Lessons Learned in ID » PSUGV

Lessons Learned in Constructivism

Anthony — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 03:04:14 +0000

On the eve of our final class, I think it’s fitting to highlight what I’ve learned about constructivism these past 7 weeks. Since it’s 11pm and I have class in the morning, a list is my preferred format:

Less is more.
Trust the process.
Planning a lesson requires more thought and planning than actual writing of instructions and giving direction.
Sprinkle.
Scaffold.
It’s not always what you think the learner should know.
The sooner you “hook” the learner, the better. (hook=elicit an emotional response)
Constructivism requires the facilitator to “think on their feet.”
Constructivism requires a safe environment to be effective.

These are just a few of the themes that have been brought up in class. If you have any to add, please feel free to comment. This class has been one of the most enlightening of the program. I was not so eager to take another Saturday class but this was a truly rewarding experience. Thanks to Dr. Ackerman for practicing what she was teaching. I look forward to “sprinkling” some constructivism in my future courses.

The Key To Success

Anthony — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:49:49 +0000

In class, we’ve learned the importance of a skilled facilitator to conduct a Constructivist lesson. I’m currently designing teaching outlines for a new method of delivering learning at my company. The idea is that when business is slow and associates can afford time off the phones, a supervisor contacts the training department and requests that they attend a training session to cover a topic of which associates could use some additional instruction. The sessions are conducted via a webinar format and last approximately one hour. The session opens on a specific topic but the learners are asked where they’d like to begin. The challenge in designing the teaching outline is similar to the challenge we faced when designing our Constructivist lesson. How much is too much? My first draft consisted of a series of subtopics and questions for each subtopic. My approach was to provide the facilitator with possible subtopics and various questions and answers related to each subtopic. It’s been suggested that perhaps we’re providing too much information for the facilitator because the facilitator should know the answers to the questions. I was once again reminded that a skilled facilitator is a key to success.

Hard Habit to break – Part II

Anthony — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:28:37 +0000

It’s been a few weeks since my last post and I’m still learning what it means to apply constructivism in the classroom. I’ve learned a lot by working with Julie to present our lesson and by participating as a learner in others’ presentations. It seems the biggest challenge for most of us has been to let go and trust the process. In doing so, the learning has seemed to take on a life of it’s own and has exceeded my expectations. I’ll share what I’ve learned by answering the questions I posed prior to presenting my Constructivist lesson.

1. How are we sure the learners will come to the right conclusion and learn the information we’ve determined they need to know?

The answer is we’re not sure. Ultimately, the learner should determine what they need to know. Though, those of us in corporate understand this wouldn’t necessarily be accepted by our managers and clients. We must plan the lesson in a way that we don’t give too much instruction but still achieve our objectives. The key is in the debrief and relies heavily on the instructor. The instructor must ask the right questions and then think on his or her feet and direct the answers in a way that will support their objective.

2. How do we decide when the learners are going off track?

It’s not hard to decide whether the learner is going off track. The instructor can roam the room while the learners are working on their assignments and listen to the discussions. When do we bring the learners back on track? If the learning environment is safe, it’s best to let them proceed as they wish. When they present their exhibit to the rest of the class, we hope they will recognize they may have wandered from the topic. They may also take the topic in a direction that was unintended, but in doing so, present a new perspective and learning opportunity for others. If the environment is not safe and going off track may put the learners in an uncomfortable situation, the instructor can ask the group questions to guide them back to the objective.

3. Who defines the right track – the learner or the ID that’s completed needs assessments to determine what the learner needs to know?

The answer to the first question applies to this question as well. Again, the instructor should have an objective (most likely determined through a needs assessment) but should also allow the learners as much flexibility to determine what they need to know.

The most important thing I discovered during our presentation is letting go and trusting the process can lead to great discoveries and learning beyond what I imagined. So, is putting aside our traditional thinking a hard habit to break? Yes. Is it worth stepping out of our comfort zone? Absolutely!