Module 4: Principles of Learning Design and Active Learning

In this module, I learned and applied principles of learning design and active learning. I had the opportunity to explore H5P, learn about active learning, create a lesson plan, and reflect on my learning experiences.

H5P

Word Search

Structure of a Tree

Lesson Plan

Overview

This week, students will be learning about trees. They are essential for maintaining the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, providing habitats for various species, preventing soil erosion, and providing resources crucial for human survival and well-being. Trees are part of the science curriculum and are required by the British Columbia Grade 3 curriculum. Last week students learned about plants, providing a basis as to what trees are and their importance. Next week students will learn about the environment, which trees are an important member of.

Here is a link to a video that will introduce students to the importance of trees.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson:

• Learners will be able to identify the different parts of a tree.
• Learners will be able to name the different types of trees.
• Learners will be able to identify trees in nature.
• Learners will understand the importance of trees on our planet and in our ecosystem.

Read/Watch

Students will watch this video and read “The Busy Tree” by Jennifer Ward.

Since students are young, parents will be asked to set up the video and read the book to the students. The book will be available in the classroom for parents.

Content

• The teacher will review the different parts of a tree by using a diagram and illustrations.
• The teacher will explain the two types of trees with pictures.
• The teacher will explain how trees provide oxygen and how this affects people and the planet.
• The teacher will explain how leaves, wood, and food are harvested from trees to provide humans with resources.
• The teacher will explain how animals use trees for homes and food.

Application

Students will complete both H5P learning activities (Structure of a Tree and Word Search) to test their knowledge of the topics.

Students and teachers will walk around the school grounds and identify trees as well as each type.

Students and teachers will walk around the school and identify where and how trees are being used (food, wood, etc.).

Students will go home and complete a similar activity. They will write down three examples of trees being used in and around their home.

These activities will allow students to apply their knowledge from the classroom and show their understanding of trees.

Reflection

Students discuss their findings from home the following day with 2-3 other students and they will answer the following questions in their group:

1. What was the most surprising find?
2. How do you think trees affect your life day to day?
3. What types of trees did you see around your home? Why do you think this is?

Afterwards the teacher will lead a classroom discussion on their findings.

To Do This Week

• Watch the video “Trees for Kids”
• Read the book “The Busy Tree” by Jennifer Ward
• Complete H5P activity: Word Search
• Complete H5P activity: Structure of a Tree
• Identify three ways trees are used in and around your home
• Have a discussion with a group of 3-4 students

References

Learn Bright. (2020, May 4). Trees for Kids | Learn all about trees in this fun educational video for kids [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uipjCTg_PqQ

Scaffolding content. (2023, July 27). Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation – University at Buffalo. https://www.buffalo.edu/catt/develop/build/scaffolding.html

Super Simple Play with Caitie! (2019, July 22). Let’s learn about trees | Caitie’s Classroom [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vitsF-tC8xM

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Reflection Questions

Where do you see constructive alignment and backward design used in this course or another course you are taking/have taken? Is there anywhere where it seems to be missing?

I think that the majority of my university courses have all had constructive alignment and backwards design, but have also been poorly executed. All professors are required to abide by some sort of course outline and objectives which are set by the university. Professors also need to test students to assess their knowledge and ensure they can pass the class to continue their studies. I think the issue comes from the disconnect between this step (testing) and the next step (lessons). In my experience, professors do not cover exam topics enough or completely leave out important exam questions from lectures. This makes it impossible to do well in the class. I feel this is strongly the case in Calculus I and II. There seems to be a disconnect between step 2 and step 3 of backwards design and between assessment and teaching in constrictive alignment.

How have you found the balance of passive and active learning in this course for your learning? How does it compare to your experience in other courses?

I have really enjoyed the balance of passive and active learning in this course. I like that we are required to read or watch educational material and then actually apply the theories. I find that really getting my hands dirty allows me to learn and understand the subject matter better. Unfortunately, this has not been my experience in other courses. As a STEM student, I find that lectures are often simply an opportunity for professors to tell us what to learn. In class, we feel lucky when we have the opportunity to review one simple example question or theory. Outside of class, I have had to practice active learning myself by reviewing questions. There are a few classes that focus more on active learning. For example, this semester I am taking an Augmented Cognition class, and in lectures the professor uses multimedia to test our cognition and we will usually have discussions afterwards. I have found that I not only need to study less, but I look forward to attending the classes. STEM professors have a lot of content that needs to be reviewed and this needs to be taken into consideration. However, I believe that the professors who take the time to implement active learning have much better student engagement and higher student grades.

