Unit 1, Session 

1
 cictl  Introduction  November 13, 2018 2 Minutes

Attended my first CICTl class last night and enjoyed it immensely. I was
a little apprehensive at first because its been years (I won’t say how
many) since I last attended evening classes and was afraid that I would
fall asleep halfway through. I am glad to say that I had no opportunity to
sleep because the class was go go go from start to finish.

The trainer, Rosanne, is excellent and I hope this first class is the way all
future classes go.

We started with an icebreaker which is common for all classes and

workshops nowadays. We were given pieces of A3 paper and coloured
markers and told to draw out the details of what we found out about our
classmate. That in itself threw me for a loop because my drawing skills
are non-existent.

We then went through the aims of the course and underlined the terms
that were somewhat familiar to us. This prompted a discussion on what
these terms were. I thought this was another great idea because not only
did it give us an overview on what the course was going to cover but we
were also introduced to more new terms and phrases.

One of the main things that was communicated was the importance of
using the correct terms in our writing. Rosanne said that Cambridge
wanted to see the progression of this. She also emphasized the need for
academic honesty. Cambridge uses Harvard referencing. Academic
honesty is another important item so one thing that I want to explore
further is methods to get my writing put into Turnitin to ensure that all is
in order.

Finally, since the use of the correct terms is so important, I will start
creating lists of all the terms I should know. Hopefully, this will prove
useful to others that are also going through the course.

Homework
What is the difference between cooperation & collaboration?

From Cambridge Online Dictionary

Cooperation is the act of working together with someone or

doing what they ask you:
This documentary was made with the
cooperation of the victims‘ families.
There’s very little cooperation between the two countries.
The company produces computers in cooperation with a German firm.

Collaboration is the act of working together with 
other people or organizations to create or achieve something:
(a) collaboration between The new airport is the result of a collaboration
between two of the bestarchitects in the country.
in collaboration with The mission is being conducted in collaboration
with the European space agency.
Universities and companies are working together in a spirit of
collaboration to develop new solutions.

From Jesse Lyn Stoner’s site at

Source: https://seapointcenter.com/cooperation-teamwork-and-
collaboration/

Collaboration is working together to create something new in support of

a shared vision. The key points are that it is not through individual effort,
something new is created, and that the glue is the shared vision.

Cooperation is important in networks where individuals exchange

relevant information and resources in support of each other’s goals,
rather than a shared goal. Something new may be achieved as a result,
but it arises from the individual, not from a collective team effort.

Unit 1, Session 2
 cictl  Check for understanding, Cooperative vs Collaborative Learning  November 16, 2018 3 Minutes

1. Reflection – What have we covered so far? – a recap of the previous

lesson
 Cambridge wants us to show that we are practitioners. One of the
ways we can do this is by using the right terms
 Be open-minded to new ways of doing things; embrace change; re-
teach yourself; adjust your bias; do not resist; be resilient; try the
new.
 Be prepared to do a lot of research & reading
 Adjust your bias (if any)
 Be prepared to create detailed lesson plans so that if you are not
available the relief teacher can carry on with the lesson

2. Next, we discussed how we would describe a class observation because

Unit 1 is based on class observations. We were told that we would have to
fill out a form using the WHAT – HOW – WHY formula.

Question – Unit 1 requires candidates to observe an experienced

practitioner (only observed once) teaching a lesson…
 We worked in a group and wrote a paragraph describing what we had
done in the previous lesson using the What – How – Why formula.
 The objective was to give us an opportunity to practice writing down
our observations.
 Feedback: We should use more formal language. We also used the
term ”icebreaker activity” but in education, we should use the term
 the “hook activity” because in the context of the classroom students
already know one another. At the start of the lesson, we need to grab
our students’ attention, to draw them into the lesson hence the use of
the term “hook activity.” Using more formal language, we could
instead write “The aims of the class was introduced by the teacher
writing on the whiteboard” or “through the use of powerpoint slide”
to show the use of a variety of teaching resources.
 We were then shown an example of the kind of writing Cambridge is
looking for.

 It’s also advisable to name your activities so that it is easy to refer to

them and the examiner will know which one you are writing about.
 Cambridge suggests that the length of the lesson plan be for about 45
minutes to an hour.

3. Mentors – Why do you need a mentor? Why learn from a mentor?

Why? To guide, discuss, experienced

Why learn? Experience, knowledge challenges

S/he challenges and empowers us.

