Dr. Bobbe Baggio The Visual Connection
Key ideas
Using imagination and visualization is important to the learning process.
We all construct our own thinking...
1. Behaviorism-concerned with observable, measureable and achieveable objects
2. Cognitivism-internal mental state in terms of constructs, symbols, schemas
3. Humanism-self actualization and self direction
4. Constructivism-willingness, readiness and autonomy of the learner.
We cannot recall information that is not in our memory and we cannot form memories without first getting to the emotional/feeling/mood of the experience.
The Trilogy of the Mind
1. Affective-feeling
2. Cognitive-thinking
3. Conative-doing
Despite the fact that we do not fully know how we learn, we do know that we are, for the most part, visual learners. That visuals help to stimulate the learning experience, enhance engagement, and help students to commit to memory what they are learning.
Relevance to my work
The idea of visual engagement and it's impact on learning is nothing new to teachers of a second language or young children. Back in the day we called it 'realia' and it was critical in making meaning for students. We want students to make the connection between language, ideas and real world information. In my early years I remember much time spent looking through magazines, drawing pictures, finding real objects to bring to school to teach lessons. Technology has helped teachers and learners greatly in this regard. The construction of meaning through visual stimulus is further enhanced through student engagement. The ability for a visual treatment to spark feeling and emotion is a great way to create the hooks needed in the brain for the child to organize and recall information.
Driving Question
My driving question currently is, "What is the academic impact of mindfulness on kindergarten students experiencing chronic stress?" As I go deeper into this topic of study I may find a way to hone my research and perhaps broaden the study's either impact or participant group. I find the idea of visual learning intriguing as it can be applied to the need for visualization during the meditative practices. Perhaps kindergarten age students need an actual image to refine their focus. At times the ability to simply visualize in their mind (while a critical skill) may deem itself to be too abstract.
Need to Know
I need to continue to seek the proper visual tools in order to help my students to take the act of focusing their attention on something external and how to eventually make this an internal visualization that will positively effect their brain.
Ruth Colvin Clark Developing Technical Training
Key Ideas
Contains steps and a plan for creating a training;
Needs Assessment- to identify the problem and solutions
Task Analysis-define the content of the training program
Learning Objectives-clearly stated what exactly the students will learn/do
Assessment- how to determine if the instruction was successful
Development-of instructional materials
Try Out/ Revision-do the instruction and evaluate what needs to be revised and improved
Implementation-ready to be shared
4 Main Ingredients to Instruction:
The Information-course content
The Performance Outcomes-what the learners will do, the observable outcome
The Instructional Methods-psychological active ingredients of the program that promotes learning
The Instructional Media-the medium used to teach the lesson
Relevance to my Work
If learners are not able to do anything new as a result of their training then the training must be seen as nonproductive. A big 'take away' for me in this reading was that trainers (teachers) cannot develop materials and the plan for instruction while presenting. This is a waste of time and produces a low learning outcome. Yet, I feel that this is the current reality for teachers as we are learning ourselves as we go and rarely have a sufficient amount of time to prepare for the best learning outcomes. The time to create the instructional design does not currently exist. We attempt it, but often we are just trying to see what works. These are the ineffective training costs that Clark speaks of in chapter one. The costs, as we know, are great.
Driving Question
I need to take the time to develop my tools needed to instruct mindfulness. I need to continue to teach the reasons for the lessons and how they can be applied to their life in and out of the classroom. Perhaps I can have the students teach the lessons to others.Further tools are need to evaluate the outcomes of the research.
Need to Know
How will I develop questions and situational observations that help me to evaluate and refine the practices.
Brenda Dervin
Key Ideas
Sense making is processing information and the steps that humans take to make sense of their world. How do we bridge gaps in our learning? Human conduct is constructed and created in interactions. Sense making focuses on behavior and behavior in steps.
Relevance to my Work
I feel like I see children do this all the time. Students, like babies, are instructing themselves and constructing their information through human interactions and experience. In other words, PLAY. I like to think of the Baggio readings here, where learners must create a memory through mood and feeling first. I want my classroom to be joyful and playful. For me, this is where the most learning can happen; through excitement, discovery, wonder, and play.
Driving Question
How will I remain objective? How can I take myself as the researcher out of the equation?
Need to Know
I need to know more about how to accurately collect quantitative data.