This week we learned about active learning and lesson planning techniques. As a future educator, with not a lot of previous knowledge about lesson plans, I found this week’s module to be very interesting and helpful. I really enjoy learning content that is applicable to my life- something we also got to learn about this week through Merrill’s First Principles, which I found very intriguing.
In this blog post I have a link to my lesson planning sheet and my H5P interactive video, as well as a few reflection questions.
What authentic problem would you use to design a lesson using Merrill’s principles? What media or multimedia (interactive or not) would you create to support it?
I wrote this blog post on a day I took out my garbage and recycling to be picked up and I decided an authentic problem I could talk about was waste reduction. I thought this was a good topic for this question because it appeals to many of the principles that Merrill mentioned to promote learning. To start, waste reduction is a real-world problem that learners have the ability to make a change through small actions. I personally feel more motivated to learn something if I know I can achieve it in the real world. Secondly, I feel many learners have a basic understanding of waste reduction (ie. reuse, reduce, recycle – taught to all elementary school students), so this existing knowledge will help aid future knowledge. I think if waste reduction tactics were demonstrated to learners and learners were given an opportunity to apply the knowledge, then this topic has the potential to be a very effective topic. I would like to provide a demonstration such as a video or infographic. There are many resources online that provide step by step instruction of waste reduction, such as this on, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JDGFNoY-rQ. It explains in simple, yet meaningful words how we can all make a difference. I think showing a video such as this is a great way to introduce a topic before diving into it more. I liked the idea of a branched scenario situation mentioned; which incorporates simulating a real-world problem, activating prior learning, and demonstrating to allow the learner to demonstrate the knowledge. I try to apply this skill in my lesson plan, shown later in the blog.
Where do you see constructive alignment and backward design used in this course or another course you are taking/have taken? Is there anywhere where it seems to be missing?
I feel that the design of starting with the outcome and working backward is a very common practice in curriculum. In this course, every module starts with an overview by saying something along the lines of “In this module we take a look at …” , we go over what platforms we will use and then we begin the content. In almost every university class I have taken, we start with learning goals and outcomes. We are given a syllabus to reflect back on to see how we will be assessed, and sometimes this is touched on at the beginning of a module too. I think it is crucial to let students know what is expected of them, and let them know what they can expect to learn. It also is important to keep the educator on topic, if we don’t have a clear plan of what we want to achieve then learners will not be taught to their full potential. I think the concept of Constructive Alignment and Backward Design is critical both for learners and educators.
How have you found the balance of passive and active learning in this course for your learning? How does it compare to your experience in other courses?
I think EDCI 337 is a great combination of both passive and active learning. Every module starts with an overview of concepts and a few paragraphs about each topic. This would be considered the passive learning portion, as the learner I am expected to read the writing and soak it in. Then, through active learning I am able to apply what I learned into the interactive part of the lesson- the active learning portion. An example of this could be taken from last week’s module. We were assigned to read and watch videos about the power of storytelling, all we were expected to do was to read and digest the material. That is passive learning. After watching the videos and reading the articles and blog posts we were asked to create our own video using the techniques we learned, a perfect example of active learning! I think this course focuses on active learning significantly more than any other course I am in. Many of my other higher level courses are primarily passive learning, where I show up to class, listen to a professor lecture to me, and leave. While I may demonstrate my learning through an assignment such as a paper, it is not the ideal active learning- at least for myself. I think having weekly assignments to apply the knowledge learned that week is extremely important.
What was your experience of trying out H5P? Which of the activities do you think you would make most use of in your teaching context and what would you use them to do?
While I did struggle at first to get the hang of H5P, once I understood the functions I did really enjoy the platform. One thing I had time choosing was what video of mine I wanted to make interactive. I decided to use the video from Assignment 2 and give it some interactive components. I unfortunately was not able to upload the whole 4 minute video I filmed for Assignment 2, so on this blog I will attach a 40 second clip of some of the interactions I tried. While they aren’t groundbreaking or fancy, it was fun to experiment with these functions. I think the interactive videos are a great feature when trying to make a lesson include both passive and active learning. While watching the video you are passively learning and then when a question pops on the screen and you interact with it, you switch gears to active learning. I think it is a great way to keep a video engaging for learners.
Linked here is the H5P video- again, it is only a cropped version of what I did because I was not able to upload a larger video onto WordPress.
Lesson Planning Document
Since I touched on waste reduction earlier I decided to create a lesson plan around waste reduction. This lesson is targeted to young elementary school students who may have previous knowledge of the slogan “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” but not a lot of knowledge outside of that.
Your reflection on this week’s module provides a thoughtful perspective on active learning and lesson planning techniques, especially as they apply to your role as a future educator. It’s evident that you found the content interesting and applicable to your life, aligning with Merrill’s First Principles that emphasize the importance of real-world relevance. Your choice of waste reduction as an authentic problem for designing a lesson using Merrill’s principles is practical and aligns well with the principles discussed. Your consideration of learners’ ability to make a real-world impact through small actions and leveraging existing knowledge on waste reduction demonstrates a strategic approach to fostering effective learning. The incorporation of multimedia, such as the use of a video or infographic, to demonstrate waste reduction tactics is a well-thought-out addition. The video link you provided offers a practical example of how multimedia can be employed to introduce a topic effectively. In addressing the question about constructive alignment and backward design, you rightly highlight the common practice of starting with outcomes and working backward, emphasizing its importance in setting clear expectations for both learners and educators. This structured approach ensures clarity in learning goals and assessments. Your analysis of the balance between passive and active learning in the course is insightful. You recognize the combination of passive learning through module overviews and active learning through interactive assignments. The example from the storytelling module effectively illustrates the integration of passive and active learning, making the content digestible before applying it through hands-on activities. Your comparison of the course structure to other higher-level courses, where passive learning often dominates, provides a valuable perspective. The emphasis on weekly assignments to apply newly acquired knowledge in EDCI 337 seems to contribute significantly to a more active learning experience. Overall, your blog post reflects a keen awareness of instructional design principles and a thoughtful consideration of their application in your future role as an educator. Keep up the reflective and proactive approach to your learning journey!