Team Education 2.0 – Week 9 Case Study:
Objective:
Objective:
Your team should be working together to review the same short lesson your team selected for Module 4. Review Module 5 contents to complete the following tasks:
Tasks:
Tasks:
1. Identify all the changes involved in the principle, and write a generality that includes the changes and the relationship among the changes. References are needed.
2. Share the proposed media selection for modifying the instruction as appropriate to each change for your Case Study. Clearly define the forms of behaviors applied to the changes. (For example, a video game is proposed to replace the PowerPoint presentation to let the students practice on Math multiplication. State the forms of behaviors applied to this change)
2. Share the proposed media selection for modifying the instruction as appropriate to each change for your Case Study. Clearly define the forms of behaviors applied to the changes. (For example, a video game is proposed to replace the PowerPoint presentation to let the students practice on Math multiplication. State the forms of behaviors applied to this change)
Intro:
Our team in Module 4, focused on a Math Game created by Natalie in Scratch. The basis of the game was that students are in a race to the finish line. Their sprite will move if they answer a series of math questions correctly. All questions are built upon the principle of how to find the area of a rectangle. We opted to discuss both tasks in a variety of e-mails and actual blog discussions. Each of us took a different path that added to the overall discussion and analysis of Module 5. In this summary, I will post a brief outline of what each team member stated and then add my portion. I will wrap up this summary with some additional items to think of and a question for the team to discuss in response feedback.
Task 1:
All of us agreed that the changes involved in the principle for the Math Game were focused on both process and casual principles. The process principle is exemplified as students need to understand the formula for finding the area of a rectangle (Length x Width). This is something that can be taught but is most effectively demonstrated through experience. Students understand the only situation that will allow their sprite to move forward in the race is when they get the answer correct.
Adelina really solidifies the generality in her explanation of how the students learn through this process. She shares in her post that Grandmaster Kim Soo stated, “understanding the basic principle of a task gives the learner common sense” (Cox, 2005). Therefore applying principles in performing a task, gives the learner a purpose. Students understand the process involved and the outcome of a task being performed. They are aware of “the why” and “the how” of performing a task. Principle surpasses or goes beyond facts (Miller, 2009). Principles offer students the opportunity to acquire skills and abilities needed to perform a specific task than mere facts and knowledge. Natalie explains that it is the physical act of the students going through the process that allows them to really learn. Nick takes it a step further by outlining the steps of the process.
Natalie takes us through the casual principle demonstrated in the game. She shares that the casual principle is applied, through memorization. Then the game institutes cause and effect, where if you use the correct formula to get the correct answer then you are able to go to the next problem - if not, the game ends. Because you answer correctly the race continues until you reach the finish line. Adelina calls this the solution kind of casual principle. Nick agrees when he shares that the casual principal occurs when the students receive feedback.
I agree whole-heartedly with my team and can see all points of view in the game that Natalie created. The principle is demonstrated in the simple understanding that students have of calculating the area of a rectangle. The game reinforces this understanding through casual learning by applying the principle in game scenario. At first, I had a rough time considering this is a principle of learning as I felt it was more of a procedure. But as I read more of Dr. Merrill’s material outside of class, I discovered that a process principle is actually a fact or something solid that a student learns or is almost reminded of compared to a procedure, which is strictly memorization (Merrill, 1994). The area of a rectangle is something that we begin to understand on a basic level as youth. The greatest example of this is in the game itself. The game expects students to understand how to calculate the area of a rectangle. It does not teach you, only reinforces right or wrong. Dr. Merrill, in a different publication, explains this very succinctly when he states “If a student is unsure of how a given piece of content will eventually be used it lacks the necessary relevance. Acquiring knowledge and skill components out of context makes it very difficult for learners to form mental models about how this information applies in the real world” (Merrill, 2007). In the Math Game, students are given minimal instruction because it is a principle-based learning system and not procedure. Thus, they figure it out quickly to win the race. Natalie did an excellent job with development of the game for reinforcement of learning.
