Concept Applications
Authentic Assessment
Definition: Evaluation that addresses what was learned and the process through
which it was learned in a method similar to the practice activities, provides
information about the particular tasks at which students succeed or fail,
and evaluates tasks that are worthwhile, significant, and meaningful.
Application: Authentic assessment of technology tasks would evaluate the
process of learning more than the product by examining those steps taken
along the way that got to the final product. This can help determine what
a students knows, understands, and is able to do rather than simply looking
at the final product to determine what was learned. Observing students through
observation booth while completing a task is one example of authentic assessment.
Communities of Learners
Definition: Teachers, students, staff members, parents, and others actively
and cooperatively work to help one another learn. Communication is open,
participation is widespread, teamwork is prevalent, and diversity is incorporated.
All participants share a common sense of purpose, care about, trust, and
respect each other, and recognize each others efforts and accomplishments.
Application: Students discuss and brainstorm together on rules, schedules,
and problems in the classroom. Open communication and respect for one another
can be built through class meetings as one example.
Transfer
Definition: The application of previously learned skills or knowledge to
a new task or situation. Specific transfer occurs when a rule, fact, or skill
learned in one situation is applied in a similar situation. General transfer
is applying the knowledge and attitudes learned in one situation to another,
different situation.
Application: Students use software programs that encourage them to use the
skills they have learned in other classes. For example, in a foreign language
class, students use a software program to learn numbers that asks them to
do math problems using numbers in the foreign language. This encourages transfer
of math skills to the foreign language class, and hopefully will encourage
transfer of foreign language skills to math class.
Scaffold
Definition: The application of previously learned skills or knowledge to
a new task or situation. Specific transfer occurs when a rule, fact, or skill
learned in one situation is applied in a similar situation. General transfer
is applying the knowledge and attitudes learned in one situation to another,
different situation.
Application: Software programs often provide scaffolds for learning to use
the software through the help feature. Also, educational software often provides
scaffolding through hints and feedback on correct or incorrect responses.
Anchored Instruction
Definition- an approach for instruction that is best in a group environment
and is used to teach a diverse array of subjects. Themes and activities center
around a realistic situation (the anchor) in which the group works toward
solving the problem. This method is often technology based, and allows students
to view knowledge as a tool to apply to other situations, rather than facts
to be memorized.
Application- Students study the effects of weather conditions by growing
plants in different types of weather. They would work in groups and keep
track of their findings on a software program.
Authentic Activity
Definition- a hands on activity that allows students to learn realistically.
They are not usually well defined, and the students are asked to identify
the tasks needed to complete the activity. It requires lots of exploration
and problem solving and results in experience that will help the student
grow beyond achievements in the classroom. It gives students a reason to
learn and apply what they have learned.
Application- an easy application would be for the teacher to ask her students
how to solve a problem. For example the teacher might tell the students that
she knows the class would like to go on a trip with the money they have raised,
but she hasn’t found out how to budget or organize it. The students
would then offer suggestions about using spreadsheet or excel etc.
Cooperative and Collaborative Learning
A type of learning in which small groups of students complete tasks together,
rather than competing against each other. Each student has a role and together,
they work toward a common goal.
Application: Have students work together to build a car. Have students discuss
the parts of a car that they will need, what they can use to build the car,
and then actually construct it using items around the classroom.
Generative Learning
Given well-planned and carefully constructed scenarios, students identify
problems to be solved and learn as they work together to solve them.
Application: When making a decision in class about what the inside recess
activity will be, discuss with students how they will decide in a way that
is fair to everyone.
Metacognition
The awareness and monitoring of one’s cognitive processes; understanding
one’s own thinking processes; often referred to as “thinking
about thinking.”
Application: Ask students to explain their thinking to the class about a
certain problem. This will encourage them to think about how others think
as well as themselves, and help them to understand and explain why they thought
the way that they did.
Problem-based Learning
Authentic and experiential learning centered around the collaborative investigation
and resolution of complex and realistic problems.
Application: Discuss a complex problem with students, such as we need to
know how many animals can we hold in our zoo, that has a certain amount of
space for cages and limits on how many animals in each cage. The students
must make decisions and create a zoo that will hold as many animals as possible.
Self-Regulated Learning
The process of actively monitoring and adjusting one’s
thinking and learning. Students who do this generally are intrinsically motivated
and
actively seek more knowledge, oftentimes using strategic thinking.
Application: Give students a journal in which they write in after their
daily readings and class discussion. Ask them questions for them to write
about
such as how has your thinking changed? And what have you learned that you
didn’t know before?
Situated Learning and Cognition
Authentic learning in which practice and exploration of a topic occurs within
an actual environment native to the topic.
Application: When students are studying gravity or many other science topics,
they do experiments in which they can actually see the concept at work.
Disequilibrium
A state of instability or inbalance. Confusion in ideas that are new or conflicting
with previous understandings.
Application: Give students a task, such as using a battery and bulb to form
a working circuit. Allow students to work through their confusion to develop
deeper understanding.
Cognitive Apprenticeship
Uses a knowledgeable
master working with a less knowledgeable learner, focuses on the individual
cognitive activity,
such as reciprocal teaching.
Application: Partner work where a fluent reader is paired with a beginner.
Distributed Intelligence
The idea that knowledge
exists across a system and that the whole is greater than the sum of its
parts.
Application: To solidify this understanding, you could have the whole class
work together on a project. This project could be either student-led or teacher-led,
but it should include ideas from all students.
Reciprocal Teaching
Often occurs in the form
of a dialogue between teachers and students. The student assumes the role
of teacher regarding the material
being learned. This involves summarizing, generating questions, clarifying,
and predicting.
Application: Reciprocal teaching can be accomplished by the student presenting
a report or project in the class, the student would present then the teacher
would follow up on the knowledge by asking the student various questions
to get them to expand more on the concepts learned.
Substantive Conversation
Instructional
conversation in which students learn through the interaction of teachers
and other students. These involve
the entire class in sharing and exchanging ideas, values, and shared understanding
which allows authentic student learning.
Application: Have a class meeting where students talk about resolutions to
a problem
Media Attributes
Each method of delivery
(e.g., print, overhead transparency, multimedia computer) has particular
characteristics
that are
advantageous to specific learning situations. Teachers should select the
medium that best facilitates the task at hand.
Application: If a teacher wanted to show the whole classroom an example of
a project that she wanted them to complete he or she could use an overhead
projector in order for the whole classroom to she it.
Multiple Perspectives
Discovering different
perspectives of people involved in different situations. This can increase
one's knowledge and
understanding
of others.
Application: A class meeting where students discuss their feelings about
an issue.
Zone of Proximal Development
A dynamic space
created by teaching and learning
in which the student has some success in mastery but learning is still
occurring. What a student can learn with help.
Application: Something that a student can do part of, but needs help to learn
completely. It is neither too easy or frustrating. For example, a reading
book that is a little over the child's reading level, therefore challenging,
is in that child's ZPD.