Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Double Entry Journal #6


 
 

Teaching for meaningful learning

 

 
1.     Read the Introduction. What "dominant paradigm" is showing signs of wear?
 
The “dominant paradigm" as discussed in the article is the system of educational thinking that originated a century ago and focuses on the teacher and textbook as the most important source of knowledge and conveyed through traditional educational methods of lecturing, discussion, and reading. This paradigm is showing signs of wear as educators are recognizing its weaknesses and are implementing more innovative teaching strategies that focus on project based curricula and performance based assessment that address open ended and complex questions, and move the teacher to the position of a learning coach rather than exclusive instructor.
 
2.     According to the research, how does Project-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.
 
According to Thomas, in general research on project-based learning has found that students learn as much or more factual knowledge than students who engage in traditional forms of instruction, while also enabling students to transfer their learning to real situations and problems in a way that traditional education does not. Other studies, such as Gallagher, Steipien, and Rosenthal, 1992, found that performance based learning is superior to traditional education in teaching students to define problems, and to support their reasoning with clear arguments ( Stepien, Gallagher, and Workman, 1993).
 
3.     According to the research, how does Problem-Based Learning support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.
 
Problem-Based Learning is superior to educational teaching approaches in teaching students to learn to analyze complex problems and situations and to develop knowledge to guide decisions ( Lundeberg, Levin, &Harrington, 1999; Savery & Duffy, 1996; Williams, 1992).Problem Based learning also has been found to be more efficient in teaching flexible problem solving, application of knowledge, and hypothesis generation. ( Dochy, Segers, Van den Bossche, &Gijbels, 2003.) Students who participate in Problem Based Learning are also more successful at generating accurate hypothesis and coherent explanations (Hmelo, 1998b).
 
4.     According to the research, how does Learning by Design support student learning better than traditional approaches? Describe three benefits and cite the studies.
 
Learning by design has been particularly effective for helping students develop understandings of complex systems (Perkins, 1986). Fortus and colleagues (2004) also found that learning by design projects helped both high and low achieving students to be motivated in their work and exhibit  strong progress in targeted science and design concepts.
 
 
5.     What are the differences between the three approaches?
 
Project-Based Learning requires students to complete a complex task that generally results in a realistic product, event, or presentation to an audience. It focuses on problems that occur in the real world. Problem-Based Learning are closely related to Project-Based Learning, and is typically composed of lessons that involve a specific activity focused on the use of reason and resources to solve a problem, using small groups to generate a solution. However, unlike project-based Learning, which is more general and may or may not involve a problem, Problem-Based Learning focuses specifically on solving a problem.
Learning by Design is based on the premise that children learn deeply when asked to design and create and artifact that requires understanding and application of knowledge. Unkike the other two learning models discussed, it has the specific outcome of designing a product.
 
 
6.     In your opinion, what is the most important benefit to learning that is common across the three types of inquiry-based learning approaches?
 
I think the most important benefit that is associated with each of these learning approaches is the application of learning into real world situations and life skills. For example, it may not always be important for me in my life to know all the facts involved in finding the cosine of angle B, as I was taught at one time in a traditional learning approach, but I will always need to know how to support my arguments, draw conclusions, make decisions, and be able to collaborate with others to solve a problem, which are all skills that are supported by these inquiry-based learning approaches.
 

Sources

Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond,, L. (2008). Teaching for meaningful learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching

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