Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Semester 2 (2016/2017)
2
Abstract
which it is applied. Educators need to be cognisant of the work environment and select the most
strategies and processes for learning. Contemporary classrooms incorporate technology as a tool for
learning. The proposed Pragmatic Technology based Design Model seeks to maintain a student
centered approach while accommodating technology and the learners with exceptionalities.
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Table of Contents
Page
Research Paper
Reflection
References
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Research Paper
An ideal working environment for a teacher is any area which allows the teacher to
have their student’s full attention, and supports the use of technological devices for learning
new skills. A work environment can be defined as the circumstances under which an
individual engages in his/her job. This may include both the physical surroundings and social
experiences which usually has an impact on an individual’s ability to fulfil the tasks they are
employed to complete. (Poh, 2017) I am a teacher of CSEC History, CAPE Sociology and
Belair High School is a small non-traditional High School located in the rural parish
of Manchester, Jamaica. The school has recently become a Grant Aided institution (which
means it is partly owned and operated by the government of Jamaica and the Belair Trust).
The school currently employs 30 members of staff inclusive of academic, ancillary and
administrative workers. The student population is relatively small consisting of 500 students
in grades 7 to 13. Belair High School maintains a teacher student ratio of 1 to 35 students.
In most classrooms ample space is provided for the seating of students and teachers,
as well as, boards for demonstration and posting of important information. Wireless internet
and computers are available for student and teacher use in strategic areas of the school
facility. Teachers can also access projectors, tablets and laptops for individual classes.
suitable for learning. Each full time employed teacher is a homeroom teacher and this is one
of their duties. He/she meets the students at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day
wherein they take attendance and provide support as advisor. The Homeroom teacher also
liaise with subject teachers to formulate seating arrangements based on learner needs and post
educational information based on the grade level and curricula being taught to the students.
Fig.3. Grade 9 students preparing for their next class after break.
Belair High school offers the National Secondary Curriculum NSC to students of
grade 7 to 9. Contact time varies for each subject, however Mathematics and English
Language are taught daily, hence each students gets approximately 250 minutes of each
subject each week. Students pursue an additional 13 subjects in areas ranging from the
At the beginning of each school year all students participate in a series of learning
style tests guided by their homeroom teachers. This information is shared with subject
teachers and is used to construct a profile of the learners. The data indicates that a majority of
60% of the learners are audio visual while the remainder are visual kinaesthetic learners
(40%). Teachers are required to produce lesson plans catering to their student’s needs.
Students of Caribbean Examinations council (CXC) courses (usually grade 10-13) are
guided by a syllabus which outlines objectives and suggested teaching activities. These
Information Technology. Students benefit from 200 minutes of contact time for each subject
for the week at this level. Science teachers in most schools are equipped with laboratories to
facilitate experiments while teacher of Humanities usually remain in the regular classroom or
take students to resource rooms such as the library and computer lab.
The classes at the upper level are usually smaller to facilitate improved instructional activities
and greater student teacher interactions. As a result, teachers have the option of facilitating
lessons in the classroom, in an e-learning laboratory or off the school site on a field trip.
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Consequently the physical work environment for learners vary based on the subject being
It is also important to note the social experiences in the classroom. This refers to the student
teacher interactions, that is; the way in which the lesson is delivered, whether it is teacher
centered or student centered and the relationships between all individuals in the classroom.
Fig. 8 Student on Tourism Field Trip interacting with animals on a former sugar plantation
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The teacher is the classroom manager and, as a result he/she must ensure that
the classroom is fit for learning. In the teacher centered classroom, learning is usually
characterised by lectures led by the teacher, classrooms are quiet and students are required to
learn individually. (Gilmore, 2014) This is the traditional and ancient classroom experience.
Today this is considered problematic because students may become bored, lose interest in the
lesson, and students are usually not allowed to express themselves freely. Contemporary
The opposite of the teacher centered approach is the student centered approach. As
activities. Teachers employ various methods to ensure students are the center of the lesson.