According to Cambridge, mentoring involves collaboration so that our
learning goes up a notch – the process helps us rise to a different level of
teaching. Once it makes sense to us then we will be able to take control of
our own learning and teaching practice. (See course notes for additional
information on mentors.)
Note: R used a visual aid to start of the discussion on mentors thus
ensuring that the visual aid would appeal to visual learners. You need to
think about when you teach something, you need to think about how
your learners will respond. Cambridge needs to see not only what
the teacher does for the lesson but also what the teacher
does for the learners.

4. Key terms to learn (These will be listed in the glossary when the
meanings are made available)
 Active Learning
 Aims
 Behaviourism
 Check for understanding
 Collaborative learning
 Cognitive Thinking
 Constructivism
 Cooperative Learning
 Learning Objectives
 Lesson Plan
 More Knowledgeable Others (MKO)
 Passive Learning
 Reflections
 Social Constructivism
 Student Centric / Centred
 Teacher Centric / Centred
 Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

5. Learn from activities

Check for understanding – What are some of the ways to check for
understanding?
 Quizzes
 Questions
 Sharing views / teaching one another – If you are an active learner
practitioner, you will be walking around and observing your students
at work and offering suggestions as to how they could proceed with
their work.

6. Difference between cooperative and collaborative learning

Cooperative vs Collaborative
Cooperative Learning Collaborative Learning

Shared product/outcome Shared product/outcome

Focus on individual goals within group
Focus on group goals
goals

Learning is co-constructed, challenged, modified, agreed

The individual constructs learning
shared understanding

Product consists of individual contributions Product is co-constructed

Roles/responsibilities pre-defined/
Roles/responsibilities negotiated / agreed
imposed (not always)

Process is clean and defined (not always) Process is fluid, responsive  and adaptive

Focus more on individual achievement Focus more on collective achievement

*Both diagrams and the table on Cooperative Learning vs Collaborative

Learning were from my trainer.

Unit 1, Session 3
 cictl  PACT Learning Cycle, Theoretical frameworks, What is learning?  November 18, 2018 3 Minutes

Recap:
There are a number of purposes for the observation form. These include
learning, evaluation, and feedback.

What else can a mentor do for you?



 S/he can help us progress by raising up knowledge to a higher

level
 You will not be going into a school ‘blind’ – you will have a guide
 Can help you evaluate and explain what you see

Other terms to use: peer assessment; peer teach; peer mentor; peer
guide; facilitation; self-assessing

We also got an update on the terms we need to know:

1. Active Learning
2. Aim & Objectives
3. Behaviourism
4. Check for understanding
5. Collaborative learning
6. Cognitive Thinking
7. Constructivism
8. Cooperative Learning
9. Experiential Learning
10. Tapped for Prior Knowledge
11. Lesson Plan
12. More Knowledgeable Others (MKO)
13. Passive Learning
14. Reflections
15.Social Constructivism
16. Student Centric / Centred
17.Teacher Centric / Centred
18. Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
 19. Facilitation
20. Engaged & Motivated

Next, we focused on the 3 questions: What is learning? When does

learning occur? 8 Principles / Fundamentals of Learning. Each of us
picked a section and brainstormed the answers. R then showed us the
completed slide

What is learning? When does learning occur? 8 Principles / Fundamentals of Learning

1. Gain new knowledge 1. Treat with respect

1. Gain new mental & physical
2. Gain New Attitudes perspectives 2. Tap prior knowledge

3. Gain New Beliefs 2. Make sense 3. Conducive environment

4. Gain New Skills 3. Utilize this new knowledge 4. Connect the learning
& skills
5. Involves: Personality; 5. Facilitation is evident
Intuition; Will; Feelings 4. Do something with this new
skill, knowledge & 6. Self-directed learners
6. Recognise & Identify is understanding
value; worth & success 7. Varied activities
5. Take ownership
7. Meet personal needs 8. Encourage reflections

The PACT Learning Cycle (How individuals learn)

 Procure – Apply – Consider – Transform = How learning should be

However, in traditional systems, we procure but were we given an

opportunity to apply? This is slowly changing so follow this model to
create your lesson plan. So when you want to check for understanding,
ask questions. How do students show you that they have transformed
what they’ve been taught? Ask them to do a presentation or to come up
to the front of the class and explain it to their peers. It could also be
through their exit slips or with a KWL exercise.

