“A major goal of MOST environments is to accelerate children’s learning by organizing instruction around rich, meaningful “macrocontexts” that students and teachers can mutually share and explore…(w)e want to make it possible for children who are at risk of school failure to interact with, teach, and learn from other students who may be more developmentally advanced.”
There is no question that “(l)iteracy skills are foundational for lifelong learning” and that “(s)uccess is particularly important at the beginning stages of reading because strategies, behaviors, and beliefs established early are difficult to change.” It is probably true as well that “at-risk students often receive instruction in phonics, vocabulary and decoding, where each is taught as an isolated skill that is unintegrated with other aspects of thinking and learning.”
Maybe it’s because I have no background in teaching reading or working with at-risk students. Or maybe I’m getting crusty in my old age. Whatever the reason may be, I’m not terribly impressed by this approach.
Our reading related an anecdote where some at-risk students were read a story and others saw the video version of the same story. The students who saw the video version were more able than the others to “retell the story and answer the comprehension questions.” Facepalm. Of course they were. One normally extracts more understanding of a story through use of video than solely through use of text.
Another important feature in this methodology is telling the story to a puppet. As one who intends to create instruction to be administered by Internet or other A-V means, I am struggling to imagine young readers telling the story to an inanimate object after seeing the video on the computer, or even in a classroom. I see frustration looming. Money’s scarce, maybe they can “talk to the hand!”
After reading about the anecdote about using video to support a story about Donald Duck. It seems interesting, has some degree of common sense, but the time and technology required to dice up a story and interject video in strategic locations would be prohibitive. Once again, time and money rear their ugly heads.
I’m sure that I am coming off as bitterly opposed to this approach, and in reality, I am not, it is just that I think that there are better methods for teaching reading comprehension to at-risk students, especially via Internet. If studies show that this approach is effective, so be it. I’m just not excited about children relating stories to puppets and creating a rubric that will determine that child’s reading scores. Teachers can always motivate students to read by choosing books and magazines which appeal to the students.
I began to wonder whatever happened to Sesame Street. As far as I know, the show was cancelled years ago, but it seemed to be fairly effective at teaching children how to read. Children loved the characters, and there was plenty of music and special effects to bedazzle younger learners, essentially selling them on the idea of reading. So I did a little research, and, surely enough, Sesame Street continues to influence the teaching of reading to younger students:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8404427/Phonics-QandA-why-Sesame-Street-learning-is-making-a-comeback.html
I decided to do a little research and came across a Master’s Thesis by Ellen K. Closs. She offers plenty of useful advice on this subject, and after reading her thesis, would tend to lean towards her methodology for teaching younger at-risk readers: Here’s a link to her thesis:
http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/TeachingReadingComprehensiontoStrugglingReaders-MastersThesisbyEllen.pdf
So, in conclusion, I see time involved and technology needed to create the videos to be a restriction to the use of this approach. If the appropriate videos are manufactured by the folks at Vanderbilt, I suppose they’re worth a shot. At-risk students apparently do benefit from their use, apparently, at least according to the literature. I’m not certain how to assess student learning, unless the students wanted to e-mail their instructor(s) relating what happened in the video.
Once again, I just do not see using this methodology for creation of internet and distance-based education. Embedding information into the videos is absolutely beneficial, and with the time and technology to do so, I suppose that it’s worth the effort. YouTube, Vimeo, and Ustreem would all be excellent ways of transmitting the videos to interested parties.
As for the puppets…well…the students can find their own!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Star Legacy Reflection
The Star Legacy approach is described to be similar to Anchored Instruction, but as I am reading the steps involved, I am struck by its similarity to Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction:
1. Gain attention
2. Inform learner of objectives
3. Stimulate recall of prior learning
4. Present stimulus material
5. Provide learner guidance
6. Elicit performance
7. Provide feedback
8. Assess performance
9. Enhance retention and transfer
The only apparent differences to me between Star Legacy and Gagne are the emphases on context, statements by experts on the problem being addressed (which I suppose could loosely be kin to “provide learner guidance) and on the publishing of final results. Plus, there is the reflective thinking of Dewey that we have come to expect in all of our methodologies.
There is also an eerie similarity to Guided Design:
1. Define Problem
2. State Objectives
3. List Constraints limiting solutions, assumptions one must make, and facts to be known,
4. Generate possible solutions and evaluate using criteria,
5. Select one solution, synthesize,
6. Present results and recommendations as a result, or other project
7. Implement decision,
8. Evaluate results, and
9. Feedback should be provided how an “experienced” decision maker might have performed.
Or maybe all the methodologies are just starting to look alike!
