ASCALessonPlan1

Lesson 1 - Personal Styles of Learning

ASCA Domain 1: Academic Development
Standard A: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span.

Competency 2: Acquire Skills for Improving Learning

Indicator 4: Apply knowledge and learning styles to positively influence school performance.

We will engage in some group discussion, some private reflection, and some peer review to evaluate the overall experience.

Think • Do • Reflect

Think...

Johnson and Aragon (2003) argue that strategies that promote collaboration and social negotiation, multiple perspectives, exploration, and self-directed learning provide the strongest support for constructivist learning.

However, assessing the quality of learning that occurs in such environments can be a challenge. How does one assess self-reflective evaluations? Some argue that peer evaluations are moot since students are not qualified to evaluate fellow students on subject matters both are in the process of learning.

And what about learning styles, multiple intelligences theory, and cultural differences that limit personal frameworks of understanding to a unique and individual perspective? How can I objectively assess from my point of view, the performance of another based on their own framework of understanding?

These are some of the challenges we want to explore in this lesson.

Do...

Step 1:

Look at the four sign boards at this link and choose the one that best describes the ideal learning environment in which you would most enjoy teaching. Click on that sign board to be taken to the discussion forum. Click on the discussion thread with the title of the perspective you chose and reply with no more than 3 sentences explaining why you believe such a learning environment is ideal for the next generation of learners. Read at least two other posts while you are there.

Step 2:

Now click on the discussion thread of the perspective that you believe is the least ideal (read the titles carefully to be sure and choose the correct thread to reply to) and post an explanation as to why you believe it is less than ideal for the next generation of learners. Read at least two other posts while you are there.

Step 3:

Examine the Self and Peer evaluation Rubric at this link. As an instructor, what do you see as the benefits and challenges of such assessment? Consider how you would instruct students to evaluate their peers based on the discussion forum activity just completed.

Reflect...

Reflection is considered by constructivist learning experts to be a great way to build knowledge on existing frameworks of understanding.

Read the posts of another who believes the opposite way you do. Blog about your experience – what you discovered about yourself, your preferred learning and teaching style, and the challenges of constructivist evaluation strategies. Use your Moodle profile blog tab to accomplish this task.

Now, please complete this brief Post-Survey.

Thank you for participating. I trust you enjoyed the experience and found it valuable to your own learning.

Let me know any additional comments or questions by emailing me at dallasm12@gmail.com

Resources

Johnson, S., & Aragon, S. (2003) An instructional strategy framework for online learning environments. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (100), 31-43. http://libproxy.nau.edu:3854