THE BLOCKS OF LESSON DESIGN

MADELINE HUNTER

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”.

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:

  • (1) the components of Lesson Design can occur in any sequence;
  • (2) they do not have to be included or they may be used as many times as is appropriate; and
  • (3) they can be stacked (used one after another) and integrated (employed simultaneously) as you are moving in the creative direction.

 

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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

 LESSON DESIGN: SOME IDEAS FROM MADELINE HUNTER

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:

  • Are stated in terms of student behaviour and indicate what they will learn and how they will demonstrate their learning.
  • May also describe successful performances and the conditions under which those performance occur. (e.g., Given 30 minutes and the opportunity to work with a partner, the student will construct at least 3 arguments for and against the clear cutting of forests.)
  • Must be clear and, if required, measurable.
  • Must be specific -- levels of thinking are considered.
  • Must be meaningful for students.

Input/Information

Students receive “input” experiences that facilitate their learning. Information and experiences may come from different sources:

  • other students (e.g., In a Cooperative Learning lesson) the teacher
  • computer searches
  • books
  • video, film, slides, pictures
  • guest speakers
  • field trips
  • the students' own experiences and thinking
  • activities such as drama or role playing, mind mapping, concept attainment, inductive thinking, inquiry, group investigation.

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:

  • Involve all the students (i.e., ensure active participation).
  • Require an overt response form students.
  • Ensure students receive feedback.
  • Enable teachers to assess students' progress toward the objectives
  • Help teachers plan what to do next..

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:

  • Understood the structure of what they were to learn,
  • Discussed the purpose of their learning,
  • Experienced model cases of what they were to learn,
  • Considered the value of what they were to learn
  • Prepared a summary of what they learned?.

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.