The teacher remains classroom manager but is not the only source of knowledge, he/she acts
as a facilitator of learning. This means the teacher will support the use of alternative, and
technological sources of information and the students work together, communicate and
collaborate in order to learn. (Gilmore, 2014) This approach encourages students to direct
their own learning and as a result they are usually more enthused about their lessons.
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The student centered approach is associated the constructivist theory. (Molina, 2015)
Students are encouraged to reflect on content, apply content to daily lives and simulate
experience that this model best describes the context of learning prescribed for my area by
the Ministry of Education and the CXC. However there are differences in views of
constructivism.
There are two types of constructivism – individual and social constructivism. (Richey
interpretations of the world based on individual cultures and values. This requires conducting
individual research and investigations while completing case studies. On the other hand,
social constructivism is a group approach and which encourages integration of ideas among
peers as a critical part of the learning process. (Richey et al., 2011). Social constructivism
best describes my typical history lesson. Students are encouraged to become aware of recent
history, watch the news, read manuscripts, textbooks, and historical records while
collaborating with others in order to interpret and evaluate the factors which shape our culture
and heritage. This ensures that student’s culture is made relevant to the learning process.
Person’s way of life is directly related to the way in which people learn and so
learning activities. Each participant is always encouraged to be active in the learning process
and choose the way they want to learn. (Karagiorgi, & Symeou, 2005) Examples are used to
foster improved understanding of concepts and principles being taught. This method has
proved quite effective when teaching the topic: religion. Students are encouraged to make
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presentations on the religion their family is associated with, and how religion has impacted
their lives.
There are many examples of the constructivist instructional design model. The most
relevant to the Humanities is the Layers of Negotiation model. This model focuses on how
information is created and encourages the practice of deep consideration. Also an ongoing
Important conditions for learning using this model include the fact that learners
should be aware of their reality. Learning activities should be restricted to the content that can
be applied to the real world, all assessments should be activities based on realistic events and
procedures which the learner may employ as a professional in the field of study and
This is the process whereby learners engage in group learning activities which allow
participants share interpretations of content and determine the most accurate understanding of
concepts discussed. (Atkisson, 2010) This allows persons to practice critical thinking, engage
in self-directed learning and learn from their peers. Another consequence of this method is
reflection as a learning activity. Also the tendency for learners to pursue education from
various sources. Learners are therefore likely to research or discuss content debated in school
with secular peers, adults and others with whom they interact. Learning therefore becomes
Students are empowered to practice their distinct skills such as auditory (speeches and
debating), tactile (building), or visual video documentaries and pictures. These strategies are
quite effective when teaching history. Among the activities employed for Caribbean History
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students studying the plantation system is creating a model of the plantation system,
dramatizing the forms of resistance employed by slaves and debating arguments for or
against emancipation.
Teachers also utilise complex problems and avoid simplifying learning activities.
Student experiences, schema and culture teacher determines activities for learning. (Pappas,
2014) Therefore students can apply to lessons to real life. Recently this approach proved
fruitful when teaching family forms and their functions. Students could relate different
experiences based on their family form and make suggestions and recommendations for
Another effective method of teaching and learning is the Goal based scenarios. This
involves the introduction of specific goals for the learner which students are encouraged to
achieve. (Schank, 1992) Students are able to develop competencies such as essay writing,
research skills and debating. These activities are relevant to the area of study and skills
necessary for careers in professional fields such as Law, Education and Politics. Students are
The final strategy to be discussed in the Problem based learning method. Learners are
given a problem and are encouraged to employ various activities to address the problem.
Teachers offer support but this method allows the learner pursue skills necessary to solve the
problem. (Richey et al., 2011). This may include skills such as communication, problem
solving and self-directed learning. Like the goal based scenarios students will employ various
activities based on their skill level in order to solve the problem and assessments will be
realistic and limited to those which can occur within society. An example of this strategy is
required for school based assessment in CXC secondary schools based assessment. Students
pursuing courses in this area will be equipped to with effective problem solving skills as adult
citizens.
