SİMGE ÇİÇEK

2017108132

Deadline: 28 January 2021 Friday

23:00
PRED 325 Course Review
Take home
1) Compare and contrast there three learning approaches in terms of definitions of learning,
roles of teacher and understanding of knowledge.
Learning theories are really huge contributors of conducting or designing a plan or activity in
science and math education. Therefore, we should understand their roles in learning process and
teachers planning and guiding strategies. These learning theories are behaviorism, cognitivism,
and constructivism that helps us to understand how learning occur and which factors play a
crucial role in learning. First approach is the behaviorism which focuses mostly students’ desired
responses for demonstrated target stimuli. For behaviorist, there are three concepts that stimulus,
response, and the interaction between those two concepts. They do not give much attention to the
process of how children acquire knowledge and these mental processes that affect children’s
abstract thinking. Learners are recognized as a reactor to environmental conditions which
surround their immediate learning needs. The most important thing is the consequence rather
than process basically. Reinforcement is one of the most common factors to affect learning
process and also the relationship between a target stimuli and desired response is useful for
encouraging children’s learning. Teachers can use several strategies and techniques such as
demonstrating basic cues, practicing, and reinforcing. I think strengthening the environmental
conditions and stimuli is highly significant to create a rich learning surrounding in science and
math education. However, this approach can be insufficient for developing higher level skills and
depth processing such as critical thinking and problem solving.

The second approach is the cognitivism which focusing on mental process in learning and
discrete changes between states knowledge rather than changes in behavior. This approach
emphasizes how information received, organized, and stored by the mind question in learning
process. Teacher should encourage the mental processing by mental activities such as allowing
children to transform, rehearse, store, and retrieve information. Cognitivist does not deny the
role of environmental factors and stimuli but it also underlines the role of mental practicing and
active use of brain. Teachers can help students’ to make connection between new knowledge and
existing knowledge memory so; brain can actively work by the relationship between previous
and new learned materials.

The final approach is the constructivism which emphasizes individual’s own experiences in
learning process. It underlines the individual’s role in meaning making process because each
person filters real world from his or her own unique experiences. There are three factors which
are practice, knowledge, and context in effecting learning process. The constructivism not only
prioritizes the learner and environmental factors but also the interaction between them. Teachers
can focus on collaborative learning and social negotiation to demonstrate different perspectives.
Also they can build connection between knowledge and students’ their own lived experiences.

2) Choose one of the aims of math or science education at preschool level.

a) State the aim: Gaining a scientific worldview one of the most significant aims of
science education. It is not only for scientists but also everyone can acquire this skill
for seeing how world works. Also it is important to consider that the notion of
scientific worldview involves world constantly change and we should more open to
new experiences.
b) Explain its significance for science/math education at primary/middle school levels.

The aim of gaining scientific worldview plays a huge role in kindergarten level. Children
can acquire this skill by repeated observations and investigations of nature. We should
encourage them to ask questions about their environment. Their curiosity about nature
and living environment can be increased by several activities and experiences. Children
can begin to seek answers, collect materials, and think or discuss their findings. Teachers
must be careful about the consistency of scientific observations in class or free time in
kindergarten level.

3) Choose one of the videos related to math education from the given web page
http://prek-math-te.stanford.edu/counting/additional-counting-videos
I chose the third video of Aubree counts a collection of 9 plastic bears.
 a) Determine the level of thinking the child could be in counting learning trajectory.

I determine the corresponder level of counting learning trajectory because she repeated
counting one to one correspondence by pointing objects and saying words when teacher
asked how many do you have question. She made a small mistake but she could fix
constantly so, I think she is end of the reciter (10) level and at the beginning of the
corresponder level.

b) Explain the characteristics of that level of thinking.

In this level of thinking, children can count words and objects by keeping one to one
correspondence. Also her count and move skill develops in this level. She can recount the
objects properly.

c) Describe the next level of thinking for the child.

The next level of counter (small numbers), the child can counts objects in small numbers
and she or he can say the last number counted which is the total number of objects when
someone asked how many question.

d) Suggest an activity for supporting the child to reach the next level of thinking.

I think hiding games are one of the most entertaining and useful for reaching the counter
small numbers level. We can make richer and joyful hiding games with children in class.

We can use a small box for covering objects. Also we should have small toys for hiding
like five small cars can be used as well as using a puppet can be more interesting.
Teacher puts small car toys under the box and show children in ten minutes and then she
or he asks children how many do I have question with puppet and then she or he gives
time children to give answer.

4) State one of the dimensions of nature of science to teach at preschool level. Explain it
briefly.

Children should learn all dimensions of nature of science from most concrete to abstract
elements of science throughout their education lives. These concepts slowly develop and reach
higher level of thinking science. Beginning with observations and inferences at preschool level
can open a gate for other dimensions of nature of science. Children can firstly experience nature
and their environment with their five senses and at the end of their observations they can make
inference with something else. This chain can continue with more observations and
investigations. For example, the child who observes different kind of birds in the nature might
infer that all birds have not same characteristics. Therefore, teacher’s role of the allowing
children is to make observations and investigations as well as inferences in the nature.