Chapter 3: ASSURE MODEL

ASSURE MODEL 

Assure  model is a procedural guide for planning and conducting instruction that incorporates media and technology.  It focuses on planning surrounding the actual classroom use of media and technology.

A.  ANALYZE LEARNERS

If instructional media and technology are to be used effectively, there must be a match between the characteristics of the learner and the content. Several factors, however are critical for making good methods and media decision:

1.   General Characteristics : Include broad identifying description, such as age, grade level, job or position, and cultural or socioeconomics factors.

·         If learner apathy toward the subject matter is a problem, consider using a highly simulating instructional approach

·         Learners entering a new conceptual area for the first time may need more direct, concrete kinds of experiences

·         Heterogeneous groups may profit from an audiovisual experience

·         For instruction dealing with a familiar audience, analysis of general characteristics will be something given.

2.   Specific Entry Competencies

There will be an assumption that the learners are lack of knowledge or skills. But, the assumption is often mistaken. The assumption that learners have the prerequisite knowledge or skill to begin the lesson can seldom be accepted casually in school settings. These realizations suggest that instructors must verify assumption about entry competencies through informal means or more formal means.

3.   Learning Style

Learning style refers to A cluster of psychological traits that determine how an individual perceives, interacts with, and responds emotionally to learning environments. Gardner (1993) identified seven aspects; subsequently revise to nine: 1) verbal/linguistic, 2) logical and mathematical (scientific) 3) visual or spatial, 4) musical/rhythmic, 5) bodily or kinesthetic 6) interpersonal  7) intrapersonal 8)naturalist 9)existentialist . Learning style variables discussed in the literature can be categorized as perceptual preferences and strengths, information processing habits, motivational factors, and psychological factors.

a.   Perceptual Preferences And Strength

 Learners vary as to which sensory gateways they prefer using and which they are especially adapt to using. The main gateways include auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic.

b.   Information Processing Habits

This category included a range of variables related to how individuals tend to approach the cognitive processing of information.

c.   Motivational Factors

Motivation is an internal state that leads people to choose to work towards or against certain goals and experience. Motivators can be categorized as either intrinsic motivators and extrinsic motivators. Intrinsic motivators are generated by aspect of experience of task itself. Extrinsic motivators are generated by factors not directly related to experience or task. A helpful approach to describing students motivation is Keller’s (1987) whose describes four essential aspects of motivation

1)     Attention refer to whether students perceive the instruction as interesting and worthy of their consideration

2)    Relevance refer to whether the students perceive the instruction as meeting some personal need or goal

3)    Confidence refer to whether students expect to succeed based on their own efforts

4)    Satisfaction refer to the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards students receive from the instruction

d.   Psychological  Factors

Factor related to gender differences, health, and environmental conditions are among the most obvious influences of the effectiveness of learning. Teachers who have prescribed individual learning programs based on analysis of these factors feel that they have practical value in improving academic achievement, attitude, and discipline.

B.  STATE OBJECTIVE

An objective is a statement of what will be achieved, not how it will be achieved

Your satetement of objectives should be as specific as possible

Why should you state instructional objectives?

•       You must know your objectives in order to make appropriate selection of methods and media

•       Your objectives will,in sense, guide your sequence of learning activities and your choice of media.

•       Knowing your objectives will also commit you to create a learning environment in which the objectives can be reached.

•       To help ensure proper evaluation

C.  SELECT METHODS, MEDIA AND MATERIAL

A systematic plan for using media amd technology certainly demands that the methods, media and material be selected systematically in the first place.

1.   Choosing a method

Method is particular form of procedure for accomplishing or approaching something. A systematic or established one.

2.   Choosing a media format

A media format is physical form in which a message is incorporated and displayed. Types of media format :  Ro: Real Object (models), T: Printed Text ( handouts, books, computer screen ), CB: Chalkboard or Whiteboard, OT    : overhead transparancies, SL: Slides, V    : Video ( tape, disc, television ), G: Grapichs ( photos, chart, diagrams ), A: Auido ( tape. CD ), CS: Computer Software.

3.   Obtaining specific Materials

Obtaining appropriate materials will generally involve one of three alternatives. They are selecting available materials, modifying existing materials, and designing new material.

