Instructional DesignInstructional DesignD. LemonD. Lemon

NC Teach II

April 4, 2009

Teaching is ComplexTeaching is Complex

Teaching involves much more than telling students information.

It involves classroom management, short and long term planning,

knowledge of content, knowledge of learning styles, use of materials, and an understanding of varied instructional skills and strategies

Are you good enough?

Estimates of teacher effect revealed that highly effective teachers tended to be effective with all groups of students regardless of initial achievement level, while highly ineffective teachers produced unsatisfactory gains among all groups of students (Sanders & Rivers, 1996).

Moreover, results were additive and cumulative, so that the contributions of both highly effective and ineffective teachers to students’ learning gains could be measured for at least four years after students left their classrooms (Sanders & Rivers, 1996). Simulations revealed that students who were assigned to highly effective teachers after having been assigned to a series of highly ineffective teachers made greater than expected gains, but not enough to make up for lost ground.

Children assigned to three effective teachers in a row scored at the 83rd percentile in math at the end of 5th grade, while children assigned to three ineffective teachers in a row scored at the 29th percentile.

This figure illustrates results from an equivalent study on math performance in Dallas (Jordan, Mendro, & Weerasinghe,

1997). The results are very similar.

Planning for InstructionPlanning for Instruction

The instructional decisions we make will increase the probability that our students will learn.

Elements of Effective InstructionElements of Effective Instruction

Teachers make hundreds of decisions every hour. The decisions that are made make the difference in the learning that occurs in the classroom.

A teacher can motivate students and can get through to the most difficult students.

Teaching Makes a Difference!

Planning for InstructionPlanning for Instruction

Planning is the key to effective instruction

Effective teachers spend necessary time deciding on how to facilitate an environment where varied learning styles are met.

Define Instructional GoalsDefine Instructional Goals

An objective may be defined as a general statement of desired accomplishment.

Example: Given peanut butter, jelly, and bread, the learner will follow the steps to create a delicious sandwich.

Conduct a Task AnalysisConduct a Task Analysis

Identify which prerequisite skills need to be mastered to reach the objective. The task analysis is performed by asking "What are all of the things the student must know and/or be able to do to achieve the goal?" 

Prerequisite skills needed to make a Prerequisite skills needed to make a sandwichsandwich

Open the jarsUse a knifeSpread the peanut butter without tearing

the breadSpread the two ingredients evenly so

that the sandwich is not overpowered by one taste

Select the Objective: Level of Select the Objective: Level of DifficultyDifficulty

If we start instruction at a level that is either too easy or too difficult for the learners, we are wasting their time and ours.

Task analysis can add precision to a

teacher’s diagnosis of students’ learning needs.

A task analysis is done by listing the subskills or prerequisites that are necessary for a student to accomplish a given objective.

Select the objective at the correct Select the objective at the correct level of difficultylevel of difficulty Once the sub-

learnings are listed, eliminate any learnings not essential and sequence the learnings.

Select an objective at the correct Select an objective at the correct level of difficultylevel of difficulty Make task analysis part of your daily thinking and planning Before you teach, consider what your students will need to know before you begin Do they know the necessary prerequisite skills needed to be successful? How can you give your students a quick assessment to determine what they

know?

Your TurnYour Turn

Think about a task that you know how to do well. It can be something you perform each day such as driving, cooking, changing diapers, etc., or a task you do occasionally such as decorating a tree or dancing

Write the name of the task at the top of your paper and think about all of the prerequisite skills you need to understand and be able to do to accomplish the task

List all of these skills and be prepared to discuss the process

Designing InstructionDesigning Instruction

Step One – Decide on your objective

Think:What will the students be able to “do”

when demonstrating mastery of this objective?

Designing InstructionDesigning Instruction

Review the lesson plan for today’s lesson and discuss

Using the lesson plan format given, choose an objective you are going to teach to others and write this goal under “Statement of Objective”

Selecting an objective: Level of Selecting an objective: Level of complexitycomplexityStudents have the most difficulty

with problems requiring higher levels of thinking.

When teachers understand the various levels of cognition, (domains) it is easier to write plans that encourage mastery learning of the objectives.

Defining Higher Levels of ThinkingDefining Higher Levels of Thinking

Benjamin Bloom developed a classification of thinking skills: Bloom’s Taxonomy

Consider the difference in difficulty between memorizing and singing a song and creating the words and melody for an original one!

