Knowledge—The Third Design Principle

Knowledge—The Third Design Principle

http://slworkshop.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/train-of-thought.jpg

This week, I learned that through concept, culture, and activity, students interact and learn through experience.  How does this happen?  The students’ “how” is by means of cognitive apprenticeship.  It provides opportunity for using, managing, and discovering knowledge.  Students learn from one another, and from experts, by observing and imitating.  The teachers’ “how” is by means of modeling, coaching, and fading (minimizing teacher-centered instruction).  I learned that situated cognition provides context to learning experiences and it makes learning ABOUT something, providing meaning.  Learning should not be isolated, and interactions in authentic situations and enculturation lead to more effective cognitive development.  When teaching, I learned that we, as teachers, need to use concepts as tools, teaching students how to USE the concept(s) in their everyday lives.  The conceptual tools, like the structures and processes, may be dependent upon the discourse that specific community uses, but the authenticity should be there no matter what.  All things considered, students need to understand the structures in order to understand the processes.  These ideas are very important, and they add up to a lot!  For example, I know that if someone is learning about the words/language of a specific culture, they’re more likely to take away a greater understanding if they immerse themselves into that culture, learning from a primary source (vs. learning in an isolated situation via a dictionary of some sort).  In class, we participated in an activity centered on the ideas of the ABCS of Activity and the AeCTS—A Lesson Design Process, and the scenario was realistic and authentic.  I know that, during and after participating in this lesson, I was very engaged as a participant.  This is due to the fact that the lesson was relevant to a real-life issue and the product naturally flowed from the problem, making it very clear to me.  Exploring on our own and talking about components of the task in small groups gave me the chance to share what I knew, but I also took in information from my partner while collaborating.  Throughout the activity, I began to better understand the importance of “usable knowledge” and “connecting facts into webs of meaning”.  Students have to be able to use “emerging knowledge to make or form something that represents their deeper understanding”.  The narrative-discourse, in my opinion, was tremendously effective because it brought more meaning to the situation and it was captivating.  I felt as if I was having a sincere, worthwhile impact on Don and the medical diagnosis.       These ideas will influence my practice because I will continually learn to mold the important aspects of lesson design into authentic, enriching experiences for my students.  I want to encourage thought both during learning (using elements of higher level thinking on Bloom’s Taxonomy) and after learning (via unique, exit experiences) so that the level of student engagement is higher than it has ever been before.  To spread this message throughout my school, I will emphasize the important points of the articles we read in the coaching meetings I have with specific teachers in my building.  I will provide examples of how these thoughts and notions can be put into practice right away so that learning will involve activity, concept, and culture simultaneously.

This week, I learned that through concept, culture, and activity, students interact and learn through experience.  How does this happen?  The students’ “how” is by means of cognitive apprenticeship.  It provides opportunity for using, managing, and discovering knowledge.  Students learn from one another, and from experts, by observing and imitating.  The teachers’ “how” is by means of modeling, coaching, and fading (minimizing teacher-centered instruction).  I learned that situated cognition provides context to learning experiences and it makes learning ABOUT something, providing meaning.  Learning should not be isolated, and interactions in authentic situations and enculturation lead to more effective cognitive development.  When teaching, I learned that we, as teachers, need to use concepts as tools, teaching students how to USE the concept(s) in their everyday lives.  The conceptual tools, like the structures and processes, may be dependent upon the discourse that specific community uses, but the authenticity should be there no matter what.  All things considered, students need to understand the structures in order to understand the processes.  These ideas are very important, and they add up to a lot!  For example, I know that if someone is learning about the words/language of a specific culture, they’re more likely to take away a greater understanding if they immerse themselves into that culture, learning from a primary source (vs. learning in an isolated situation via a dictionary of some sort).  In class, we participated in an activity centered on the ideas of the ABCS of Activity and the AeCTS—A Lesson Design Process, and the scenario was realistic and authentic.  I know that, during and after participating in this lesson, I was very engaged as a participant.  This is due to the fact that the lesson was relevant to a real-life issue and the product naturally flowed from the problem, making it very clear to me.  Exploring on our own and talking about components of the task in small groups gave me the chance to share what I knew, but I also took in information from my partner while collaborating.  Throughout the activity, I began to better understand the importance of “usable knowledge” and “connecting facts into webs of meaning”.  Students have to be able to use “emerging knowledge to make or form something that represents their deeper understanding”.  The narrative-discourse, in my opinion, was tremendously effective because it brought more meaning to the situation and it was captivating.  I felt as if I was having a sincere, worthwhile impact on Don and the medical diagnosis.       These ideas will influence my practice because I will continually learn to mold the important aspects of lesson design into authentic, enriching experiences for my students.  I want to encourage thought both during learning (using elements of higher level thinking on Bloom’s Taxonomy) and after learning (via unique, exit experiences) so that the level of student engagement is higher than it has ever been before.  To spread this message throughout my school, I will emphasize the important points of the articles we read in the coaching meetings I have with specific teachers in my building.  I will provide examples of how these thoughts and notions can be put into practice right away so that learning will involve activity, concept, and culture simultaneously.

This week, I learned that through concept, culture, and activity, students interact and learn through experience.  How does this happen?  The students’ “how” is by means of cognitive apprenticeship.  It provides opportunity for using, managing, and discovering knowledge.  Students learn from one another, and from experts, by observing and imitating.  The teachers’ “how” is by means of modeling, coaching, and fading (minimizing teacher-centered instruction).  I learned that situated cognition provides context to learning experiences and it makes learning ABOUT something, providing meaning.  Learning should not be isolated, and interactions in authentic situations and enculturation lead to more effective cognitive development.  When teaching, I learned that we, as teachers, need to use concepts as tools, teaching students how to USE the concept(s) in their everyday lives.  The conceptual tools, like the structures and processes, may be dependent upon the discourse that specific community uses, but the authenticity should be there no matter what.  All things considered, students need to understand the structures in order to understand the processes. 


These ideas are very important, and they add up to a lot!  For example, I know that if someone is learning about the words/language of a specific culture, they’re more likely to take away a greater understanding if they immerse themselves into that culture, learning from a primary source (vs. learning in an isolated situation via a dictionary of some sort).  In class, we participated in an activity centered on the ideas of the ABCS of Activity and the AeCTS—A Lesson Design Process, and the scenario was realistic and authentic.  I know that, during and after participating in this lesson, I was very engaged as a participant.  This is due to the fact that the lesson was relevant to a real-life issue and the product naturally flowed from the problem, making it very clear to me.  Exploring on our own and talking about components of the task in small groups gave me the chance to share what I knew, but I also took in information from my partner while collaborating.  Throughout the activity, I began to better understand the importance of “usable knowledge” and “connecting facts into webs of meaning”.  Students have to be able to use “emerging knowledge to make or form something that represents their deeper understanding”.  The narrative-discourse, in my opinion, was tremendously effective because it brought more meaning to the situation and it was captivating.  I felt as if I was having a sincere, worthwhile impact on Don and the medical diagnosis.      


These ideas will influence my practice because I will continually learn to mold the important aspects of lesson design into authentic, enriching experiences for my students.  I want to encourage thought both during learning (using elements of higher level thinking on Bloom’s Taxonomy) and after learning (via unique, exit experiences) so that the level of student engagement is higher than it has ever been before.  To spread this message throughout my school, I will emphasize the important points of the articles we read in the coaching meetings I have with specific teachers in my building.  I will provide examples of how these thoughts and notions can be put into practice right away so that learning will involve activity, concept, and culture simultaneously.