4.   Selecting  available materials

The majority of instructional materials used by teachers and trainers are “off the shelf” that is, ready-made and available from school, district or company collections or other easily accesible resources.

a.     Involving the Media/Technology Specialist

b.     Surveying the sources

c.     Selection Criteria

5.   Modifying Existing Materials

If you cannot locate entirely suitable materials and media off the shelf you might be able to modify what is available. This be both challenging and creative.

6.   Designing New Materials

It is easier and less costly to use available materials, with or without modification, than to start from scratch. Ther is a seldom justification for reinventing the wheel.

·         Objectives        : what do you want your students to learn ?

·         Audience          : what are the characteristic of your learners ?

·         Cost                 : is sufficient money available in your budget to meet the cost of supplies ?

D.  UTILIZE MEDIA AND MATERIALS

1.   Preview the Materials

           The teacher previews all the Websites under the resource section of the student WebQuest. Also, the student produced PowerPoint presentations, videos, play scripts, and audio materials, before allowing them to present before the class.

2.   Prepare the Materials

            The teacher prepares student WebQuest page, handouts, and rubrics using MSWord software. The teacher makes sure that the necessary equipment is working and accessible for the students to use. The equipment available will be available in the classroom: video camera, digital camera, DVD player, CD burner, tape recorder, computers, TV monitor, projector, large screen, and blank video cassettes, audio tapes and CD’s.

3.   Prepare the Environment

            The classroom will always be set up for small teamwork. There is a mini lab in the classroom with six computers. One computer will be assigned to each team for their use. The teams will take turns to plan, create or rehearse their presentation in the classroom. During this time the rest of the teams will have access to the computer lab to work on their individual reports.

4.   Prepare the Learners

            To prepare the students, the teacher presents the overall plan and objectives for the lesson. Each student receives a handout of the student WebQuest page, the Committee’s Journal, the Individual Reports rubric, the Final Written Report rubric, and the Presentation rubric. The teacher conducts a whole class discussion each one of the evaluations guidelines using the large screen projector with the teacher’s laptop computer.

5.   Provide the learning Experience

            During the introductory phase of this unit, the teacher presents materials using a laptop computer and the large screen projector. The only place for the projector is at the center of the room over a tall cart attached to the teacher’s laptop computer. The large screen is right in front and center of the class.

E.  REQUIRE LEARNER PARTICIPATION

Educators who realize active participation in learning, will enhance learning activities. According to John Dewey in the 90's, he stated the participation. Subsequent developments emerged cognitive learning theory that emphasizes mental processes, also supports active participation. The behaviorist shirt suggests that individuals must do something, so learning is a process to try various behaviors with pleasant results. With this approach, the learning designer must find a way for the learner to do something. From the point of view of cognitive psychology it is suggested that students build a schematic when their brain actively remembers or applies some concepts or principles. Constructivists like behaviorists also view learning as an active process. But the emphasis is different. Constructiveistic flow emphasizes mental processes, not physical activities. The role of students is the most important thing in KBM. Gagne argues that effective learning can occur if students are involved and have participation in it.

To be effective, teaching should require mental active involvement. It is recommended that the activity that occurs allows students to apply new knowledge or abilities and receive feedback. In practice, it can involve student independence, computer-assisted teaching, internet activities or group work.

F.  EVALUATE AND REVISE

       While the final step is to evaluate and revise. After carrying out classroom learning, it is important to evaluate the impact of activities that have taken place on students. Assessments should not examine the degree to which students can achieve learning goals, but also examine the entire teaching process and the impact of using technology and media. It can be matched between learning goals and student learning outcomes.

       There are a number of things that will be evaluated and revised, including assessment of Learner Achievement, Evaluation of methods and media, and revision.

1.   Assessment of Learner Achievement

The first evaluation of learning outcomes is authentic, that is, requiring students to use processes that match the content with how the content is used in the real world. In the Computer-Based Learning Design course, we will evaluate how the ability of students to design computer-based learning uses four introduced learning models. This authentic assessment will be supported by the portfolio possessed by the learners during the learning process, be it group assignments, personal assignments and computer-based learning design designs. The portfolio made by students describes student achievement related to analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Because of this blended learning, there are also electronic portfolios and traditional portfolios. The electronic portfolio is submitted in the form of a burned CD and traditional portfolio in the form of a printout.

