Micro-LESSON

The term micro comes from the Greek mikros meaning small,
little. In the ELT industry, micro-lesson planning refers to
planning one specific lesson based on one target (e.g., the
simple past). It involves choosing a topic or grammar point and
building a full lesson to complement it. A typical lesson plan
involves a warm-up activity, which introduces the topic or
elicits the grammar naturally, followed by an
explanation/lesson of the point to be covered. Next, teachers
devise a few activities that allow students to practice the
target point, preferably through a mix of skills (speaking,
listening, reading, writing). Finally, teachers should plan a
brief wrap-up activity that brings the lesson to a close. This
could be as simple as planning to ask students to share their
answers from the final activity as a class.
A micro-LESSON is a teaching tool that uses technology to
enhance learning. The lesson makes use of appropriate
animations, graphics, sounds, interactivity and other resources
that will enhance the presentation of the content. The teacher
may start a question or a problem that will allow students to
explore the answers in the presentation or in the given
Internet resources. microLESSONS are IT-based instructional
materials that are used to teach specific objectives. They are
small and specific units of instruction for teachers to use
within lessons. The microLESSONS developed span many
curricular content areas, and are suitable for supporting a
wide variety of learning outcomes. The majority of the
microLESSONS are student-centered materials that incorporate
various computer features (e.g. animation, graphics, sound,
interactivity) that will enhance the teaching-learning process.
Micro-LESSON are focused IT-based instructional components
that are developed to teach specific objectives within a lesson.
They are small and specific units of instruction for teachers to
use within lessons. it developed span many curricular content
areas, and are suitable for supporting a wide variety of
learning outcomes .

Types of micro-LESSONS
Generally, micro-LESSONS can be classified into two:
a. 1st generation micro-LESSONS are mainly studentcentered projects adopting a direct instructional
approach. These micro-LESSONS are used for tutorials,
drills and sometimes as informational multimedia. Though
mainly used for transmission of knowledge, multimedia
features are used in these micro-LESSONS to help enhance
the learning process.
b. 2nd generation micro-LESSONS allow students to explore,
create and construct knowledge through various
computer-based learning activities instead of merely
transmitting knowledge. Generally, these micro-LESSONS
consist of two parts. In the first part, students are
presented with a scenario, situation, case study or a
problem that requires a solution. In the second part,
students are asked access linked documents that requires
them to do some activities which require higher order
thinking skills such as generating feasible solutions to a
problem, surfing the web to collect information, exploring
a simulation or to collaborate on a piece of work.
Furthermore, micro-LESSONS are classified into five types based
upon their approaches:
1. In a resource-based micro-LESSON, the teacher will prepare
questions and provide Internet resources that will help
students to answer the questions. The students will
synthesize information by completing the task assigned by the
teacher.

In this approach, various links to the WWW can be

established and students will access the web sites to collect
information, facts, opinions and then synthesize them or
compare the different viewpoints.

2. In a problem-based micro-LESSON, the teacher will present a

problem using a multimedia presentation (pictures and sounds
or a video clip). From the problem, the teacher will formulate
activities for the students to investigate and propose for a
solution to the problem. For example, the teacher will show a
video clip on a flash flood in Barangay Hinaplanon and the
students will conduct investigation on the causes of the
problem and will then propose a feasible solution. MicroLESSONS can now be used to present "instructional problems"
in a multimedia fashion through which activities can be
formulated and where students can be engaged in the process
of investigation and problem-solving. For example, a videoclip of a water shortage problem in Singapore can be
presented and students would be made to undergo a
scientifically sound investigative process where possible
causes and solutions found.

3. A case-based micro-LESSON, uses a guided inquiry method

and provides more structure during small-group sessions.
Through such an approach, students would have to consider

the learning situations and the problems associated with it.

Through the process, students need to access varied
resources such as online experts, community leaders, printed
resources and non print resources from the internet.
Another more generic approach besides the problem-based
method is for a "case" or scenario to be presented to
students through the micro-LESSONS. Through such an
approach, students would have to consider the learning
situations and the problems associated with it. From the
considerations of problem-identification, students can then
be made to determine the possible solutions and
alternatives. Through the process, students need to access
other resources most possibly from the WWW.

4. In a collaborative based students are asked to work as a team

or in pair in completing a task. Students will be assigned roles
to play in doing the activity. Every member of the group is
important in finalizing their product. In this approach,
students can be asked to work collaboratively or in pairs to
undergo an instructional activity presented intentionally in
the micro-LESSONS to be jointly worked through. For example,
tasks can be assigned to different individuals and they work
on different pieces of the "puzzle" and later come together to
co-construct the entire "jig-saw puzzle". Because microLESSONS can be linked to other applications, the possibilities
of different kinds of co-construction tasks can be varied and
many-fold.

5. In simulation-based micro-LESSONS, the teacher may utilize

applications where students will observe relationships or
phenomena and learn how variables affect the values. For
example a mathematics teacher may use Geogebra in
observing the graph of an absolute value function or a
chemistry teacher uses a Java applet observing the movement
of a molecule as temperature varies.Finally, micro-LESSONS
can also be used to create simulations where students can
observe particular phenomena and learn from the processes
and the variables that will affect the simulated actions. Again,
because micro-LESSONS can be linked to Java applets (for
example) and other applications such as the geo-meter
sketchpad, simulations
become a reality.

Some benefits of micro lesson planning include classes that

runs smoothly and students who dont get bored. Lesson planning
ensures that youll be prepared for every class and that youll have
a variety of activities on hand for whatever situation may arise
(well, the majority of situationsIm sure weve all had those
classes where an activity we thought would rock ends up as an epic
fail).