H S –ENGLISH –DRG-PALAKKAD-TRAINING MODULE
27 ,November, 2008
PURPOSE
The purpose of the DRG is to strengthen the capacity of a team of trainers by applying
principles of constructivist learning, and develop a variety of training
Methodologies and facilitation skills; developing learning objectives and designing performance oriented lesson
Plans. The DRG Training is based on the principle that everyone has something to share, and by including the active input of
participants, interest and efficacy is increased.
Overview
This session provides an alternative to the prevailing approach to teach poetry. Students engage in drawing and mapping as a means to comprehend figurative language. The marked difference is the focus. Instead of teaching poetry, this session teaches skills by means of poetry. This way, students use familiar skills to construct new knowledge, which is paramount to the Constructivist view of learning—a strategy employed by this session design. This outlook makes way for Problem Based, Inquiry Based, Discovery, and Visual Learning, as well as Metacognition, Drawing, and Mapping. There is a strategic purpose for each. They all contribute to increasing reading comprehension.
Training of Trainers- COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Share experiences of performance based activities focused in the previous cluster-5.
2. Develop participants’ capacity to plan, organize, and conduct training to assess the linguistic competence of the learners based on their Products/constructs/performance.
3. Empower the participants to plan and transact a poem in tune with constructive paradigm.
4. Equip participants with knowledge of effective training methods and develop
skills to use them.
5. Identify effective ways to monitor and evaluate training sessions and their thrust areas.
6. Help participants develop training plans for unit 6 in class VIII/IX/X.
METHODOLOGY
This session employs Jerome Bruner’s Constructivist philosophy, which holds that “we construct our own understanding of the world we live in” (Constructivism). While one source indicates that Constructivists consider learning to be “a search for meaning” (Constructivism), another source adds that, “Constructivists view learning as the result of mental construction” (What is Constructivism?). Such building, which is also referred to as “knowledge construction,” is considered the cornerstone of this theory, and it “emphasizes the central role learners play in developing their own understanding”. In this sense, “students learn by fitting new information together with what they already know” (What is Constructivism?). Such learning is provided as an alternative to having students “memorize the ‘right’ answers and regurgitate someone else’s meaning” (Constructivism). This method is founded on the basis that people learn best
When they are active participants in the learning process (What is Constructivism?). This approach entails various teaching strategies, which requires the teacher to “think of learning as a process, consider how the student learns, nurture leaner curiosity, encourage and accept learner inquiry, autonomy, and initiative, and provide learners the opportunity to construct new knowledge and understanding from authentic experiences” (What is Constructivsm?).
The training approach is based on principles of constructivist pedagogy with a focus on peer
review during all the steps of planning, organizing, and conducting a training/learning
event. The course models a variety of effective training methodologies, including
simulation, practice, discussion, brain-storming, buzz groups, case studies, , visualization in participatory programming (VIPP), and presentation.
Students will benefit from this strategy because it provides such enduring skills as critical thinking and problem solving that can be applied to other academic disciplines and real-life experiences. In short, the skills learned are both adaptable and transferable. This will enable students to manipulate the unfamiliar by applying familiar concepts. Interpreting poetry teaches students to apply these skills and demonstrate higher-level thinking. Too often students are taught what to think. This session places an emphasis on two important traits of education: why to think and how to think. It follows the principle “give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” This session sets out to teach students to fish. It is not enough to merely endow students with information. The success of teaching relies upon equipping students with the skills needed to survive, such as being able to think independently. Doing so requires teachers to present relevant information that students realize the benefits of outside the classroom. Furthermore, analyzing poetry teaches students to think abstractly. This is necessary because, in life, things are not always blatant, tangible, or observable. For instance, a person’s thoughts, ideas, and emotions, and such forms of language manipulation as puns, innuendo, and connotation are either intangible or initially imperceptible. Analyzing poetry requires one to think beyond and to think deeply. For it, one must probe their minds, as well as others. In result, abstract thinkers develop theories and philosophies, make uninhibited decisions, create art forms, extract meaning, and construct new meaning.
STRUCTURE: sessions from
MATERIALS AND TOOLS:
Work sheets/reading materials to internalize the craft of poems.
Course book of class VIII.IX,and X.
Teaching manual of a poem and skit.
Training manual.
TIME: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
SCHEDULE.
9.30 am Registration
10 am session I
Ø Share the experience of performance based activities conducted in class after cluster 5
11am The strategies to transact a poem in constructive line.
1.45 pm Planning of unit 6 of classes VIII,IX,X.
4.Pm Review of the cluster.
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Training method/Process
Materials used.
Session I Shares the experience of the performance based activities of the last cluster
Ø Facilitator ask the participants to share the strategies adopted to transact unit 5 of class-VIII,IX, and X.
Ø Facilitator asks the participants, “How effective is mime/skit/debate/group discussion as a pedagogic tool in class room transaction?
Ø After sharing of the experiences by the participants, facilitator concludes that such activities boost the learner’s confidence to use the target language. Therefore reasonable scope for performance based activities must be given in unit planning.
Session 2 –Teaching poetry in constructivist paradigm.
Ø Facilitator introduces the song ‘Running and jumping’….
Ø Participants sing in chorus.
Ø Participants are asked to add a few lines in the same to tune.
Ø Ask the participants to recall a few lines of any poem they remember.
Ø Interaction – why do they remember those lines?
Ø Consolidation-poetic elements/features of poetry,theme,images,rhythm etc.
Ø Simulation of processing a poem in constructivist class-
Ø Initially, the teacher should assess the student’s relationships to poetry by engaging in discussion to know their attitudes. Some invoking questions are: “How is poetry different from prose?” (Which replaces the typical “What is poetry?” by probing for deeper reflection), and “What other forms of expression is poetry similar to?” Asking students, what they think and how they feel is a way of validating their views, and this helps build trust between the learners and the instructor. During this procedure, allow students to voice their opinions and use their responses to construct new questions that probe deeper into their view of poetry. However, this discussion should be brief and focused.
Ø Following discussion, the teacher should set out to gauge student confidence in comprehending poetry. The idea is to present students with a challenging poem that will perplex most of the class. An ideal poem for this aim is ‘Neither out Far nor in Deep’ by Robert Frost because it employs both figurative language and imagery, can be viewed as challenging, and effective for drawing and mapping. Begin by distributing a copy of the poem to each student,
Ø Then allow one or two students to read it aloud to the class while the rest read along. Pose the question: “What is this poem about?” and allow students a few minutes to read back over it independently and contemplate its meaning. (Do not be surprised if some students are able to provide a strong analysis of the poem’s meaning. In this event, do not confirm or deny any student responses. The students will most likely expect teacher feedback and may become frustrated without any, but this tactic prepares students to become free and independent thinkers. For students whose estimations are accurate, their views will be confirmed upon studying the poem using the approach designated for this session. Besides, this unit is about the process as opposed to the result. Students will need to understand and manage how they have reached their conclusions.)
Ø Without settling on any interpretations, have the students identify the problem by asking, “What is the true challenge of this poem?” or “What is the barrier preventing us from fully comprehending the poem’s meaning?” Then, ask the students how they might go about determining meaning (“What strategies could you use to find out what the poem means?”). Again, this places the emphasis on the process and may lead into another brief discussion.
Ø Brainstorm with the class some poetry comprehension strategies by listing them on the board. Students may refer to experiences with poetry or consider new ideas. Some of these ideas can and should be applied to this activity. One necessary strategy that students should be prompted to highlight is determining whether the poem is literal or figurative (though students may state it using different terms). You might sarcastically pose the question: “Is this poem really about people standing on the beach and staring in the sea?”
Ø Once the class decides on the poem’s manner of representation, the students should be geared to focus on converting the figurative language to its literal meaning. Ask the students how this should be done. (The individual teacher can decide when he or she should introduce drawing as a possible strategy—that is, if no one mentions it. Introduce the idea with enthusiasm and an attitude of experimentation that will hopefully prove contagious and carry over to the students).
Ø Ask students how they would initiate the drawing (“What from the poem will they draw and in what order will they draw these elements?”). These answers should be discussed and agreed upon with the class to provide a safety net for the first time. Once students are sure of their directions to draw the most important aspects of the poem’s setting (the land, the people, and the sea), set the students loose to illustrate this image. Stress that while accuracy is essential, artistic ability is not. Allow 10-12 minutes for this procedure. Such short time is necessary for students to understand that this is intended to be a sketch, a step in a set of procedures, and a form of creative expression that does not require critical thinking about the content. Students should not spend this time on trying to understand the poem’s meaning; rather, their main goal is to capture the images. Monitor this process by walking around the classroom and ensuring that students are aware of the directions and guidelines and are using their time appropriately.
Ø Once students have finished their drawings, have the students look at their individual pictures and ask them to think about what elements in the drawing are suggestive. For instance, the people they have drawn may be literal figures in their true representation, but the land and sea can both be viewed as impenetrable.
Ø Students will brainstorm as a class and the instructor should convert their ideas into word webs on the chalkboard. There should be one word web for the land and the sea comprised of mostly adjectives. The guiding questions for these word webs can be: “What does the land/sea represent? What does the land/sea make you think of? How is the land/sea depicted in the poem? What feelings and thoughts are evoked by looking at the ocean?”
Ø Members of the classroom should challenge the student’s ideas if they seem illogical. Some model ideas that may spawn from the “sea” word web are deep, mysterious, constantly in motion, unattainable, intangible, flowing, immense, captivating, intriguing, predictable, unfamiliar, blue, wet, travel, etc. Some ideas for the land are variable, immediate, familiar, dry, life, home, tangible, stable, diverse, people, etc. Some ideas that contradict each other may be paradoxes.
Ø At this point, students should reflect on both the drawing and the word webs. They should be alerted to notice that the land and sea are set up as opposition; this should be evident in the drawing because they are set on opposing sides from the people and divided by a shoreline. This is further evident in the differences between the word webs. Finally, students will be left to gather the literal meaning of the poem. They will be encouraged to explore their ideas as presented in the illustrations and word webs.
Ø Their goal will be to answer the definitive that launched this means of discovery: “What is this poem about?” Additional questions that can prompt deep thinking are as follows: “If the sea represents these things (indicate the coinciding word web), why are the people staring at it so? If the land represents these things (indicate the word web), then why are the people turning away from the land? What are the people looking for? What are the people turning away from? Have students try to make a connection between the traits of each element and the people’s behavior toward them. Students are now familiar with the process they will use to discover meaning in other poems. For closure, the students should read the poem again and collaborate all the information they established during the process.
Ø Assessment for this lesson will regard participation, as discussion and involvement are in great demand.
Ø Follow-up will be a homework assignment. Students will receive a worksheet on figurative language, which shows a table listing techniques down the left column, their definitions down the middle column, and empty spaces down the right column. The empty spaces are to be filled with examples from the poem that demonstrate the listed techniques. Students will only fill the boxes with examples that are applicable to the Frost poem. They must be told this information in advance. This assignment allows them to interact with a familiar poem and build new knowledge from the class lesson and become familiar with the poetry techniques that will be explored in this unit.
Ø The following day, the class will go over the homework assignment together. They should have identified the uses of metaphor, simile, irony, and symbolism in the poem, thereby leaving two figures of speech boxed empty (personification and hyperbole). This should allow for additional contemplation of Frost’s poem.
Ø Afterward, the teacher should distribute their drawings and give the students time to discover their own interpretation of the poem’s overall meaning. Once they have reached their own discovery, they are to put this explanation into words by writing the moral of the poem on the flip side of their drawings.
Ø Individual/refined group presentations are invited.
Session-3- Planning TM of poem and Planning unit 6 of class-VIII/IX/X- due importance is to be given for dramatization and other performance based activities.
Session- 4-Review and wrap up session.
Questions on a chart.
Frost’s Poem.
List them on a chart.
Blank sheets.
List on chart.
Work sheets.
Appendix-I
Neither Out Far Nor In Deep
The people along the sand All turn and look one way. They turn their back on the land. They look at the sea all day.
As long as it takes to pass A ship keeps raising its hull; The wetter ground like glass Reflects a standing gull.
