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Learning something new, or
attempting to understand
something familiar in
greater depth, is not a
linear process. In trying to
make sense of things we use
both our prior experience
and the first-hand knowledge
gained from new
explorations.
Initially, our curiosity
about a science topic is
stirred, as we are
stimulated by some
intriguing phenomena, such
as a rainbow, we've noticed.
We poke, probe, inquire
about and explore this
phenomena until it becomes
less mysterious. As we begin
to investigate new ideas we
can put together bits and
pieces of prior explorations
that seem to fit our
understanding of the
phenomena under present
investigation. In the case
of the rainbow, for example,
we may realize that there is
an association between
sunlight and water vapor.
Piece by piece we build
knowledge.
Sometimes when the pieces
don't fit together, we must
break down old ideas and
reconstruct them (following
a rainbow to find a pot of
gold for example). We extend
our conceptual understanding
through discussions and
creative efforts. We
validate our theories as we
solve problems. In our
rainbow example, we may
realize that if we position
ourselves properly, we can
create a rainbow by spraying
a water hose in sunlight.
The clarity we've gained in
understanding a concept
gives us the ability to
apply this understanding to
new situations and new
mysteries. It is a
continuous and a very
individual process. We bring
to each learning experience
our developmental level, our
personal story and our
personal style.
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Engage |
In the stage Engage,
the students first encounter
and identify the
instructional task. Here
they make connections
between past and present
learning experiences, lay
the organizational ground
work for the activities
ahead and stimulate their
involvement in the
anticipation of these
activities. Asking a
question, defining a
problem, showing a
surprising event and acting
out a problematic situation
are all ways to engage the
students and focus them on
the instructional tasks. If
we were to make an analogy
to the world of marketing a
product, at first we need to
grab the customer's
attention. We won't have
their attention unless they
have a need to buy the
product. They may be unaware
of a need, and in this case
we are motivated to create a
need. |
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Explore |
In the Exploration
stage the students have the
opportunity to get directly
involved with phenomena and
materials. Involving
themselves in these
activities they develop a
grounding of experience with
the phenomenon. As they work
together in teams, students
build a base of common
experience which assists
them in the process of
sharing and communicating.
The teacher acts as a
facilitator, providing
materials and guiding the
students' focus. The
students' inquiry process
drives the instruction
during an exploration. |
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Explain |
The third stage, Explain,
is the point at which the
learner begins to put the
abstract experience through
which she/he has gone into a
communicable form. Language
provides motivation for
sequencing events into a
logical format.
Communication occurs between
peers, the facilitator, or
within the learner himself.
Working in groups, learners
support each other's
understanding as they
articulate their
observations, ideas,
questions and hypotheses.
Language provides a tool of
communicable labels. These
labels, applied to elements
of abstract exploration,
give the learner a means of
sharing these explorations.
Explanations from the
facilitator can provide
names that correspond to
historical and standard
language, for student
findings and events. For
example a child, through her
exploration, may state they
have noticed that a magnet
has a tendency to "stick" to
a certain metallic object.
The facilitator, in her
discussion with the child,
might at this stage
introduce terminology
referring to "an attracting
force". Introducing labels,
after the child has had a
direct experience, is far
more meaningful than before
that experience. The
experiential base she has
built offers the student an
attachment place for the
label. Common language
enhances the sharing and
communication between
facilitator and students.
The facilitator can
determine levels of
understanding and possible
misconceptions. |
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Elaborate |
In stage four, Elaborate,
the students expand on the
concepts they have learned,
make connections to other
related concepts, and apply
their understandings to the
world around them. For
example, while exploring
light phenomena, a learner
constructs an understanding
of the path light travels
through space. Examining a
lamp post, she may notice
that the shadow of the post
changes its location as the
day grows later. This
observation can lead to
further inquiry as to
possible connections between
the shadow's changing
location and the changes in
direction of the light
source, the Sun.
Applications to real world
events, such as where to
plant flowers so that they
receive sunlight most of the
day, or how to prop up a
beach umbrella for shade
from the Sun, are both
extensions and applications
of the concept that light
travels in a straight path.
These connections often lead
to further inquiry and new
understandings. |
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Evaluate |
Evaluate, the fifth
"E", is an on-going
diagnostic process that
allows the teacher to
determine if the learner has
attained understanding of
concepts and knowledge.
Evaluation and assessment
can occur at all points
along the continuum of the
instructional process. Some
of the tools that assist in
this diagnostic process are:
rubrics (quantified and
prioritized outcome
expectations) determined
hand-in-hand with the lesson
design, teacher observation
structured by checklists,
student interviews,
portfolios designed with
specific purposes, project
and problem-based learning
products, and embedded
assessments. Concrete
evidence of the learning
proceed is most valuable in
communications between
students, teachers, parents
and administrators. Displays
of attainment and progress
enhance understanding for
all parties involved in the
educational process, and can
become jumping off points
for further enrichment of
the students' education.
These evidences of learning
serve to guide the teacher
in further lesson planning
and may signal the need for
modification and change of
direction. For example, if a
teacher perceives clear
evidence of misconception,
then he/she can revisit the
concept to enhance clearer
understanding. If the
students show profound
interest in a branching
direction of inquiry, the
teacher can consider
refocusing the investigation
to take advantage of this
high level of interest. |
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