Concepts which have dramatic effects on engaging students in learning.
Act as guides...not something a teacher can physically do.
Active Participation
Structuring of content and strategies that promote students' active involvement in learning such as the use of strategies like Role Playing and Cooperative Learning (ties into Individual Accountability).
Engaging students at appropriate levels of difficulty (so they can experience success).
Integration of other motivational concepts (see Motivation: 'Six Characteristics') below.
Motivation
Anything that encourages a student to learn.
Two Types:
Intrinsic - Force comes from within the learner
Extrinsic - Force comes from outside the learner (teachers use skills, tasks, strategies to move students to intrinsic).
Six Characteristics:
1. Success: not boring, not too difficult/easy
2. Knowledge of Results: feedback - checking for understanding, rubrics
3. Accountability:
Increasing
accountability - framing the question, wait time, learning
standards
Visibility
- moving around the room increases the chance students will be
involved
Consequences - enjoying fruits of their effort or consequences of
not completing task
Time
- right amount of time to complete work increases intensity of effort
Help
- knowing avenues of help exist reduces level of concern (guided
practice)
4. Meaningful to the Student: linking to their experience
5. Positive Feeling Tone: wining over, politeness
6. Interest: novelty, vividness, variety
Levels of Thinking (Bloom's Taxonomy)
Knowledge (recall, recite) - least complex
What is the definition for...?
Trace the pattern...
Recall the facts...
Name the characters of...
List the steps for...
Comprehension (explain, provide examples)
Tell why these ideas are similar.
Provide some examples.
Construct a model of...
In your own words retell the story
of....
Classify these concepts. (could
also be analysis)
Draw a picture to...or role-play
what happened.
Application (act on understanding)
Graph the data.
Demonstrate the way to...
Practise...
Act out the way a person would...
Calculate the...
Analysis (compare/contrast, pull apart)
How would you make a...?
The solution would be to...
What is the pattern of...?
If...then...
What are the components of...?
The difference between the fact and
the hypothesis is...?
What is the relationship between...
and...?
Which steps are important in the
process of...?
What
other conclusions can you reach about... that
have not been mentioned?
Synthesis (reinvent, create, look at in a new way)
Make an hypothesis about...
Make an hypothesis about...
Change... so that it will...
Prescribe a new way to...
Finish the incomplete story so
that...
Change... so that it will...
Create a model that shows you new
ideas.
Devise an original plan or
experiment for...
Evaluation (judge based on criteria) - most complex
In your opinion...
Appraise the chances for...
Grade or rank the...
What solution do you favour and
why?
Which systems are best? worst?
Rate the relative value of these
ideas to...
Simple to Complex and Easy to Difficult Continuums
Covert to Overt
Covert means hidden from public view. It is useful because it increases success and a sense of safety because students can rehearse.
Close your eyes and pretend you
are...
Visualize...Imagine...
See it in your mind's eye...
Think to yourself...
Rehearse in your mind...
Overt means not hidden from public view. It is useful because it holds students accountable to think and to participate.
Discuss with your partner...
Thumbs up if you agree...
Write your answer...
Share your answer with the class...
Act out your feelings...
Fear of Failure and Dependency
A classroom should never be perceived by students as "not safe" or "too safe".
Understanding how to respond to students, asking questions at different levels
of complexity, wait
time are very important in helping students feel safe and challenged.
Accountability and Level of Concern
The art of teaching is deciding what level of student concern to evoke (from little to high anxiety) and what level of accountability to evoke (no involvement to full involvement) to maximize learning.
1. High Level of Concern & High Level of Accountability
The teacher asks students to
think to themselves first and then tells them he will select two
or three students to respond.
2. Low Level of Concern & High Level of Accountability
The teacher asks students to think to themselves first and then share with a
partner before
their thinking with the class.
3. Low Level of Concern & Low Level of Accountability
The teacher asks students if anyone could answer the question. Teacher waits
for
someone to respond.
4. High Level of Concern & Low Level of Accountability
The teacher randomly selects several
students to respond to questions - that response is
made in front of the class.