Module 20: Blog Post 2

Which learning theory (or combination) did you find most intuitive or valuable in previous weeks? Which teaching method of those listed would you most like to use? Do these two 'match up'? Why or why not?

- In previous weeks, I found a combination of behaviorism and social cognitive theories to be most valuable. After learning about the different theories and how they relate to different teaching methods, I would probably use the teaching method of mastery learning. This method lines up with behaviorism and the idea of creating a learning environment through antecedents and consequences. I feel if I were a teacher, this method would be most beneficial for me. I would lay out the expectations and learning objectives for students and create opportunities for them to learn and master skills. Using behavioral techniques like shaping and positive reinforcement can help the students learn and understand appropriate and inappropriate behaviors in the classroom and what is expected of them. I would use these techniques to create assignments/tests/group work where students would have multiple opportunities to learn the material and succeed. Matching up both behaviorism and mastery learning will help with the success of using this teaching method.

Describe a lesson in your chosen teaching method. This is not a lesson plan, but describe how you would use the method to teach something (specify this), why you chose that method over others. What are your learning objectives and how does that method accomplish them?

- If I were teaching a lesson about the writing the methods section of a research paper, I would first outline the expectations and learning objectives for the assignment. I would present what is to be included in this section of the research paper and what is expected. I would have the students turn in a first draft of this section and give feedback on their progress and what needs to be changed. By doing this, I would be able to assess their progress and see what needs to be reinforced or clarified. After I gave the papers back, I would have them revise and work on improving them. I would have them turn them in a second time for another revision. I would leave comments and see whether improvements have been made from the first time around. Finally, I would have them turn in the papers as part of the entire research paper for a final grade. This would allow to see if they have mastered the idea of the methods section of the paper and have improved overall since the initial draft was assessed. By laying out the learning objectives and expectations initially for the final paper, the students can see what is expected. By having them submit drafts before the final paper allows me to assess the progress of the students, whether I was clear about the objectives and give them feedback about their progress. This learning method will ensure students have sufficient time to complete this section of the paper, with opportunities to receive feedback and improve before the final paper is due.