Educational Quotes
“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned
in school” – Albert Einstein

“The only real valuable thing is intuition” – Albert Einstein

“To teach effectively a teacher must develop a feeling for his subject; he
cannot make his students sense its vitality if he does not sense it himself.
He cannot share his enthusiasm when he has no enthusiasm to share.
How he makes his point may be as important as the point he makes; he
must personally feel it to be important.” – George Poyla

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” –

Socrates
Brain of a passive learner (almost in sleep mode) vs Brain of a student
engaged in active learning
Gardner says that there are actually 8 to 9 types of intelligence levels.
Source: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-is-multiple-intelligence-an-exciting-
failure-38301.php
Development of the different types of theories. From behaviorism to
cognitivism to constructivism
*All photos without sources are slides from the lesson.

Homework:
Come to class prepared to teach us using an activity – design an activity
that will allow learners to do something. Write a lesson plan – 45 mins –
Size of class – subject – age of the learners. Also try to jot down a rough
draft of your lesson plan .e.g. how are you going to introduce your hook
activity so that during the next lesson you can tell the class what your
lesson plan is like.

Your lesson plan should look like the following:

Lesson Plan

Subject:
Age Group:
Size of Class
Time/Duration

TIME Teaching Activity Learning Activity Learning Materials

Unit 1, Session 4
 cictl  Aims & Objectives of a lesson, Bloom's Taxonomy, Lesson Plans, Spiral Curriculum, Theoretical
frameworks  November 21, 2018 4 Minutes

Recap
How does behaviorism work in the classroom? Although we don’t agree
with it, it is still present in our classrooms when students compete to
earn a small prize, etc.

Cognitivism = Thinking i.e. internal processing

Behaviors under behaviorism can be seen but behaviors under

cognitivism cannot be seen. However, the teacher has the ability to
assess whether a student is ready to move forward in his/her learning or
not.

Theory /
Behaviorism Cognitivism
Dimensions
 Learning is a permanent A relatively permanent change in mental
Definition of change in observable representations or associations due to experience. I
learning behavior as a result of is the building of connections in schema through a
experience process of assimilation and accommodation.

Role of behavior Change in observable A change in mental representations that are

during learning behavior displayed through behavior.

Role of internal
Mental processes are not Learning occurs internally through changes in menta
processing during
important structure.
learning
 
Teaching is teacher-centric because the onus is on the teacher and it is
usually the high-ability learners that are challenged and not the quiet or
shy. Passive learning is happening in such instances because the students
just sit there and the teacher does everything. The premise of cognitivism
is good because the teacher is supposed to challenge students but that
doesn’t always happen.
In constructivist theory, you relate the learning to the outside world. If
you don’t do that it would mean that we’re going back to radical
constructivism. Here the teacher’s role changes to that of facilitator and
students are now at the centre while they learn by doing.
Note: Although we say we believe in constructivism, we are not able to
hit the ground running after our formal education e.g. university.
Constructivism

 Constructivist learning is user-centered

 Knowledge is constructed, not transferred. Let the pupils be active
and do tasks that lets them construct their own knowledge
 Let the pupils show what they have learned in different ways. Not
just through written tests
Note on Observations:
1. Observe every single teaching method
2. Take note with as many specifics as you can
3. Correlate everything to the “What/How/Why”
4. Be critical but not personal
5. Offer solutions
6. Pick 4 strengths
7. Pick 3 areas of improvement
Vygotsky said that you cannot have social constructivism if you do not
share the same language and culture. Culture comes into play when
perhaps the teacher uses an example that everyone can relate to e.g. K-
Pop.

While Vygotsky came up with the terms ‘zone of proximal development’

and MKO, Bruner came up with the term scaffolding.

How does a teacher scaffold knowledge for the students without giving
them the answers? When they get students to utilize prior knowledge to
link to new knowledge. That is how teachers scaffold building up
knowledge bit by bit. This is how a teacher facilitates. Scaffolding is done
throughout the lesson as does checking for understanding. Note also that
scaffolding does just mean asking questions, it also has to include
involvement in an activity.
So in a nutshell, Vygotsky’s theory stresses on the effect that culture and
language has on the cognitive development of children while Piaget
focuses on the progression to different stages at the end of which the
achieve maturation.

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
Lev Vygotsky

ZPD —- Culture — Social Interaction

Language — Scaffolding — Guided Participation

Zone of Proximal Development
Don’t show. Instead, ask the students to find the relationships and
meanings for themselves. He then came up with the term ‘spiral
curriculum.’