philosophy. This perspective is grounded in the notion that education should be relevant to
contemporary issues and should seek to empower learners to develop practical methods of
addressing them. (Cohen, 1999) Theorists suggests that this ideology is a realist approach and
asserts that as the world changes there is need to continuously incorporate content and
The trends associated with globalization include the creation of one global
education, and unlimited access to information via the internet. Teachers therefore must
incorporate teaching strategies based on the social constructivist approach and the pragmatist
thinking, investigative learning and research based activities. Educational services should
also foster inclusion for all persons and promote lifelong learning.
content which is relevant to contemporary social issues such as terrorism, gender based
and scamming. These issues are among the major problems impacting our global community.
education at all levels. The major conditions for learning of the PTBDM are; competency
based learning, practical learning activities, development of schema, and technology based
learning activities.
usually utilised in adult education at the tertiary level or for short term skills based training.
Learners are encouraged to developed single skills during a period of time after which they
are assessed and pending results are encouraged to advance to a more advanced skill
associated with the initial skills. This method would be effective in the Humanities field of
studies because students noticeably lack critical research skills which are best taught
systematically. Incorporating competency based learning would involve itemizing steps in the
The above mentioned activities are practical activities which are relevant to real life,
students will be learning skills that will be used throughout the tertiary level and in their
professional fields. (Cohen, 1999) This condition is an important one because contemporary
learning must have meaning to students. This assures greater participation and students can
relate skills to social experiences such as completing an online survey tool or while employed
experiences. Cognitive theorist suggests that all persons have schema and over time this is
enhanced by interactions. (Pappas, 2014) Teachers often pre-test students in order to establish
goals for further learning. This can be determined during discussion of contemporary issues.
Access to technology is another important condition for learning. Today the internet is
recognised as an important reference tool used by students when conducting research. It also
acts as a medium for educational services and so with distance educational facilities
empowers groups who may traditionally lack access to education to pursue learning at a pace
within their ability. (McNeely, 2017) Beneficiaries include the disabled and otherwise
infirmed members of the population who are unable to function within a typical classroom
setting. This may also prove beneficial for those adult learners who maintain fulltime jobs.
(McNeely, 2017)
As noted above this model is technology based and therefore lessons are not limited to
the confines of the classroom and the period scheduled. Therefore learners can progress at a
different pace. Teachers of humanities at Belair High School often lament disappointment
regarding the progress of students in their courses. It has been my observation that too often
student progress in unequally and this retards the advancement of the lessons. This is one
Teacher will maintain regular class time, where in students may discuss and reflect on
contemporary issues related to various concepts discussed in the CSEC syllabus. These
discussions will be guided and assessed by the teacher. He/she will assigned activities to each
student via Edmodo based on objectives for each week. Consequently technology has
eliminated the time lost giving notes class and completing assignments with class sessions.
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Teachers can utilise more video activities which may stimulate more interest and provide
the reasons for the migration of the indigenous peoples to the New World or create a website
Teaching activities would not be limited to the above mentioned format. Teachers can
be innovative. This model empowers teachers to identify issues impacting the learning
processes of students and address these issues suing technology based solutions. Moreover
the school facilities support the Belair High School facilities support the technology based
learner as there is internet access and available computers labs for student and class needs.
The annual learning styles tests demonstrated a prevalence of audio visual learners.
This issue is clearly addressed by PTBDM which supports learning using sound and imagery.
This strategy eliminates costs associated with travel and creates opportunities for interaction
with learners throughout the region. Notably there are some areas of the Caribbean History
syllabus that are best taught by persons indigenous to certain regions. This resource creates
The work environment will continue to improve technologically with the demands of
the information age. Consequently the PTBDM could be applied as an effective means of
addressing information and learning needs in the classroom. Teachings will be encouraged by
the multiple learning technologies and strategies which can be applied if this model is applied
Instructional strategies used by teachers applying this model will be student centered
approaches. Lessons will be facilitated by the teacher, but using technology as the medium.
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Students will be empowered to work at their own pace. Courses will be offered online.
