Week 4-2 Post

1. Week 4-2: Leave a 30-word micro session summary.

Two teaching approaches are consultative and traditional teaching. The former emphasizes student autonomy and varied teaching activities. The latter focuses on objective-based lectures and passive learning. Some examples of instructional strategies for creative thought in consultative teaching are brainstorming, role plays, and semantic webbing. The consultative teacher understands that everyone learns differently, and not all strategies will be equally effective all the time.

2. 

To some extent my college classroom learning experience has helped me develop higher-order thinking. Writing research papers and analyzing books or films in terms of major themes (e.g., politics, gender, race, etc.) has allowed me to develop creative and critical thinking abilities. Also, classes that utilized different technologies, such as online blogs or iPads in the classroom, help me evaluate information with my peers. However, I primarily did these in my social sciences class and not in my math or science classes. These classes were mostly lectures and exams. In large introductory classes the professor also just lectured and gave exams and quizzes. 

  

3. 

Yes, I do believe that consultative teachers are more likely to incorporate various instructional strategies because they understand individual learning needs and the importance of knowledge through problem solving processes. Consultative teachers use many resources besides textbooks to teach their students and try to incorporate real-world tasks. They use a variety of strategies to encourage higher-order thinking. Traditional teachers focus on lecturing information to students and passive learning. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of room for critical and abstract thinking. Students don’t have as much independence to problem-solve and become responsible for their learning. I understand the importance of a structured curriculum, but traditional teachers don’t force students to engage in critical and creative thinking or discovery learning.

4. 

Brainstorming allows students to engage in higher-order thinking together. A teacher can monitor the lesson, but it is the students who are brainstorming. This strategy is the process of coming up with multiple ideas without judgment. Once the maximum amount of ideas has been made, students analyze and decide which ideas or solutions are best. The group makes a final plan of action. This strategy helps students express their ideas without judgment and decide how to come to a solution together. Brainstorming helps develop creative thinking because it is flexible and ideas must be organized in the end to find a consensus amongst the group. It also allows for originality because students are just “throwing out ideas.” They can bounce ideas off each other and build on each other, which encourages peer learning. Students can develop their creative thinking skills because all ideas are accepted and everyone feels part of a team. This increases confidence to participate. This strategy is also relatively easy in the sense that it's not a complex strategy and there aren't many rules to explain. It helps the group take an unstructured problem, explore it, and to come to a consensus in a fun and exciting way.

5. 

Summing up is the technique of integrating, categorizing, and summarizing information. This strategy requires students to research, review, and summarize information on their own instead of the teacher just giving them all the material. Students should be responsible for their learning and try to grasp the important information. I know from experience that it takes critical thinking skills to paraphrase information and write the material in my own words. Critical thinking involves distinguishing relevant from irrelevant facts, which is necessary for summing up information. Students needs to identify relationships and present them in a succinct way. They need to make appropriate conclusions when summarizing information and make sure information sources are credible. Summing up can apply to any class, and in the end, helps students have a deeper understanding of the material.   

6. Do you have any questions or concerns about course learning? 

None this week!

7. Week 4-2 Activity Completion Check

(Copy and paste the table below into your blog refection)

	Modules	Topics  & Activity	Check ✓ if Completed
Week 4	Week 4-2	1) Week 4-2 Reading Quiz	✓
		2) Week 4-2 Discussion Forum: One initial response & two peer feedback replies	✓
		3) Week 4-2 Personal Blog Reflection	✓

#8. Social Blog Activity

Miranda Singer’s Blog

Hi Miranda,

Great summary of student-centered learning and direct instruction. I like your point that the videos over-estimated teacher-centered learning. I think this type of learning has a place in the classroom and has benefits, it just shouldn’t be the only learning style in a classroom. You had some nice ideas about collaborative learning too.

Thanks for sharing!

Elizabeth

Maureen Pflomm’s Blog

Hi Maureen,

Great summary of teacher-centered learning. I like your point about teacher-centered instruction in your history class. For learning facts in a straightforward way, teacher-centered learning can be effective. But you’re right that this type of learning will not work for all classes. A literature class requires students to interpret information and collaborate. You had some nice ideas about project-based learning too.

Thanks for sharing!

Elizabeth