The land may vary more; But wherever the truth may be--- The water comes ashore, And the people look at the sea.
They cannot look out far. They cannot look in deep. But when was that ever a bar To any watch they keep?
by Robert Frost
Appendix-II
What is poetry?”
“What other forms of expression is poetry similar to?”
Appendix-III
WORKSHEET
Simile
figure of speech involving a comparison between two unlike entities. In the simile, unlike the metaphor, the resemblance is explicitly indicated by the words “like” or “as.” The common heritage of similes in everyday speech usually reflects simple comparisons based on the natural world or familiar domestic objects, as in “He eats like a bird,” “He is as smart as a whip,” or “He is as slow as molasses.” In some cases the original aptness of the comparison is lost, as in the expression “dead as a doornail.”
Metaphor
A metaphor is a phrase comparing two things without using "like" or "as."
Ex. Mimi is a butterfly: free, loose, and beautiful!
The example is saying (without saying "Mimi is like a butterfly") that Mimi is free, loose and beautiful, JUST LIKE A BUTTERFLY.
Irony
Irony is a literary device that presents a conflict between appearance and reality; may be intentional or unintentional on the part of a character, but always intentional on the part of the author.
Romeo and Juliet has a classic example of dramatic irony... The audience knows that Juliet only drank a sleeping potion and is not dead. This knowledge makes Romeo's suicide over the sleeping Juliet all the more bitter.
Symbolism
Symbol - sign representing something that has an independent existence. The most important use of symbols is in language. To say so, however, does not solve the perennial philosophical questions as to the nature of the linguistic sign. Signs are usually iconic, or related to what they signify, whereas linguistic signs are generally arbitrary.
Hyperbole.
Hyperbole is exaggeration. It puts a picture into the "reader" mind. Hyperbole is frequently used in humorous writing.
Example: You could have knocked me over with a feather.
Personification
Figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to an abstract quality, animal, or inanimate object. An example is “The Moon doth with delight / Look round her when the heavens are bare” (William Wordsworth, “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood,” 1807). Another is “Death lays his icy hand on kings” (James Shirley, “The Glories of Our Blood and State,” 1659).
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
SRG -NOVEMBER-08-WORKSHEETS-APPENDIX
Appendix-II
What is poetry?”
“What other forms of expression is poetry similar to?”
Appendix-III
WORKSHEET
Simile
figure of speech involving a comparison between two unlike entities. In the simile, unlike the metaphor, the resemblance is explicitly indicated by the words “like” or “as.” The common heritage of similes in everyday speech usually reflects simple comparisons based on the natural world or familiar domestic objects, as in “He eats like a bird,” “He is as smart as a whip,” or “He is as slow as molasses.” In some cases the original aptness of the comparison is lost, as in the expression “dead as a doornail.”
Metaphor
A metaphor is a phrase comparing two things without using "like" or "as."
Ex. Mimi is a butterfly: free, loose, and beautiful!
The example is saying (without saying "Mimi is like a butterfly") that Mimi is free, loose and beautiful, JUST LIKE A BUTTERFLY.
Irony
Irony is a literary device that presents a conflict between appearance and reality; may be intentional or unintentional on the part of a character, but always intentional on the part of the author.
Romeo and Juliet has a classic example of dramatic irony... The audience knows that Juliet only drank a sleeping potion and is not dead. This knowledge makes Romeo's suicide over the sleeping Juliet all the more bitter.
Symbolism
Symbol - sign representing something that has an independent existence. The most important use of symbols is in language. To say so, however, does not solve the perennial philosophical questions as to the nature of the linguistic sign. Signs are usually iconic, or related to what they signify, whereas linguistic signs are generally arbitrary.
Hyperbole.
Hyperbole is exaggeration. It puts a picture into the "reader" mind. Hyperbole is frequently used in humorous writing.
Example: You could have knocked me over with a feather.
Personification
Figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to an abstract quality, animal, or inanimate object. An example is “The Moon doth with delight / Look round her when the heavens are bare” (William Wordsworth, “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood,” 1807). Another is “Death lays his icy hand on kings” (James Shirley, “The Glories of Our Blood and State,” 1659).
What is poetry?”
“What other forms of expression is poetry similar to?”
Appendix-III
WORKSHEET
Simile
figure of speech involving a comparison between two unlike entities. In the simile, unlike the metaphor, the resemblance is explicitly indicated by the words “like” or “as.” The common heritage of similes in everyday speech usually reflects simple comparisons based on the natural world or familiar domestic objects, as in “He eats like a bird,” “He is as smart as a whip,” or “He is as slow as molasses.” In some cases the original aptness of the comparison is lost, as in the expression “dead as a doornail.”
Metaphor
A metaphor is a phrase comparing two things without using "like" or "as."
Ex. Mimi is a butterfly: free, loose, and beautiful!
The example is saying (without saying "Mimi is like a butterfly") that Mimi is free, loose and beautiful, JUST LIKE A BUTTERFLY.
Irony
Irony is a literary device that presents a conflict between appearance and reality; may be intentional or unintentional on the part of a character, but always intentional on the part of the author.
Romeo and Juliet has a classic example of dramatic irony... The audience knows that Juliet only drank a sleeping potion and is not dead. This knowledge makes Romeo's suicide over the sleeping Juliet all the more bitter.
Symbolism
Symbol - sign representing something that has an independent existence. The most important use of symbols is in language. To say so, however, does not solve the perennial philosophical questions as to the nature of the linguistic sign. Signs are usually iconic, or related to what they signify, whereas linguistic signs are generally arbitrary.
Hyperbole.
Hyperbole is exaggeration. It puts a picture into the "reader" mind. Hyperbole is frequently used in humorous writing.
Example: You could have knocked me over with a feather.
Personification
Figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to an abstract quality, animal, or inanimate object. An example is “The Moon doth with delight / Look round her when the heavens are bare” (William Wordsworth, “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood,” 1807). Another is “Death lays his icy hand on kings” (James Shirley, “The Glories of Our Blood and State,” 1659).
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
SRG -Training-nov-21&22/08
H S –ENGLISH –SRG-TRAINING MODULE
21&22 ,November, 2008
PURPOSE
The purpose of the SRG is to strengthen the capacity of a team of trainers by applying
principles of constructivist learning, and develop a variety of training
Methodologies and facilitation skills; developing learning objectives and designing performance oriented lesson
Plans. The DRG Training is based on the principle that everyone has something to share, and by including the active input of
participants, interest and efficacy is increased.
Overview
This session provides an alternative to the prevailing approach to teach poetry. Students engage in drawing and mapping as a means to comprehend figurative language. The marked difference is the focus. Instead of teaching poetry, this session teaches skills by means of poetry. This way, students use familiar skills to construct new knowledge, which is paramount to the Constructivist view of learning—a strategy employed by this session design. This outlook makes way for Problem Based, Inquiry Based, Discovery, and Visual Learning, as well as Metacognition, Drawing, and Mapping. There is a strategic purpose for each. They all contribute to increasing reading comprehension.
Training of Trainers- COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Share experiences of the previous cluster-4.
2. Develop participants’ capacity to plan, organize, and conduct training to assess the linguistic competence of the learners based on their Products/constructs/performance.
3. Students will benefit from this strategy because it provides such enduring skills as critical thinking and problem solving that can be applied to other academic disciplines and real-life experiences. In short, the skills learned are both adaptable and transferable. This will enable students to manipulate the unfamiliar by applying familiar concepts. Interpreting poetry teaches students to apply these skills and demonstrate higher-level thinking. Too often students are taught what to think. This session places an emphasis on two important traits of education: why to think and how to think. It follows the principle “give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” This session sets out to teach students to fish. It is not enough to merely endow students with information. The success of teaching relies upon equipping students with the skills needed to survive, such as being able to think independently. Doing so requires teachers to present relevant information that students realize the benefits of outside the classroom. Furthermore, analyzing poetry teaches students to think abstractly. This is necessary because, in life, things are not always blatant, tangible, or observable. For instance, a person’s thoughts, ideas, and emotions, and such forms of language manipulation as puns, innuendo, and connotation are either intangible or initially imperceptible. Analyzing poetry requires one to think beyond and to think deeply. For it, one must probe their minds, as well as others. In result, abstract thinkers develop theories and philosophies, make uninhibited decisions, create art forms, extract meaning, and construct new meaning.
4. Equip participants with knowledge of effective training methods and develop
skills to use them.
5. Identify effective ways to monitor and evaluate training sessions and their thrust areas.
6. Help participants develop training plans for unit 6 in class VIII/IX/X.
METHODOLOGY
This session employs Jerome Bruner’s Constructivist philosophy, which holds that “we construct our own understanding of the world we live in” (Constructivism). While one source indicates that Constructivists consider learning to be “a search for meaning” (Constructivism), another source adds that, “Constructivists view learning as the result of mental construction” (What is Constructivism?). Such building, which is also referred to as “knowledge construction,” is considered the cornerstone of this theory, and it “emphasizes the central role learners play in developing their own understanding”. In this sense, “students learn by fitting new information together with what they already know” (What is Constructivism?). Such learning is provided as an alternative to having students “memorize the ‘right’ answers and regurgitate someone else’s meaning” (Constructivism). This method is founded on the basis that people learn best
When they are active participants in the learning process (What is Constructivism?). This approach entails various teaching strategies, which requires the teacher to “think of learning as a process, consider how the student learns, nurture leaner curiosity, encourage and accept learner inquiry, autonomy, and initiative, and provide learners the opportunity to construct new knowledge and understanding from authentic experiences” (What is Constructivsm?).
The training approach is based on principles of constructivist pedagogy with a focus on peer
review during all the steps of planning, organizing, and conducting a training/learning
event. The course models a variety of effective training methodologies, including
simulation, practice, discussion, brain-storming, buzz groups, case studies, , visualization in participatory programming (VIPP), and presentation.
STRUCTURE: sessions from
MATERIALS AND TOOLS: Each session includes an introduction, learning objectives,
participatory methodologies, and activities.
TIME: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
SCHEDULE.
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Training method/Process
Materials used.
Ø Initially, the teacher should assess the student’s relationships to poetry by engaging in discussion to know their attitudes. Some invoking questions are: “How is poetry different from prose?” (which replaces the typical “What is poetry?” by probing for deeper reflection), and “What other forms of expression is poetry similar to?” Asking students what they think and how they feel is a way of validating their views, and this helps build trust between the learners and the instructor. During this procedure, allow students to voice their opinions and use their responses to construct new questions that probe deeper into their view of poetry. However, this discussion should be brief and focused.
Ø Following discussion, the teacher should set out to gauge student confidence in comprehending poetry. The idea is to present students with a challenging poem that will perplex most of the class. An ideal poem for this aim is ‘Neither out Far nor in Deep’ by Robert Frost because it employs both figurative language and imagery, can be viewed as challenging, and effective for drawing and mapping. Begin by distributing a copy of the poem to each student,
Ø Then allow one or two students to read it aloud to the class while the rest read along. Pose the question: “What is this poem about?” and allow students a few minutes to read back over it independently and contemplate its meaning. (Do not be surprised if some students are able to provide a strong analysis of the poem’s meaning. In this event, do not confirm or deny any student responses. The students will most likely expect teacher feedback and may become frustrated without any, but this tactic prepares students to become free and independent thinkers. For students whose estimations are accurate, their views will be confirmed upon studying the poem using the approach designated for this session. Besides, this unit is about the process as opposed to the result. Students will need to understand and manage how they have reached their conclusions.)
Ø Without settling on any interpretations, have the students identify the problem by asking, “What is the true challenge of this poem?” or “What is the barrier preventing us from fully comprehending the poem’s meaning?” Then, ask the students how they might go about determining meaning (“What strategies could you use to find out what the poem means?”). Again, this places the emphasis on the process and may lead into another brief discussion.
Ø Brainstorm with the class some poetry comprehension strategies by listing them on the board. Students may refer to past experiences with poetry or consider new ideas. Some of these ideas can and should be applied to this activity. One necessary strategy that students should be prompted to highlight is determining whether the poem is literal or figurative (though students may state it using different terms). You might sarcastically pose the question: “Is this poem really about people standing on the beach and staring in the sea?”
Ø Once the class decides on the poem’s manner of representation, the students should be geared to focus on converting the figurative language to its literal meaning. Ask the students how this should be done. (The individual teacher can decide when he or she should introduce drawing as a possible strategy—that is, if no one mentions it. Introduce the idea with enthusiasm and an attitude of experimentation that will hopefully prove contagious and carry over to the students).
Ø Ask students how they would initiate the drawing (“What from the poem will they draw and in what order will they draw these elements?”). These answers should be discussed and agreed upon with the class to provide a safety net for the first time. Once students are sure of their directions to draw the most important aspects of the poem’s setting (the land, the people, and the sea), set the students loose to illustrate this image. Stress that while accuracy is essential, artistic ability is not. Allow 10-12 minutes for this procedure. Such short time is necessary for students to understand that this is intended to be a sketch, a step in a set of procedures, and a form of creative expression that does not require critical thinking about the content. Students should not spend this time on trying to understand the poem’s meaning; rather, their main goal is to capture the images. Monitor this process by walking around the classroom and ensuring that students are aware of the directions and guidelines and are using their time appropriately.
Ø Once students have finished their drawings, have the students look at their individual pictures and ask them to think about what elements in the drawing are suggestive. For instance, the people they have drawn may be literal figures in their true representation, but the land and sea can both be viewed as impenetrable.
Ø Students will brainstorm as a class and the instructor should convert their ideas into word webs on the chalkboard. There should be one word web for the land and the sea comprised of mostly adjectives. The guiding questions for these word webs can be: “What does the land/sea represent? What does the land/sea make you think of? How is the land/sea depicted in the poem? What feelings and thoughts are evoked by looking at the ocean?”
Ø Members of the classroom should challenge the student’s ideas if they seem illogical. Some model ideas that may spawn from the “sea” word web are deep, mysterious, constantly in motion, unattainable, intangible, flowing, immense, captivating, intriguing, predictable, unfamiliar, blue, wet, travel, etc. Some ideas for the land are variable, immediate, familiar, dry, life, home, tangible, stable, diverse, people, etc. Some ideas that contradict each other may be paradoxes.
Ø At this point, students should reflect on both the drawing and the word webs. They should be alerted to notice that the land and sea are set up as opposition; this should be evident in the drawing because they are set on opposing sides from the people and divided by a shoreline. This is further evident in the differences between the word webs. Finally, students will be left to gather the literal meaning of the poem. They will be encouraged to explore their ideas as presented in the illustrations and word webs.
Ø Their goal will be to answer the definitive that launched this means of discovery: “What is this poem about?” Additional questions that can prompt deep thinking are as follows: “If the sea represents these things (indicate the coinciding word web), why are the people staring at it so? If the land represents these things (indicate the word web), then why are the people turning away from the land? What are the people looking for? What are the people turning away from? Have students try to make a connection between the traits of each element and the people’s behavior toward them. Students are now familiar with the process they will use to discover meaning in other poems. For closure, the students should read the poem again and collaborate all the information they established during the process.
Ø Assessment for this lesson will regard participation, as discussion and involvement are in great demand.
Ø Follow-up will be a homework assignment. Students will receive a worksheet on figurative language, which shows a table listing techniques down the left column, their definitions down the middle column, and empty spaces down the right column. The empty spaces are to be filled with examples from the poem that demonstrate the listed techniques. Students will only fill the boxes with examples that are applicable to the Frost poem. They must be told this information in advance. This assignment allows them to interact with a familiar poem and build new knowledge from the class lesson and become familiar with the poetry techniques that will be explored in this unit.
Ø The following day, the class will go over the homework assignment together. They should have identified the uses of metaphor, simile, irony, and symbolism in the poem, thereby leaving two figures of speech boxed empty (personification and hyperbole). This should allow for additional contemplation of Frost’s poem.
Ø Afterward, the teacher should distribute their drawings and give the students time to discover their own interpretation of the poem’s overall meaning. Once they have reached their own discovery, they are to put this explanation into words by writing the moral of the poem on the flip side of their drawings.
Ø Individual/refined group presentations are invited.
chart.
Frost’s Poem.
List them on a chart.
blank sheets.
List on chart.
Work sheets.
Neither Out Far Nor In Deep
The people along the sand /All turn and look one way. /They turn their back on the land. /They look at the sea all day. /
As long as it takes to pass A ship keeps raising its hull; /The wetter ground like glass Reflects a standing gull./
The land may vary more; /But wherever the truth may be---/ The water comes ashore, /And the people look at the sea. /
They cannot look out far. /They cannot look in deep. /But when was that ever a bar To any watch they keep?
by Robert Frost
21&22 ,November, 2008
PURPOSE
The purpose of the SRG is to strengthen the capacity of a team of trainers by applying
principles of constructivist learning, and develop a variety of training
Methodologies and facilitation skills; developing learning objectives and designing performance oriented lesson
Plans. The DRG Training is based on the principle that everyone has something to share, and by including the active input of
participants, interest and efficacy is increased.
Overview
This session provides an alternative to the prevailing approach to teach poetry. Students engage in drawing and mapping as a means to comprehend figurative language. The marked difference is the focus. Instead of teaching poetry, this session teaches skills by means of poetry. This way, students use familiar skills to construct new knowledge, which is paramount to the Constructivist view of learning—a strategy employed by this session design. This outlook makes way for Problem Based, Inquiry Based, Discovery, and Visual Learning, as well as Metacognition, Drawing, and Mapping. There is a strategic purpose for each. They all contribute to increasing reading comprehension.
Training of Trainers- COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Share experiences of the previous cluster-4.
2. Develop participants’ capacity to plan, organize, and conduct training to assess the linguistic competence of the learners based on their Products/constructs/performance.
3. Students will benefit from this strategy because it provides such enduring skills as critical thinking and problem solving that can be applied to other academic disciplines and real-life experiences. In short, the skills learned are both adaptable and transferable. This will enable students to manipulate the unfamiliar by applying familiar concepts. Interpreting poetry teaches students to apply these skills and demonstrate higher-level thinking. Too often students are taught what to think. This session places an emphasis on two important traits of education: why to think and how to think. It follows the principle “give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” This session sets out to teach students to fish. It is not enough to merely endow students with information. The success of teaching relies upon equipping students with the skills needed to survive, such as being able to think independently. Doing so requires teachers to present relevant information that students realize the benefits of outside the classroom. Furthermore, analyzing poetry teaches students to think abstractly. This is necessary because, in life, things are not always blatant, tangible, or observable. For instance, a person’s thoughts, ideas, and emotions, and such forms of language manipulation as puns, innuendo, and connotation are either intangible or initially imperceptible. Analyzing poetry requires one to think beyond and to think deeply. For it, one must probe their minds, as well as others. In result, abstract thinkers develop theories and philosophies, make uninhibited decisions, create art forms, extract meaning, and construct new meaning.
4. Equip participants with knowledge of effective training methods and develop
skills to use them.
5. Identify effective ways to monitor and evaluate training sessions and their thrust areas.
6. Help participants develop training plans for unit 6 in class VIII/IX/X.
METHODOLOGY
This session employs Jerome Bruner’s Constructivist philosophy, which holds that “we construct our own understanding of the world we live in” (Constructivism). While one source indicates that Constructivists consider learning to be “a search for meaning” (Constructivism), another source adds that, “Constructivists view learning as the result of mental construction” (What is Constructivism?). Such building, which is also referred to as “knowledge construction,” is considered the cornerstone of this theory, and it “emphasizes the central role learners play in developing their own understanding”. In this sense, “students learn by fitting new information together with what they already know” (What is Constructivism?). Such learning is provided as an alternative to having students “memorize the ‘right’ answers and regurgitate someone else’s meaning” (Constructivism). This method is founded on the basis that people learn best
When they are active participants in the learning process (What is Constructivism?). This approach entails various teaching strategies, which requires the teacher to “think of learning as a process, consider how the student learns, nurture leaner curiosity, encourage and accept learner inquiry, autonomy, and initiative, and provide learners the opportunity to construct new knowledge and understanding from authentic experiences” (What is Constructivsm?).
The training approach is based on principles of constructivist pedagogy with a focus on peer
review during all the steps of planning, organizing, and conducting a training/learning
event. The course models a variety of effective training methodologies, including
simulation, practice, discussion, brain-storming, buzz groups, case studies, , visualization in participatory programming (VIPP), and presentation.
STRUCTURE: sessions from
MATERIALS AND TOOLS: Each session includes an introduction, learning objectives,
participatory methodologies, and activities.
TIME: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
SCHEDULE.
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Training method/Process
Materials used.
Ø Initially, the teacher should assess the student’s relationships to poetry by engaging in discussion to know their attitudes. Some invoking questions are: “How is poetry different from prose?” (which replaces the typical “What is poetry?” by probing for deeper reflection), and “What other forms of expression is poetry similar to?” Asking students what they think and how they feel is a way of validating their views, and this helps build trust between the learners and the instructor. During this procedure, allow students to voice their opinions and use their responses to construct new questions that probe deeper into their view of poetry. However, this discussion should be brief and focused.
Ø Following discussion, the teacher should set out to gauge student confidence in comprehending poetry. The idea is to present students with a challenging poem that will perplex most of the class. An ideal poem for this aim is ‘Neither out Far nor in Deep’ by Robert Frost because it employs both figurative language and imagery, can be viewed as challenging, and effective for drawing and mapping. Begin by distributing a copy of the poem to each student,
Ø Then allow one or two students to read it aloud to the class while the rest read along. Pose the question: “What is this poem about?” and allow students a few minutes to read back over it independently and contemplate its meaning. (Do not be surprised if some students are able to provide a strong analysis of the poem’s meaning. In this event, do not confirm or deny any student responses. The students will most likely expect teacher feedback and may become frustrated without any, but this tactic prepares students to become free and independent thinkers. For students whose estimations are accurate, their views will be confirmed upon studying the poem using the approach designated for this session. Besides, this unit is about the process as opposed to the result. Students will need to understand and manage how they have reached their conclusions.)
Ø Without settling on any interpretations, have the students identify the problem by asking, “What is the true challenge of this poem?” or “What is the barrier preventing us from fully comprehending the poem’s meaning?” Then, ask the students how they might go about determining meaning (“What strategies could you use to find out what the poem means?”). Again, this places the emphasis on the process and may lead into another brief discussion.
Ø Brainstorm with the class some poetry comprehension strategies by listing them on the board. Students may refer to past experiences with poetry or consider new ideas. Some of these ideas can and should be applied to this activity. One necessary strategy that students should be prompted to highlight is determining whether the poem is literal or figurative (though students may state it using different terms). You might sarcastically pose the question: “Is this poem really about people standing on the beach and staring in the sea?”
Ø Once the class decides on the poem’s manner of representation, the students should be geared to focus on converting the figurative language to its literal meaning. Ask the students how this should be done. (The individual teacher can decide when he or she should introduce drawing as a possible strategy—that is, if no one mentions it. Introduce the idea with enthusiasm and an attitude of experimentation that will hopefully prove contagious and carry over to the students).
Ø Ask students how they would initiate the drawing (“What from the poem will they draw and in what order will they draw these elements?”). These answers should be discussed and agreed upon with the class to provide a safety net for the first time. Once students are sure of their directions to draw the most important aspects of the poem’s setting (the land, the people, and the sea), set the students loose to illustrate this image. Stress that while accuracy is essential, artistic ability is not. Allow 10-12 minutes for this procedure. Such short time is necessary for students to understand that this is intended to be a sketch, a step in a set of procedures, and a form of creative expression that does not require critical thinking about the content. Students should not spend this time on trying to understand the poem’s meaning; rather, their main goal is to capture the images. Monitor this process by walking around the classroom and ensuring that students are aware of the directions and guidelines and are using their time appropriately.
Ø Once students have finished their drawings, have the students look at their individual pictures and ask them to think about what elements in the drawing are suggestive. For instance, the people they have drawn may be literal figures in their true representation, but the land and sea can both be viewed as impenetrable.
Ø Students will brainstorm as a class and the instructor should convert their ideas into word webs on the chalkboard. There should be one word web for the land and the sea comprised of mostly adjectives. The guiding questions for these word webs can be: “What does the land/sea represent? What does the land/sea make you think of? How is the land/sea depicted in the poem? What feelings and thoughts are evoked by looking at the ocean?”
Ø Members of the classroom should challenge the student’s ideas if they seem illogical. Some model ideas that may spawn from the “sea” word web are deep, mysterious, constantly in motion, unattainable, intangible, flowing, immense, captivating, intriguing, predictable, unfamiliar, blue, wet, travel, etc. Some ideas for the land are variable, immediate, familiar, dry, life, home, tangible, stable, diverse, people, etc. Some ideas that contradict each other may be paradoxes.
Ø At this point, students should reflect on both the drawing and the word webs. They should be alerted to notice that the land and sea are set up as opposition; this should be evident in the drawing because they are set on opposing sides from the people and divided by a shoreline. This is further evident in the differences between the word webs. Finally, students will be left to gather the literal meaning of the poem. They will be encouraged to explore their ideas as presented in the illustrations and word webs.
Ø Their goal will be to answer the definitive that launched this means of discovery: “What is this poem about?” Additional questions that can prompt deep thinking are as follows: “If the sea represents these things (indicate the coinciding word web), why are the people staring at it so? If the land represents these things (indicate the word web), then why are the people turning away from the land? What are the people looking for? What are the people turning away from? Have students try to make a connection between the traits of each element and the people’s behavior toward them. Students are now familiar with the process they will use to discover meaning in other poems. For closure, the students should read the poem again and collaborate all the information they established during the process.
Ø Assessment for this lesson will regard participation, as discussion and involvement are in great demand.
Ø Follow-up will be a homework assignment. Students will receive a worksheet on figurative language, which shows a table listing techniques down the left column, their definitions down the middle column, and empty spaces down the right column. The empty spaces are to be filled with examples from the poem that demonstrate the listed techniques. Students will only fill the boxes with examples that are applicable to the Frost poem. They must be told this information in advance. This assignment allows them to interact with a familiar poem and build new knowledge from the class lesson and become familiar with the poetry techniques that will be explored in this unit.
Ø The following day, the class will go over the homework assignment together. They should have identified the uses of metaphor, simile, irony, and symbolism in the poem, thereby leaving two figures of speech boxed empty (personification and hyperbole). This should allow for additional contemplation of Frost’s poem.
Ø Afterward, the teacher should distribute their drawings and give the students time to discover their own interpretation of the poem’s overall meaning. Once they have reached their own discovery, they are to put this explanation into words by writing the moral of the poem on the flip side of their drawings.
Ø Individual/refined group presentations are invited.
chart.
Frost’s Poem.
List them on a chart.
blank sheets.
List on chart.
Work sheets.
Neither Out Far Nor In Deep
The people along the sand /All turn and look one way. /They turn their back on the land. /They look at the sea all day. /
As long as it takes to pass A ship keeps raising its hull; /The wetter ground like glass Reflects a standing gull./
The land may vary more; /But wherever the truth may be---/ The water comes ashore, /And the people look at the sea. /
They cannot look out far. /They cannot look in deep. /But when was that ever a bar To any watch they keep?
by Robert Frost
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
taraining module-oct-08
DIET –PALAKKAD
H S –ENGLISH –DRG-TRAINING MODULE
28th October 2008
PURPOSE
The purpose of the DRG is to strengthen the capacity of a team of trainers by applying
principles of constructivist learning, and develop a variety of training
Methodologies and facilitation skills; developing learning objectives and designing performance oriented lesson
Plans. The DRG Training is based on the principle that everyone has something to share, and by including the active input of
participants, interest and efficacy is increased.
Training of Trainers- COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Share experiences of the previous cluster-4.
2. Develop participants’ capacity to plan, organize, and conduct training to assess the linguistic competence of the learners based on their
Products/constructs/performance.
3. Enable the RPs to plan and design strategies to process methods to boost confidence of pupils to use language.
4. Enable participants to make use of performance based/oriented lesson planning to facilitate
construction of knowledge.
5. Equip participants with knowledge of effective training methods and develop
skills to use them.
6. Identify effective ways to monitor and evaluate training sessions and their thrust areas.
7. Help participants develop training plans for unit 5 in class VIII/IX/X.
METHODOLOGY
The training approach is based on principles of constructivist pedagogy with a focus on peer
review during all the steps of planning, organizing, and conducting a training/learning
event. The course models a variety of effective training methodologies, including
simulation, practice, discussion, brain-storming, buzz groups, case studies, , visualization in participatory programming (VIPP), and presentation.
STRUCTURE: sessions from 10 am to 4.30 pm
MATERIALS AND TOOLS: Each session includes an introduction, learning objectives,
participatory methodologies, and activities.
TIME: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
SCHEDULE.
9.30 AM TO 10 AM : Registration
10 AM TO 10.30 AM : Review.
10.30 am to 10.40 am : Tea break
10.40 am to 11.30.AM : Assess the level of language competency of the pupils in written task based on their term
evaluation answer scripts.
11am to 12.20 pm : Critically examine the strength and weakness of bail out strategies implemented to improve
Language competence of the pupils.
12 .20 pm to 1. pm :Planning activities /strategies to address the thrust area –performance based activities.
2 pm to 4.30pm : Planning the unit 5 for class –VIII/IX/X, presentation/ discussion and refinement.
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Session no/
title
Time
Learning objectives
Content
Training method/Process
Materials
SESSION 1
Review of the last cluster.
SESSION 2
SESSION 3
SESSION 4
SESSION 5
9.30 to 11.30
11.30
to
12.20.pm
12.20
to 1.30pm
2 to 3pm
3 TO 4
Critically examine the strength and weakness of the bail out strategies implemented to improve
Language competence of the pupils
To enable the RPs recognize the importance of performance based activities for use of MI in learning development
To sensitise participants about various performance based activities, its importance in constructivist paradigm as a non-conscious language acquisition process.
To enable the participants to conduct a group discussion in a classroom
Comprehensive unit plan by the participants in groups for unit 5 in class VIII/IX/X.
Unit plans class VIII/IX/X/Refinement
Analyse importance of transaction strategies and examine the effectiveness of strategies implemented.
Group and individual responses to reach at consensus on
the importance of performance based activities.
Pantomime /debate/group discussion.
Developing thinking skills through six thinking hat method of Edward de Bono.
UNIT 5-Class VIII/IX/X
Group presentations
*After the initial interaction RP asks the participants to evaluate and recall the thrust area of the previous clusters and examine the strength and weakness of the strategies implemented to improve
Language competence of the pupils-teacher training, cluster training, O.S.S.
*RP asks, “How do we assess their effectiveness in pupil performance?
RP concludes that it has to be made based on learners’ products/constructs/responses.
*RP groups the participants to four or five groups and supply the answer scripts of class X for evaluation.
*RP invites the group responses about their findings,
Where do the learners stand in terms of language competency?
What are the major problems of our learners?
*RP consolidates the discussion on the major issues /difficulties of the learners and incomprehensive nature of the evaluation method.
*what were the focus areas of the clusters held so far?
RP lists the focus areas of the previous clusters in the chart.
*After the participants’ responses, RP shares his/her own experience and the changes he/she made in the transaction strategy, the discussion is consolidated on the following point:
We addressed many areas lesson planning, yet there needs to be more focus on performance based activities to enable the teacher to modify his/her strategies to apply multiple intelligence principles and develop an inclusive transaction strategy.
*RP issues copies of a newspaper report and initiates a discussion on the incident.
* RP groups the participants into theme based groups:
1)violation of social liberty in public place
2)violation of social liberty at home
3)violation of social liberty at work place
4) Violation of social liberty at school.
*RP asks the groups to discuss and find an instance of violation of social liberty in the theme got which has to be presented in the form of a pantomime.
*when the presentation is made, the other participants are asked to identify the following:
1) Theme 2) scene 3)characters
4) Possible conversation.
*RP initiates a discussion on the relevance of such activities in a classroom and concludes that such activities make class more democratic giving a chance even to the so-called backward children who may excel in performance based activities.
*RP asks the participants to read the read the passage ‘On the Rule of the Road’ in Unit V and asks if we have such examples in our social life where social liberty is violated for the interest of individual liberty/minority.
*RP suggests a topic for group discussion,’ Are hartals & strikes a violation of social liberty?’
*RP analyses the simulation activity on the basis of the constructivist pedagogy:
“Can we call this a constructivist class room activity?”
*RP introduces six thinking hat method in group discussion:
-Each member is given one minute to talk under each hat.
-discussion starts with a blue hat-
overview of the issue
What is the situation?
Why we are here?
Red hat thinking-express feelings
What do you think about it?
White hat thinking-facts and figures.
What are the facts in this matter?
Black hat thinking- logical –difficulties and problems.
Is it the only possible solution?
What will happen in future?
What are the risks?
Yellow hat thinking-constructive thinking, making things happen.
What is your proposal and suggestion ?
What is the best possible thing to do?
Green hat thinking-new ideas, options, alternatives.
What are the alternatives to this problem?
What can be a new approach to this problem?
What are the other options and choices?
Conclusion –blue hat thinking
What is the outcome of this discussion?
What is the solution and what is the next step?
RP divides the participants into three groups and assign the task of comprehensive unit plan for class –VIII/IX/X
Groups present unit plans, followed by discussions and refinement.
Performa on a chart.
Answer scripts.
Marking scheme.
*Format on the chart.
Copies of news paper report.
Paper pieces with topics to group participants (4)
Check list.
Check list
CPTA Module
Text book/hand book of class –VIII/IX/X
Comprehensive unit plans.
H S –ENGLISH –DRG-TRAINING MODULE
28th October 2008
PURPOSE
The purpose of the DRG is to strengthen the capacity of a team of trainers by applying
principles of constructivist learning, and develop a variety of training
Methodologies and facilitation skills; developing learning objectives and designing performance oriented lesson
Plans. The DRG Training is based on the principle that everyone has something to share, and by including the active input of
participants, interest and efficacy is increased.
Training of Trainers- COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Share experiences of the previous cluster-4.
2. Develop participants’ capacity to plan, organize, and conduct training to assess the linguistic competence of the learners based on their
Products/constructs/performance.
3. Enable the RPs to plan and design strategies to process methods to boost confidence of pupils to use language.
4. Enable participants to make use of performance based/oriented lesson planning to facilitate
construction of knowledge.
5. Equip participants with knowledge of effective training methods and develop
skills to use them.
6. Identify effective ways to monitor and evaluate training sessions and their thrust areas.
7. Help participants develop training plans for unit 5 in class VIII/IX/X.
METHODOLOGY
The training approach is based on principles of constructivist pedagogy with a focus on peer
review during all the steps of planning, organizing, and conducting a training/learning
event. The course models a variety of effective training methodologies, including
simulation, practice, discussion, brain-storming, buzz groups, case studies, , visualization in participatory programming (VIPP), and presentation.
STRUCTURE: sessions from 10 am to 4.30 pm
MATERIALS AND TOOLS: Each session includes an introduction, learning objectives,
participatory methodologies, and activities.
TIME: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
SCHEDULE.
9.30 AM TO 10 AM : Registration
10 AM TO 10.30 AM : Review.
10.30 am to 10.40 am : Tea break
10.40 am to 11.30.AM : Assess the level of language competency of the pupils in written task based on their term
evaluation answer scripts.
11am to 12.20 pm : Critically examine the strength and weakness of bail out strategies implemented to improve
Language competence of the pupils.
12 .20 pm to 1. pm :Planning activities /strategies to address the thrust area –performance based activities.
2 pm to 4.30pm : Planning the unit 5 for class –VIII/IX/X, presentation/ discussion and refinement.
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Session no/
title
Time
Learning objectives
Content
Training method/Process
Materials
SESSION 1
Review of the last cluster.
SESSION 2
SESSION 3
SESSION 4
SESSION 5
9.30 to 11.30
11.30
to
12.20.pm
12.20
to 1.30pm
2 to 3pm
3 TO 4
Critically examine the strength and weakness of the bail out strategies implemented to improve
Language competence of the pupils
To enable the RPs recognize the importance of performance based activities for use of MI in learning development
To sensitise participants about various performance based activities, its importance in constructivist paradigm as a non-conscious language acquisition process.
To enable the participants to conduct a group discussion in a classroom
Comprehensive unit plan by the participants in groups for unit 5 in class VIII/IX/X.
Unit plans class VIII/IX/X/Refinement
Analyse importance of transaction strategies and examine the effectiveness of strategies implemented.
Group and individual responses to reach at consensus on
the importance of performance based activities.
Pantomime /debate/group discussion.
Developing thinking skills through six thinking hat method of Edward de Bono.
UNIT 5-Class VIII/IX/X
Group presentations
*After the initial interaction RP asks the participants to evaluate and recall the thrust area of the previous clusters and examine the strength and weakness of the strategies implemented to improve
Language competence of the pupils-teacher training, cluster training, O.S.S.
*RP asks, “How do we assess their effectiveness in pupil performance?
RP concludes that it has to be made based on learners’ products/constructs/responses.
*RP groups the participants to four or five groups and supply the answer scripts of class X for evaluation.
*RP invites the group responses about their findings,
Where do the learners stand in terms of language competency?
What are the major problems of our learners?
*RP consolidates the discussion on the major issues /difficulties of the learners and incomprehensive nature of the evaluation method.
*what were the focus areas of the clusters held so far?
RP lists the focus areas of the previous clusters in the chart.
*After the participants’ responses, RP shares his/her own experience and the changes he/she made in the transaction strategy, the discussion is consolidated on the following point:
We addressed many areas lesson planning, yet there needs to be more focus on performance based activities to enable the teacher to modify his/her strategies to apply multiple intelligence principles and develop an inclusive transaction strategy.
*RP issues copies of a newspaper report and initiates a discussion on the incident.
* RP groups the participants into theme based groups:
1)violation of social liberty in public place
2)violation of social liberty at home
3)violation of social liberty at work place
4) Violation of social liberty at school.
*RP asks the groups to discuss and find an instance of violation of social liberty in the theme got which has to be presented in the form of a pantomime.
*when the presentation is made, the other participants are asked to identify the following:
1) Theme 2) scene 3)characters
4) Possible conversation.
*RP initiates a discussion on the relevance of such activities in a classroom and concludes that such activities make class more democratic giving a chance even to the so-called backward children who may excel in performance based activities.
*RP asks the participants to read the read the passage ‘On the Rule of the Road’ in Unit V and asks if we have such examples in our social life where social liberty is violated for the interest of individual liberty/minority.
*RP suggests a topic for group discussion,’ Are hartals & strikes a violation of social liberty?’
*RP analyses the simulation activity on the basis of the constructivist pedagogy:
“Can we call this a constructivist class room activity?”
*RP introduces six thinking hat method in group discussion:
-Each member is given one minute to talk under each hat.
-discussion starts with a blue hat-
overview of the issue
What is the situation?
Why we are here?
Red hat thinking-express feelings
What do you think about it?
White hat thinking-facts and figures.
What are the facts in this matter?
Black hat thinking- logical –difficulties and problems.
Is it the only possible solution?
What will happen in future?
What are the risks?
Yellow hat thinking-constructive thinking, making things happen.
What is your proposal and suggestion ?
What is the best possible thing to do?
Green hat thinking-new ideas, options, alternatives.
What are the alternatives to this problem?
What can be a new approach to this problem?
What are the other options and choices?
Conclusion –blue hat thinking
What is the outcome of this discussion?
What is the solution and what is the next step?
RP divides the participants into three groups and assign the task of comprehensive unit plan for class –VIII/IX/X
Groups present unit plans, followed by discussions and refinement.
Performa on a chart.
Answer scripts.
Marking scheme.
*Format on the chart.
Copies of news paper report.
Paper pieces with topics to group participants (4)
Check list.
Check list
CPTA Module
Text book/hand book of class –VIII/IX/X
Comprehensive unit plans.
taraining module-sept
DIET –PALAKKAD
H S –ENGLISH –DRG-TRAINING MODULE
20th September 2008
PURPOSE
The purpose of the DRG is to strengthen the capacity of a team of trainers by applying
principles of constructivist learning, and develop a variety of training
Methodologies and facilitation skills; developing learning objectives and designing process oriented lesson
Plans. The DRG Training is based on the principle that everyone has something to share, and by including the active input of
participants, interest and efficacy is increased.
Training of Trainers- COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Share experiences of the previous cluster in view of focused thrust area –process analysis
2. Develop participants’ capacity to plan, organize, and conduct training.
3. Introduce participants to principles and concepts of constructivist pedagogy.
4. Develop participants’ capacity to make use of process oriented lesson planning to facilitate
construction of knowledge.
5. Equip participants with knowledge of effective training methods and develop
skills to use them.
6. Identify effective ways to monitor and evaluate training sessions.
7. Help participants develop training plans with meta-cognitive evaluation tools to the children
METHODOLOGY
The training approach is based on principles of constructivist pedagogy with a focus on peer
review during all the steps of planning, organizing, and conducting a training/learning
event. The course models a variety of effective training methodologies, including
simulation, practice, discussion, brain-storming, buzz groups, case studies, , visualization in participatory programming (VIPP), and presentation.
STRUCTURE: sessions from 10 am to 4.30 pm
MATERIALS AND TOOLS: Each session includes an introduction, learning objectives,
participatory methodologies, and activities.
TIME: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
SCHEDULE.
9.30 AM TO 10 AM : Registration
10 AM TO 11 AM : Review.
11 am to 11.10 am : Tea break
11.10 am to 1 pm :Simulation –std IX- unit 4 –Albert Einstein
1 pm to 2 pm : Lunch break
2 pm to 4.00. pm :Planning meta-cognitive evaluation tools for- class VIII,IX,X.
4pm to 4.30pm :CPTA –Planning and Organization- discussion.
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Session no/
title
Time
Learning objectives
Content
Training method/Process
Materials
SESSION 1
Review of the last cluster.
SESSION 2
Simulation activity-informal letter.
SESSION -5
Planning meta cognitive level evaluation tools for classes VIII,IX,X
SESSION 4
CPTA –Planning organization –discussion
1 hour
2 Hours
Share the outcomes of the last cluster and recall the thrust area.
To enable the participants recognize the importance of process oriented lesson planning in language transaction and acquisition process
To enable the RPs recognize the possibilities of ZPD development
To enable the RPs recognize the importance of editing in constructivist paradigm as a non-conscious grammar acquisition process.
To familiarize RPs in developing and executing meta cognitive evaluation tools assess the children
Process analysis and importance of changing transaction strategies.
Simulation highlight the importance of process oriented planning for construction of knowledge.
Letter
Format-
-place and date
-Proper salutation
-proper conclusion
content-
-Message
-Coherence of ideas
-Language-well formed structure etc
Lay out
*RP after the initial interaction asks the trainers to fill up the questionnaire to evaluate and recall the thrust area of the previous cluster
*RP invites individual responses and consolidates the discussion on the focal point that it is the RPs responsibility to make it live, resourceful and rich.
*what was the focus area of the last cluster?
*After the participants’ responses, RP shares his/her own experience and the changes he/she made in the transaction strategy, the discussion is consolidated on the following point:
* Uses of IT, library and Process lesson planning were the focal points, CCE enable the teacher to modify his/her strategies to apply multiple intelligence principles and develop an inclusive transaction strategy.
*Initial interaction-RP,”here is an extract from the autobiography of Einstein prepared a by group in my class, please read it carefully.
* What would you do in if you were in Einstein’s place?
Will you write the letter to president Roosevelt?
*RP consolidates the discussion in the following line:
Einstein finally decided to write the letter President Roosevelt. Then RP asks the participants to write the letter Einstein is likely to write.
*Participants write the letter individually on the work sheet.
*After the individual attempt, RP asks the participants to exchange their product with their neighbour and assess the letter based on the features of a formal letter.
* RP asks them to sit groups of four after this and select the one that conforms to the features given.
* GroupWise presentations are invited.
RP selects one group product for editing.
Editing
Thematic Editing
RP presents his version of the letter and asks to make a thematic comparison
Syntactic Editing
-Identifies wrong word orders and asks, “what change would you like to make to this sentence?”
-if there’s a missing word, that part is underlined and asks,” there is a word missing here, can you suggest the word?
If it is a case of excess word, there is an excess word, can you identify ?(Eg.This is a Santhosh)
Morphological Editing
Wrong Tense form
In the case of sentences in wrong form, the RP has to underline the verb and ask, do you want to change it?
If there is no response from the learner, the RP can suggest the correct version and ask if that would be suitable.
Spelling and Punctuation
In the case of spelling errors, it can be assigned to check at home.( consult a dictionary)
After editing one group product, the rest of the group products may be given to small groups for editing.
*RP analyses the simulation activity on the basis of the constructivist pedagogy:
“Can we call this a constructivist class room activity?”
*Analysis made based on checklist.
RP consolidates the session emphasizing the need for designing meta cognitive level evaluation tools in all units to assess the children’s progress.
*RP groups the participants in groups of four or five members and assigns the task.
* RP issues the state level material after giving sufficient time complete the task given.
*Discuss CPTA
Questionnaire
Charts/BB
*Handout –Eistein’s biography
*IX- STD course book
*Hand Book
*BB/charts
Sample letter.
worksheet
Check list.
Check list
CPTA Module
H S –ENGLISH –DRG-TRAINING MODULE
20th September 2008
PURPOSE
The purpose of the DRG is to strengthen the capacity of a team of trainers by applying
principles of constructivist learning, and develop a variety of training
Methodologies and facilitation skills; developing learning objectives and designing process oriented lesson
Plans. The DRG Training is based on the principle that everyone has something to share, and by including the active input of
participants, interest and efficacy is increased.
Training of Trainers- COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Share experiences of the previous cluster in view of focused thrust area –process analysis
2. Develop participants’ capacity to plan, organize, and conduct training.
3. Introduce participants to principles and concepts of constructivist pedagogy.
4. Develop participants’ capacity to make use of process oriented lesson planning to facilitate
construction of knowledge.
5. Equip participants with knowledge of effective training methods and develop
skills to use them.
6. Identify effective ways to monitor and evaluate training sessions.
7. Help participants develop training plans with meta-cognitive evaluation tools to the children
METHODOLOGY
The training approach is based on principles of constructivist pedagogy with a focus on peer
review during all the steps of planning, organizing, and conducting a training/learning
event. The course models a variety of effective training methodologies, including
simulation, practice, discussion, brain-storming, buzz groups, case studies, , visualization in participatory programming (VIPP), and presentation.
STRUCTURE: sessions from 10 am to 4.30 pm
MATERIALS AND TOOLS: Each session includes an introduction, learning objectives,
participatory methodologies, and activities.
TIME: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
SCHEDULE.
9.30 AM TO 10 AM : Registration
10 AM TO 11 AM : Review.
11 am to 11.10 am : Tea break
11.10 am to 1 pm :Simulation –std IX- unit 4 –Albert Einstein
1 pm to 2 pm : Lunch break
2 pm to 4.00. pm :Planning meta-cognitive evaluation tools for- class VIII,IX,X.
4pm to 4.30pm :CPTA –Planning and Organization- discussion.
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Session no/
title
Time
Learning objectives
Content
Training method/Process
Materials
SESSION 1
Review of the last cluster.
SESSION 2
Simulation activity-informal letter.
SESSION -5
Planning meta cognitive level evaluation tools for classes VIII,IX,X
SESSION 4
CPTA –Planning organization –discussion
1 hour
2 Hours
Share the outcomes of the last cluster and recall the thrust area.
To enable the participants recognize the importance of process oriented lesson planning in language transaction and acquisition process
To enable the RPs recognize the possibilities of ZPD development
To enable the RPs recognize the importance of editing in constructivist paradigm as a non-conscious grammar acquisition process.
To familiarize RPs in developing and executing meta cognitive evaluation tools assess the children
Process analysis and importance of changing transaction strategies.
Simulation highlight the importance of process oriented planning for construction of knowledge.
Letter
Format-
-place and date
-Proper salutation
-proper conclusion
content-
-Message
-Coherence of ideas
-Language-well formed structure etc
Lay out
*RP after the initial interaction asks the trainers to fill up the questionnaire to evaluate and recall the thrust area of the previous cluster
*RP invites individual responses and consolidates the discussion on the focal point that it is the RPs responsibility to make it live, resourceful and rich.
*what was the focus area of the last cluster?
*After the participants’ responses, RP shares his/her own experience and the changes he/she made in the transaction strategy, the discussion is consolidated on the following point:
* Uses of IT, library and Process lesson planning were the focal points, CCE enable the teacher to modify his/her strategies to apply multiple intelligence principles and develop an inclusive transaction strategy.
*Initial interaction-RP,”here is an extract from the autobiography of Einstein prepared a by group in my class, please read it carefully.
* What would you do in if you were in Einstein’s place?
Will you write the letter to president Roosevelt?
*RP consolidates the discussion in the following line:
Einstein finally decided to write the letter President Roosevelt. Then RP asks the participants to write the letter Einstein is likely to write.
*Participants write the letter individually on the work sheet.
*After the individual attempt, RP asks the participants to exchange their product with their neighbour and assess the letter based on the features of a formal letter.
* RP asks them to sit groups of four after this and select the one that conforms to the features given.
* GroupWise presentations are invited.
RP selects one group product for editing.
Editing
Thematic Editing
RP presents his version of the letter and asks to make a thematic comparison
Syntactic Editing
-Identifies wrong word orders and asks, “what change would you like to make to this sentence?”
-if there’s a missing word, that part is underlined and asks,” there is a word missing here, can you suggest the word?
If it is a case of excess word, there is an excess word, can you identify ?(Eg.This is a Santhosh)
Morphological Editing
Wrong Tense form
In the case of sentences in wrong form, the RP has to underline the verb and ask, do you want to change it?
If there is no response from the learner, the RP can suggest the correct version and ask if that would be suitable.
Spelling and Punctuation
In the case of spelling errors, it can be assigned to check at home.( consult a dictionary)
After editing one group product, the rest of the group products may be given to small groups for editing.
*RP analyses the simulation activity on the basis of the constructivist pedagogy:
“Can we call this a constructivist class room activity?”
*Analysis made based on checklist.
RP consolidates the session emphasizing the need for designing meta cognitive level evaluation tools in all units to assess the children’s progress.
*RP groups the participants in groups of four or five members and assigns the task.
* RP issues the state level material after giving sufficient time complete the task given.
*Discuss CPTA
Questionnaire
Charts/BB
*Handout –Eistein’s biography
*IX- STD course book
*Hand Book
*BB/charts
Sample letter.
worksheet
Check list.
Check list
CPTA Module
training module
DIET –PALAKKAD
H S –ENGLISH –DRG-TRAINING MODULE
12th August 2008
PURPOSE
The purpose of the DRG is to strengthen the capacity of a team of trainers by applying
principles of constructivist learning, and develop a variety of training
methodologies and facilitation skills; developing learning objectives and designing lesson
plans; using library ,IT lab, audio-visuals. The DRG Training is based on the
principle that everyone has something to share, and by including the active input of
participants, interest and efficacy is increased.
Training of Trainers- COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Share experiences of the previous cluster in view of focused thrust area –process analysis
2. Develop participants’ capacity to plan, organize, and conduct training.
3. Introduce participants to principles and concepts of constructivist pedagogy.
4. Develop participants’ capacity to make use of library and information technology for the
construction of knowledge.
5. Equip participants with knowledge of effective training methods, visual aids and
skills to use them.
6. Identify effective ways to monitor and evaluate training sessions.
7. Help participants develop training plans-comprehensive unit plans exploring the possibilities
of IT and library.
METHODOLOGY
The training approach is based on principles of constructivist pedagogy with a focus on peer
review during all the steps of planning, organizing, and conducting a training/learning
event. The course models a variety of effective training methodologies, including
simulation, practice, discussion, brain-storming, buzz groups, case studies, , visualization in participatory programming (VIPP), and presentation.
STRUCTURE: 6 sessions
MATERIALS AND TOOLS: Each session includes an introduction, learning objectives,
participatory methodologies, and activities.
TIME: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
SCHEDULE.
9.30 AM TO 10 AM : Registration
10 AM TO 11 AM : Review.
11 am to 11.10 am : Tea break
11.10 am to 1 pm :Simulation –std VIII- unit 4 –Can we stop earthquakes?
1 pm to 2 pm : Lunch break
2 pm to 4.30. pm :Planning comprehensive unit plans- class VIII,IX,X.
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Session no/
title
Time
Learning objectives
Content
Training method/Process
Materials
SESSION 1
Review of the last cluster.
SESSION 2
IT and library in English language acquisition.
1 hour
2 Hours
Share the outcomes of the last cluster and recall the thrust area.
Recognize the importance of IT and library in language transaction and acquisition process
Process analysis and importance of changing transaction strategies.
Explore the uses of IT/library in construction of knowledge.
*RP asks, “Are our clusters effective and useful?”
*RP invites individual responses and consolidates the discussion on the focal point that it is the RPs responsibility to make it live, resourceful and rich.
*what was the focus area of the last cluster?
*After the participants’ responses, RP shares his/her own experience and the changes he/she made in the transaction strategy, the discussion is consolidated on the following point:
*Process analysis was the focal point, CCE enable the teacher to modify his/her strategies to apply multiple intelligence principles and develop an inclusive transaction strategy.
*Shows the video clippings of the devastation caused by an earthquake.
*RP asks,” What caused this devastation?”
“Why does an earthquake happen?”
“Where does it happen?”
“Are we insulated from earthquakes and such other natural calamities?”
“Does human intervention in nature cause natural calamities?”
“Can we stop a natural calamity like earthquake?”
“What all aspects should we study to know more about earthquakes”
*RP consolidates the discussion in the following line:
A detailed study demands to factor in the following; a)History of earthquakes
b) Causes of earthquakes, c) effects of earthquakes, d) methods to combat earthquakes.
*RP asks the groups to collect information on topics assigned to them from the passage ‘Can we stop earthquakes?’ in the text for class VIII.
*Participants sit in groups and take notes on the points of their topic individually.
* Participants share ideas and consolidate.
*Participants prepare a short paragraph.
* RP asks,” Can you present your write up as a seminar paper?”
“What do you want to make it a seminar paper?”
* Groups are given sufficient time to refer to internet/library/reference material copied from internet.
* GroupWise presentations are made to edit the product.
*RP initiates a discussion on the modalities of a seminar.
*Arrangements are made for a seminar on earthquake.
*welcome speech by one participant.
* Groups are called up on to present their seminar paper.
*Discussion follows and moderator (one participant to be selected) consolidates.
*vote of thanks by one participant.
* Seminar report has to be prepared
after the presentations.
*RP analyses the simulation activity on the basis of the constructivist pedagogy:
“Can we call this a constructivist class room activity?”
*Analysis made based on checklist.
**RP postulates the following points to conclude the session:
*Reference skill is very important, every child should be enabled to use school library effectively.
* Use of IT in English Language transaction is to be promoted .
Charts/BB
*Video clippings
*L c d projector
*Computer
*VIII STD course book
*Hand Book
*BB/charts
*Issue tips for grouping
*CD Files copied to computer/ Internet facility.
Check list
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at a university or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is requested to actively participate. This is often accomplished through an ongoing Socratic dialogue with a seminar leader or instructor, or through a more formal presentation of research. Normally, participants must not be beginners in the field under discussion (at US universities, seminar classes are generally reserved for upper-year students, although at UK and Australian universities seminars are often used for all years). The idea behind the seminar system is to familiarise students more extensively with the methodology of their chosen subject and also to allow them to interact with examples of the practical problems that always crop up during research work. It is essentially a place where assigned readings are discussed, questions can be raised and debates conducted. It is relatively informal, at least compared to the lecture system of academic instruction.
In some European universities, a seminar may be a large lecture course, especially when conducted by a renowned thinker (regardless of the size of the audience or the scope of student participation in discussion).
H S –ENGLISH –DRG-TRAINING MODULE
12th August 2008
PURPOSE
The purpose of the DRG is to strengthen the capacity of a team of trainers by applying
principles of constructivist learning, and develop a variety of training
methodologies and facilitation skills; developing learning objectives and designing lesson
plans; using library ,IT lab, audio-visuals. The DRG Training is based on the
principle that everyone has something to share, and by including the active input of
participants, interest and efficacy is increased.
Training of Trainers- COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Share experiences of the previous cluster in view of focused thrust area –process analysis
2. Develop participants’ capacity to plan, organize, and conduct training.
3. Introduce participants to principles and concepts of constructivist pedagogy.
4. Develop participants’ capacity to make use of library and information technology for the
construction of knowledge.
5. Equip participants with knowledge of effective training methods, visual aids and
skills to use them.
6. Identify effective ways to monitor and evaluate training sessions.
7. Help participants develop training plans-comprehensive unit plans exploring the possibilities
of IT and library.
METHODOLOGY
The training approach is based on principles of constructivist pedagogy with a focus on peer
review during all the steps of planning, organizing, and conducting a training/learning
event. The course models a variety of effective training methodologies, including
simulation, practice, discussion, brain-storming, buzz groups, case studies, , visualization in participatory programming (VIPP), and presentation.
STRUCTURE: 6 sessions
MATERIALS AND TOOLS: Each session includes an introduction, learning objectives,
participatory methodologies, and activities.
TIME: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
SCHEDULE.
9.30 AM TO 10 AM : Registration
10 AM TO 11 AM : Review.
11 am to 11.10 am : Tea break
11.10 am to 1 pm :Simulation –std VIII- unit 4 –Can we stop earthquakes?
1 pm to 2 pm : Lunch break
2 pm to 4.30. pm :Planning comprehensive unit plans- class VIII,IX,X.
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Session no/
title
Time
Learning objectives
Content
Training method/Process
Materials
SESSION 1
Review of the last cluster.
SESSION 2
IT and library in English language acquisition.
1 hour
2 Hours
Share the outcomes of the last cluster and recall the thrust area.
Recognize the importance of IT and library in language transaction and acquisition process
Process analysis and importance of changing transaction strategies.
Explore the uses of IT/library in construction of knowledge.
*RP asks, “Are our clusters effective and useful?”
*RP invites individual responses and consolidates the discussion on the focal point that it is the RPs responsibility to make it live, resourceful and rich.
*what was the focus area of the last cluster?
*After the participants’ responses, RP shares his/her own experience and the changes he/she made in the transaction strategy, the discussion is consolidated on the following point:
*Process analysis was the focal point, CCE enable the teacher to modify his/her strategies to apply multiple intelligence principles and develop an inclusive transaction strategy.
*Shows the video clippings of the devastation caused by an earthquake.
*RP asks,” What caused this devastation?”
“Why does an earthquake happen?”
“Where does it happen?”
“Are we insulated from earthquakes and such other natural calamities?”
“Does human intervention in nature cause natural calamities?”
“Can we stop a natural calamity like earthquake?”
“What all aspects should we study to know more about earthquakes”
*RP consolidates the discussion in the following line:
A detailed study demands to factor in the following; a)History of earthquakes
b) Causes of earthquakes, c) effects of earthquakes, d) methods to combat earthquakes.
*RP asks the groups to collect information on topics assigned to them from the passage ‘Can we stop earthquakes?’ in the text for class VIII.
*Participants sit in groups and take notes on the points of their topic individually.
* Participants share ideas and consolidate.
*Participants prepare a short paragraph.
* RP asks,” Can you present your write up as a seminar paper?”
“What do you want to make it a seminar paper?”
* Groups are given sufficient time to refer to internet/library/reference material copied from internet.
* GroupWise presentations are made to edit the product.
*RP initiates a discussion on the modalities of a seminar.
*Arrangements are made for a seminar on earthquake.
*welcome speech by one participant.
* Groups are called up on to present their seminar paper.
*Discussion follows and moderator (one participant to be selected) consolidates.