Task 2:
Our team felt that the game was an excellent tool to reinforce the area principle. However, we felt that a behavioral change that could be implemented is the 4th “E” in the 5E Constructivist Theory, or in other words…elaborate. This theory as explained in Electronic Journal of Science Education focuses on 5 various stages developed to help students develop skills, analyze and evaluate evidence, experience and discuss with their peers in order to develop their own understanding (Inquiry, n.d.). We felt that students could receive additional instruction to elaborate and thus expand their knowledge. We each took a different approach in this.
Adelina felt that the proposed media selection for modifying this instruction or Natalie’s Scratch Math Game would be, introducing students to websites such as; AdaptedMind, http://www.mathforum.com/, http://www.AAAmath.com/, http://www.coolmath.com/, http://www.figurethis.org/, http://www.mathcats.com/, http://www.easymaths.org/ to further practice what they have learned (finding the area of a rectangle).
Natalie felt that a proposed media selection that can be used for modifying the instruction instead of the Scratch Game is a YouTube video on area of a rectangle. http://youtu.be/2vBpkgJBiZY. http://youtu.be/nnKlXLn9pkU. These media will show steps for the student to use the behavior solution.
Nick felt that YourTeacher.com's Geometry app would be perfect in this situation. While expensive, the app offers an entire year worth of math lessons. Each lesson is complete with interactive practice that shows each step that students should take to solve the problem, independent practice worksheets so students can hone their skills, and tutoring videos which show person solving example problems. Using the app students will be asked to use the predict behavior principle to answer to certain math activities. Students will have to use prior knowledge to solve the problem. Students might be asked to explain how they to use the explain behavior principle to show what steps they took to reach the solution. Finally, students will be asked to use the solution behavior principle when they are asked to figure out which formula to apply to a problem and to find the correct solution. These are common among story problems.
I felt that a great app to expand and enhance this knowledge and bring about the change desired in learning was Alice.org. Alice has been demonstrated to engage students to think beyond the challenge or problems they are presented with. In a video blog by Dai Barnes, this is demonstrated as students create their own virtual worlds (Barnes, 2008). By applying the actual principle of creating a rectangle with area, the students will take the principle knowledge that they master through process and embed casually in the Math Game and will be apply to use that knowledge in a semi-realistic environment. If perfected, we could grow this further by delving into 3D world creation in Second Life or other experiential gaming / learning systems.
Question for Group:
So, we have delved into principles both process and casual and even taken our little Math Game and expanded into a multitude of resources. The question I would pose to my team is how would you take what you have learned up to this point and expand one of your learning tools that you use to teach students?
My Answer:
My idea is to enhance my class with Slam Poetry. Every year, as part of the English TEKS we must focus on poetry and it is dreaded by every student and teacher too. We tend to use invariant task memorization, and a variety of procedural learning to focus on it. This year, I want to focus more on casual principle by allowing the student to do any poetic verse in the form of Slam Poetry. I will use the 5E method in my teaching by giving a hook (Taylor Mali compared to rapper Eminem) – the Engage section. I then will work in the explain by sharing various texts that might have been considered Slam Poetry back in the day (i.e. Shakespearean Plays). I will then have the students Explore and we will all Elaborate. I will wrap up by having then Evaluate the lesson. This is how I plan to put to practice this week’s module.
References:
Barnes, D. (2008, December 17). Creating a virtual world [Online forum comment].
Retrieved from http://www.mirandanet.ac.uk/vl_blog/?page_id=699
Cox, S. G. (2005). The Importance of Teaching Basic Principles. Grandmaster Kim
Soo, 10th. Dan & Founder, Chayon-Ryu Martial Arts
Inquiry, the learning cycle, & the 5e instructional model. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=5e constructivist learning
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Merrill, M.D. (1994). Instructional Design Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational
Technology Publication.
Merrill, M.D. (2007). A task-centered instructional strategy. Journal of Research on
Technology in Education, 40(1), 33-50.
Miller, R. K. (2009). More Important to Teach Principles than Facts.
Reigeluth, C. M. (2012). Instructional-Design Theories Home page. Retrieved April 3,
2012, from http://www.indiana.edu/~idtheory/methods/methods.html.
Shen, C., & Tsai, H. (2009). Design Principles of Worked Examples: A Review of the
Shen, C., & Tsai, H. (2009). Design Principles of Worked Examples: A Review of the
Empirical Studies. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 36(3), 238+. Retrieved
April 3, 2012, from Questia database:
