Learning Cycle

Introduction/Initiation

Teacher: Actor, Ringmaster

Get them involved!

Students: Spectators, Judges

What's going on?

Methods:

• Use EEEPs, discrepant events or focusing questions to get students' minds on topic.
• High energy, or high curiosity the key.
• Preassessment a powerful tool, to determine what prior knowledge is available.
• Provides handles to attach the upcoming material to.

Exploration

Teacher: Facilitator, Coach

What have you tried?

Students: Investigators, Builders

What if we did this?

Methods:

• Cooperative groups, structures.
• Positive interdependence, Individual accountability.
• Hands-on/Minds-on activities!
• Laboratory experiments
• Inductive exercises-truth is yet to be found!
• Just about anything that creates interaction between students and the subject material.

Explanation

Teacher: Expert, Tour Guide

Here's what others found.

Students: Curious adventurers

Tell me an answer, please!

Methods:

• Direct Instruction, Sharing in groups.
• Students either explain their own findings within the groups, or from one group to another.
• Teacher takes them a step beyond, possibly highlighting specific answers, or adding to them.

Take Action

Teacher: Consultant, Evaluator.

That was a great job!

Students: Independent Agents, Performers, Artisans

What can I do about it?

Methods:

• Student presentations- individual or group.
• Writing assignments- journals or papers.
• Construction- build apparatus to accomplish specific purpose.
• Portfolios- short or long term.
• Can be done either in class, or at home.
• Key: personal action/ responsibility of students.

Principles of Learning
	Traditional View	Constructivist View
Students learn because....	...teachers teach.	...they want or need to know.
Learning is influenced by.....	...the school curriculum and instruction.	...learners' experiences and resultant existing ideas.
New knowledge is.....	...attained through exposure to new information.	...constructed upon prior knowledge from personal and social sources.
For better learning....	...focus on better curriculum planning, better teacher preparation, better facilities, and more time for teaching.	...you should focus on what learners want or need to know, based on their self-perceived needs and interests and societal norms.
Students succeed if...	...they study hard and meet teacher expectations.	...their needs are met by the instruction and they become self-sufficient problem solvers.
Feedback is...	...provided through quizzes and tests, which are also used for grading.	...an integral component of all facets of the learning experience and is not used for grading.
The teacher is a...	...content expert who supervises and evaluates learning.	...facilitating partner in learning with a broad content mastery.