I had previously used Fink's guide to design a course, specifically the 8th grade AVID elective. As I created the 3 column table, I was able to successfully align outcomes, activities, and assessments for the course. Fink's guide was excellent for a holistic approach and allowed me to really see the big picture. Wiggins and McTighe's UbD approach was also very helpful in helping me identify the goals for this course and how the activities as well as the assessments aligned. However, the UbD approach allowed for more details, which I found would be more effective to use for specific units as opposed to the entire course. Below you can view the UbD template I developed for a Careers unit of the 8th grade AVID Elective course. It would be necessary to develop a UbD template for every unit this course consists of and use the 3 column table as a guide of the overall goals of this course.
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With so many demands placed on both teachers and students, it can be easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of details which consist of assignments, local assessments, state assessments, standards, etc. This week I was able to use Fink's guide for designing courses. This guide really pushed me to see the big picture and really apply the idea of beginning with the end in mind. The first step I took toward creating the Learning Outcomes 3 Column Table was to answer questions regarding my learning environment and situational factors. These questions led me to think about the logistical aspects of my course and more importantly the people that would be involved with the course. View the document below to see those questions and my responses.
When I was initially introduced to a variety of learning theories during my undergraduate courses as I prepared to become a teacher, I did not see the purpose of learning about so many theories in detail. How were they going to help me with my classroom management? How were they going to help me design my lesson plans? How were they going to help me establish good relationships with my students? How would the thoughts of men from decades ago help me teach students in the 21st century? I was looking for a blueprint on how to design the perfect classroom, which is why I was not very satisfied with any learning theory. After living many more experiences in education, I have come to appreciate and see the significance of learning theories. When we as educators can identify which theory best reflects the type of learning happening within our learning environment, we can assess whether or not we are meeting the desired goals. If we are not meeting the desired goals, then we have different models we can pull ideas from.
As I reflect on my experiences as a k-12 student, an undergraduate student, a teacher, and now a graduate student, I have begun to realize that my learning philosophy has definitely evolved and is likely to continue to evolve as I gain more experience. The following table briefly summarizes three of the learning theories that have inspired my learning philosophy the most.
In the old model of teaching, knowledge is simply transferred from teachers to students, which is not suitable for this century. Thomas & Brown (2011) discuss in detail The New Culture of Learning which is better suited for the 21st century. This model is more of a learning based approach which focuses on learning via engagement within the world.
The new culture of learning compromises two elements. The first is a massive information network that provides almost unlimited access and resources to learn about anything. The second is a bounded and structured environment that allows for unlimited agency to build and experiment with things within these limits. (Thomas & Brown, 2011) In different videos, Douglas Thomas and Dr. Tony Bates both use the analogy of a plants in a garden to stress the point that teachers cannot force students to learn. We cannot simply funnel knowledge into their brains. What we can do, much like a gardener, is provide a good environment to grow. This is why the creating a significant learning environment is so important. |
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