Active Learning and Learning Diversity

Afternoon everyone,

Throughout week two there were a few activities that required us to take quizzes about our learning styles, personalities, multiple intelligences and many more. One of the quizzes that I completed was the 'Indicators of Engaged Learners, below are my results. They tell us that I am almost always (highly) engaged when learning with technology, which is most definitely a good thing. Kearsley, Shneiderman (1999) formed an engagement theory driven from technology-based teaching and learning. The fundamental idea underpinning this theory is that “students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with other and worthwhile tasks. (Kearsley, Shneiderman, 1999) Both Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999) agree that such engagement can occur without technology, though different forms of technology can and will facilitate engagement in ways that are difficult to achieve otherwise.

Active learning inevitably increases the effectiveness and efficiency of the teaching and learning process (Adams Centre for Teaching Excellence, 2000) There are three key processes to efficient teaching and learning these being, ‘input’, ‘process’ and ‘output’. Students need to have the opportunity to use multiple resources through multiple senses, this is classified as ‘input’. ‘Process’ involves interaction with other people and materials which helps stimulate different areas of the brain and engages students. ‘Output’ allows students and teachers to assess the knowledge and skills that students have acquired and integrated throughout the lesson or unit of work. ‘Output’ could almost be classified as assessment, it requires students to produce some form of evidence to show that active learning has or is taking place (Adams Centre for Teaching Excellence, 2000). I believe that active learning is an extremely important to ensure that students are engaged and learning the content knowledge and skills intended in a specific lesson.

My learning experiences:

It is obvious by looking at these results that I have enjoyed participating and learning the content in almost all of these courses. My total score is 8.27 which means I have been successful in my learning. If I think about and answer the question ‘how do/will your students rate the learning experiences you design and develop for them?’ I would have to say that my students would rate the majority of the lessons quite high. Because I have a grade one class I am forever incorporating interactive, hands on, group activities for my students to participate in, which engages the students in a fun way. I am lucky enough to have computers and an interactive white board in my classroom, which allows me to use elearning tools.

Learning Management 3: 8
English Curriculum and Pedagogy: 6
Ensuring Students Success: 8
Managing Diversity: 3
Health and Physical Education Curriculum and Pedagogy: 10
Numeracy in the Classroom:10
The Arts: 8
Literacy in the Classroom: 8
Play Based Learning: 10
The Contemporary Child: 10
Early Childhood and Educational Care Settings: 10

Multiple Intelligences:
Multiple Intelligences were developed by Howard Gardener in 1975. Over many years his theories have been used to identify individuals abilities in different fields. They detail eight different ways of thinking or 'intelligences'. I took part in the multi intelligence test and found that I was classified as musically intelligent. There is a strong auditory component to this intelligence, which would suggest that I learn best through auditory methods like face to face lectures. The characteristics of this intelligence match exactly how I learn best.

I have found that week twos module has been very interesting and helpful. I have learnt about different theories that affect learning and teaching using technology.

Regards,

Sarah

References:

Adams Centre for Teaching Excellence, (2000). How does active learning work. Retrieved 18th July, 2009 from http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/howdoes.htm


Kearsley, G., Shneiderman, B, (1999) Engagement Theory: A framework for Technology-based Teaching and Learning. Retrieved 18th July, 2009 from, http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm