Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Learning Experience Design Through Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction

THREE BRANCHES OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

The following is a learning experience model for introducing the three branches of the U.S. Government as well as some of the main powers for each branch. The model uses Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction.


Gain Attention:

I will gain the attention of putting four pictures of important political figures up on the screen. They will be John Boehner, Harry Reid, John G. Roberts Jr., and Barack Obama. I will ask the students to identify each of the following people.


Establish Purpose:

The exercise should have a sense of immediate purpose, as some of the most important people in America are often unrecognizable to a majority of its citizens, not just high school students. This also sets the stage for our introduction of the U.S. Government.


Stimulate Prior Recall:

Each student and their “elbow partner” will work together to write down the three branches of the U.S. Government. Also they will guess at one power attributed to each of their guesses. Come together as a class and try to come up with any correct information they have written down.


Present Content:

The content will initially be delivered in a reading that gives a basic overview of each branch and its main powers. Students are asked to highlight and annotate the reading.


Guided Learning:

After the reading each student will be presented with a three column T-Chart. They are to label each column with one of the three branches of government.

The teacher will have ten powers of the government printed out in large font on plain white printer paper and taped to the board/wall/etc. The students are to work with their “elbow partner” to write which power belongs in which column. Do this for all ten powers.

The three-column t-chart will be reproduced on the board. Teacher presents the class with one of the powers and asks which column they should tape the paper. The students should be checking their t-chart as the class does it on the board.


Elicit Performance:

The students are demonstrating their grasp of the information during both phases of the guided learning section. If there are discrepancies make sure to clear them up and recover any necessary material.


Provide Feedback:

Feedback should be continually given during the guided learning and elicit performance phases.


Assess Performance:

Provide the students with a matching quiz. Based on the prior activities the students should be able to match some of the main powers of the government to the proper branch.


Enhance Retention:

For homework have each student find an article dealing with the United States Government. After selecting an article the students are to identify the branch of government it is talking about as well as what power is being highlighted.



RUBRIC

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Uneven Playing Fields

As we talked today(FND 511) about the tendency for neoliberal policies in governments to create concentrated wealth at the top I could not help but wonder about the reasons for this. Is the fact that this occurs something that is inherent in neoliberal policies or is it a result of some third extraneous factor? When these practices were implemented in the South American Countries there most assuredly was a privileged elite already in existence. When enacted, they simply gave the already wealthy even more control over the countries resources and services. It makes me wonder….If the policies had been put into place on a level playing field would the results differ? Furthermore, what does a level playing field look like?

Is this moot point because outside of an experiment with calculated and predisposed conditions there are no level playing fields in the real world? And if there are no level playing fields are Friedman’s ideas not essentially impossible to implement? The world is so stratified that to even think about the concept of a level playing field seems nonsensical.

When I try to relate this (neoliberalism) back to education and communities it is hard for me to imagine it working at all. Especially, when it has been shown to fail in so many other circumstances. If knowledge is a form of capital in the same way that money is capital, then the already existing dichotomy of knowledge between the “haves” and the “have nots” would seem even more of a crippling factor than a country’s financial disparity when implementing neoliberal policy. How would Freidman respond to this?

Monday, June 20, 2011

Educational Philosophy

A student centered educational approach guides my philosophy of education. This idea significantly affects my belief of a teacher’s role in the classroom. In order to best facilitate student learning a teacher must take the time to get to know their students. By making an effort to learn about their students they help themselves twofold. First, they gain a better grasp of the instructional methods that best match the students learning styles. Another benefit of this approach is that it demonstrates to the student that you care about them and have a vested interest in both their learning and their well-being. I have found through my experiences that students will match this interest with respect and effort. A teacher can further facilitate learning by creating a classroom environment that is physically and emotionally safe. They should be comfortable with making mistakes. It a s vital part of life and I am a firm believer that we learn by failing and then reflecting on our mistakes.. It is only when mutual collaborative relationships are formed that learning is best facilitated.

These relationships are aspects of teaching that were very important to me as a student. Some of the most important and influential figures in my life were my teachers and coaches. Having been raised by a hardworking single mother I looked to my coaches and teachers as the positive male role models in my life. I have become who I am because of them and a commitment to be there for my students and someday my family as a positive male role model is a result of those relationships.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Getting Started

My first blog post for TIE 535 Hansen. This blog will be chronicling my adventure learning about the creative and engaging ways to utilize technology in a urban high school classroom.

The next Braveheart Speech