Maya Waldstein

Theme by Anders Norén

Post # 5: IRL Response

In response to pod 11ā€™s Interactive Learning Resource: 

Thank you to group 11 for providing your learning resource. 

I think choosing public goods as a topic to introduce students to economics was very smart. Personally, I find economics can be an intimidating topic and as such the idea of an introductory course that touches on prevalent ideas in todayā€™s society helps to break down barriers to entry. Your reasoning for choosing cognitivism was strong, I especially appreciated the note that the topic may be more easily picked up as topics may be mapped to examples seen in world news. After reading your rationale for the learning design I noticed you were incorporating a lot of different teaching methods, which I think is really smart. It sounds like the class will be really enjoyable! Especially by incorporating multiple discussions the learning experience in this class sounds very thorough.

Strengths

  • The topic of the course 
  • Variety of instructional methods 
  • Your learning outcomes are very clear and seem challenging yet achievable
  • Variety of formative assessments, I especially appreciate you having learners define and give examples of a topic. 
  • The organization of the resource underneath question 7, I like how the topic, activity, grade percentage, and resources were grouped together. If a learner is reading this they may easily understand what is to be done and what may be used to support their completing the activity. 
  • Defining pieces of the assessment plan. It was very helpful seeing the courses definition of participation etc. 
  • Defining the balance of requirements required for a class with ELL and single parent learners. It is noted how single parents will have less time and may save time not using resources intended to improve comprehension of English. 

Suggestions for improvement 

  • May make some adjustments in consideration to time
    • You mention administering exams (page 2) in your learning resource, considering time it may only be possible to include one exame and the rest may be for another course. 
    • One suggestion is to study one topic over multiple days, these study sessions may have to be compressed. 
  • May incorporate tables for organization of resources: topics put into a table etc. 
  • Some editing is required to remove grammatical errors. 

Questions

After reading your IRL I was curious about: 

  1. What is cooperative learning, what are some examples of it in a classroom? 
  2. How will feedback be provided to students as they progress through the course? 
  3. What is meant by learners ā€œneed to be corporateā€? 

Post # 4: Interaction

The article by Terry Anderson, Getting the Mix Right Again, highlights how students being instructed to interact with other students can be nerve-wracking (2003). And I completely agree. I found that especially in a large school where not everyone knows each other, being asked to pair or group up can cause levels of anxiety to rise. Not only does one have to share their ideas, but they have to bring their social skills and give feedback. The result, however, tends to be a learning experience that is fulfilling and useful. When interacting with others we must test our own knowledge by recalling and voicing it, and we must think critically to respond to others. Further, our social skills are practiced.Ā Ā 

Currently I am taking a class on how groups function and in it students have been assigned to groups of 5. Weekly, we meet to review and discuss our thoughts on the material. Hearing from other students has given me many more real-life examples of the concepts within the class, has helped me practice what we are learning (learning how groups function while being in a group), has helped me stay motivated in the class, and has increased my enjoyment in the class. 

Overall, reflecting on how these high levels of interactive sessions have affected my learning in a positive way and increased my enjoyment. 

The class of group functioning is, in addition, supported with student-teacher and student-content interactions. Ahead of each group discussion, we are given an agenda filled with class content, a textbook chapter to read, and have a recorded lecture (Student-teacher) to review. By having these additional interactive components where we pick up knowledge our student-student interactions become more relevant and educational. I feel this is important in consideration to how the full benefits of student-student interaction may emerge/not emerge. I have been in a class where student-student interaction is integrated and yet most memorable is the anxiety caused not what was learned. By providing a rich source of content to be discussed and ensuring it has been somewhat learned a discussion may be more easily carried out. Further, it can help to provide a group with a structure for their interaction.Ā 

In Getting the Mix Right the functions of interaction really stood out to me as very true and very positive. I hope to learn ways to decrease the levels of anxiety and simply see the ways in which interaction can provide a great learning experience. 

References

Anderson, T. (2003). Getting the Mix Right Again: An updated and theoretical rationale for interaction. In irrodl. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/149/230

Prompt # 3: Inclusive Interactive Learning Resource

In creating a learning resource one key goal is to see that all learners meet the learning outcomes. To achieve this, a wide range of abilities has to be considered in the design of the resource. Resulting from designing inclusive courses oneā€™s barriers and challenges should prove a very minimal interference in learning.

One sign of an inclusive course can be seeing learners of differing abilities in the same environment. This has shown positive effects for all learners within the environment. Support provided to those with disabilities ends up also supporting those without. Further, the group becomes better at communication, improves their social skills, and fewer behavioral outbursts are seen (Lathan, n.d.). 

In pod 1’s Learning Design Blueprint the planned assignments are misconception checks, summarization tasks, quizzes, and a final project. The array of assignments incorporates methods within both the behaviorist and cognitivist approaches to learning. Each task to complete offers a different way for the students to look at the material. The variety of methods is to be inclusive of the ways in which people of differing abilities learn.