Spiral Curriculum

A spiral curriculum can be defined as a course of study in which

students will see the same topics throughout their school career, with
each encounter increasing in complexity and reinforcing previous
learning.

The difference between scaffolding and a spiral curriculum is in the level

of difficulty or complexity that is given in spiral curriculums.
Teaching Practice
The above are the 4 fundamentals you must have in your teaching
practice and in your lesson plan. If you have one teaching method, one
activity and one ‘check for understanding’ then your lesson plan is
flawed. There must be variety.

Bloom’s Taxonomy
LOTS = Lower order thinking skills

HOTS = Higher order thinking skills

According to Bloom, different levels of the verbs in the diagram above

shows the level of understanding for your students and how much you
are testing them. You’d use Bloom to plan your learning objectives.

Importance of a lesson plan

A student’s educational growth depends on the selection of subject
matter, activities, experiences and methods adapted to his interests.,
needs and abilities and level of maturity. The wise teacher who plans his
lessons well get optimum results in his teaching. (Source: Powerpoint
slide in class)

Aim Statement:
The aim of this lesson is to…

Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students should be able to…

YOUR AIM STATEMENT

The AIM of this lesson is to:

 Accomplish                             * Compare
 Check                                       * Consider
 Consider                                  * Determine
 Create                                       * Develop
 Develop                                    * Examine
 Improve                                   * Practice
 Introduce                                 * Use (Harmer, 2001)
 Identify
 Plan
 Provide (Petty, 2009)

AIM statements – Some examples

1. The aim of this lesson is to introduce the students to the simple past
tense.
2. The aim of this lesson is to use the simple past tense in essay writing
3. The aim of this lesson is to develop the students’ understanding of
fractions.
 

Objectives – Some examples

By the end of this lesson (AIM No. 1 on Simple Past Tense), students
should be able to:

(i) define what is simple past tense

(ii) explain when to use the simple past tense

(iii) differentiate between the simple past and simple present tense.

By the end of this lesson (AIM No. 3 on Fractions), students should be

able to:

(i) identify fractions

(ii) divide into halves, thirds and quarters

(iii) explain what are fractions

Unit 1, Session 5
 cictl  Bloom's 3 domains, Instructional Strategies, Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle, Student
Engagement Strategies, Teaching Methods & Strategies, Theoretical frameworks, What is active
learning?  November 25, 2018 3 Minutes

Benjamin Bloom says that you must incorporate these 3 domains in any
teacher practice i.e. Cognitive, Affective and Psychomotor. Often we only
concentrate and cognitive functions and forget about Affective and
Psychomotor.

The aspect of psychomotor skills is based on John Dewey. He was known

as the father of progressive education because he said that if you involve
a child in hands-on learning, you are actually teaching him for the future.
However, Dewey was deemed to be too progressive for his time.

What is active learning?

“Active learning is an instruction method in which students actively
participate in their learning process via learner-centered activities that
exercise the higher-order thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and
evaluation rather than passively listening to a lecture.”

Neelu Sinha, Laila Khreisaf and Kiron Sharma (2009)

What is active learning?

The learner is a unique individual

The background and culture of the learner is important

The learner should be engaged in the learning process

Instructors facilitate learning (Not didactic lecturers)

Active learning

It is a process whereby learners are actively engaged in the learning

process, rather than “passively” absorbing lectures. Active learning
involves reading, writing, discussion, and engagement in solving
problems, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
Active learning engages students in the process of learning through
activities intermixed with discussions in class, as opposed to passively
listening to an expert. It emphasizes higher order thinking (HOT) and
often involves group work.”

Engages students in the process of Learning through

Activities intermixed with Discussions in class, as opposed to
passively listening to an expert.

It emphasizes Higher Order Thinking (HOT) and often

involves Group Work.”

(Freeman, et al. (2014), pp. 8413-8414)

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

THEORY OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

by Jean Piaget

The Active Learning Strategy is based on Jean Piaget’s theory of

Constructivism, Constructivism emphasizes understanding and meaning
and students construct knowledge through their experiences with the
concepts and their environment based on their prior knowledge and
experiences (Posner, 2004)

Constructivism
Learners communicate with each other and share their understandings,
feelings, knowledge, and experience to come up with new knowledge.

The teacher becomes the facilitator and the learners are encouraged to
interact, exchange views and experience and co-construct meaning and
knowledge that is based on their needs (still with the teachers’
intervention.)

