The Student Lesson Plan: A New Approach
The Student Lesson Plan: A New Approach
The Student Lesson Plan: A New Approach
The Student Lesson Plan: A New Approach
According to (Davies, 1999, as cited in Biesta, 2007), "The idea that education
should be or become an evidence-based practice and that teaching should be or
become an evidence-based profession has recently come to prominence in
several countries around the world." Over the past several decades in the United States, instructors at all levels are being encouraged to embrace and implement more philosophies and techniques that promote student-centered instructional strategies that focus on performance-based results instead of consistently relying on teacher-centered methodologies as the standard practice for preparing learners for the 21st century world. For the most part, educators, who have been teaching for a substantial amount of time, recognize that gone are the days of teaching the "way we were taught" with no teacher accountability, standardization and/or dissection of outcomes. As professional educators and scholars, we must understand the importance of educational philosophers such as, Dewey, Tyler, as well as other theorists and philosophers that have helped us arrive at this current mindset in regards to the definitions, expectations and the assessments that identify and delineate effective versus ineffective instruction. As the push for student-centered instruction continues, I have come to grasp that the standard approach that we currently use for planning instruction for meeting the standards and goals is in direct contrast with the student-centered philosophy. Although the verbiage of the terms of "objectives, standards, and the results of standardized test scores" have been around for decades, the pressure to succeed as been "stepped up" since the implementation of NCLB. As early as 1949, Tyler purposes the following questions on the first page of his text, Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction: "But how are objectives obtained? Is there any place for a systematic attack upon the problem of what objectives to seek?" (p.3).
The early theorists have laid the foundation for our current mindset of student-centerrning. Are you familiar with the definitions and principles of constructivism? Constructivism's ideology has developed over the years due to works by such theorists as Piaget, Bruner, Vygotsky, and Dewey, and in a constructivist classroom, students participate actively in their own learning, which involves problem solving strategies and critical thinking skills (Carol, 2001). I am a true constructivist by heart, and I cannot believe that it has taken me so long to become aware of the current paradox in regards to the standard approach that we as professional educators use for planning and implementing instruction. It is now time for us to bridge the two concepts together. As stated almost a decade ago by (Applefied, Huber, and Moallem, 2000) who documented "Although constructivism is a theory about learning rather than a description of teaching, some important strides toward defining the relationship between theory and practice have been made." We must now continue these strides ten years later. Therefore, I make the following proposal: the student lesson plan. The basic premise or design of this technique is simplistic in style and format for the purposes of establishing a "blueprint" or universal approach that can be applied to any level or course. The student lesson plan allows for student ownership and for students to construct their own meaning based on their own intellectual strengths and talents within the confines of the course objectives, standards, and/or competencies. To demonstrate how this process could be implemented at the various levels of education, I have included 2 examples (Appendix A represents an accelerated college course, and Appendix B represents a high school course). Also, I have designed the two appendices to represent how a gradual shift can be made from the teacher-designed lesson plan to the student-centered lesson plan. Appendix C has been included as a "guiding tool" for instructors and students to help in the initial brainstorming and dialoguing of the process.
Step 1: At the beginning of every course, the Instructor distributes to the students the course's content/syllabus/curriculum of any given course in a simplistic broad spectrum.
Step 2: The student designs their own lesson plan(s) on what information/skills/talents that they hope to obtain from the course's content, how they will demonstrate mastery, and how they plan to use the newly acquired information in the future.
Step 3: The instructor works with the student to provide feedback, and approves ideas, submitted by the student.
Step 4: The student and instructor work together (based on the timelines of the course) to monitor progress and to make any adjustments that are necessary.
Step 5: At the end of the course's completion, the student will complete the reflection portion of the process that will include a self-evaluating tool to determine the effectiveness of the collaborati
References
Applefield, J., Huber, R., & Moallem, M. (2000). Constructivism in Theory and Toward a
Better Understanding. High School Journal, 84(2), 35
Biesta, Gert (2007). Why "What Works" Won't Work: Evidence-Based Practice and the
Democratic Deficit in Educational Research. Educational Theory,57(1),1-22. Retrieved
February 8, 2009, from ProQuest Education Journalsdatabase. (Document
ID:1212540661).
Carol."Editor's note."The Book Report20.3(Nov-Dec 2001):1(1).General
OneFile.Gale.Apollo Library-Univ of Phoenix.20Gale Document Number:
A79974201
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic
Books.
Tyler, R. W. (1949). Basic principles of curriculum and instruction. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press.
Appendix A English (college course) Student Learning Plan- Due by the end of week 1
General Course Description- This course covers the rudiments and best practices of using written communication in business and in the information technologies. Based on the course description, my overall learning goal(s) for the course is the following______________________________________.
Course Objectives- Based on the review of the syllabus and the course objectives, I have outlined at least one learning goal for each week that I can apply to my personal and/or professional life. Below, I have outlined the final, tangible product/assignment that will be produced by me to demonstrate my mastery, and I have also included how this final product will help me in my personal/professional life.
