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Post by savannapoulson on Apr 6, 2016 21:25:23 GMT -5
So, while doing some research on the learning cycle to find out what it is I found it to be an interesting concept and I wanted to know y'all's opinions of it. Would you utilize the learning cycle in your classroom? Do you think the learning cycle can be used no matter what the lesson/subject? How do you think bringing in a social factor may effect the learning cycle process? I feel like the traditional three stage learning cycle is a bit limited and prefer the 5E model or the Alistair Smith model instead, as they both provide a bit more structure which is what some students really need but still maintains the same idea as the traditional model. I also found that the learning cycle reminded me of the writing process or the scientific method, which brings me to ask, do you remember any instances of one of your teachers back in school using the learning cycle or something similar to it, such as the things I mentioned earlier? Of course, y'all don't have to answer all of my questions, I just tend to ramble and wanted to provide a variety of ways to explore this topic further  |
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Post by wmm12d on Apr 7, 2016 11:24:28 GMT -5
I don't know what a classroom would look like if it didn't use the learning cycle. It seems so intuitive that it is would be required for an effective class. There appears to be several versions of this cycle, and some of them include social components to the cycle. There is a social component to learning irregardless of whether of not it is highlighted on a chart (Piaget and Vygotsky). The 5E does have social aspects included, they may just be hard to see, but 4 of 5 of its components include a social aspect: exploration, explanation, elaboration, and engagement. I guess I just see all of these as social interactions, others may not.
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Post by savannapoulson on Apr 8, 2016 21:56:13 GMT -5
Sorry, I probably should've clarified what I meant by bringing in a social factor. I meant a social factor as involving large amounts of group work/group activities throughout the learning process, as all learning does have a basic level of social involvement to it. For example, when it comes to concrete experience, the experience one may have doing whatever it is the lesson is focusing on may be different when one is working in a group as opposed to working alone. Likewise, one's reflection may be influenced by the reflections of their group members.
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Post by rachelgoodbar on Apr 10, 2016 13:49:44 GMT -5
Savanna I really like how your talking about bringing in the learning cycle in a social way. I can't imagine what a class content wise would look like without it, but its an interesting idea to use it in a social way. I wonder, besides group work, how would you bring this in?
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Post by brittanysinitch on Apr 12, 2016 12:21:02 GMT -5
Hey! I really think students benefit when they are interacting with others. I remember back to high school always enjoying group work, but I also enjoy working alone. I think whether you are working alone or in groups, you are still learning and contributing to the learning process. This is a pretty neat article on the benefits of group interaction: www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/groupprojects/benefits.htmlProperly structured, group projects can reinforce skills that are relevant to both group and individual work, including the ability to: Break complex tasks into parts and steps Plan and manage time Refine understanding through discussion and explanation Give and receive feedback on performance Challenge assumptions Develop stronger communication skills. |
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Post by sarahaubreyr on Apr 17, 2016 16:30:39 GMT -5
I absolutely agree with Brittany on this. It is important to understand you are contributing to the learning process whether it be in a group or individually.
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Post by morgan on Apr 18, 2016 21:41:24 GMT -5
Bringing the conversation back a little more to the learning cycle and it's uses in the classroom , I agree that if we didn't have the learning cycle or some resemblance of it in the classroom I have no idea what learning in the classroom would look like. It's the learning process, its how you learn. If you tried to apply concepts before you used them it would be useless because you don't know them. So to me, the learning cycle makes complete sense. The exploration part is a little harder in terms of getting the students to explore whatever they're learning beforehand, but I think as teachers, giving them materials that spark their interest in the subject and giving them things that relate to them and their world is part of the exploration part. Any thoughts on how to get students to explore?
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Post by savannapoulson on Apr 19, 2016 23:14:17 GMT -5
You make some good points Morgan. I feel like in order to get students to explore on their own, you need to provide motivation for them to do so. As nice as it would be to assume your students are going to explore the content beforehand just because you told them too, many students need there to be something there to convince them to do whatever it is they need to do. While one could just tell students that it is for a grade or quiz them, there are obvious problems with those, and it makes the exploration have negative connotations to it. I feel like getting them interested like you mentioned is a big part in getting them motivated, as well as including some type of extrinsic motivation that is more positive, like students who do a thorough exploration of the content beforehand could receive a homework pass, or enforcing a token economy. I also feel like doing an inquiry-based project will help, as this way the teacher can provide them with some structure but still give them enough room to explore and research things on their own.
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