Barriers that may be faced in completing these tasks include writing skills, reading skills, and social skills. To overcome these barriers we will include universal design principles (UDPs) and make adjustments based on the demographic (MGH Institute Of Health Professions, 2021). UDPs include a focus on how students ā€˜expressā€™ what they have learned. Here recommendations for assessment tasks are made, including using a variety of methods (class discussions, clicker questions, short written assignments, group projects, quizzes, and ungraded practice opportunities) (MGH Institute of Health Professions, 2021). The class discussions conducted will provide a way to incorporate participatory learning. Misconception checks will be ungraded and presented as Iclicker questions. Summative assessments will be short answer questions, quizzes will test on comprehension of 2 units, and a policy development project will be a group project. As many people learn best in different ways, by interacting with content, with other students, or with the teacher, having many modes of testing will hopefully test everyone appropriately at least once. In this way, there may be equal opportunity. Further, to overcome barriers a survey is to be sent out to gain an understanding of the class’s learning abilities. From these results, the tasks to be completed may be adjusted (some used more than others, etc.) and supports may be put in place where necessary. For example, a tutor may help a student with a certain material or an extended period of time to complete the work allotted. 

References 

Lathan, J. (n.d.). 4 Proven Inclusive Education Strategies for Educators (Plus 6 Helpful Resources). In onlinedegrees.sanidego. Retrieved from https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/inclusive-education-strategies/

MGH Institute Of Health Professions. (2021). Meeting Diverse Learning Needs. In mghihp. Retrieved from https://www.mghihp.edu/faculty-staff-faculty-compass-teaching/inclusive-teaching-approach-meeting-diverse-learning-needs

Prompt # 2: Project-based Learning

Project-based learning (PBL) is a teaching approach in which students explore challenges. After an extended period of ā€œlearning by doingā€ students are to deliver a project (ā€œProject-based learningā€, 2021). This may be in the form of, for example, a presentation or product. Upon inquiring about PBL a few strengths stood out to me (Buck Institute for Education, n.d.). 

First, a key strength of PBL is in the way it readies students for the world outside the classroom. Students, by engaging with challenges and building a project gain life-long assets. They practice and grow their drive, passion, creativity, empathy, and resilience. All actionable and further practiced after the project has closed. These assets contribute to one feeling positive towards learning. Also lending to developing healthy work habits (ā€œProject-based learningā€, 2021). Second, students gain a deep understanding of the curriculum (ā€œProject-based learningā€, 2021). As they are engaging with a problem over a longer period of time the result is a more thorough understanding. To develop a project the student must pick up knowledge, think critically about it, communicate it to other team members, and transform it. All processes will help the knowledge sink in. Third, students learn problem-solving including the practice of drawing on prior knowledge. As a team tries to transform the questions posed to them it will likely be necessary to get creative and draw on prior knowledge. Prior knowledge could provide a template for or inspire improvements. For instance, if the project is to make a home more sustainable one may think to use a line chart. One may have learned elsewhere that line charts are a good way to visualize changes over time and decide to use one to visualize water usage over time. In this way, prior knowledge is being re-registered and also deepened by this learning method.  

Reflecting on post 1 and the above inquiry results, this teaching approach is constructivist. As stated, there is a focus on students, this is also a core component of constructivism. As in constructivism students are responsible for their learning (ā€œProject-based learningā€, 2021). Also reflecting on post 1, PBL being constructivist implies that this learning method sits in the middle of a learning continuum. As such it may be recommended that teachers use PBL to deepen students’ understanding. 

References 

Buck Institute for Education. (n.d.). What is PBL?. In pblworks. Retrieved from https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl

Project-based learning (2021). In en.wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project-based_learning

Prompt # 1: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism

A key takeaway I took from the chapter is that all three learning theories are on a continuum (Ertner & Newby, 2013). At the start of the continuum sits behaviorism. Behaviourism is often used when learners are encountering information for the first time. Instructors give stimuli, and reinforcements and then learners respond to these stimuli. With behaviorism, practices applied one may have information transferred to memory. Whether one can then transform and apply this information elsewhere is not guaranteed. The cognitive approach, further down the continuum, teaches learners how to apply information. And so in different contexts. At the end of the continuum is the constructivist theory. This theory sets the aim to embed knowledge while the learner is in the appropriate context. This allows the learner to practice the knowledge. In this way, the learner may get ā€˜advanced knowledgeā€™ (Ertner & Newby, 2013).

Looking at these definitions I can recall teaching using each of the three methods. All together, helping me to advance my knowledge. During semesters, completing readings and attending lectures was a practice of knowledge transfer. After which tests determine if I, as a learner, can recall the correct responses to stimuli. The class, reinforced by the goal to learn and get a good grade studies. The cognitive approach was also used during classes. There were a variety of assignments that asked students to transform knowledge. For example, the student may develop a paper, a diagram, or a product. While developing an assignment, I am made to dissect the information I have and transform it. In doing so I am transferring the information into something I have learned. The constructivist method was in play during my co-op terms. During this time I needed to bring and practice the information acquired in school and apply it.

Experiences in the field give learners a greater understanding, as knowledge gets used. But, I do feel there is a difficulty with getting a full spectrum of knowledge. In the workplace, questions may not arise about how much one knows. Rather, a completed task equals a success, independent of the thought behind it. This highlights one reason the classroom (the other two learning theories) adds value. In the classroom instructors often teach a wide range of information. The learners will gain background knowledge and theory. One may then apply unique insights and back their decisions in the workplace.

Reference

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. (2017). Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Perspective. InĀ edtechbooks. Retrieved from https://edtechbooks.org/lidtfoundations/behaviorism_cognitivism_constructivism

Introduction

Hello, my name is Maya Waldstein. I am in my fourth year in Health Information Science. I am looking forward to graduating at the end of this semester and hopefully entering a job in the health informatics field.

I joined this class looking at it as a great opportunity to learn how to convey information when implementing health informatics systems. Technology is everywhere and the more ways it can be learned to be utilized the more it may be an exciting asset.

I am looking forward to learning about learning design and meeting everyone in the class.