As in Anchored Instruction, this is a marvelous methodology for maximum metacognition (sorry ‘bout the alliteration, it just worked out that way!) We are given a problem that piques our interest, one which is meaningful and authentic…our attention is retained with a motivating mental model (there, did it again!)…we find out what we know and what we need to find out…then we begin to generate ideas in concert with our peers, utilizing perspectives from experts….then we begin to refine our ideas through research…we get feedback from the instructor…our ideas are put to the test…then, once our ideas have gained the “academic seal of approval”, we herald our newly-founded intellectual prowess to others so that others may benefit from our accomplishments!
As with AI, this would be an extremely time-consuming approach for the average classroom teacher to create. However, I think it would be an outstanding approach IF the appropriate software were made available. The learning cycle is the heart of this approach, and therefore the software to be used should adhere to the learning cycle. This would make a most worthwhile endeavor for software developers specializing in educational applications. Obviously the program would need to be made available to the students either online or as software. There appears to be a flexibility that allows adaptation to various disciplines, plus the philosophical foundation of this approach so greatly resembles other well-thought out approaches, so I would not hesitate to use it for teaching and training.
1. Gain attention
2. Inform learner of objectives
3. Stimulate recall of prior learning
4. Present stimulus material
5. Provide learner guidance
6. Elicit performance
7. Provide feedback
8. Assess performance
9. Enhance retention and transfer
The only apparent differences to me between Star Legacy and Gagne are the emphases on context, statements by experts on the problem being addressed (which I suppose could loosely be kin to “provide learner guidance) and on the publishing of final results. Plus, there is the reflective thinking of Dewey that we have come to expect in all of our methodologies.
There is also an eerie similarity to Guided Design:
1. Define Problem
2. State Objectives
3. List Constraints limiting solutions, assumptions one must make, and facts to be known,
4. Generate possible solutions and evaluate using criteria,
5. Select one solution, synthesize,
6. Present results and recommendations as a result, or other project
7. Implement decision,
8. Evaluate results, and
9. Feedback should be provided how an “experienced” decision maker might have performed.
Or maybe all the methodologies are just starting to look alike!
As in Anchored Instruction, this is a marvelous methodology for maximum metacognition (sorry ‘bout the alliteration, it just worked out that way!) We are given a problem that piques our interest, one which is meaningful and authentic…our attention is retained with a motivating mental model (there, did it again!)…we find out what we know and what we need to find out…then we begin to generate ideas in concert with our peers, utilizing perspectives from experts….then we begin to refine our ideas through research…we get feedback from the instructor…our ideas are put to the test…then, once our ideas have gained the “academic seal of approval”, we herald our newly-founded intellectual prowess to others so that others may benefit from our accomplishments!
As with AI, this would be an extremely time-consuming approach for the average classroom teacher to create. However, I think it would be an outstanding approach IF the appropriate software were made available. The learning cycle is the heart of this approach, and therefore the software to be used should adhere to the learning cycle. This would make a most worthwhile endeavor for software developers specializing in educational applications. Obviously the program would need to be made available to the students either online or as software. There appears to be a flexibility that allows adaptation to various disciplines, plus the philosophical foundation of this approach so greatly resembles other well-thought out approaches, so I would not hesitate to use it for teaching and training.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Reflection on Anchored Instruction
Reflection on Anchored Instruction
The Anchored Instruction approach appears to be an eclectic amalgam of the best features of Situated Cognition, Problem-Based Learning Environments, and Goal Based Scenarios. Anchored Instruction is described as “situated in engaging, problem-rich environments that allow sustained exploration by students and teachers. In the process, they come to understand why, when, and how to use various concepts and strategies.” Once again, as in past models, there is an emphasis on helping students to become “independent thinkers and learners rather than simply become able to perform basic computations and retrieve simple knowledge facts.”
In similar manner as Situated Cognition, I am enamored by the idea of “creating apprenticeships composed of authentic tasks.” What a change would be made in our typical math and science classes, if we were to infuse some authenticity! Subject matter, as is, tends to be inert and irrelevant to real life situations, and most of the approaches we have been studying are directed toward this problem.
In fact, there’s really little not to like about the Anchored Instruction approach. The format is video-based, narrative with realistic problems, generative, embedded data design, challenging in the level of problem complexity, introduces transferable problem-solving skills, and links across the curriculum. What else can a math or science teacher ask for?
I find it highly encouraging that the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has made suggestions for changes in classroom activities, such as “more emphasis on complex, open-minded problem solving, communication, and reasoning…more connections from mathematics to other subjects, and to the world outside the classroom…and more use of calculators and…computer-based tools.” Anchored Instruction capitalizes on these recommendations in an innovative manner, I think, highly desirable for today’s classroom or for e-learning.
Just as Anchored Instruction is reminiscent of other approaches, so will be my reservations. The time taken to create adventures such as the ones described would be exorbitant, and as long as they were created and published on videodisk, they would probably be ideal. Since this class is more about e-learning than about classroom environments, publishing adventures online would be a wonderful way to convey the adventures. Then, also, is the concern that students learn the curriculum prescribed by the State Board of Education. If, however, this approach follows the guidelines of the NCTM, I think it reasonable to assume that the State Board would be satisfied.
Once again, Elluminate and Skype would be excellent ways for groups to collaborate, but after seeing the video I am linking to this post, I think that problems could arise when students are not located in the same geographic location. Second Life has not been mentioned so far, and that could prove to be an excellent means for collaboration.
It appears also to be of enormous benefit to those with reading disabilities. I particularly like the emphasis on the use of video disk for that reason, plus the other reasons given in our readings:
It allows students to develop pattern recognition skills
Allows students to more easily form rich mental models of the problem situations, and
Random-access capabilities: allows teachers to almost instantly access information for discussion.
I also like the fact that material is embedded in the video, making it possible for students to review the video while generating solutions to the problems posed. I also like its emphasis on linking to other subjects and giving students practice in addressing complex problems using open-ended thinking, which they’ll need in the real world.
All in all, I think that a creative team of Flash and Java developers, or just some creative people with film-making skills, could put together a wicked little curriculum which would not only motivate online students, but enable them to develop the thinking skills needed for the outside world!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVlsnYwp870
The Anchored Instruction approach appears to be an eclectic amalgam of the best features of Situated Cognition, Problem-Based Learning Environments, and Goal Based Scenarios. Anchored Instruction is described as “situated in engaging, problem-rich environments that allow sustained exploration by students and teachers. In the process, they come to understand why, when, and how to use various concepts and strategies.” Once again, as in past models, there is an emphasis on helping students to become “independent thinkers and learners rather than simply become able to perform basic computations and retrieve simple knowledge facts.”
In similar manner as Situated Cognition, I am enamored by the idea of “creating apprenticeships composed of authentic tasks.” What a change would be made in our typical math and science classes, if we were to infuse some authenticity! Subject matter, as is, tends to be inert and irrelevant to real life situations, and most of the approaches we have been studying are directed toward this problem.
In fact, there’s really little not to like about the Anchored Instruction approach. The format is video-based, narrative with realistic problems, generative, embedded data design, challenging in the level of problem complexity, introduces transferable problem-solving skills, and links across the curriculum. What else can a math or science teacher ask for?
I find it highly encouraging that the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has made suggestions for changes in classroom activities, such as “more emphasis on complex, open-minded problem solving, communication, and reasoning…more connections from mathematics to other subjects, and to the world outside the classroom…and more use of calculators and…computer-based tools.” Anchored Instruction capitalizes on these recommendations in an innovative manner, I think, highly desirable for today’s classroom or for e-learning.
Just as Anchored Instruction is reminiscent of other approaches, so will be my reservations. The time taken to create adventures such as the ones described would be exorbitant, and as long as they were created and published on videodisk, they would probably be ideal. Since this class is more about e-learning than about classroom environments, publishing adventures online would be a wonderful way to convey the adventures. Then, also, is the concern that students learn the curriculum prescribed by the State Board of Education. If, however, this approach follows the guidelines of the NCTM, I think it reasonable to assume that the State Board would be satisfied.
Once again, Elluminate and Skype would be excellent ways for groups to collaborate, but after seeing the video I am linking to this post, I think that problems could arise when students are not located in the same geographic location. Second Life has not been mentioned so far, and that could prove to be an excellent means for collaboration.
It appears also to be of enormous benefit to those with reading disabilities. I particularly like the emphasis on the use of video disk for that reason, plus the other reasons given in our readings:
It allows students to develop pattern recognition skills
Allows students to more easily form rich mental models of the problem situations, and
Random-access capabilities: allows teachers to almost instantly access information for discussion.
I also like the fact that material is embedded in the video, making it possible for students to review the video while generating solutions to the problems posed. I also like its emphasis on linking to other subjects and giving students practice in addressing complex problems using open-ended thinking, which they’ll need in the real world.
All in all, I think that a creative team of Flash and Java developers, or just some creative people with film-making skills, could put together a wicked little curriculum which would not only motivate online students, but enable them to develop the thinking skills needed for the outside world!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVlsnYwp870
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