Two comments: I give kudos to a system that realizes that student-led "discovery" methods are not very valuable--I would not be surprised to learn that many teachers might have previously favored that approach. So gettng the teachers to see that teacher-led direct instruction is valuable is a positive move, IMHO.
Second, I do have my own issue with the first article: just because students are "engaged" does not mean they are "learning." To wit: discovery learning methods. They needed to provide some evidence that this particular engagement leads to learning. They cite this: 5% transfer after theory only, 10% transfer after theory and demonstration, 20% transfer after demonstration and practice during training, 25% transfer after the above plus corrective feedback during training and, 90% transfer after the above plus in-situation coaching. But give no source :( as a 1987 study...??? I believe this predates much of the Hake publications and predates most current teachers' passing through their own educations in education. Finally, although they do cite Hake; they also cite Willingham, who is probably MUCH more familiar to psychologists ;) I very much like most of his work on pedagogy and especially is work on disabusing people of their silly notions about learning styles. I am shocked how many people in general, and teachers in particular, are followers of the learning styles BS. I recently attended a teaching conference and changed my whole presentation overnight when all I heard the previous two days was learning style psychobabble. UGH. My colleague just had this experience at a WASC sponsored conference. Note: it's not the conference organizers but the attendees, en masse, who spout this junk. Annette Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph. D. Professor, Psychological Sciences University of San Diego 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 [email protected] ________________________________________ Subject: Google Donates One Million Dollars to Local Schools From: Richard Hake <[email protected]> Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2012 19:53:30 -0700 X-Message-Number: 8 *********************************************** ABSTRACT: Frank Noschese of the Modeling discussion list pointed to a report "Google donates $1 million to local schools" [Veronin (2012a)] at <http://bit.ly/LXOcrY>. Veronin wrote (paraphrasing): "The bulk of that money was used to set up the 'Explicit Direct Instruction' program. The district paid DataWORKS <http://bit.ly/N6Rw4n> for the program which is designed to keep students engaged through a variety of methods - including the use of individual white boards and peer-to-peer quick-study sessions - while simultaneously allowing teachers to quickly identify those students who are having trouble with the material as well as those who have a grasp on concepts, so that they can spend time with those children who need extra help and let the faster kids move ahead. Efficiency is the name of the game with EDI." Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University Links to Articles: <http://bit.ly/a6M5y0> Links to SDI Labs: <http://bit.ly/9nGd3M> Blog: <http://bit.ly/9yGsXh> Twitter <http://bit.ly/juvd52> GooglePlus: <http://bit.ly/KwZ6mE> --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=18475 or send a blank email to leave-18475-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
