Information Processing Family

Project Based Learning

• Long term activities
• Student centered
• Incorporates the use of cooperative learning
• Students learn to work autonomously over extended periods of time to create realistic presentations or products.

Project Based Learning

• Students learn to problem solve, design, and make decisions during the project activities

Project Based Learning Example

• In a second grade class, the teacher conducts a marketplace unit on how to create a business that sells products to raise money for families in need. Students learn to work collaboratively in small business groups. The students complete a business model portfolio, calculate loan and final profit (with teacher guidance), then design and create products.

Project Based Learning Example Cont.

• Lastly, the teacher will plan for students to sell their finished products to other students on campus. All of the profits will used to donate to families in need through a non-profit organization.

Inquiry Learning

• 5 E Learning Cycle Model: Exploration, Engagement, Explanation, Elaboration, Evaluation

Inquiry Learning: Engagement

• The teacher uses an object, event, or question to intrigue and engage students
• The teacher makes connections between what students know and what they are able to do

Inquiry Learning: Exploration

• Students are engaging in hands on activities with some guidance from the teacher.
• Students gather, organize, interpret, analyze, and evaluates data

Inquiry Learning: Explanation

• The teacher introduces new concepts and skills
• Students learn to explain their knowledge in new concepts and processes

Inquiry Learning: Elaboration

• During this stage, students engage in activities that help them apply and build their learning, and extend their knowledge and skills

Inquiry Learning: Evaluation

• At this stage, teachers evaluate student's knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• The teachers may observe and listen to students, or interact and ask questions to determine if students have made developmental progress and if the lesson plans are effective

Inquiry Learning: Example

• Teacher presents a plant and asks class "what does a plant need?" Students will engage in a hands on activity of drawing and labelling parts of a plant, then explain and predict what that plant needs to grow/survive. Afterwards, student will conduct plant experiment to grow their own seeds and analyze their predictions and results.

Inquiry Learning: Example

• Students can extend their knowledge by answering the question "what do plants give us?" The teacher will observe, interact, and assess student's progress over the course of this activity.

Socratic Method

• Students learn about ethics
• Primary Goal: is to promote critical thinking skills about difficult issues and do this by asking open ended questions
• Purpose: is to challenge student's assumptions

Steps to USE the Socratic Method

• Present a controversial topic
• Then: provide questions, students create questions, or whole class creates questions
• Begin a class discussion and allow students to group together and host small group discussions

Steps to USE Socratic Method Cont.

• One student will be designated as a leader of the small group and others participate and actively listen with respect

Socratic Method: Example

• The teacher asks students to respond to a question to check for their understanding of the topic then probes additional questions to spark critical thinking. Such as, "what unit of measurement would work best to measure the length of a car?"

Socratic Method: Example Cont.

• An expected response a student might say: "feet" then the teacher would ask the student to explain their reasoning. Then probe more questions to lead the discussion further such as "why not measure the car in yards?" The teacher can continue to ask the same student or call upon other students.