Assessments will be given using online software such as Edmodo.com. Each student will be
required to demonstrate mastery of content taught over a three week period. Students will be
encouraged to use smart devices to access notes and given problem based or goal based
scenario activities as assessment tools. Students will be encouraged to work on groups and at
all times students will simulate roles of professionals and practioners in the field of study. All
learners will be problem solvers and will be given activities based on real life circumstances.
as follows; Module one - Land Pollution. The objective for the week one is to identify at least
three causes of land pollution in the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA) after individual
research with 100% accuracy. Teacher will provide access to relevant content. Students will
work in groups to complete a report on land pollution in the KMA. The objective for week
two; students will be required to outline effects of land pollution in the KMA after
completing a slideshow and podcast in groups. Finally the assessment for the module on land
pollution would be to outline a solution to land pollution for your community after
The lesson outlined incorporates the various principles of the pragmatic technology
based instructional design model. Learners use technology in the form of the internet and
smart devices to conduct research and access information regarding the course. Learners
builds on schema - knowledge of pollution and forms of land pollution. By the end of three
Among the similarities between the pragmatic technologies based instructional design
model and the constructivist instructional design model – layers of negotiation model are;
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problem based learning techniques, collaborative learning (group work), social negotiation
activities which are practical and based on real life experiences, application of the schema
Notable differences are the fact that technology is a mandatory component of the
pragmatic approach, class sizes are not restricted to traditional numbers, learners may
participate online through distance learning mechanisms and are able to learn at their own
pace. The pragmatic approach also requires competency based activities and quarterly
assessments, this may contribute to a slower pace of teaching and learning activities.
Educational services demand more resources for learning including smart devices, and
internet access. Constructivists’ models also empowers each learner to learn the way they
based activities. Increasingly governments are supporting eLearning activities by funding the
creation of eLearning labs in all schools. Consequently it is my opinion that the education
system will eventually become a virtual activity. Moreover some schools are repealing no
phone policies to facilitate the use of smart devices in the classroom. Despite the negative
issues associated with phones in school it is tool that will foster greater inclusion and interest
in education and so the pragmatic technology based approach in my opinion is quite relevant
Reflection
A very interesting assignment. I felt empowered by the fact that I had the opportunity
to compose an instructional design model based on approaches I felt were lacking in the
existing models. Although I was eager to begin and finish, I found that the task was quite
Thanks to Dr. Gray I gained much insight on the expectations of this assignment.
Going over the material allowed me to develop a further understanding of the concepts, and
environment has also grown and the impact of my colleagues and students on my role in the
classroom. It is a challenge to work full time and study, however I can see the impact of my
efforts on my students in the classroom. They are more enthused and motivated. I am
It is my opinion that education is a cure for much of the social problems which plague
our society. Consequently I was compelled to put forward an approach which sought to
after some intense reflection I was able to compose an approach I believe is critically needed
funding for education rather than increasing expenditures on the outcomes associated with
References
Atkisson, M. (2010) Ways of Knowing. Examining perception, practice, learning and design.
a-central-principle-of-constructivism/
https://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/PP2.html
http://www.shareyouressays.com/116655/3-main-methods-of-teaching-in-pragmatism
Gilmore, J. (2014) Teacher- Centered vs. Student- Centered Education. Retrieved from
http://doceri.com/blog/2014/04/teacher-centered-vs-student-centered-education/
Karagiorgi, Y., & Symeou, L. (2005). Translating Constructivism into Instructional Design:
Potential and Limitations. Educational Technology & Society, 8 (1), 17-27. Retrieved
from http://www.ifets.info/journals/8_1/5.pdf
McNeely, B. (2017) Using Technology as a Learning Tool, Not Just the Cool New Thing.
publications/books/educating-net-generation/using-technology-learning-tool-not-just-
cool-new-thing
Molina, K. (2015) Best Practices for Student Centered Learning. Retrieved from
http://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-methods-tips/101114-best-practices-
for-student-centered-learning/
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Pappas, C. (2014) Instructional Design Models and Theories: Schema Theory. Retrieved on
from https://elearningindustry.com/schema-theory
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/positive-working-environment/
Richey, R., Klein, J. Tracey, M. (2011) The Instructional Knowledge Base Theory, Research
and Practice. New York and London: Routledge Taylor &Francis Group
http://cogprints.org/624/1/V11ANSEK.html