EDCI 335 Blog

Hi Kyle,

Great job with you post! I agree with you that it would be very easy to quiz the viewers after watching the video. The activity you stated of writing down their interpretation of a poem is great. My groups learning resource is actually on poetry and we have a similar activity where we get the learner to read two poems and compare and contrast them. So similarly they have to write down their interpretations of both poems. I agree that the work for the teacher is manageable and that the feedback format fits this activity.

Hi Jackson!

Great job with this post! Your description of your teams learning resource was perfect. I agree that designing presentations are not as straightforward as it seems, and reading through the barriers that you stated makes that clear. Also I enjoyed reading about the UDL concept and the three principles. This definitely helped with supporting your post and for a reader helped us understand how to mitigate the barriers you wrote about. Overall that was a great post and I enjoyed reading it.

The video I have chosen to watch to answer the below questions is Instructional Design Approaches | Design Your Creative Class by Adobe for Education.

What kind of interaction would the video require from your students? Does it force them to respond in some way (inherent)?

This video contains concepts and models that are introduced to the student. The way this video interacts with the student is by asking the listener questions about their experiences or what they think. The video also contains some speakers who explain their view on the questions, this shows the student some examples. However, there is nothing forcing the student to engage, it is entirely up to the student to engage in the content.

In what way are they likely to respond to the video on their own, e.g. make notes, do an activity, think about the topic (learner-generated)?

Students are likely going to watch the video and make their own notes, they may also look to do some research or pull from their experiences to answer the questions within the video.

What activity could you suggest that they do, after they have watched the video (designed)? What type of knowledge or skill would that activity help develop? What medium or technology would students use to do the activity?

Students could be asked to use the three models discussed within the video and create their own teaching model. This activity would help the students better understand how to create a teaching model that they can eventually use in their own classes. Also, the activity would help the student better understand what is needed within a learning model which can help them create more effective and efficient lesson plans.

How would students get feedback on the activity that you set? What medium or technology would they and/or you use for getting and giving feedback on their activity?

The students can submit their lesson models through online (email, website, etc.) directly to the instructor. The instructor can then provide feedback on the lesson model that is created and provide feedback that the student can use to improve their lesson model.

How could the video have been designed to generate more or better activity from viewers or students?

The video itself could have embedded the questions as a required task, for example the video creator could have embedded either a pop-up that takes the student/viewer to a quiz which has the questions for them to answer and fill out. Though the questions in this case would have to be multiple choice or multiple select as the students would need instant feedback for these questions. The more concept based and fill in the blank style of questions can also be used, however, the students would need to have access to examples or answers after completion to compare their answers. Adding either format of questions to the video will improve the interactivity and engagement of the students and viewer of the video.

Reference:

Adobe for Education. (2020, October 8). Design Approaches | Design Your Creative Class [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbtWDVgzOj0

Hi Sam!

Great post on experimental learning! From my experiences growing up having an active teacher made a huge difference in whether a class was enjoyable or not. A simple sit down to listen to a lecture and complete assignments format for class makes it hard to motivate me to engage in the material. Having a class where the teacher promotes questions and class engagement allows gives students an opportunity to open up as well as work with their classmates. I also loved the picture you put within your post it helps visualize the concept of experimental learning. Overall it was a great read and I enjoyed how you connected it to our learning resource project.

Thanks,

Harman

Hi Jason, I really enjoyed reading about your experience learning from a senior student in high school. The way in which this student taught you is amazing, I am one who learns better with hands-on experience so I can see why this was a great learning environment for you. Also including the fact that you were given an opportunity to work with a team to complete difficult tasks, this sounds like you had a great teacher. It’s amazing how an experience like this can have an everlasting effect on you and how you teach others yourself.

I also agree with the idea of using real-life examples being an essential factor in the learning experience. The story you wrote about is a great example as that experience changed the way you approached teaching others.

How can you adjust your planned learning activities to meet the needs of your learners if an unexpected event occurs?