*vote of thanks by one participant.
* Seminar report has to be prepared
after the presentations.
*RP analyses the simulation activity on the basis of the constructivist pedagogy:
“Can we call this a constructivist class room activity?”
*Analysis made based on checklist.
**RP postulates the following points to conclude the session:
*Reference skill is very important, every child should be enabled to use school library effectively.
* Use of IT in English Language transaction is to be promoted .
Charts/BB
*Video clippings
*L c d projector
*Computer
*VIII STD course book
*Hand Book
*BB/charts
*Issue tips for grouping
*CD Files copied to computer/ Internet facility.
Check list
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at a university or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is requested to actively participate. This is often accomplished through an ongoing Socratic dialogue with a seminar leader or instructor, or through a more formal presentation of research. Normally, participants must not be beginners in the field under discussion (at US universities, seminar classes are generally reserved for upper-year students, although at UK and Australian universities seminars are often used for all years). The idea behind the seminar system is to familiarise students more extensively with the methodology of their chosen subject and also to allow them to interact with examples of the practical problems that always crop up during research work. It is essentially a place where assigned readings are discussed, questions can be raised and debates conducted. It is relatively informal, at least compared to the lecture system of academic instruction.
In some European universities, a seminar may be a large lecture course, especially when conducted by a renowned thinker (regardless of the size of the audience or the scope of student participation in discussion).
Friday, November 7, 2008
How to name it?
O God
You Left me alone
Amidst the crowd
I am,
A fish out of water
Breathless, I pant for air.
On the edge of a precipice
I stand helpless
The dizzy heights
Gives me creeps
Make me feel giddy
Your absence is a vacuum
A bottomless void
The staring blank space sprawl agape
I am a ship anchorless
Adrift in the vast expanse of the sea,
I sink and swim
With the waves, it
Wanes my vigour
A river in spate finds
It’s way in plain
And low alike
But in a drought
The river turns a ghost of its past
Lifeless,
It becomes an empty shallow abyss
Making a woeful sight in the scorching sun.
O God come
Fill in to the void
As the rain in a river
Explode in my space
Pour your self in my soul
Anchor me with love
Shore up with care
Speak soft and sweet, for
In you, there’s life
The fecund wind
The seminal elixir of life.
You Left me alone
Amidst the crowd
I am,
A fish out of water
Breathless, I pant for air.
On the edge of a precipice
I stand helpless
The dizzy heights
Gives me creeps
Make me feel giddy
Your absence is a vacuum
A bottomless void
The staring blank space sprawl agape
I am a ship anchorless
Adrift in the vast expanse of the sea,
I sink and swim
With the waves, it
Wanes my vigour
A river in spate finds
It’s way in plain
And low alike
But in a drought
The river turns a ghost of its past
Lifeless,
It becomes an empty shallow abyss
Making a woeful sight in the scorching sun.
O God come
Fill in to the void
As the rain in a river
Explode in my space
Pour your self in my soul
Anchor me with love
Shore up with care
Speak soft and sweet, for
In you, there’s life
The fecund wind
The seminal elixir of life.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
constructivism
Social Constructivism
Social constructivism emphasizes the importance of culture and context in understanding what occurs in society and constructing knowledge based on this understanding (Derry, 1999; McMahon, 1997). This perspective is closely associated with many contemporary theories, most notably the developmental theories of Vygotsky and Bruner, and Bandura's social cognitive theory (Shunk, 2000).
Assumptions of Social Constructivism
Social constructivism is based on specific assumptions about reality, knowledge, and learning. To understand and apply models of instruction that are rooted in the perspectives of social constructivists, it is important to know the premises that underlie them.
Reality: Social constructivists believe that reality is constructed through human activity. Members of a society together invent the properties of the world (Kukla, 2000). For the social constructivist, reality cannot be discovered: it does not exist prior to its social invention.
Knowledge: To social constructivists, knowledge is also a human product, and is socially and culturally constructed (Ernest, 1999; Gredler, 1997; Prat & Floden, 1994). Individuals create meaning through their interactions with each other and with the environment they live in.
Learning: Social constructivists view learning as a social process. It does not take place only within an individual, nor is it a passive development of behaviors that are shaped by external forces (McMahon, 1997). Meaningful learning occurs when individuals are engaged in social activities.
Intersubjectivity of Social Meanings
Intersubjectivity is a shared understanding among individuals whose interaction is based on common interests and assumptions that form the ground for their communication (Rogoff, 1990). Communications and interactions entail socially agreed-upon ideas of the world and the social patterns and rules of language use (Ernest, 1999). Construction of social meanings, therefore, involves intersubjectivity among individuals. Social meanings and knowledge are shaped and evolve through negotiation within the communicating groups (Gredler, 1997; Prawat & Floden, 1994). Any personal meanings shaped through these experiences are affected by the intersubjectivity of the community to which the people belong.
Intersubjectivity not only provides the grounds for communication but also supports people to extend their understanding of new information and activities among the group members (Rogoff, 1990; Vygotsky, 1987). Knowledge is derived from interactions between people and their environments and resides within cultures (Shunk, 2000; McMahon, 1997). The construction of knowledge is also influenced by the intersubjectivity formed by cultural and historical factors of the community (Gredler, 1997; Prawat & Floden, 1994). When the members of the community are aware of their intersubjective meanings, it is easier for them to understand new information and activities that arise in the community.
Social Context for Learning
Some social constructivists discuss two aspects of social context that largely affect the nature and extent of the learning (Gredler, 1997; Wertch, 1991):
Historical developments inherited by the learner as a member of a particular culture. Symbol systems, such as language, logic, and mathematical systems, are learned throughout the learner's life. These symbol systems dictate how and what is learned.
The nature of the learner's social interaction with knowledgeable members of the society is important. Without the social interaction with more knowledgeable others, it is impossible to acquire social meaning of important symbol systems and learn how to use them. Young children develop their thinking abilities by interacting with adults.
General Perspectives of Social Constructivism on Learning
Social constructivists see as crucial both the context in which learning occurs and the social contexts that learners bring to their learning environment. There are four general perspectives that inform how we could facilitate the learning within a framework of social constructivism (Gredler, 1997):
Cognitive tools perspective: Cognitive tools perspective focuses on the learning of cognitive skills and strategies. Students engage in those social learning activities that involve hands-on project-based methods and utilization of discipline-based cognitive tools (Gredler, 1997; Prawat & Folden, 1994). Together they produce a product and, as a group, impose meaning on it through the social learning process.
Idea-based social constructivism: Idea-based social constructivism sets education's priority on important concepts in the various disciplines (e.g. part-whole relations in mathematics, photosynthesis in science, and point of view in literature, Gredler, 1997, p.59; Prawat, 1995; Prawat & Folden, 1994). These "big ideas" expand learner vision and become important foundations for learners' thinking and on construction of social meaning (Gredler, 1997).
Pragmatic or emergent approach: Social constructivists with this perspective assert that the implementation of social constructivism in class should be emergent as the need arises (Gredler, 1997). Its proponents hold that knowledge, meaning, and understanding of the world can be addressed in the classroom from both the view of individual learner and the collective view of the entire class (Cobb, 1995; Gredler, 1997).
Transactional or situated cognitive perspectives: This perspective focuses on the relationship between the people and their environment. Humans are a part of the constructed environment (including social relationships); the environment is in turn one of the characteristics that constitutes the individual (Bredo, 1994; Gredler, 1997). When a mind operates, its owner is interacting with the environment. Therefore, if the environment and social relationships among group members change, the tasks of each individual also change (Bredo, 1994; Gredler, 1997). Learning thus should not take place in isolation from the environment.
Social Constructivism and Instructional Models
Instructional models based on the social constructivist perspective stress the need for collaboration among learners and with practitioners in the society (Lave & Wenger, 1991; McMahon, 1997). Lave and Wenger (1991) assert that a society’s practical knowledge is situated in relations among practitioners, their practice, and the social organization and political economy of communities of practice. For this reason, learning should involve such knowledge and practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Gredler, 1997). Social constructivist approaches can include reciprocal teaching, peer collaboration, cognitive apprenticeships, problem-based instruction, webquests, anchored instruction and other methods that involve learning with others (Shunk, 2000).
Sorting Out Variations on the Terms "Constructionism" and Constructivism"
Table by Beth Clark, Jessie Griffin, and Dana Turner (Fall, 2007)Introductory comments by Gregory Clinton
Several of the important perspectives about learning discussed in this eBook are really epistemologies – that is, sets of beliefs about the nature of knowledge. What we believe about knowledge determines a great deal of what we believe about learning; and thus even the loftiest philosophical perspectives can have practical implications for how we approach teaching and learning.
Sorting Out Variations on the Terms "Constructionism" and Constructivism"
Philosophical Perspective/Theory
Key Points
Practical Implications
Social Constructionism (epistemology)(also called simply Constructionism)
· There is no meaning in the world until we construct it.· We do not find meaning, we make it.· The meaning we make is affected by our social interpretation of the thing.· The meaning we derive for objects arises in and out of the interactive human community.
Even if you bump into a tree, you cannot get meaning directly from the tree because you have ingrained social interpretations of the tree. You will assign meaning to the tree based on your social background and it will be a different meaning than the tree will get from any other person.
Social Constructivism (epistemology)
· Reality is constructed through human activity· Members of a society together invent the properties of the world.· People create meaning through their interactions with each other and the objects in the environment.· Learning is a social process. It occurs when people are engaged in social activities.· Associated in part with the work of Richard Prawat
A group of students are given a difficult WebQuest Math problem to work through. By using the different perspectives they have gained from their different backgrounds, they can help each other solve the problem more effectively that if they had worked alone.
Vygotsky’s Constructivism (epistemology)
· Social interaction in development of cognition· Social learning precedes development· MKO (More Knowledgeable Other)· ZPD –distance between the actual development level as determined by the independent problem solving and level of potential development as determined through problem solving under MKO· In ZPD provide scaffolding –masters task remove (fading)· Social interaction leads to increased knowledge
Struggling students in a Math class are assigned a peer tutor. (MKO) The peer tutor helps their partner work through problems by providing hints and instruction. (Scaffolding) Struggling students will stop relying on MKO as they work through ZPD levels. The amount of help from the peer tutor can be gradually reduced until they are no longer needed or relied on. (fading) The struggling students have reached the MKO level and no longer are struggling.
Piaget’s Constructivism (epistemology)
· Knowledge is actively constructed· More of a “theory” on how a child’s thinking evolves over time· Focuses on the commonality of learning stages· Need for equilibrium· Detached observation
At a certain stage of development all children will become aware of “self”. A mother places a mark on a child’s face without the child’s knowledge. She then places the child in front of a mirror. If the child has self awareness, he will reach to his face and touch the mark. However, if he has not developed self awareness, he will reach out to the mirror and try to touch the mark. He is unaware that it is his image in the mirror.
Papert’s Constructionism (also called simply Constructionism)
· Not an epistemology but “a theory of learning and a strategy for education” (Kafai & Resnick, 1996, p. 1). · Knowledge is actively constructed· Learning to learn· Focuses on the variance of individual and the environment· Dynamics of change· Engagement – Learning occurs through interaction and reflection· Learners can create meaning by building artifacts
In the University of Georgia’s Instructional Design & Development master’s program, the Design & Development Tools class invites students to choose any multimedia development project they personally find meaningful (within reasonable social and professional norms). The project is not required to be instructional in nature. They are then required to reflect on the design process via readings in design literature and writing an online design journal; and structures are put into place to promote interaction about the design process among peers. Finally, finished artifacts are displayed at the end of each semester in a public showcase event.
Seymour Papert on Constructivism and (Papert’s) Constructionism:"The word with the v expresses the theory that knowledge is built by the learner, not supplied by the teacher. The word with the n expresses the further idea that happens especially felicitously when the learner is engaged in the construction of something external or at least sharable" (Papert, 1991, p.3).
One difficulty is that often the same or similar terms are used in different ways by different scholars. The table below presents several variants of the terms “constructivism” and “constructionism.” Four of these are essentially philosophical perspectives about how we as learners come to know what we know, i.e., epistemologies; and one (Papert’s Constructionism) is a theory of learning tied to a particular instructional strategy. However, all of the terms presented below relate to the belief that learning is “constructed” by learners (individually or socially) rather than simply receiving knowledge from an instructor or other source.