What was your experience of trying out H5P? Which of the activities do you think you would make most use of in your teaching context and what would you use them to do? Which ones do you think require the most resources to create?

I had a great experience using H5P. It was generally easy to use, and in the end, I created fun and exciting teaching activities. I created two H5P activities, the first one being a word search. I would consider this to be passive learning as students are simply looking for words. This helps students become familiar with the vocabulary and can help with memorization. I also added an activity where students can match the parts of a tree to the words. This allows students to test their knowledge and promote active learning. I did find an issue where the correct section of the tree gets highlighted when you choose a word to drag – but I could not find a fix for this!

I believe that course presentation, interactive videos, crosswords, drag the words, drag and drop, fill in the blanks, find the hotspots, find the words, and image pairing are all great choices for teaching the topic of trees to young students. The course presentation would provide a great way to present the lessons that are engaging and fun. The interactive videos would create a way to present lessons or teach students when they are home or if the lessons are self-paced. I might create a lesson using the interactive video that shows the structure of trees or how to plant them. The crossword puzzles and find the word activities create a way for students to become more familiar with and memorize new vocabulary. Drag the words and fill in the blank activities would create a lesson that tests student comprehension. I might ask students to fill in words of key points during the lesson.  The hotspot would be a great way to test students’ comprehension for visual tests. For example, I might ask students to identity which tree is coniferous. Lastly, image pairing tests students’ knowledge and it could be used to match trees and their respective cones or leaves.

On the other hand, virtual tours and AR scavenger would both require more resources and time. I have seen a presentation on AR and virtual tours, and they are very time consuming to create. Additionally, they require knowledge and experience with this technology to be fully useful. I believe that students in middle or elementary school may not fully understand the technology and therefore might not learn from it. Lastly, AR and virtual tours will require technology for each student/group of students, and this may not be possible from a financial perspective.

In the reading, Students Need to DO Something, do any of the author’s experiences with passive learning in K-12 classrooms resonate with your own? Why do you think active learning is not more prevalent in K-12? Have you tried using any of these activities in a classroom? Which one looks most appealing to you?

I believe I had a very similar experience in middle and high school. In elementary school, I remember going outside to look at plants, making bracelets to signify the steps of the water cycle, and going to Goldstream Park to learn about salmon. In middle and high school, learning becomes more abstract, and it becomes more of a challenge to teach with the active learning method. In my experience, many teachers seemed to focus more on providing students with information and then testing them on it.  Additionally, teachers didn’t always seem to have the time, energy, or the tools to facilitate active learning. When there is more information to teach, it is much easier to put the information on a PowerPoint and play it to the class. I have also tried several of the examples given in the reading. And not surprisingly, they are easy to remember. For example, I did a mini-project on Celine Dion in Grade 6 and I still remember a lot of facts about her and her career. Although I have yet to try it, graphic representation is the learning style that appeals most to me since I am a very visual learner. Therefore, I can see that creating graphics would help me learn.

Can you describe (step by step) an example of scaffolding in a learning experience that you’ve designed or experienced?

This learning experience occurred in my Grade 9 year. My teacher, Mr. Bell, did an excellent job using the scaffolding strategy.

1. Determine what students already know: At the beginning of his class, we took an exam to assess the math we learned in middle school. This allowed him to understand the class level as a whole.
2. Set a learning outcome: Mr. Bell would have looked at the Grade 9 curriculum and set learning goals based on the class’s current level and adjust the curriculum accordingly.  
3. Plan instructional supports: Mr. Bell would next have created lessons that supported students in reaching their learning outcomes. This would also include reviewing Grade 8 material where needed based on the assessment.
4. Implement lessons and monitor progress: Mr. Bell then taught the lessons. He would give us weekly quizzes to access our knowledge to ensure student progress. He would then teach us by providing numerous example questions.
5. Fade support: Mr. Bell gave us homework to complete at home, testing us until we were independently successful.
6. Continue to build on content, monitor, and provide feedback: Mr. Bell continued to quiz and test us, and provide feedback to ensure students were learning and continued on track.

References

Learn Bright. (2020, May 4). Trees for Kids | Learn all about trees in this fun educational video for kids [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uipjCTg_PqQ

Scaffolding content. (2023, July 27). Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation – University at Buffalo. https://www.buffalo.edu/catt/develop/build/scaffolding.html

Super Simple Play with Caitie! (2019, July 22). Let’s learn about trees | Caitie’s Classroom [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vitsF-tC8xM