The best way to adjust your learning activities is to design them to be available in multiple ways. For example, our learning resource which teaches poetry is primarily on google slides with an added document. This makes the material easily accessible as long as the student has an electronic device (they can also download the files if the internet is an issue). It is stated that “All students should have equitable access to learning, opportunities for achievement, and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their educational programs” (Carleton Online, n.d). If a situation would arise such as a pandemic, having an online course would solve most barriers that come with students needing to learn remotely. Another important aspect of an online course is the level of engagement for students. To adhere to this the learning resource would have to provide students with the opportunity to engage with one another and the learning instructor. Our learning resource provides an opportunity for students to engage with each other as they assess each other’s poetry. George Veletsianos (2020) states that “A good online course involves practice. Good courses involve students in “doing” — not just watching and reading — “doing again” and in applying what they learned.” This shows that students need to practice what they learn by completing activities. If an unexpected event occurs which prevents students the ability to have face-to-face learning, the best option is to switch to an online course. Having our learning activities available on google slides allows students to have easy access regardless of location (as long as they have internet or have downloaded all the material).

Consider the learning environment for your current design. What potential barriers can be reduced or eliminated to provide more pathways for learner success?

The potential barrier with our current design is a student not having a device to access the material on. Since our learning resource is designed on google slides and an online document as described earlier, the only option in a case like this would be to print out the material and hand the paper documents to the student. This would however hinder the students’ ability to watch the supplied videos. Thus, a student in this position would need additional support, such as check-ins through the phone or in-person (only if it is permitted). This would allow the students opportunities to engage with their instructor and ask questions if they need to.

References:

Carleton Online. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://carleton.ca/online/online-learning-resources/how-to-be-successful-in-an-online-course/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20best%20predictors,contribute%20to%20the%20learning%20process.

Veletsianos, G. (2022, April 3). The 7 elements of a good online course. The Conversation. Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://theconversation.com/the-7-elements-of-a-good-online-course-139736

The interactive learning resource I have chosen to review is Understanding Blockchain. The first thing I would like to say is the format and design of your learning resource is amazing. Having each topic as its own subsection made the flow of the resource feel seamless and easier to digest. I also found that creating the glossary and linking it directly to the topics is great and easy to use. As someone who enjoys diving deeper into topics as I read them having these videos and articles to supplement the information of the learning resource was great. A few things I am wondering about the first written activity about blockchain basics. Is this activity graded? How would the learner receive feedback? I liked how your mind map activity had an example that the learner could compare their map to. Maybe you could consider attaching a rubric of some sort to this activity so the learner can see if their work matches the criteria? I am just thinking that having some direct feedback for this activity can be beneficial to the learner to make sure they have understood the concepts of the basics of blockchains.

Personally, I have always been wary of cryptocurrencies and going through your learning resource has definitely opened me up to it as I found that I was lacking information. I had heard about blockchains but never truly knew what that meant and how it functions. The section on Common Misconceptions of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency definitely cleared a few misconceptions I had such as the security of your cryptocurrency. I know about the practices you mentioned such as not sharing your password and being carefully using public wifi networks but I had no idea about tools such as the cold wallet which is disconnected from the internet. Overall, I found this learning resource very intuitive, easy to follow and well made.

An Overview of the Characteristics of the Approach 

“Direct Instruction is a teaching method developed in the United States in the 1960s, focusing particularly on the needs of children with learning difficulties” (Louden, 2014). This form of instruction focuses on behavioural learning and aims to break down learning material into smaller portions making it more digestible and easier to understand. Teachers who use this methodology use lesson plans and students work in groups to complete tasks and the class moves forward as a whole rather than individual progression. A con about the direct instruction methodology is that as a remedial program it takes out the human connection between children and teachers and doesn’t allow teachers to be exceptional (Louden, 2014).

How the Approach Does or Does not Align with Poetry

Certain aspects of the Direct Instruction approach do align with teaching Poetry as this subject can be broken down into sub-sections. These sections can be taught individually making the concepts easier to grasp for students. These sections can be separated by the different types of poetry and the different literary devices that can be utilized in poetry. Also, working as groups within the class allows students opportunities to create and share their poetry which allows for them to get instant feedback. Areas, where this methodology may not align, are using strict lesson plans which may prevent teachers from providing the best learning environments. Poetry is a subject that requires both the students and teachers to be understanding and creative, having a strict lesson plan may hinder the overall creativity of the class. Finally, human connection and understanding of emotions and meanings behind words are essential for poetry. As mentioned above, “direct instruction methodology is that as a remedial program it takes out the human connection between children and teachers” (Louden, 2014). So utilizing just this methodology may not be the best course of action, however, certain portions of this learning methodology can be used.