Types of authentic assessments include the following: Student projects such as writing assignments;  Performance such as giving speeches, or demonstration; Oral questioning by both teachers and other students; Discussions of controversial topics and current events; Portfolios, including student work with summaries and reflections.

Learner evaluation is carried out in four ways, namely through yourself, students, colleagues and administrators. With yourself it is done by making audio recordings or videos containing learning activities. From audio and video obtained, learners can learn all activities and improve themselves.

Students can also be asked to make an assessment by giving suggestions and input. Likewise with colleagues, colleagues can monitor during the learning activities and ask for suggestions for improvement. And with the help of the administrator it can also be done, namely by means of administrators visiting classes and giving input to learners who have carried out learning activities.

2.   Evaluation of Methods and Media

         Secondly evaluating strategy, technology and media will be carried out by conducting surveys and observations. The survey was conducted by sharing a list of questions in the form of students' opinions on the strategies, technology and media used. While observations are used to directly see student feedback from the strategy, technology and media used.

3.   Revisions

         The final step is to review the results of the evaluation data collected. Is there a gap between what is expected and what happens. Do students reach the goal? How do students react to the material and media presented? Are teachers satisfied with the value of the material chosen? The teacher must bend the reflection of the lesson and every component in it. Write down immediately before applying the lesson again. If the results of the evaluation data indicate that there are weaknesses in a particular component, return to the chart by planning and revising it.


This is a video about the implementation of ASSURE model to help teachers in lesson planning. :)

Chapter 2: Technologies for Learning

CHAPTER 2

Technologies for Learning

1. WHAT ARE TECHNOLOGIES FOR LEARNING?

We define technologies for learning as specific teaching-learning patterns that serve reliably as templates for achieving demonstrably effectire learning.

Successful instruction, regardless of the psychological perspective-behavior ist, cognitivist, constructivist, or social-psychologist, includes a number of common features:

v  Active participation and interaction

v  Practice

v  Individualized instruction

v  Reinforcement or feedback

v  Realistic context

v  Cooperative groups

Technologies for learning combat boredom by providing a change of pace from Lecture and seatwork by adding motivational features that excite learner interest.  They also provide a means for individualizing instruction to a greater degree.

2. COOPERATIVE LEARNING

Cooperative Learning involves small hererogeneous groups of students working together to achieve a common academic goal or task while working together to learn collaborarion and social skills.

Cooperative learning has gained momentum in both formal and informal education from two converging forces: first, the practical realization that life outside the classroom requires more and more collaborative activity, from the use of teams in the workplace to everyday social life, and second, a growing awareing meaningful.

       Advantages

v  Active learning. Cooperative learning "requires" students learn to interact with others developing their interpersonal, communication, leadership, compromise, and collaboration skills Interdependence.

v  Social skills. Students interact with others developing their interpersonal, communications, leadership, compromise, and collaboration slolls.

v  Interdependence. Positive interdependence and accountability are developed as students interact to reach a common goal.

v  Individual accountability.

       Limitations

v  Student compatibility. It is sometimes difficult to form groups of students who will work together.

v  Student dependency. If you allow the best students to "carry" the others, you may create dependency and defeat the purpose of cooperative learning.

v  Time consuming. Cooperative learning requires more time to cover the same amount of content.

v  Individualistsm

v  Logistical obstacles.

       Integration

Students can learn cooperatively not only by being taught with materials but also by producing materials themselves. The notion of students working together in small groups is not new, but ensuring that their efforts are truly collaborative has recently become a point of emphasis. Today's notion of cooperative learning entails a deeper level of interaction, based on the principle that articulating and negotiating your ideas with others forces you to process information in a way that improves meaningfulness and retention. We can define this new concept of cooperative learning as the instructiobal use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other's learning.

1. Learning Together Model
   

Johnson and Johnson's interdependent learning group, known as the Learaing Together model, requires four basic elements:

a.     Positive interdependence. Students must recognize that all the members of the group are dependent on cach other to reach success: "We are going to si or swim together." First, the teacher creates positive goal interdependence by requiring teammates to agree on objectives. Second, the teacher structures role interdependence by assigning each student a role.

b.     Face-to-face helping interaction. After silently working on the problem on scratch paper, the learners teach each other and discuss any confusion or misconceptions.

c.     Individual accountability. Students know that they will be tested individually, with the results given back to the individual and the group.

d.     Teaching interpersonal and small-group skills. Students cannot just be thrown together and told to cooperate.