Bloom’s Taxonomy Bloom’s Taxonomy Knowledge: recalling facts Comprehension: comprehend the facts, summarize Application: solve a problem in a new situation Analysis: break down information and identify relationships between the parts Synthesis: bring together several pieces of

information, ideas, or skills and arrange them into a creative new whole

Evaluation: make a judgement and give reasons to support that particular position

Bloom’s TaxonomyBloom’s Taxonomy

Knowledge: write, list, name, label, define

Understanding: summarize, explain, describe, draw a picture, predict, defend

Application: develop, propose, demonstrate, use

Bloom’s TaxonomyBloom’s Taxonomy

Analysis: break into parts, clarify, identify the patterns, issues

Synthesis: design, create, compose, invent

Evaluation: conclude and support that conclusion, select the best and tell why, criticize, choose and justify your decision

Revised BloomRevised BloomOriginal Terms New TermsOriginal Terms New Terms

Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis

Application

Comprehension

Knowledge

•Creating

•Evaluating

•Analysing

•Applying

•Understanding

•Remembering

(Based on Pohl, 2000, Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn, p. 8)

Sample Unit : SpaceSample Unit : SpaceRemembering Cut out “space” pictures from a magazine. Make a display or a

collage. List space words (Alphabet Key). List the names of the planets in our universe. List all the things an astronaut would need for a space journey.

Understanding Make your desk into a spaceship, Make an astronaut for a puppet play. Use it to tell what an astronaut does. Make a model of the planets in our solar system.

Applying Keep a diary of your space adventure (5 days). What sort of instruments would you need to make space music? Make a list of questions you would like to ask an astronaut.

Analyzing Make an application form for a person applying for the job of an astronaut. Compare Galileo’s telescope to a modern telescope. Distinguish between the Russian and American space programs.

Evaluating Compare the benefits of living on Earth and the moon. You can take three people with you to the moon. Choose and give reasons. Choose a planet you would like to live on- explain why.

Creating Write a newspaper report for the following headline: “Spaceship out of control”. Use the SCAMPER strategy to design a new space suit. Create a game called “Space Snap”. Prepare a menu for your spaceship crew. Design an advertising program for trips to the moon.

Your TurnYour Turn

Complete the Bloom’s Taxonomy activities in your group

Each group must reach consensus on the answers and be able to defend your reasoning

Teach to the ObjectiveTeach to the Objective

Teachers must plan instruction around clearly defined objectives NOT activities

Think about what the learning will look like if it is accomplished. Are you teaching what you are assessing?

Teacher and learner time should be spent on the task

There is a direct relationship between the amount of time a student spends working on a

task and the achievement of that task

Teach to the ObjectiveTeach to the Objective

To increase student achievement in your

classroom: specify what the student is to learn

(clearly define the objective) find ways to keep the student involved

with the specific learning (plan teacher and student behaviors that lead to the

accomplished task of that objective)

Teach to the objectiveTeach to the objective When selecting your activities, ask yourself the

following questions: What new learning(s) do I want my students to

be able to do at the end of class? What is the thinking skill needed to achieve this

objective? Does my objective match the thinking level

required of the task? What percent of time will be devoted to student

engagement of the pursuit of the intended learning?

Designing InstructionDesigning Instruction

Focus and Review

Think…..How will I generate interest in the objective I am going to teach? What prerequisite skills will students need

to know to be successful?

Your TurnYour Turn

Review the objective you listed on your lesson plan

Quickly complete a task analysis to review the prerequisite skills required for success

Decide on the thinking level required for students to successfully master the objective

Decide on a way to introduce the task and generate interest

Complete the section for focus and review on your lesson plan form

Monitor and AdjustMonitor and Adjust

Porter and Brophy (1988):“Effective teachers continuously monitor

their students’ understanding of presentations and responses to assignments. They routinely provide timely and detailed feedback…”

Research states that the most effective teachers ask an average of 24 questions during a 50-minute period: the least effective asked an average of 8.6.

Monitor and Adjust Monitor and Adjust

Mager (1968): “If telling were the same asteaching, we’d all be so smart we couldhardly stand it.” Without the monitoring and adjusting, we’d be simply telling!

Of the variables influencing learning, frequent assessment and feedback are ranked among the most important.

A traditional view of the teacher is of someone who dispenses knowledge: someone who Lectures, tells, disseminates, covers material. The students sit passively while the teacher does all of the work. Consider the amount of information available to students through technology. Teaching has to change!

Teaching StrategiesTeaching Strategies

Effective Teaching StrategiesEffective Teaching Strategies

Demonstrations allow students to experience more fully the information and concepts the teacher wants to impart during the lesson. Although the teacher is still the center of the action and the dispenser of knowledge, students can more easily see what they need to know and more efficiently link it to prior knowledge in their own ways. Students remember much better what they have both heard and seen (or even touched, smelled, or tasted)!

Effective Teaching StragegiesEffective Teaching Stragegies

Mastery occurs when students are able to use the information when they need it!

Students need to be actively involved in learning – what are they doing to demonstrate the new learning?

A great way to assess mastery is to ask students to teach others.

Your TurnYour Turn

Think about a teacher who made an impact on your learning

What teaching strategies did the teacher use to make learning effective?