Does this Method have a Place in our Final Interactive Learning Design?

As mentioned in the previous section of this post, certain aspects of the direct instruction approach can be considered for the final interactive learning design. These aspects are breaking tasks into smaller more digestible concepts as well as creating a group learning environment. However, I do not believe that this methodology cannot be solely relied on for the final interactive learning design. Being creative and having an understanding of human emotions and the meaning behind words is an essential concept of poetry. This requires an adaptable learning environment for both the student and teacher.

Reference(s):

Louden, B. (2014, July 17). Direct instruction and the teaching of reading. Direct Instruction and the teaching of reading. Retrieved May 28, 2022, from https://theconversation.com/direct-instruction-and-the-teaching-of-reading-29157#:~:text=The%20Direct%20Instruction%20method&text=Building%20on%20behaviourist%20learning%20theory,proceeding%20to%20more%20difficult%20skills.

This blog post will discuss three learning theories and my personal experiences with these theories. The three learning theories are behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Below you will find two sections that will go into detail on my personal experiences and how they affected my learning environment.

Describe an example from your life of when you were taught using each method described in this article: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.

Below are my experiences with the three types of learning theories.

Behaviorism:

In my experience, behaviorism has been shown in many classes as either rewards for doing well or reinforcement punishments when you are not completing your tasks. For example, I took a statistics class during my second year in university. This class required us to solve equations that were presented to us. In this class we were given an incentive to do well on our assignments as the professor would only mark the best 4 out of 5 assignments. So, in this case if you did well on the first 4 assignments then there is no need to complete the last one. This was a reward for those who put forth the effort early on in the course. Personally speaking I find this learning theory relies heavily on things such as rewards and punishments. It also does not adhere well to students who may have learning disabilities or take longer to process and understand material. 

Cognitivism:

Cognitivism theories shift away from observable behavior and more towards problem solving, information processing and thinking. In my experience I have found this form of learning more in university than any other level of education. For example, in high school I found that the behaviorism learning theory was more commonly used but here at UVIC I have found classes taking a more cognitive style of learning. Requiring students to understand the core concepts and be able to identify a problem, think of a solution and solve the problem. I find this learning theory to have a longer effect on a student as the knowledge becomes more ingrained into them. Within the Health Information Science program (which I am in) there is a focus on cognitive theories, infact one of our required courses focuses on this topic. We are asked to understand the key concepts of health information systems, their history, and trends within the healthcare system. This knowledge is then applied during our co-op work terms where we go out and work for health authorities. Utilizing the cognitive learning theory helped prepare me for my co-op terms and put me in a better position to provide support while continuing my learning experience.

Constructivism:

Constructivism is a powerful learning theory in my opinion as it uses real experiences and interactions to teach. An example of this I went through was during my first year at university. I took a first year chemistry class and in this class I struggled to understand the core concepts just by reading the text and going to lectures. However, the lab that I went to for this class is where I got hands-on experience. This is where I got to experience things such as chemical reactions and I found that this type of learning helped me understand the concepts of the class a lot better as I got to experience things first hand. 

Share a story about your best learning experience (could be a formal course or something more personal). Why did you enjoy it?

My best learning experience came from an astronomy101 course I took during my third year at university. Similar to the chemistry course I discussed in my example of Constructivism, this course followed a similar format of lecture and labs. While I was able to process lecture material a lot better by my third year the labs were the highlight of this course. I was able to learn and experience a great deal during these labs. These experiences made learning fun and more enjoyable. The most memorable part of this course was the last lab where we got to use the UVIC telescope to look out into space, we were able to observe distant galaxies, stars and planets. This course’s mix of lectures and hands-on labs made the material much more interesting and I found myself really invested in learning more.