2. Team-Assisted Individualization (TAI)

TAI was specifically intended to avoid some of the problems encountered with individualized programmer instruction. TAI follows this pattern:

a.     Teaching groups. The teacher gives short lessons to small homogeneous groups-learners who are at about the same point in the curriculum.

b.     Team formation. Every eight weeks, students are assigned to four-member teams that are as heterogeneous as possible in terms of achievement levels, gender, and ethnic background.

c.     Self-instructional materials. Students work independently using self-instructional materials, which include step-by-step procedures for solving problems, a set of problems, self-test items, and a summative test.

d.     Team study. Students work in pairs within their assigned team, working on problems and having their teams partner check their solutions.

e.     Team scores and team recognition. Team scores are computed at the end pf each week.

3. Computer-Based Cooperative Learning
   
   Computer assistance can alleviate some of the logistical obstacles to using cooperative learning methods, particularly the tasks of managing information, allocating different individual responsibilities, presenting and monitoring instructional material, analyzing learner responses, administering tests, and scoring and providing remediation for those tests. Other programs provide information or give tary feedback only in displays that are flashed for a limited period of time.

3. GAMES

A game is an activity in which participants follow prescribed rules that differ from those of real life as they strive to attain a challenging goal.

Communication games, fantasy games, and encounter games exemplify a whole array of activities in which participants agree to suspend the normal rules of interpersonal communication to pursue such goals as fa self-awareness, empathy, sensitivity, and leadership development. These activities are considered games but do not entail competition. There is a movement today toward developing cooperative games designed to foster creativity and collaborative decision making. These games combine the elements of coopcrative learning with the elements of game.

Games can incorporate the common features of behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and social psychology. Students enjoy actively participating in games. Games provide the opportunity to practice content, e.g, math facts vocabulary, and problem-solving skills. Games base on realistic contexts are called simulation gama. Most games provide social interactivity.

       Advantages

v  Attractive. Games provide attractive frameworks for learning activities.

v  Novel. As a departure from normal classroom routine, games arouse interest because of their novelty.

v  Atmosphere. The pleasant, relaxed atmosphere fostered by games can be especially helpful for those who avoid other types of structures learning activities.

v  Time on task. Games can keep learners interested in repetitious tasks, such as memorizing multiplication tables.

       Limitations

v  Competition. Competitive activities can be counter-productive for students who are less interested in competing or who are weak in the content or skill being practiced.

v  Distraction. Without careful management and debriefing, students can get caught up in the excitement of play and fail to focus on the real objectives.

v  Poor dsign. To be instructionally meaningful the game activity must provide actual practice of the intended ecademic skill. A

       Integration

Instructional games are particularly well suited to the following:

v  Attainment of cognitive objectives, particularly those involving recognition, discrimination, or memoization.

v  Adding motivation to topics that ordinarily attract little student interest.

v  Small-group instruction

v  Basic skills such as scquence

v  Vocabulary building.

Adapting the Content of Instructional Games

The original game is referred to as a frame game because its framework lends itself to multiple adaptations. Here are some sample adaptations:

v  Safety tic-tac-toe. Use a three-by-three grid; each row represents a place where safety rules pertain to home, school, and street, each column represents the level of question difficulty.

v  Spelling rummy. Using alphabet cards instead of regular playing cards, players attempt to spell short words following the general rules of rummy.

v  Reading concentration. This game uses about a dozen matched picture-word pairs of flashcards. -Word bingo. Each player's card has a five-by-five grid with a vocabulary word (perhaps in a forcign language) in each square.

4. SIMULATIONS

A simulation is an abstraction or simplification of some real-life situation or process. In simulations, participants usually play a role that involves them in interactions with other people or with clements of the simulated environment.

Simulations can vary greatly in the extent to which they fully reflect the realities of the situation they are intended to model.

 Simulations are by design active. Simulations provide realistic practice with feedback in a realistic context.

