Instruction

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Instruction
Facets of Learning
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How do educators incorporate standards into

the instruction?

Educators incorporate keywords from the curriculum standards and assessment within the instructional planning. This adds support for student understanding of the content standards and benchmarks in a meaningful way. In the examination of standards-based instruction, the standard is still the targeted goal throughout all facets of learning. Focusing on the keywords in the standard directs the attention of the educator toward selecting suitable techniques to enhance teaching and learning.

Before examining different facets in detail, discover the importance of designing instruction based on standards.


Click the Key to Success

For a real-world example to illustrate this point,

consider the following. Whether a person decides

to purchase a power drill, radio, or automobile,

it is justifiable to first know how it operates.

Like any compelling tool, it is beneficial to know

how students function before beginning any

instructional activity. This opens an expansive

door that leads into a diverse realm of research.

Therefore, educators seek basic knowledge on

conveying information consistent with what they

know about how the brain functions. There are

at least six fundamental principles from brain

researchers that warrant consideration.

Brain Compatible? Check it out!

Click the icon to check out six basic principles of brain compatibility.

The following information serves as a prelude to
selecting the desired instructional strategy. Keep
the basic principles of brain compatibility in mind
while examining the fundamental facets of
learning. In working toward developing
instructional strategies focus on this guiding
question, "What are the basic aspects that lead
to successful instructional planning?"

Facets of Learning

What are basic aspects that lead to successful

instructional planning?

While taking a brief look at the definition of the

word facet, think about its role in standards-based

instruction.



Click the book to view the definition.

While contemplating how to incorporate the

standards, investigate the following six

fundamental facets of learning.

Design instruction appropriate to the

learner level!

"Because enjoyable activities have clear

goals, stable rules, and challenges well

matched to skills, there is little opportunity

for the self to be threatened."

~Csikszentmihalyi

Students of the same age have not necessarily

developed to the same learning level. Students

differ in their eagerness/readiness to learn, style

of learning, interests, and life experiences/

circumstances. Examining the developmental

level of students requires in-depth study of each

individual student that is normally not feasible

for the classroom teacher.

For that reason there are guideposts that can

be easily followed to ensure instruction is on

target with the learning objective.

(Piaget's Developmental Theory)

Click the icon to view, according to Piaget, guideposts that help target the learning objective.

Educators are always trying to devise ways of supporting instruction with activities that are
clearly appropriate to the learner level.
Planning instructional strategies based on standards provides the direction for educators
and students to follow focusing on specific outcomes and establishing the desired learning level of achievement.

Stretch students� minds!

"They are the important kind --

higher-level thinking questions -- the kind

that stretch your students' minds; the

kind that tap your students' natural curiosity

about the world; the kind that rack your

students' brains; the kind that sharpen your

students' thinking skills."

~Adapted from Kagen Publishing,

Higher-Level Thinking Skills

Remember, standards remain the same for all

grade levels within the Sunshine State Standards.

It is the targeted benchmark that designates

explicitly what the student should know and

be able to do.

As students progress through the curriculum,

the depth and complexity of each benchmark

increases (spiral curriculum). Students are

exposed to content knowledge that is taught at a

deeper level each succeeding year. Accordingly

educators embed higher- and lower-order thinking

skills throughout the instructional process.

Subsequently, Bloom's Taxonomy moves

students beyond factual knowledge. Knowledge

is important, but so is the comprehension and

application of that knowledge. Once students

learn basic facts that have been taught, it is

important to advance those skills by incorporating

activities that include application and analysis.

As students reach higher levels of achievement,

it is wise to consider incorporating opportunities

for synthesis and evaluation.

Don't stop there! Students operate from a variety

of "frames of mind (Gardner's Theory of Multiple

Intelligences)." Gardner chose to look at learning

styles in a different light. He defines intelligence

as "the capacity to solve problems or to fashion

products that are valued in one or more cultural

settings" (Gardner & Hatch, 1989).

Thus, for students to reach their maximum

potential, educators may choose to examine

multiple learning styles. By activating a wide

assortment of intelligences (Winters and Wang

summary of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences),

students expand their knowledge and the

presentation facilitates deeper understanding

of subject material.

Give students voice!

"Engaged learning defies a simple

definition since it is not a single theory or

philosophy. Rather it is an umbrella term

for various exemplary teaching practices,

all with a common theme of student-

developed projects created in a prevailing

collaborative, discovery environment."

~Dr. Daria McDonald,

Spring Hill College

Successful instruction begins with preparing

students in advance by focusing on a targeted

learning objective, thereby providing a clear

direction for learning. Setting personal learning

goals guides students toward what they need to

learn. It is essential for students to know and/or

help establish the evidence or criteria from the

onset of planning. Empowering students in the

learning process encourages motivation.

Not only in the planning stages, but also during

instruction, students need to feel comfortable

asking questions, referencing experiences,

voicing opinion, developing rubrics/checklists,

etc. Incorporating times when students can

relax, self-reflect, self-assess, peer-assess

keeps them actively involved. This philosophy

is strongly supported by the Northwest Regional

Educational Laboratory.

Presenting students with the opportunity

to participate in the instructional process,

i.e., selecting a theme or topic, affords them

ownership in the lesson. Any preliminary

preparation that can involve students helps

to initiate the purpose for the instruction. Once

students see the purpose behind what they are

learning, they are more likely to stay motivated.

Provide opportunities to make connections!

"The whole process of education should

be thus conceived as the process of

learning to think through the solutions of

real problems."

~John Dewey

Standards-based instruction provides learning

opportunities beyond the basics to include

problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Using methods based on standards enhances

the student's ability to apply learning in real-world

situations. Students see the need for instruction

when it directs their attention toward their own

experiences rather than dictating incidences.

Providing hands-on, authentic, cooperative and

active learning experiences relates learning to

events encountered in everyday life.

As educators and students venture into the

future, instructional design for the educator

becomes more and more demanding. Educators

need to expose students to environmental,

technological, social, and other global changes

that shape the world they now live in and will

eventually inherit as adults.

Students learn best when they make the

connection between the standards and learning.

Lessons based on their own interests and life

experiences provide opportunities that seem more

natural for the learner.

Click "Example" to reference a real-life
classroom connection.

Make instruction challenging!

�Welcome every problem as an opportunity.

Each moment is the great challenge,

the best thing that ever happened to you.

The more difficult the problem, the greater

the challenge in working it out.�

~Grace Speare