During the second week of classes, Dr. Lina introduced an element of chance by spinning the wheel of fortune, resulting in the formation of groups of seven students. A key requirement for these groups was to provide comments on each other’s blogs throughout the course, a practice to be continued until the final week of classes. Dr. Lina proceeded to present Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, delving into its significance.
The lecture continued with an exploration of educational theories, including Bloom’s taxonomy and Stephen Krashen’s second language theory. Dr. Lina further delved into Vygotsky’s social cultural theory, mediation theory, and the zone of proximal development theory. These theoretical frameworks were illustrated through discussions on how information is processed, emphasising both the information-processing system and the mediated processes of cognitive and metacognitive development.
Dr. Lina shared insights from her research on teachers’ mediation in students’ cognitive and metacognitive development. Additionally, she offered practical strategies for teaching English language learners. The lecture culminated in an interactive segment where students were required to prepare and present short presentations, applying the strategies discussed for teaching English language learners. Students had the opportunity to select their presentation topics and strategies, and our group’s presentation took place on Wednesday, marking the culmination of this educational journey.
After selecting topics and strategies, we presented our prepared content to the class, utilising engaging methods like videos and interactive activities. Our presentation emphasised phonetics, encouraging active participation from students, and concluded with assigning homework to reinforce the lesson’s concepts, connecting them to the visual scaffolding theory.
Whilst attending the lecture, I was surprised because the content covered was something I had learned during my first year of degree. However, I found it reassuring to have prior knowledge as it enabled me to grasp Dr. Lina’s message more comprehensively. As for our group presentation, I initially experienced some nervousness, given that I had been designated as the spokesperson alongside Si Tao. Yet, once we commenced our presentation, I felt fantastic due to the class’s active and responsive atmosphere. Upon concluding the presentation, I felt a sense of relief, knowing that our task was completed.
This experience underscores the significance of active listening during lectures, especially since my aspiration is to become a knowledgeable educator. It also brings to mind my very first presentation at this university, which took place during Dr. Albert’s “Education and Society” module. In that instance, we were paired up to conduct research on a specific topic and deliver a presentation to the entire class on an assigned date.
I vividly recall feeling extremely anxious that day, given that it was my inaugural experience in public speaking, and uncertainty prevailed about whether I would meet Dr. Alberto’s expectations. However, when I stepped onto the stage, I found myself speaking confidently about our prepared topic since I had committed all the key points to memory.
Upon concluding the presentation, I experienced a sense of achievement knowing that I had effectively conveyed all the prepared points and received positive feedback from Dr. Alberto. It was a rewarding outcome for the effort I had invested!
Dr. Lina effectively applied Bloom’s taxonomy in both of her lessons, emphasising the importance of integrating learning objectives that engage higher-order cognitive skills. This approach ultimately leads to better comprehension and the application of knowledge and skills across a wider range of tasks and settings (Adams, 2015).
In these sessions, she encouraged us to draw upon our prior knowledge, recognizing that learning involves connecting new information with the framework of what learners already understand. It is critical for students to reflect on what they already know, identify new knowledge, and learn how to integrate it by organising it alongside existing knowledge (Ji & Lee, 2021).
She proceeded to explain 50 strategies for teaching English language learners, supported by research indicating that the nature of knowledge acquisition often involves forming connections rather than solely critical exploration. Learners tend to relate information to memory and create a shared understanding (Radebe & Mushayikwa, 2023).
Dr. Lina then instructed us to work in groups and choose one of these strategies for our presentation, as research suggests that students can incorporate these strategies into their learning practices, evaluating their grasp of the subject matter and adapting their study methods to achieve higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy (Crowe et al., 2008).
In the group discussions, we carefully examined which strategy to employ for our teaching, involving the dissection of information or ideas into components, the exploration of connections between these components, and the examination of the overall framework or objective of our work (SivaKumar, 2023).
We made our selection and justified the choice of strategy, as we believe that evaluation is an essential step preceding creation. This aligns with the preparatory behaviour before generating something, as noted by Anderson and Krathwohl (2001).