1. Simulation and Problem-Based Learning

One particular value of simulation is that it implements the problem-based learning method as directly and a possible. In problem based learning, the learner is led toward understanding principles through grapplirig with a problem sinuation. Most simulations attempt to immerse participants in a problem. The great advantage of this sort of firsthand immersion in a topic is that students are more likely to be able to appły to real life what they have practiced in simulated circumstances.

2. Simulators

Competences in the motor skill domain require practice under conditions of high feedback, which gives learo the feel of the action. The device employed to represent a physical system in a scaled-down form is referred to as a simulator. Simple simulators are in widespread use in applications such as training workers in a range of manual skills from of CPR to welding.

       Advantages

v  Realistic. The prime advantage of simulations is Fl Ro that they allow practice of real-world skills under conditions similar to those in real life.

v  Safe. Learners can practice risky activitics for example, cardiopulmonary resuscitation without risking injury to themselves or to others.

v  Simplified. Simulations are intended to capture the essential features of a situation without dwelling on details that might be distracting or too complex for the leamer's current level of understanding.

       Limitations

v  Time consuming. Simulations are often used with problem-based learning methods, allowing learners to immerse themselves in a problematic situation and to expenment with different approach.

v  Opersimpification. Constructivists argue that learning should take place in fully realistic situations, with all the complexity of real life.

       Integration

v  Training in motor skills, including athletic and mechanical skill, and complex skill.

v  Instruction in social interaction and human relations.

v  Devclopment of decision-making skills.

3. Role Plays

Role play refers to a type of simulation in which the dominant feature is relatively open-ended interaction among people.

The purpose is to learn something about another kind of person or about the dynamics of an unfamiliar situation.

The role-play simulations has proven to be a motivating and effective method of developing social skills, especially empathy.

5. SIMULATION GAMES

A simulation game combines the attributes of a simulation (role playing, a model of reality) with the attributes of a game (striving toward a goal, specific rules).

       Integration

Instructional simulation games are found in curriculum applications that require both the repetitive skill practice associated with games and the reality context associated with simulations.

Cooperative Simulation Games

Traditionally, games both athletic contests and table-top board games-have emphasized competition among adversaries. Out of this new awareness has come the "new games" movement, generating hundreds of cooperative games that challabge the body and imagination but that depend on cooperation for success. Instructional simulation games have been developed that pursue a similar philosophy.

6. LEARNING CENTERS

Another technology for learning, the learning center, is a self container environment designer to promote individual or small-group learning around a specific task.

Learning centers should encourage active participation rather than just sitting and reading a book. It may be set up in any suitable and available classroom space. Its materials may include partically any or all of the media and multimedia formats mentiobed in this text.

       Advantages

v  Self-pacing. Centers encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning and follow them to learn at their own pace.

v  Active Learning. Learning centers provide for student participation in the learning experience.

v  Teacher role. Learning cennters allow the teacher to play more of coaching role.

       Limitations

v  Cost. A great deal of time must be spent in planning and setting up centers and in collecting and arranging for center materials.

v  Management. It must be very good classroom organization and management.

v  Student responsibility

v  Student isolation.

       Integration

v  Skill Centers. These can provide students with an opportunity to do additional practice, typically to reinforce a lesson preciously taught through other media or methods.

v  Interest Centers. It can stimulate new interests and encourage creativity.

v  Remedial Centers. It can help students who need additional assistance with a particular concept or skill.

7. PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION

Programmed instruction was chronologically the first technology for learning and is an explicit application of principles of learning theory operant conditioning or reonforcement theory. The framework of programmes instruction began with the linear foeemat just describes. Programmes instruction thus led to the development of computer assisted instruction (CAI) and same principles are currently incorporated in Web-based instruction. It usually refers to learning done by an individual using printed materials or a computer.

       Advantages

v  Self pacing: allows individuals to learn ar their own pace at a time and place of their choice.

v  Practice and feedback: requires learners to participate actively.

v  Reliable: provides a reliable form of learning.

v  Effective

       Limitations

v  Program design: poorly designed and have little value.

v  Tedious: can give fhem a chance to go off on their own and progress as far and as fast as they like

v  Lack of social interaction: most programmes materials are meant to be used by one individual at a time.

       Integration

Programmed instruction is particularly useful as an enrichment activity. It can help provide highly motivated students with additional learning experiences. It also have proven to be effective i. Remedial instruction.

8. PROGRAMMED TUTORING