Instructional Designs

In reviewing 2 different models of instruction, I chose the ARCS Model of Motivational Design (Keller) and Gagnes’s Conditions of Learning Theory. I seemed to gravitate to the ARCS model upon quickly reviewing the other models for this assignment. I like the simplicity of its presentation, but really appreciated its foundation of promoting an increase in the student’s motivation. This model focuses on getting the learners attention by:
Attention: which includes active participation, variability, humor, incongruity, specific examples and inquiry.
Relevance: which include experience, present worth, future usefulness, needs matching, modeling and choice.
Confidence: provide objectives, allow for success growth in learners, feedback, and learner control.
Satisfaction: learning to be rewarding, insuring skills are useful to learner, providing feedback and reinforcement, and no over-rewarding easy tasks.
This model provides the intrinsic kind of motivation that not only sustains learning, but can make the learner feel and celebrate the joys of his or hers accomplishments. The notion of motivation in learning reminds us of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs where he talks about humans needs and how those needs influence human behavior. If you examine his theory you realize that the goal in learning could be related in fulfilling any unsatisfied needs, and the ARCS model seems to have to capability to allow a direction of personal learning though motivation.
The Gagne’s Model of Learning on the other hand gives us a model based on acquiring skills which may occur at different levels, such as verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, motor skills and attitudes, each type requiring different types of instruction. Gagne’s model includes a nine step process call the events of instruction. This model appears more of a training program for learning information that needs to be shared among a group of individuals striving to achieve a common goal. I have never really been a big fan of a behavioral model of learning and this model seems to more of an intellectual mental processing model rather than an easier applied model for learning.
As far as designing a mode of learning in my classroom, I don’t think you can affectively do this without having some opportunity in having a better understanding of what kind of students you have so you can begin to plot your strategy in teaching your class. Again, I seem to favor the ARCS model so I would want to start to identify ways of motivating and stimulating their motivation. I usually break my students up in small groups early in the course and present discussions that allow them to express their feelings and ideas which gives me the opportunity in adjusting my presentation to help meet the characteristics of the class. Also, inquiry is not only important between student and instructor, but also between student and student. In the ARCS model, the most important aspect of this model is keeping the learner’s attention and as in many questions that involve motivation and learning, what if a student lacks motivation and shows no desire to learn, how much of that responsibility should we as instructors assume and what should our strategy be then?
Stay tuned more to come.

Willing to be Disturbed

It’s an interesting point that Will Richardson makes when he speaks about how changes in schools are acknowledged, but the difficulty most schools have in implementing is change itself. “We have to be willing to let go of our certainty and expect ourselves to be confused for a time.” Much is said about preparing our students for change, but so many of us resist change even when we know it will benefit us. I like when the author ask the question, how willing are we to be disturbed? It challenges our comfort zone, shakes the tree a bit and forces us to take chances in learning, not only with our students, but in ourselves as well.
I remember years ago I was working for a local community counseling agency that had a contract with the local secondary schools to provide on site classes for “high risk” students in decision making skills. I was assigned to the local middle school. The first day I was greeted by the principal who informed me that I will need to monitor my students very closely, because I they needed to follow the rules or not be allowed to participate in my class. I asked where my classroom was located and he said he didn’t have one for me, but I would be floating classroom to classroom each day. This wasn’t acceptable since I felt these students needed a class they could call their own, so I asked if there was any space available that wasn’t being used. He showed me a large gutted bathroom that was empty and not used. The room was tiled from floor to ceiling. “I’ll take it” He thought I was crazy, but agreed to let me do what I wanted with it. Make a long story short, I had a local carpet shop donate large pieces of scrap carpet and adhesive and one Saturday afternoon my students and myself covered the entire room, walls and floors with carpet creating a soothing, quite room where these students could call their own. They named it “Groups Cove”, because they said it made them feel safe.
I think this became an good example at this middle school about not only moving out of one’s comfort zone, but having a better understanding of how some of our fears and misconceptions about change. By the way, many of those “high risk” students became successful “peer counselors” the following school year.
The need to redefine ourselves is necessary, but as Richardson reminds us, is hard. Technology and change may too be that “high risk” student who many may hope succeeds, but usually expect to fail. But with those challenges, we are given the opportunity to teach as well as learn ourselves. “Your classrooms are learning labs; we want you be exploring, looking, analyzing…” Let’s make every classroom a “Groups Cove.”

My Teaching Philosophy

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about my personal philosophy of teaching is that it needs to be student-centered, not teacher centered. The focus should always remain on the individual needs of the students and involving the students in the process of their learning. I believe that all students that come to us have strengths. Part of the goal of any education should be building on those strengths. Helping students identify their own strengths which then become the foundation of their own learning and personal growth. We come into the classroom with a topic or agenda that may need to be communicated to our students, but I feel that our curriculum is best presented by involving our students, having them share their experiences and knowledge, promoting questions that fuel the learning process.

Our own personal philosophies are shaped by the experiences from our own lives, education and the interaction we have with other people. The exchange we share with others and the influence that has had on us shapes who we are. I feel that teaching could be best served following that same model. The interaction between instructor and students that can be promoted in the classroom is vital in the learning process.

In working with individuals as a therapist I learned the most effective way for others to listen is not to lecture at them, but rather involve them in the conversation by giving them opportunities to participate and share their own understanding of a given topic. This gave me the opportunity to learn from their experience which in turn allowed a more mutual platform for both of us. I see my personal approach to teaching following that same model.

I also think teaching should provide for us as educators the opportunity to affirm our own passion about the subjects we teach. If we as teachers don’t enjoy ourselves while sharing our passion, the students will not benefit from our efforts. Before we can inspire we must feel inspired ourselves. We all remember those teachers in our lives that moved us by their own enthusiasm and passion which made us want to learn and participate in the leaning process. If we lose that passion and enthusiasm about teaching we become mechanical and repetitive. How could we expect any student to learn if we ourselves, given the choice, would not want to be in that same classroom? I see teaching as not only a privilege, but the opportunity to keep learning and enlightening our own lives. As William Butler Yeats once said, “Education is not the filling of the pail, but the lighting of a fire”. This should apply both for the teacher as well as the student.

Hello to all

This is my first Blog post.