In the video, Can We Believe Our Eyes, students learn how to make a light bulb work. We first see students learning about circuits and electricity in the traditional manner through a lecture focusing on reciprocal teaching consisting of summarizing, generating questions, clarifying information, and predicting results. The teacher also seems to use the IRE pattern of lecturing: initiate, respond, and evaluate. Most importantly, the lecture is teacher-centered as the conduit of information and, as a result, focuses on lower levels of learning: rote memorizing of facts to answer questions, and understanding. However, when the brightest student was asked to apply the knowledge a month later, she was unable to do so and reverted back to her initial assumptions prior to the lesson on electricity and circuits.
When the lesson on lighting a light bulb was restructured to allow for students to construct their own knowledge through experiences (Moreno 298), the constructivism method of teaching and learning were far more successful. The lessons were based on problem-based learning where students were presented with an ill-defined problem (lighting a light bulb with only a wire(s) and battery) that must be solved in collaborative groups (Moreno, 313). The teacher provided the materials and well-timed hints or directions (Moreno, 300) to promote guided discovery so that students could find the solution to the ill-defined problem, or through discovery learning, which is found to be more successful than memorizing rules and explanations (Moreno, 299). We see confirmation of this finding when we reflect back on the initial teacher-centered light bulb lesson. The students worked individually and in small groups, discussing possible next steps and solutions as they worked toward a solution. The cooperative learning environment promoted positive interdependence and individual accountability as the students took ownership of their problem solving method (Moreno, 306). The classroom environment became a community of learners (Moreno, 303) where individuals work together to make sense of the problem at hand. Throughout the process and during self-evaluation of their discoveries, students articulated how they solved the problem and what they learned. They added on information to each so that the complete concept of electricity, circuits and lighting a light bulb was constructed. Further, students felt that their learning was deeply embedded and would be remembered for years to come.
One of the most important ideas I learned was that we may teach students but it doesn’t mean that they have learned the information even though they may do well on the end-of-unit assessment which tend to focus on rote knowledge and basic comprehension. Students’ notions that they bring to the lesson impacts their ability to learn. The value of solving a problem individually or with a small group has far greater impact on learning and remembering the information than if a teacher presents the answer. It is difficult to stand in front of a class and ask open ended, ill-defined questions and wait for the answer. There are many quiet minutes as brains process. There are random answers and repeated answers as students cling to what they think is the answer. I recently watched first graders try to divide a square and rectangular post-it into equal thirds. They initially learned to divide a circle into equal thirds. The students wanted to use the same method (y-shaped lines) to divide the square and rectangle, but could see it didn’t work. Continually, they erased and drew a similar shape time and time again. I prompted students to try a new way of thinking and dividing since the current method wasn’t working. Eventually a few students began to try vertical or horizontal lines. Initially these lines weren’t dividing the shape equally but they moved towards equal divisions. Those students that figured it out, taught other students how to do it. These students were then able to replicate the divisions on a new post-it and explain why the new method worked. This was a very difficult, ill-defined problem. The students rose to the challenge, worked together, and solved the problem. They all were very excited about what they learned.
Moreno, R. (2008). Educational Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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