THE BLOCKS OF LESSON DESIGN
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Madeline Hunter, a Canadian who worked at UCLA, spent her professional life observing and working with teachers, trying to understand why they were effective. That work involved the identification of a sense of instructional flow observed in more effective learning environments. One way of appreciating or understanding that `flow' is through her process of Lesson Design -- as she says, it is not a rigid formulae but a launching pad for creativity. |
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If you see the Lesson Design process as
one containing optional building blocks (like in a LEGO set) or threads on a weaver's
loom, or colours on an artist's palette, then you move towards the more powerful process
of Designing Lessons. This `artful' metaphor has three implications:
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If you are painting, you pick
the colours that best meet the needs of the painting. If you're teaching, you (and or) the
students select those learning processes that meet the needs of the learner within the
constraints of the program. Barrie Bennett
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Instructional Concepts and Skills (The Blocks) | What is it /Why use it? | Critical Attributes |
Mental Set | Increases the chances
that all students are connected and involved in the learning. (a.k.a. the Introduction) |
Through questions or
activities, sets link the past experiences of students to the learning objective. Sets ensures that all students are actively involved. Sets connect the students' involvement to the learning objective. |
Sharing Objectives and Purposes | If students know where they are going, the chances of their arriving at their destination is increased -- especially true if the purpose behind the objective has meaning and interest. | Objectives:
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Input/Information | Students receive
input experiences that facilitate their learning. Information and experiences
may come from different sources:
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Input must relate to
the learning aimed at by the teacher. Input must support/encourage appropriate levels of thinking. Input should facilitate meaningful inquiry. |
Modelling/Demonstration | Modelling helps
students remember. It can act as a visual check on information presented orally. It
provides variety and interest as well as hands on experience. Teachers may use modelling when checking for understanding, providing practice, and effecting closure. |
Models and
demonstrations depict the critical elements or steps to be learned. Teachers must provide clear and unambiguous models. Students should be able to see, hear and touch the key attributes or features provided by models and demonstrations. Students should talk about what they see, hear, and touch. |
Checking for Understanding | Checking increases
chances that the students experience success during Practice. Checking assists teachers to monitor learning and to determine when students attain appropriate levels of competence |
Checking must:
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Practice: Guided & Independent | Practice increases the
chances that students remember what they learn and that they can transfer their learning
to new situations. Practice allows students to 'try out' or experience what they are to learn, and to apply their understandings There are two polar opposites of practice: independent versus guided. |
Teachers must consider
how much, how often, and for how long students should practice. Practice must provide students with feedback (i.e., knowledge of what they have learned). Practice must relate to the lesson objective and to the levels of thinking required. |
Closure/Extension | Brings the major ideas
in the lesson into a sharper focus. Consolidates the learning. Have students:
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Students must prepare a
summary of what they learned -- involve all the students. A summary must relate directly to the objective and should include possible extensions to pursue next. |
THE BLOCKS OF LESSON DESIGN
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