Improving method of instruction in classrooms

Author(s):  
Sanish Rai
Author(s):  
Nicola A. Kiernan ◽  
Andrew Manches ◽  
Michael K. Seery

Visuospatial thinking is considered crucial for understanding of three-dimensional spatial concepts in STEM disciplines. Despite their importance, little is known about the underlying cognitive processing required to spatially reason and the varied strategies students may employ to solve visuospatial problems. This study seeks to identify and describe how and when students use imagistic or analytical reasoning when making pen-on-paper predictions about molecular geometry and if particular reasoning strategies are linked to greater accuracy of responses. Student reasoning was evidenced through pen-on-paper responses generated by high attaining, high school students (N = 10) studying Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory in their final year of chemistry. Through analysis and coding of students’ open-ended paper-based responses to an introductory task, results revealed that students employed multiple reasoning strategies, including analytical heuristics and the spontaneous construction of external diagrammatic representations to predict molecular geometry. Importantly, it was observed that despite being instructed on the use of VSEPR theory to find analytical solutions, some students exhibited preference for alternative reasoning strategies drawing on prior knowledge and imagistic reasoning; showing greater accuracy with 3D diagrammatic representations than students who used the algorithmic method of instruction. This has implications for both research and practice as use of specific reasoning strategies are not readily promoted as a pedagogical approach nor are they given credit for in national examinations at school level.


1980 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stan M. Shapson ◽  
Edgar N. Wright ◽  
Gary Eason ◽  
John Fitzgerald

The study investigated the effects of four class sizes (16, 23, 30, and 37) on teachers’ expectations; the attitudes and opinions of participants (students and teachers); student achievement in reading, mathematics, composition, and art; student self-concept; and a variety of classroom process variables (e.g., teacher-pupil interaction, pupil participation, method of instruction). Teachers and students were randomly assigned to a class size in Grades 4 and 5. A total of 62 classes in three school districts in Metropolitan Toronto participated in the two-year study. Findings indicated that teachers had definite expectations of class size effects that subsequently were reported to be confirmed by their experience in the study. However, most other results failed to support teachers’ opinions. Few of the observed classroom process variables were affected by class size. Although students’ mathematics-concept scores were higher in size 16 than 30 or 37, there were no class size effects for the other achievement measures (reading, vocabulary, mathematics-problem solving, art, and composition) or for students’ attitudes and self-concepts.


1989 ◽  
Vol 64 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1195-1198
Author(s):  
Darshan Sachdeva

105 students' attitudes toward use of computerized simulation games in teaching an introductory course in money, banking, and financial institutions were assessed. Responses indicate that most students favored use of computer-simulation games method of instruction in this course. They also thought that students majoring in finance should take at least one finance course which used computerized simulation games.


Author(s):  
Victor K. Lai

Abstract As the COVID-19 pandemic forced a sudden shift to online teaching and learning in April 2020, one of the more significant challenges faced by instructors is encouraging and maintaining student engagement in their online classes. This paper describes my experience of flipping an online classroom for a core Chemical Engineering Fluid Mechanics class to promote student engagement and collaboration in an online setting. Comparing exam scores with prior semesters involving in-person, traditional lecture-style classes suggests students need a certain degree of adjustment to adapt to this new learning mode. A decrease in Student Rating of Teaching (SRT) scores indicates that students largely prefer in-person, traditional lectures over an online flipped class, even though written comments in the SRT contained several responses favorable to flipping the class in an online setting. Overall, SRT scores on a department level also showed a similar decrease, which suggests students were less satisfied with the quality of teaching overall throughout the department, with this flipped method of instruction neither improving nor worsening student sentiment towards online learning. In addition, whereas most students liked the pre-recorded lecture videos, they were less enthusiastic about using breakout rooms to encourage student collaboration and discussion. Further thought and discussion on best practices to facilitate online student interaction and collaboration are recommended, as online learning will likely continue to grow in popularity even when in-person instruction resumes after the pandemic.


2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Seyyed Hossein Kashef ◽  
Ayoob Damavand ◽  
Azizollah Viyani

The present study aimed at exploring the effect of a Strategies-Based Instruction (SBI) on improving male and female students' reading comprehension ability in an ESP context. The main assumption was that SBI would be more successful in developing reading comprehension of females compared to male students through using effective strategies and skills delivered in SBI method. The participants, within the age range of 18-22, included 24 male and 26 female students who were an intact experimental group. Following a pretest, treatment (15 weeks, 2 sessions per week), and a posttest, the obtained data was analyzed using ANOVA to examine the effects of the independent variables, namely, method of instruction and gender. The results of the analysis showed that although the teaching intervention had a significant effect on students' reading comprehension, gender’s effect was not significant. The findings are discussed in relation to effective reading comprehension instruction through the use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies in ESP teaching contexts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Luciana Duarte Baraldi

