Lesson Planning

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1.      Bloom’s taxonomy.

Article: http://www.businessballs.com/bloomstaxonomyoflearningdomains.htm

The domains include:

Cognitive domain: intellectual capability, ie. Knowledge or “think”.

Affective domain: feelings, emotions and behaviour ie attitude, or “feel”.

Psychomotor domain: manual and physical skills ie skills, or “do”

                       

Rationale:

 

I selected this resource because it speaks to how this model is used in organizational learning and training, which is of particular interest to me. This article speaks to how effective learning, especially in organizations, where training is to be converted into organizational results, should arguably cover all the levels of each of the domains, where relevant to the situation and the learner.

Also I learned from this article how this model has evolve over years and continues to be adapted to new thinking on the learning process. According to this article, it is also important as it serves as a checklist by which you can ensure that training is planned to deliver all the necessary development for students trainees or learners and a template by which you can assess the validity and coverage of any existing training, be it a course, a curriculum, or an entire training and development programme for a large organization (Businessballs, 2015).

 

 

It will improve my instruction by providing me with guided questions to support the learning process. For example, if I am training colleagues in my organization new material, I can go through the domains and ensure that learners are drawing form each domain, and building on each level as they go.

 

2. Characteristics of Adult Learners:

 

-individual difference

-Multiple Intelligences

-Learning Styles

-Experiential Learning

-Knowles (Andragogy)

-Diversity

 

Article: http://www-tc.pbs.org/teacherline/courses/sbpd/docs/sbpd100_characteristics%20of%20adult%20learners-reading.pdf

 

Rationale:

 

This article explains characteristics of adult learners:

• are largely self-directed

• have a broad, rich experience base to which to relate new learning

• perceive time itself differently than children do and are more concerned about the effective use of time

• learn best when they perceive the outcomes of the learning process as valuable and as immediately applicable

• are more often internally motivated (by the potential for such feelings as worth, self-esteem, and achievement)

 

I chose this academic article because it draws from the expert in adult learning, Malcolm Knowles and his theory on andragogy (adult learning). This article is designed to help educational coaches to teach adult teachers, in a way that suits there adult-learning needs and characteristics. I found it simple, and effective in explaining key points in characteristics of adult learners.

 

It will improve my teaching by using these principles in my teaching, and always keeping in mind how adult learners need to be taught differently than children and youth. For example, when I am teaching adults and I want to know what is motivating them, I can learn what the internal motivators for my students are, and keep that in mind, and draw from it, as I move through a course.  

 

 

3.      Creating a Positive Learning Environment

 

Article: http://seachangestrategies.com/pop/

 

Rational:

I chose this article because I have heard about Robert Gass, Facilitator and trainer, for several years through my work. He has done a lot of work in the area of creating positive learning environments, for adults. He has come up a simple tool here to help a group focus on a learning objective. It is called POP:

·        Purpose: Why? Why are we undertaking this? What is the purpose?

·        Outcomes: What are the specific outcomes we want to accomplish as a result of this activity?

·        Process: What steps will we take to achieve these outcomes and fulfill the purpose?

Robert Gass outlines key questions to consider when facilitating a group, which speaks to process. For example, are there ground rules, and is the environment set up to feel safe?

It will improve my instruction by providing me with specific questions to ask myself when I am instructing because I am learning how important it is for adult learners to feel they are in a positive learning environment. Also, having a simple acronym, POP, to use when thinking about creating a positive environment for my students, will be a helpful tool.

 

4.      Motivational Techniques

 

 

Article: http://www.torreytrust.com/images/ITH_Trust.pdf

 

Rationale:

The ARCS Model of Motivational Design, created by John Keller, is a motivational design that is drawn from Tolman’s and Lewin’s expectancy theory, which presumes that people are motivated to learn if there is value in the knowledge presented (i.e. it fulfills personal needs) and if there is an optimistic expectation for success (Ely 234). The model consists of four main areas: Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction. I chose this article because it provides a thorough overview, as well as several applications, such as with an exercise in how to write a resume.  

 

It will improve my instruction by being mindful of how motivation affects learning. There are many good ideas as to how to apply this theory to my students. One example is with keeping learners satisfied, instruction should be designed to allow them to use their newly-learned skills as soon as possible in as authentic a setting as possible.

 

5.      Assessment

 

Article: http://www.flinders.edu.au/teaching/teaching-strategies/assessment/feedback/good-feedback.cfm

 

Self-assessment and feedback are key aspects of effective teaching. I chose this article because it presents a framework of seven principles of good feedback practice and methods and techniques which I found to be useful in thinking about instructing adults. I learnt that self- assessment and feedback are aspects of andragogy that contributes to a student’s short term and long terms learning.

The 6^th principle is one that I have experienced in my own adult learning:

“Feedback provides opportunities to close the gap between current and desired performance;
Feedback is most useful when students have an opportunity to improve work by being able to resubmit the work or receiving feedback during the production process (e.g. comments on drafts) or apply the feedback to a subsequent piece of work. Also student can benefit from being given help to develop strategies to use feedback”. When I have been given feedback from my instructor with time still to incorporate it into my work, I found it more beneficial to my learning”.

 

This article will improve my instructing by using these principles in my teaching. I have learned from this article how important the teacher-student dialogue is throughout the lesson or course, and feedback is one way to encourage and structure this dialogue. I have thought about the importance of how I as an instructor receive feedback as well. Feedback requires adopting a mindset of discovery, and I can improve my instruction by modeling how to receive feedback as well as providing it.