Wk 03 The role of technology in learning

Aim: To consider the role of technology in learning

Objectives

• to define elements of e-learning
• to consider barriers to change in e-leraning
• to apply visual essay planning to the role of ILT in teaching and learning

Definitions used:

• IT - Information Technology (old-school, doesn't include internet)
  
• ICT - Information and Communication Technology (does include internet and other communication technolologies)
  
• e-learning - A Yorkshire term for learning supported by using computers, the internet and other forms of technology
• ILT - Information Learning Technology, technology specifically designed to support core learning activities

History of ICT

History of none-ICT technologies used in learning and teaching

A comparison of old and new

Barrier to change: skills, technology and resources, management - identified ways in which our barriers could limit the development of e-learning

Visual essay planning - Should ILT be integral to the learning process?

Wk 03 Bloom's Taxonomy

How do we differentiate learning in the classroom?

The three domains of learning:

• cognitive
• affective
• psychomotive
  

Bloom's taxonomy is different for each of the three domains.

• The taxonomy describes the staged development of learning and is used to plan differentiated learning activities.
• The level of the course determines how far up the ladder you can expect to go. Remember, different domains have different categories in the taxonomy; this can introduce some complexity when more than one domain is used in the subject being taught.
• Each activity leads the learner up the ladder to the next level in the taxonomy.
• Start activities are designed to assess low order learning first. The next activity builds on the first but requires a higher level of learning up to the final activity which should be the highest level up the ladder, appropriate to the level of the course (see handout).
•  Extended activities for the most able should stretch students to higher order learning activities.
  
• Differentiation is created by ensuring each activity contains lower order learning activities as well as higher so those who are less able, get to participate in ALL activities.

8 positive impacts of using differentiated learning and 8 negative impacts of not using it.
Then we played Snakes and Ladders!

Dave raises the stakes at a game of 'Snakes and Ladders'

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Wk 03 Differentiation

Wk 03 Differentiation

Wk 02 Equality and inclusive Learning

The umbrella of widening participation!

Aim: To consider key concepts of inclusive practice within teaching and learning

Objectives:

    •    To define key concepts relating to inclusive practice
    •    To discuss the legislative framework for inclusive practice
    •    To explain the role of inclusive practice with reference to the LLUK standard


 Main points covered:

    •    Equality -  we must address the needs of all learners
    •    Diversity - gender, disability, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief
    •    Widening participation - bringing diverse groups into learning
    •    Inclusive learning - meeting the needs of all learners

All the above concepts work together and satisfy legislation for inclusive practice: see the Tomlinson and Kennedy reports. Refer to LLUK standards for inclusive practice.

Wk 02 Equality and Diversity - Inclusive Practice

Wk 02 Equality and Diversity - Inclusive Practice 2010

Learning Styles - Urban Myth?

Professor Frank Coffield conducted extensive research into over 70 theories relating to learning styles to see whether the various models corresponded to reality. The validity of learning-style questionnaires were tested to see if they really measured what they claimed. Little evidence was found to support these theories including Honey and Mumford, Dunn and Dunn and VAK.
Learning style sytems that did seem to work such as Herrmann's 'whole brain model', where a learner's learning style was considered to be adaptive to the context. Coffield's advice is:

• Don't label students then try to match learning strategies to their styles
• Use methods that address all styles; this is called 'whole brain' learning.
• Encourage learners to use unfamilliar styles, even if they dont like them at first
• Teach students how to use all styles of learning
• Students enjoy moving between styles; makes for varied and interesting lessons

Source: Coffield, F., Mosley, D., Hall, E. and Ecclestone, K. 2004. Should we be using learning styles? [Online] Available at: https://crm.lsnlearning.org.uk/user/order.aspx?code=041540 [Accessed: 19 Jan 2010]

Classroom Ground Rules

• The classroom environment must be maintained as blame-free
• It should be understood that learning takes time.
• Understanding the 'question' is what it is important
• The 'question' has to be challenging so as not to be humiliating if answered incorrectly; questions must not be too easy.
• Mistakes tell us where we are
• Foster an inquiring classroom; 'I don't understand' is good!
• Never ridicule students, it stops learning
• Give medal and mission feedback - forward looking and positive
• You only learn from mistakes if you find out how to do it without mistakes next time
• The 'helper' learns as much as the 'helped'

Peer Explaining: Summarising key points

In this strategy, pairs improve their summary of key points.

