Our project looks to create a learning environment that links directly to several learning and cognitive theories that we have learnt in our other units. By linking and using these theories we are aiming to cover as many learning styles as possible so that our students will be able to learn the content effectively.
This project will cater for the multiple intelligences (as formulated by Howard Gardner) by offering different learning styles, these being: visual, audial, kinaesthetic, logical, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. Throughout the lesson plans we will be altering and adapting the information presented to meet as many different styles as possible to enhance the learning experience and ensure the students are assisted through a variety of methods. While there have been criticisms of Howard Gardner (see for instance ##) using these differing styles of information presentation is generally a good idea, as students do seem to respond better to information being presented in differing fashions and through differing mediums.
Additionally we will use Bloom's Taxonomy to ensure that students develop their levels of thinking further, covering in orders of thinking: remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating and creating. By implementing these levels and styles of learning with ICT resources that are properly integrated into any project the teacher can develop a learning resource that truly helps students build all their skills and improve their ability to learn. By using the differing levels of Bloom's Taxonomy we are also providing an avenue through which the Teacher can differentiate between students and what level they are at in terms of understanding the content.
Bloom's taxonomy focuses heavily on the idea of creating as the highest level of learning, accordingly we have incorporated, by using the Piktochart program the ability for students to create an interactive poster on the circulatory system in the human body. By allowing students to engage in a creative activity we are hoping that they will retain a greater percentage of the information presented to them. A interactive poster also allows for the students to be as detailed as they can be allowing the lesson to cater for a variety of skill and knowledge levels. We would hope that the gifted and talented students would be free to add extra details and content to their posters, giving them a chance to show their broad knowledge and skills base.
In order to construct our programme we have also relied upon Bandura's concepts of Social Cognitive Learning. The intention being to create an interactive learning environment which will enhance their social learning and allow the students to form meaningful and relevant understandings of the curriculum subjects. Allowing the students to engage with the material in a diverse and technologically up-to-date manner is designed to enable the learners to control much of their learning in a way in which the typical classroom style learning experience would not normally allow. Importantly, depending upon the ability of the students this lesson framework could be expanded to include further lessons so that the students can self pace through the material. We have also designed the structure to allow for student's work to scaffolded and assessed as they proceed through the activity, thereby ensuring that the teacher is well aware of progress being made. Hopefully, with additional support and other similar activities the students will be able to develop their 'self-efficacy' and it will encourage them to continue to learn in a positive manner throughout their schooling and into adulthood.
The uses of ICT in this program will be student-centred attempting to be inquiry orientated, problem solving and creative. By using these ICT resources as thinking tools the program will engage the students in a novel, interesting and exciting way to help students learn.
References:
Gardner, Howard (1983), Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Basic Books;
Bloom, B. S.; Engelhart, M. D.; Furst, E. J.; Hill, W. H.; Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company;
Bandura, A., Social foundations of thought and action : a social cognitive theory. 1986, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Bandura, A., Social Cognitive Theory of Mass Communication. Media Psychology, 2001. 3(3): p. 265-299.
This project will cater for the multiple intelligences (as formulated by Howard Gardner) by offering different learning styles, these being: visual, audial, kinaesthetic, logical, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. Throughout the lesson plans we will be altering and adapting the information presented to meet as many different styles as possible to enhance the learning experience and ensure the students are assisted through a variety of methods. While there have been criticisms of Howard Gardner (see for instance ##) using these differing styles of information presentation is generally a good idea, as students do seem to respond better to information being presented in differing fashions and through differing mediums.
Additionally we will use Bloom's Taxonomy to ensure that students develop their levels of thinking further, covering in orders of thinking: remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating and creating. By implementing these levels and styles of learning with ICT resources that are properly integrated into any project the teacher can develop a learning resource that truly helps students build all their skills and improve their ability to learn. By using the differing levels of Bloom's Taxonomy we are also providing an avenue through which the Teacher can differentiate between students and what level they are at in terms of understanding the content.
Bloom's taxonomy focuses heavily on the idea of creating as the highest level of learning, accordingly we have incorporated, by using the Piktochart program the ability for students to create an interactive poster on the circulatory system in the human body. By allowing students to engage in a creative activity we are hoping that they will retain a greater percentage of the information presented to them. A interactive poster also allows for the students to be as detailed as they can be allowing the lesson to cater for a variety of skill and knowledge levels. We would hope that the gifted and talented students would be free to add extra details and content to their posters, giving them a chance to show their broad knowledge and skills base.
In order to construct our programme we have also relied upon Bandura's concepts of Social Cognitive Learning. The intention being to create an interactive learning environment which will enhance their social learning and allow the students to form meaningful and relevant understandings of the curriculum subjects. Allowing the students to engage with the material in a diverse and technologically up-to-date manner is designed to enable the learners to control much of their learning in a way in which the typical classroom style learning experience would not normally allow. Importantly, depending upon the ability of the students this lesson framework could be expanded to include further lessons so that the students can self pace through the material. We have also designed the structure to allow for student's work to scaffolded and assessed as they proceed through the activity, thereby ensuring that the teacher is well aware of progress being made. Hopefully, with additional support and other similar activities the students will be able to develop their 'self-efficacy' and it will encourage them to continue to learn in a positive manner throughout their schooling and into adulthood.
The uses of ICT in this program will be student-centred attempting to be inquiry orientated, problem solving and creative. By using these ICT resources as thinking tools the program will engage the students in a novel, interesting and exciting way to help students learn.
References:
Gardner, Howard (1983), Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Basic Books;
Bloom, B. S.; Engelhart, M. D.; Furst, E. J.; Hill, W. H.; Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company;
Bandura, A., Social foundations of thought and action : a social cognitive theory. 1986, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Bandura, A., Social Cognitive Theory of Mass Communication. Media Psychology, 2001. 3(3): p. 265-299.