RESUMO: Este artigo tem por objetivo apresentar uma experiência de intervenção em situação de trabalho docente baseada no método de instrução ao sósia, elaborado por Ivar Oddone – médico, psicólogo e militante político italiano que figurou como um dos líderes do Modelo Operário Italiano (MOI) de luta para a saúde do trabalhador nos locais de trabalho – e seu grupo (1981, 1986) no contexto de formação continuada dos trabalhadores da Fiat nos anos 1970, tendo inspirado empreendimentos no campo da saúde do trabalhador no Brasil a partir da década de 1980. Esse método foi reinterpretado por Clot na Clínica da Atividade (1999, 2001, 2006, 2017) com o intento de produzir conhecimentos para a ação e promover transformações em outros contextos laborais. A intervenção foi realizada com duas docentes de língua italiana do Circolo Italiano San Paolo e, posteriormente, transformada em uma pesquisa exploratória (GIL, 2008). Nossa proposta é comentar os referenciais teóricos, descrever o contexto de intervenção e as etapas a partir das quais os dados coletados foram analisados à luz das teorias que fundamentam a pesquisa derivada da intervenção e, por fim, apresentar as conclusões acerca da importância da instrução ao sósia, no referido contexto, para a formação de um coletivo e a ampliação do poder de agir (CLOT, 2010) das docentes.Palavras-chave: Instrução ao sósia. Intervenção. Trabalho docente. Formação de professores. Italiano como língua estrangeira. ABSTRACT: Questo articolo si propone di presentare un’esperienza di intervento in una situazione lavorativa didattica basata sul metodo di istruzioni al sosia, elaborata da Ivar Oddone – medico, psicologo e attivista politico italiano che figurava come uno dei leader del Modello Operativo Italiano (MOI) di lotta per la salute dei lavoratori sul luogo di lavoro – e il suo gruppo (1981, 1986) nell’ambito della formazione continua per i lavoratori Fiat negli anni '70, avendo ispirato iniziative nel campo della salute dei lavoratori in Brasile sin dagli anni '80. Questo metodo è stato reinterpretato da Clot presso la Clinica dell’Attività (1999, 2001, 2006, 2017) con l’intenzione di produrre conoscenza per l'azione e promuovere cambiamenti in altri contesti di lavoro. L’intervento è stato realizzato con due insegnanti di lingua italiana del Circolo Italiano San Paolo e, successivamente, si è trasformato in una ricerca esplorativa (GIL, 2008). La nostra proposta è di commentare il quadro teorico, descrivere il contesto dell’intervento e le fasi a partire dalle quali sono stati analizzati i dati raccolti alla luce delle teorie che stanno alla base della ricerca derivata dall’intervento e, infine, presentare le conclusioni sull’importanza delle istruzioni al sosia, nel contesto della ricerca, per la formazione di un collettivo e l’espansione del potere di azione (CLOT, 2010) delle docenti.Parole chiavi: Istruzioni al sosia. Intervento. Lavoro docente. Formazione di insegnanti. Italiano lingua straniera. ABSTRACT: This article aims to present an intervention experience in a teaching work situation based on the method of instruction to the double, elaborated by Ivar Oddone – doctor, psychologist and Italian political activist who figured as one of the leaders of the Italian Operative Model (IOM) of struggle for worker's health in the workplace – and his group (1981, 1986) in the context of continuing training for Fiat workers in the 1970s, having inspired ventures in the field of worker health in Brazil since the 1980s. This method was reinterpreted by Clot at Clinic of Activity (1999, 2001, 2006, 2017) with the intention of producing knowledge for action and promoting changes in other work contexts. The intervention was carried out with two Italian language Italian teachers from the Circolo Italiano San Paolo and, later, transformed into an exploratory research (GIL, 2008). Our proposal is to comment on the theoretical frameworks, describe the context of intervention and the steps from which the data collected were analyzed in the light of the theories that underlie the research derived from the intervention and, finally, present the conclusions about the importance of instruction to the double, in that context, for the formation of a collective and the expansion of the power of action (CLOT, 2010) of teachers.Keywords: Instruction to the double. Intervention. Teaching work. Teacher training. Italian as a foreign language.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zakaryia Almahasees ◽  
Khaled Mohsen ◽  
Mohammad Omar Amin

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted teaching in a vriety of institutions. It has tested the readiness of academic institutions to deal with such abrupt crisis. Online learning has become the main method of instruction during the pandemic in Jordan. After 4 months of online education, two online surveys were distributed to investigate faculty’s and Students’ perception of the learning process that took place over that period of time with no face to face education. In this regard, the study aimed to identify both faculty’s and students’ perceptions of online learning, utilizing two surveys one distributed to 50 faculty members and another 280 students were selected randomly to explore the effectiveness, challenges, and advantages of online education in Jordan. The analysis showed that the common online platforms in Jordan were Zoom, Microsoft Teams offering online interactive classes, and WhatsApp in communication with students outside the class. The study found that both faculty and students agreed that online education is useful during the current pandemic. At the same time, its efficacy is less effective than face-to-face learning and teaching. Faculty and students indicated that online learning challenges lie in adapting to online education, especially for deaf and hard of hearing students, lack of interaction and motivation, technical and Internet issues, data privacy, and security. They also agreed on the advantages of online learning. The benefits were mainly self-learning, low costs, convenience, and flexibility. Even though online learning works as a temporary alternative due to COVID-19, it could not substitute face-to-face learning. The study recommends that blended learning would help in providing a rigorous learning environment.


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