List any strategies or activities you remember and be ready to share and list on the board.

Select an Instructional MethodSelect an Instructional Method

The purpose of selecting an instructional method is to identify and employ teaching strategies and techniques that most effectively achieve the performance objectives.

Active LearnersActive Learners

Current educational theory and research support the use of instructional methods that make students active learners (e.g., lecture, lab, small group discussion, case-based study, simulations, independent study, etc.).

Designing InstructionDesigning Instruction

Design teaching and learning strategies to teach the objective.

Think…..

What should the students do to effectively learn the objective?

Designing InstructionDesigning Instruction

Teacher Input – What information do students need to know? How will you disseminate this information?

Guided Practice – How will you assess if students understand the knowledge before assigning independent practice?

Independent Practice - How will students apply and practice the new knowledge?

Your TurnYour Turn

Think about the objective you have chosen to teach and decide on what information you must provide

How will you facilitate an environment for students to learn this information?

Complete the teacher input, guided practice and independent practice part of your lesson plan form

Monitoring StrategiesMonitoring Strategies

Choral responses Signals (thumbs

up or down) Write answer

down Discuss answer

with a partner

Steps in Monitoring and AdjustingSteps in Monitoring and Adjusting

Elicit overt behavior: Check the behavior Interpret the behavior Act on the interpretation -Adjust the level of difficulty -Move on -Reteach -Abandon

Curriculum and Assessment to Curriculum and Assessment to Improve Teaching and LearningImprove Teaching and Learning

Focus on standards as the basis for developing curriculum and developing assessments

Backward Design: Identify the NCSCOS objectives that define what students should know and be able to do,

Determine the assessments that will allow the students to demonstrate what they’ve learned,

Decide on the instructional strategies that will prepare students to show what they have learned

Designing InstructionDesigning Instruction

Closure

What will students do to help them remember the new learning?

Think……

Research tells us that the brain easily remembers the first and last parts of a

task. How will I close the lesson to promote further retention?

Your TurnYour Turn

Review the strategies you listed to teach your students the objective you have chosen to teach

How will you know they understand?Complete the closure section of your

lesson plan

AssessmentAssessment

Should provide ongoing feedback to students and teachers regarding what students have learned

Should be used to improve teaching and learning, not simply judge and/or rank student performance

Should include a wide range of methods such as traditional paper/pencil tests, projects, performance tasks, rubrics, portfolios, etc

Plan and ReflectPlan and Reflect

It is important to remember that sometimes the plans that look so good on paper actually fail in practice. Remember to reflect on each lesson by analyzing the teaching methods implemented and the course materials provided. Did students learn the intended objective? What will you do differently next time?

Elements of a Lesson PlanElements of a Lesson Plan

Objectives--what students will be able to do as a result of the lesson

Standards--which state content and developmental standards are addressed in the lesson

Procedures--what the teacher will do to get the students there

Assessment --what the teacher can do to see if the lesson was taught effectively:  watching students work, assigning application activities, getting feedback, etc. 

Modifications/accommodations for any special needs students in the class

Elements of Lesson PlansElements of Lesson Plans

Additionally, many lesson plans also include:      Materials needed for the class period and any special equipment      Time estimates, and of course procedural subpoints.

Planning for InstructionPlanning for Instruction

Anticipatory Set (setting the stage)--attention-getter and focuser

Statement of Objectives--tell students what they'll be able to do as a result of the lesson

Instructional Input--lecture, but not necessarily lecture: demo, explanation, instructions

Guided Practice--help students start practicing new skills, applying new knowledge

Check for Understanding--watch faces, ask questions Independent Practice--turn them loose to work on their

own, homework assignment, etc. Closure—summarize the main points that students

should remember

Your TurnYour Turn

Review and refine the plan you have written. Exchange plans with a partner and critique

the lesson plans using the rubric provided.

Effective Instructional SkillsEffective Instructional Skills

The teacher in the classroom makes the difference Teacher behaviors have a direct link to student achievement Classroom instruction and climate have nearly as much impact on learning as student aptitude Detailed planning is imperative to

successful teaching

Lesson Plan AssignmentLesson Plan Assignment

Review the lesson plans and be prepared to ask questions and/or discuss

What new learning is to occur and how will the students demonstrate the new learning?

Are students actively involved in the learning process?

Lesson Plan AssignmentLesson Plan Assignment

Choose an objective from the curriculum you plan to teach

Work in groups to brainstorm and analyze available resources

Use the lesson plan format provided and develop a detailed plan for one of the objectives

Submit to me via Taskstream and share with classmates for feedback

Lesson Plan ResourcesLesson Plan Resources

www.ncpublicschools.org http://www.gaston.k12.nc.us/dep

artments/eleminstr/pacing.htm http://www.gaston.k12.nc.us/dep

artments/secinstr/index.htm http://www.learnnc.org/