• Warn students first that you want them to summarise the topic to each other, in pairs.
• Design two challenging questions that summarise the key points of the topic you are about to teach.
• Require the students to identify the details and reasons why, or to stress the meaning and structure of information
• Number and make the questions clearly visible to the students.
• Then teach the topic using differentiated presentation of the information. Meanwhile, the students may try to work out the answers to the questions.
• Put students into pairs, give them one question each
• Students prepare what they will say to each other for a minute or so; they can work individually and write down what they will say to each other
• Students answer the questions, explaining the key points to each other
• Follow with a class discussion on what issues came up

Constuctivist teaching

"Piaget's approach is central to the school of cognitive theory known as "cognitive constructivism": other scholars, known as "social constructivists", such as Vygotsky and Bruner, have laid more emphasis on the part played by language and other people in enabling children to learn."

ATHERTON J S (2009) Learning and Teaching; Piaget's developmental theory [On-line] UK: Available: http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/piaget.htm Accessed: 12 January 2010

Wk 01 Barriers to Learning

Wk 01 Barriers to Learning

Medals, Missions and Goals

Sadler showed that empty 'praise' is not enough, information feedback about the quality of work is what is required to improve learning.

The Goal
The goal is the learning outcome your learners are aiming for including the characteristics of what constitutes 'quality work'. It is vital that all students understand what the goal is so they can work towards reaching it.

Medals
A medal is an cknowledgement of where the learner is now in relation to the goal. They can be given for how a learning activity was done successfully (the process) as well as what was done successfully (the product). Success here is measured in terms of how close to the goal is the product or process; is the learning moving in the correct direction?

The Mission
How will you close the gap between where the learner is now and the goal?

Feedback or Assessment for learning (ES 0.81)

This family of formative assessment strategies use the PAR model of teaching where the learner's constructs are improved towards clear learning goals through effective feedback.

P - presentation of information in a way that is inclusive and challenging
A - application of what was presented in the form of a product or a process, creating an opportunity for feedback
R - review; the act of creating a product or process gives feedback to the learner, teacher, and peers. Feedback is then used to improve learners' constructs through medals and a new mission towards a successful learning outcome (the goal).

Hattie - feedback has more impact on learning than any other general factor but it requires an activity and a product.

See Black and Wiliam 'Formative Assessment' (1998)

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Evidence Based Teaching

My notes on research by Hattie and Marzano cited in 'Evidence Based Learning', Geoff Petty

We know more about neural physiology and cognitive science, we understand a great deal more about how and why we learn. We need to know why strategies work in order to use and evaluate them effectively rather than relying on tradition and unproven strategies.

In order to manage our time wisely and deliver teaching and learning with more success, focus on strategies that have been tested and shown to work - this is known as 'Evidence Based Teaching'.

Such a research review was conducted by Hattie and Marzano in the nineties. Research reviews only tell us about how the average student learns however, we need to consider learning strategies in the context of our own teaching situation. Lets find the problems and fix them. No matter what methods you use, if the context in which you teach is faulty, no strategy will work. We need to find the MAIN contextual factors that most contribute to success as well as diagnosing the MAIN problems to be fixed. The main principles of Evidenced Based Learning:

1. We need all the evidence to make sound decisions

• compare the alternatives
• the views of experts

2. It's not enough to know what works, you need to know why it works

• to get the best out of teaching strategies
  
• it's your understanding of the teaching strategy that guides

3. Find the critical success factors that are failing in your teaching context and fix these first

• context is everything when understanding what inhibits attainment

4. Review your teaching constantly in the light of the evidence above

• what works in your classroom?
• do it and learn - experiment and take risks
  
• keep your teaching practice always under review

Evidence based teaching is not a how-to, rather it provides the evidence to enable you to focus your efforts on what's most effective. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. No more 'snake-oil', old school, traditions and following the crowd!

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