GED Institute 2002
Notes, Day 3
- Common Features of Promising Practices
- Key Elements of a Model Instructional Plan and Questions to Guide Construction
- GED Lesson Planning Institute Table of Contents
Common Features of Promising Practices
- Emphasis on cooperative and collaborative learning
- Student input into the planning process—including choosing themes and materials, identifying learning strategies, and selecting types of activities designed to demonstrate and assess learning
- Incorporation of projects/tasks that build self-confidence and enhance learning
- Transfer of self-confidence and learning into other aspects of life
- Interdisciplinary learning/integrative units
- Student “ownership” over learning—leads to greater retention and motivation
- Promotion of student leadership
- Work that is applicable to students’ lives—“authentic”
- Tasks that build/reinforce interpersonal/social skills and individual accountability at the same time
- Accommodation of different “intelligences”/learning styles
- Promotion of “metacognition” (thinking about thinking and learning)
- Activities that are engaging (fun, compelling)
- Shift in role of teacher from “expert” to “coach/facilitator”—dismantling of the hierarchy
- Engagement with and consideration of other points of view
- Interchange of knowledge
- Co-ownership of learning outcomes and direction of work—promotes greater student retention and teacher enthusiasm (teacher as “co-learner”)
- Flexibility and decentralization of power—promotes greater teacher and student accountability
- Looking at learning through different lenses—generates enthusiasm
- Sense of community in the classroom
- Co-ownership of learning—builds trust
- Emphasis on real world issues and activities—promotes a sense of inquiry, risk-taking, appreciation of different perspectives and approaches, and, ultimately, encourages lifelong learning
- Incorporation of experiential learning
Key Elements of a Model Instructional Plan and Questions to Guide Construction
Topic or Theme
- What issue or subject is this lesson/instructional module (IM) about?
- Is this lesson/IM interdisciplinary (integrative)?
Audience
- Who am I intending this lesson/IM for?
- What are the needs, abilities, backgrounds, and goals of these students?
Rationale
- Why am I doing this lesson/IM?
- How does this lesson/IM relate to the GED?
- How is this lesson/IM relevant to my students’ lives?
- Why would this topic or set of activities be compelling/engaging to my students?
Prerequisites and Level
- What, if anything, do students need to know to participate successfully in this lesson/IM?
- What level, if any, do students need to be on to participate successfully in this lesson/IM?
Time Frame
- How long will this lesson/IM take?
Materials
- What resources are needed for this lesson/IM?
- How can these resources be drawn from real life (“realia”)?
Objectives and Outcomes
- What is the purpose of this lesson/IM?
- What will the students learn or accomplish?
- What will the results or “product” be?
Assessment
- How will the instructor and students know that they learned?
- Will assessment be an ongoing process throughout instruction, or will it take place at a designated time (e.g. the end)?
- How will the instructor and students assess the success of the lesson/IM, and assess instruction?
Procedures and Activities
- What specifically will the instructor and students do?
- What is the best sequence of activities?
- How will the activities be contextualized?
- How will the activities relate to the GED and to the students’ lives?
- How explicit does the instructor need to be with themselves and with the students?
- How will the lesson/IM be introduced?
- What motivational activity will the lesson/IM begin with?
I* What “communication modalities” will be used? - How will cooperative/collaborative learning be incorporated?
- How will “multiple intellegences” be drawn upon and validated?
- How will “higher-order thinking” be promoted?
- What vocabulary will be introduced?
- How will individual student needs be addressed?
- How will students demonstrate their learning?
- How will room be built in for flexibility?
Homework
- What, if anything, will students do at home?
Extension
- Will there be follow-up activities, either in class,, or independently?
- Will the class come back to this lesson/IM in some way?
- How will this lesson/IM be related to a different discipline?
- How will learning be reinforced?
GED Lesson Planning Institute Table of Contents
- Brief Overview
- In-depth Overview
- Pre-Institute Assignment Letter
- Day 1 Agenda & Handouts
- Day 2 Agenda & Handouts
- Day 3 Agenda & Handouts
- Day 4 Agenda & Handouts
- Day 5 Agenda & Handouts
- Notes, Days 1 & 2
- Notes, Day 3