Our group was the final one to present our teaching to the class. The cognitive domain pertains to the acquisition of intellectual abilities and aligns with the criteria of authentic learning requirements (West, 2023).
In her research paper, Dr. Lina explored mediation theory and the zone of proximal development, demonstrating the interrelated nature of these concepts. Mediated learning involves adult supervision, such as that of an educator, who assists students in understanding the complex world by providing information from the environment, allowing children to focus, structure, and examine relationships (Guo, 2022).
During our group presentation, we asked participants to write down two letters they had previously learned, creating a collaborative learning environment and assessing their understanding. For example, Beck et al. (2020) discovered that dialogic writing assessment allows teachers to support students’ writing process, offering flexible and responsive methods tailored to students’ specific needs.
We employed scaffolding as a teaching technique, drawing upon the work of Bruner (1983), Greenfield (1984), and Cazden (1988). This method enhances comprehension, fosters independent learning and application, and encourages knowledge transfer.
To further engage the participants, we showed them a video as a visual scaffold to reinforce their previous learning. We also provided several instances of how to apply phonetics systematically, believing that metacognitive methods were employed throughout the modelling process (Stillman & Galbraith, 2011).
As part of the session, we encouraged students to think of two words and practise their pronunciation using phonetics with the assistance of our teaching team. This approach aligns with Chen et al.’s (2005) research, which suggests that once learners have reached a certain level of proficiency, independent learning can be promoted. The system can be designed to emphasise learners’ ability to accomplish independent learning tasks such as capturing images, recording audio or video, and maintaining diaries.
In my future teaching endeavours, I aim to nurture self-directed learning in every lesson I deliver, as I consider it a vital pedagogical approach. To facilitate this, I plan to introduce a set of strategies to encourage independent learning. However, the success of this endeavour relies on the involvement of parents. Family engagement is characterised by fostering positive home relationships, endorsing educational perspectives, and creating opportunities for learning (Harvey & Chickie-Wolfe, 2007). Therefore, I will schedule parent-teacher conferences to offer parents a chance to receive updates on their child’s academic progress and provide teachers with an opportunity to discuss the student’s academic performance, strengths, areas for improvement, and weaknesses.
3 comments:
Friend, you are amazing!! I like how you emphasised varied learning approaches and self-directed learning among students! I wholeheartedly believe that various learning approaches, such as the utilisation of multimedia media, graphics, and other types of projects and tasks, are beneficial in class. These techniques make the session more interesting and capture attention, especially for students with special needs. Working memory difficulties are typical in ADHD kids, thus video presentations can aid (Karalunas et al., 2017). Furthermore, certain students are drawn to vivid images and are multi-sensory learners; these pictures keep their attention (Imhof, 2004). Furthermore, incorporating the video encourages students' interest and imagination, allowing them to become more engaged in the subject (Velandia, 2008, p. 11).
Hiii XuanQing. Your insightful reflection on the second week of class emphasizes the effective application of educational theories and strategies by Dr. Lina. The detailed explanation of Bloom's Taxonomy, Vygotsky's theories, and Dr. Lina's research contributes to a deeper understanding of the subject matter. The cognitive, emotional, and psychomotor domains are the three learning domains that make up Bloom's Taxonomy. Each of these categories is given a hierarchy that represents varying learning levels (Bloom’s Taxonomy | Centre for Teaching Excellence, n.d.).
The personal experience shared regarding past presentations and the impact of prior knowledge demonstrates the significance of active listening during lectures. It also provides valuable insights into the growth and development of presentation skills.
Your plan to encourage self-directed learning in their future teaching endeavors is commendable, and the consideration of family engagement is a crucial aspect of holistic education. A comprehensive reflection that encompasses various aspects of the class experience.
Reference:
Bloom’s Taxonomy | Centre for Teaching Excellence. (n.d.). Uwaterloo.ca. https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/catalogs/tip-sheets/blooms-taxonomy
Dear Pretty tatoo and Iris
Thanks
I am glad to see you are commenting and learning actively here. Thanks for the efforts.
Lina
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