Another potential difficulty is that the differences between the perspectives listed below can be very subtle. Social constructionism and social constructivism, for example, appear to be two different ways to talk about the same thing. However, constructivism generally allows the possibility that people can derive meaning from objects in the environment as well as from social interactions; social constructionism denies that deriving meaning directly from objects is possible (Crotty, 1998).
One important point to note is the distinction between epistemology, a set of beliefs about knowing, and ontology, a set of beliefs about what exists or what is real. While constructionist or constructivist epistemologies generally insist that individuals construct their own realities, and no two persons’ realities will be the same, this does not necessarily mean that those who hold these views believe multiple realities exist. Belief about the nature of the external world is not the same as belief about knowledge (Crotty, 1998).
Thus being a constructionist or constructivist does not require you to believe that there are multiple versions of the universe all floating around at the same time. It does mean, however, that each of us has a uniquely constructed version of reality that we carry around with us in our day-to-day experience as human beings. Two people looking at something together never actually see the same thing in the same way.
(As stated in this chapter, some constructionists and constructivists state that they believe reality does NOT exist apart from being socially invented by people. However, usually this may be taken as an epistemological statement, not an ontological statement. Few individuals would deny, for example, that if mankind were to someday succeed in self-annihilation, the planet and the rest of the universe would continue to exist apart from our meaning-making activity.)
Social constructivism emphasizes the importance of culture and context in understanding what occurs in society and constructing knowledge based on this understanding (Derry, 1999; McMahon, 1997). This perspective is closely associated with many contemporary theories, most notably the developmental theories of Vygotsky and Bruner, and Bandura's social cognitive theory (Shunk, 2000).
Assumptions of Social Constructivism
Social constructivism is based on specific assumptions about reality, knowledge, and learning. To understand and apply models of instruction that are rooted in the perspectives of social constructivists, it is important to know the premises that underlie them.
Reality: Social constructivists believe that reality is constructed through human activity. Members of a society together invent the properties of the world (Kukla, 2000). For the social constructivist, reality cannot be discovered: it does not exist prior to its social invention.
Knowledge: To social constructivists, knowledge is also a human product, and is socially and culturally constructed (Ernest, 1999; Gredler, 1997; Prat & Floden, 1994). Individuals create meaning through their interactions with each other and with the environment they live in.
Learning: Social constructivists view learning as a social process. It does not take place only within an individual, nor is it a passive development of behaviors that are shaped by external forces (McMahon, 1997). Meaningful learning occurs when individuals are engaged in social activities.
Intersubjectivity of Social Meanings
Intersubjectivity is a shared understanding among individuals whose interaction is based on common interests and assumptions that form the ground for their communication (Rogoff, 1990). Communications and interactions entail socially agreed-upon ideas of the world and the social patterns and rules of language use (Ernest, 1999). Construction of social meanings, therefore, involves intersubjectivity among individuals. Social meanings and knowledge are shaped and evolve through negotiation within the communicating groups (Gredler, 1997; Prawat & Floden, 1994). Any personal meanings shaped through these experiences are affected by the intersubjectivity of the community to which the people belong.
Intersubjectivity not only provides the grounds for communication but also supports people to extend their understanding of new information and activities among the group members (Rogoff, 1990; Vygotsky, 1987). Knowledge is derived from interactions between people and their environments and resides within cultures (Shunk, 2000; McMahon, 1997). The construction of knowledge is also influenced by the intersubjectivity formed by cultural and historical factors of the community (Gredler, 1997; Prawat & Floden, 1994). When the members of the community are aware of their intersubjective meanings, it is easier for them to understand new information and activities that arise in the community.
Social Context for Learning
Some social constructivists discuss two aspects of social context that largely affect the nature and extent of the learning (Gredler, 1997; Wertch, 1991):
Historical developments inherited by the learner as a member of a particular culture. Symbol systems, such as language, logic, and mathematical systems, are learned throughout the learner's life. These symbol systems dictate how and what is learned.
The nature of the learner's social interaction with knowledgeable members of the society is important. Without the social interaction with more knowledgeable others, it is impossible to acquire social meaning of important symbol systems and learn how to use them. Young children develop their thinking abilities by interacting with adults.
General Perspectives of Social Constructivism on Learning
Social constructivists see as crucial both the context in which learning occurs and the social contexts that learners bring to their learning environment. There are four general perspectives that inform how we could facilitate the learning within a framework of social constructivism (Gredler, 1997):
Cognitive tools perspective: Cognitive tools perspective focuses on the learning of cognitive skills and strategies. Students engage in those social learning activities that involve hands-on project-based methods and utilization of discipline-based cognitive tools (Gredler, 1997; Prawat & Folden, 1994). Together they produce a product and, as a group, impose meaning on it through the social learning process.
Idea-based social constructivism: Idea-based social constructivism sets education's priority on important concepts in the various disciplines (e.g. part-whole relations in mathematics, photosynthesis in science, and point of view in literature, Gredler, 1997, p.59; Prawat, 1995; Prawat & Folden, 1994). These "big ideas" expand learner vision and become important foundations for learners' thinking and on construction of social meaning (Gredler, 1997).
Pragmatic or emergent approach: Social constructivists with this perspective assert that the implementation of social constructivism in class should be emergent as the need arises (Gredler, 1997). Its proponents hold that knowledge, meaning, and understanding of the world can be addressed in the classroom from both the view of individual learner and the collective view of the entire class (Cobb, 1995; Gredler, 1997).
Transactional or situated cognitive perspectives: This perspective focuses on the relationship between the people and their environment. Humans are a part of the constructed environment (including social relationships); the environment is in turn one of the characteristics that constitutes the individual (Bredo, 1994; Gredler, 1997). When a mind operates, its owner is interacting with the environment. Therefore, if the environment and social relationships among group members change, the tasks of each individual also change (Bredo, 1994; Gredler, 1997). Learning thus should not take place in isolation from the environment.
Social Constructivism and Instructional Models
Instructional models based on the social constructivist perspective stress the need for collaboration among learners and with practitioners in the society (Lave & Wenger, 1991; McMahon, 1997). Lave and Wenger (1991) assert that a society’s practical knowledge is situated in relations among practitioners, their practice, and the social organization and political economy of communities of practice. For this reason, learning should involve such knowledge and practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Gredler, 1997). Social constructivist approaches can include reciprocal teaching, peer collaboration, cognitive apprenticeships, problem-based instruction, webquests, anchored instruction and other methods that involve learning with others (Shunk, 2000).
Sorting Out Variations on the Terms "Constructionism" and Constructivism"
Table by Beth Clark, Jessie Griffin, and Dana Turner (Fall, 2007)Introductory comments by Gregory Clinton
Several of the important perspectives about learning discussed in this eBook are really epistemologies – that is, sets of beliefs about the nature of knowledge. What we believe about knowledge determines a great deal of what we believe about learning; and thus even the loftiest philosophical perspectives can have practical implications for how we approach teaching and learning.
Sorting Out Variations on the Terms "Constructionism" and Constructivism"
Philosophical Perspective/Theory
Key Points
Practical Implications
Social Constructionism (epistemology)(also called simply Constructionism)
· There is no meaning in the world until we construct it.· We do not find meaning, we make it.· The meaning we make is affected by our social interpretation of the thing.· The meaning we derive for objects arises in and out of the interactive human community.
Even if you bump into a tree, you cannot get meaning directly from the tree because you have ingrained social interpretations of the tree. You will assign meaning to the tree based on your social background and it will be a different meaning than the tree will get from any other person.
Social Constructivism (epistemology)
· Reality is constructed through human activity· Members of a society together invent the properties of the world.· People create meaning through their interactions with each other and the objects in the environment.· Learning is a social process. It occurs when people are engaged in social activities.· Associated in part with the work of Richard Prawat
A group of students are given a difficult WebQuest Math problem to work through. By using the different perspectives they have gained from their different backgrounds, they can help each other solve the problem more effectively that if they had worked alone.
Vygotsky’s Constructivism (epistemology)
· Social interaction in development of cognition· Social learning precedes development· MKO (More Knowledgeable Other)· ZPD –distance between the actual development level as determined by the independent problem solving and level of potential development as determined through problem solving under MKO· In ZPD provide scaffolding –masters task remove (fading)· Social interaction leads to increased knowledge
Struggling students in a Math class are assigned a peer tutor. (MKO) The peer tutor helps their partner work through problems by providing hints and instruction. (Scaffolding) Struggling students will stop relying on MKO as they work through ZPD levels. The amount of help from the peer tutor can be gradually reduced until they are no longer needed or relied on. (fading) The struggling students have reached the MKO level and no longer are struggling.
Piaget’s Constructivism (epistemology)
· Knowledge is actively constructed· More of a “theory” on how a child’s thinking evolves over time· Focuses on the commonality of learning stages· Need for equilibrium· Detached observation
At a certain stage of development all children will become aware of “self”. A mother places a mark on a child’s face without the child’s knowledge. She then places the child in front of a mirror. If the child has self awareness, he will reach to his face and touch the mark. However, if he has not developed self awareness, he will reach out to the mirror and try to touch the mark. He is unaware that it is his image in the mirror.
Papert’s Constructionism (also called simply Constructionism)
· Not an epistemology but “a theory of learning and a strategy for education” (Kafai & Resnick, 1996, p. 1). · Knowledge is actively constructed· Learning to learn· Focuses on the variance of individual and the environment· Dynamics of change· Engagement – Learning occurs through interaction and reflection· Learners can create meaning by building artifacts
In the University of Georgia’s Instructional Design & Development master’s program, the Design & Development Tools class invites students to choose any multimedia development project they personally find meaningful (within reasonable social and professional norms). The project is not required to be instructional in nature. They are then required to reflect on the design process via readings in design literature and writing an online design journal; and structures are put into place to promote interaction about the design process among peers. Finally, finished artifacts are displayed at the end of each semester in a public showcase event.
Seymour Papert on Constructivism and (Papert’s) Constructionism:"The word with the v expresses the theory that knowledge is built by the learner, not supplied by the teacher. The word with the n expresses the further idea that happens especially felicitously when the learner is engaged in the construction of something external or at least sharable" (Papert, 1991, p.3).
One difficulty is that often the same or similar terms are used in different ways by different scholars. The table below presents several variants of the terms “constructivism” and “constructionism.” Four of these are essentially philosophical perspectives about how we as learners come to know what we know, i.e., epistemologies; and one (Papert’s Constructionism) is a theory of learning tied to a particular instructional strategy. However, all of the terms presented below relate to the belief that learning is “constructed” by learners (individually or socially) rather than simply receiving knowledge from an instructor or other source.
Another potential difficulty is that the differences between the perspectives listed below can be very subtle. Social constructionism and social constructivism, for example, appear to be two different ways to talk about the same thing. However, constructivism generally allows the possibility that people can derive meaning from objects in the environment as well as from social interactions; social constructionism denies that deriving meaning directly from objects is possible (Crotty, 1998).
One important point to note is the distinction between epistemology, a set of beliefs about knowing, and ontology, a set of beliefs about what exists or what is real. While constructionist or constructivist epistemologies generally insist that individuals construct their own realities, and no two persons’ realities will be the same, this does not necessarily mean that those who hold these views believe multiple realities exist. Belief about the nature of the external world is not the same as belief about knowledge (Crotty, 1998).
Thus being a constructionist or constructivist does not require you to believe that there are multiple versions of the universe all floating around at the same time. It does mean, however, that each of us has a uniquely constructed version of reality that we carry around with us in our day-to-day experience as human beings. Two people looking at something together never actually see the same thing in the same way.
(As stated in this chapter, some constructionists and constructivists state that they believe reality does NOT exist apart from being socially invented by people. However, usually this may be taken as an epistemological statement, not an ontological statement. Few individuals would deny, for example, that if mankind were to someday succeed in self-annihilation, the planet and the rest of the universe would continue to exist apart from our meaning-making activity.)
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