interesting way to show the idea of coping / crisis with the idea of motivation. I instead decided to go with Wlodkowski’s work, because it seamed more substantial and practical, and thus more adequate for the reflective than McClusky’s. In fact, it is sort of my mantra in designing lesson plans. I presently teach business law, because no one else in my department wanted to. The reason being is that it can be dry if the learner or trainer are not motivated. I have had to employ many of Wlodkowski’s motivational strategies, listed in the text from page 159 – 161 (table 8.4); although I was not previously aware of who had developed them prior to reading this chapter.

Interpretive:

Jeanne Ellis Ormrod in her 2003 work states that Motivation in education can result in:

·         Direct behavior toward particular goals

·         Lead to increased effort and energy

·         Increase initiation of, and persistence in, activities

·         Enhance cognitive processing

·         Determine what consequences are reinforcing

·         Lead to improved performance[3]

This should lead the trainer to the conclusion that motivation is important for the learner to learn. Wlodkowski’s motivational strategies give a vary detailed outline of how to proceed with what is needed to motivate, and why. A diagram from his collaboration with Ginsberg in 2009 on Motivational Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching looks at four areas to address (diagram above).[4] They are inclusion, attitude, meaning and competence.

Decisional:

In NEC, where I work, there are motivational factors specific to First Nations communities. Although FN learners are sometimes perceived by those outside of their communities as lackadaisical or not motivated towards academia, they are just as capable as any other learner. This fact in itself is not too unusual, but the ideas of what motivates them are. Their need for social and cultural inclusion is one factor that is used as a motivational tool in course design. Meaning is also crucial, and closely linked with social and community values.

The college understands that engagement of the learner through motivational techniques results in their best leaning outcomes. We use motivational strategies 33 (individual interests), 35 (humor), 45 (games), and many more than will allow my word count for this journal entry.

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[1] Wlodkowski, R. J. (2008). Enhancing adult motivation to the learner: A comprehensive guide for teaching all adults (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

[2] Merriam S.B. & Bierema, L. L (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. Wiley & Sons. P. 156

[3] Ormrod, J. E. (2003). Educational psychology: developing learners. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

[4] Ginsberg, M. B., and R. J. Wlodkowski. 2009. Diversity and motivation: Culturally responsive teaching in college. (2nd ed.) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.