Week One: The Technical Writing Process
Identify uses of technical writing in corporate settings.
Explain the differences between technical writing and expository writing.
Learning Goal Week 1: _______________________________________
Week Two: Technical Writing in the Corporate Environment
Classify intellectual property issues in the corporate environment.
Design letters and memos with adequate formatting for the corporate environment.
Learning Goal Week 2: _____________________________________________
Week Three: Writing Reports & Proposals
Apply efficient document design in technical writing.
Craft a request for proposal.
Learning Goal Week 3: _______________________________________________
Week Four: Writing Technical Instructions & User Manuals
Integrate suitable visual elements into a user manual.
Create clear, concise, accurate, and coherent written communication for a user manual.
Categorize the criteria for writing a user manual.
Learning Goal Week 4: _________________________________________
Week Five: Preparing Presentations
Use successful layouts and designs in presentations.
Arrange a presentation for management addressees.
Learning Goal Week 5: ____________________________________________
Appendix A (continued)
College English Course- Learning Plan- Due at the end of week 5
At the end of the course, I will revisit my learning goals for each week, and I will write a reflective statement that describes my areas of strengths and weaknesses.
Your original Learning Goals
Your Finished product that represents the mastery of this goal
How you plan to use this finish product or the skill that you acquired from completing this assignment in the future
Your Reflective statement over your learning experience
Learning Goal for week 1:
Learning Goal for week 2:
Learning Goal for week 3:
Learning Goal for week 4:
Learning Goal for week 5:
Write your own "take-away" statement that describes your overall learning for the course.
Appendix B Tennessee Language Arts Standards 2009-2010 Implementation- English IV Student Lesson Plan- Due by the end of the first grading period
Lockwood's Objectives for English IV: This year we will focus on developing and improving skills that you need for your professional and personal life in the 21st century, such as: a. reading b. writing c. speaking d. listening e. debating f. reflecting g. responding to multimedia h. problem based learning and I. the technological applications to our learning. If you review the state standards below, you will see that we are "right on track" here in our classroom.
***This class will be taught from a student-centered perspective by utilizing an interactive format. There will be class discussions, projects, speeches, debates, field trips, as well as, group projects and individual written exercises.
It is now your job to have "a say" and to have input into what you are learning, how you want to learn it, and how you want to demonstrate that you have mastered this standard through a tangible, finished product. In other words, instead of me as the instructor outlining what projects/papers/ visual aids that you will create to master the standard and receive a grade. You will tell me as you review the set of state standards that I have provided for you what you are will do to master the standard to receive the grade. Your only requirement is to complete 2 standards for each grading period so by the end of final grading period (period 4), you will have demonstrated mastery for all of the standards.
Standard 1- Language
Standard 2- Communication
Standard 3- Writing
Standard 4- Research
Standard 5- Logic
Standard 6- Informational Text
Standard 7- Media
Standard 8- Literature
Appendix B- (Continued)
Your original Learning Goals
Your Finished product that represents the mastery of this goal & your choice of due date (must be within the time frame of the grading period)
How you plan to use this finish product or the skill that you acquired from completing this assignment in the future
Your Reflective statement over your learning experience
Learning Goal for standard 1
Language:
Learning Goal for standard 2 Communication:
Learning Goal for standard 3
Writing:
Learning Goal for standard 4
Research:
Learning Goal for standard 5
Logic:
Learning Goal for standard 6
Informational Text:
Learning Goal for standard 7
Media :
Learning goal for standard 8
Literature:
Write your own "take-away" statement that describes your overall learning for the course.
Appendix C Create your own activity or select two optional activities for each standard.
Standard/Competency
Options of Activities
As you make your selections, Think about how you like to learn- (computer, songwriting, etc.) and/or Multiple Skill of Intelligence Level (Gardner, 1983) - (Bodily-kinesthetic, Interpersonal, verbal-linguistic, Logical-mathematical , naturalistic, intrapersonal, visual-spatial, musical)
*Create a movie maker video over an agreed upon topic. Present your work to the class.
*Write, perform and/or produce an original song over a topic included in the course content.
*Create and perform an interpretative dance that represents a character's progression
*Build a replica/model that represents one of the literary periods/culture
*Prepare and teach a 15-minute lesson to the class with appropriate visuals
*Research, Develop and Present a business plan to the class based on an original product or service that you will be successful in the 21st century marketplace.
*Create "hard copy" visual aids that re-tells one of the stories covered.
*Design a webpage over the course's content.
*Design a computer/interactive game that teaches the material.
* Write a short story based on combined storylines and/or characters from various works.
*Design a comic book or illustrated children's story that follows a storyline from one of the stories covered.
*Research, Create and Design costumes that represent dress from a literary period .
*Prepare a food banquet/ feast that represents one literary period.
Standard 1
Language
Standard 2 Communication
Standard 3 Writing
Standard 4 Research
Standard 5 Logic
Standard 6
Informational Text
Standard 7 Media
Standard 8 Literature
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