What is Constructivism?
 A theory that believes that humans generate knowledge and
understanding as a result of their ideas and experiences.
 Often called “teaching for understanding”
 A form of teaching that attempts to fill the gaps in cognitive
outcomes for students that past educational methods have left out.
 Attempts to enhance higher order thinking, critical analysis and
problem-solving
 Students benefit from meaningful interactions and control their own
learning

Social Constructivism
 Most of us had the experience of talking to another person about an
idea, with neither understanding it completely
 But as discussion continues, understand for both increases
 Social constructivism has become the view most influential in
guiding the thinking of educational leaders and teachers. (Martin,
2006)

David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle

Is there a difference between hands-on learning and experiential
learning?

Hands-on learning is very skills based. However, if we don’t have one

element then it is not learning. That element is reflection.
Note: Essential for us to know
1. Learning theories i.e. Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, and
Humanism
2. Different Teaching Methods
 Examples of Teaching Methods / Strategies
 Questioning
 Reviewing
 Modeling
 Providing Feedback
 Small group discussions
 Drawing
 Scavenger hunt
 Worksheets
 Debates
 Graphic organizers
 Writing

(Eggen and Kauchak, 2012)

7 Student Engagement Strategies

1. Use the 10:2 method. For every 10 minutes of instruction allow
the students 2 minutes to process and respond to the instruction.
This can be done in various ways by having them write what they
have learned, questions they may have, or by discussing the content
with a fellow student.
2. Incorporate movement into your lessons. Require students to
respond to a question by moving to a certain spot in the room,
writing on whiteboards, or standing (or sitting) when they are done
thinking about the question, etc.
3. Pick up the pace. One misconception is that we must go slow for
students to really understand and engage in a lesson. There is a lot of
evidence that shows that when teaching is at a brisk instructional
pace, students have more opportunities to engage, respond, and
move on to the next concept (Carnine & Fink, 1978; Williams, 1993;
Ernsbarger et al., 2001).
 4. Provide frequent and effective feedback.
5. Allow students 5-7 seconds of ‘think time’ when asking a
question. At the end of the time draw a random name to answer the
question.
6. At the end of a lesson have students use the 3-2-1 method of
summarizing by having students record three things they learned,
two interesting things, and one question they have about what was
taught. Allow time to share their findings with a peer.
7. Periodically pause mid-sentence when teaching requiring
students to fill in the blanks.

(Source: https://www.readinghorizons.com/blog/seven-ways-to-increase-student-
engagement-in-the-classroom)

Unit 1, Session 6
 cictl  20 Command Terms, Aims & Objectives of a lesson, Assessment for Learning, Characteristics of
an Effective Lesson, Lesson Plans, The PPP approach  December 9, 2018 2 Minutes

Definition of a Lesson Plan

A lesson plan (LP) is a teacher’s detailed description of the course of
instruction of “learning trajectory” for a lesson.

A daily lesson plan is developed by a teacher to guide class learning.

Details will vary depending on the preference of the teacher, subject

being covered, and the needs of the students.

A lesson plan in the teacher’s guide for running a particular lesson and

it includes the goal (what the students supposed to learn), how
the goal will be reached (the method, procedure) and a way of
measuring how well the goal was reached (test, worksheet,
homework, etc.).

However, in an Active Learning LP – add loads of Activities.

Your AIM Statement

The AIM of this lesson is to:

Accomplish Compare

Check Consider

Consider Determine

Create Develop

Develop Examine

Improve Practice

Introduce Use                                 (Harmer, 2001)

Identify

Plan
Provide                         
(Petty, 2009)

Source: Lecture Slide (23 Nov 2018)

The main aim of every active learning lesson is to tap

into their cognitive learning functions because when
we say active it means that we want students to
become Self-directed & Take Ownership.
 Assessment for Learning (AFL): Check for
Understanding
1. Observing
2. Questioning
3. Listening to students’ discussions
4. Walk around during learning activities involving groups of 2/3/4
5. Any form of students’ work (during class)

One way to design a lesson plan is by using the PPP tool

This is a simple way of structuring your lesson plan. Your students

producing something should be the final outcome. Their product will
depend on the kind of activities you include in your lesson plan. You can
have 2 pyramids or more depending on the number of objectives.
 Example of how the PPP lesson planning tool is used

Examples of Lesson Plans

1. https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/
sample-lesson-plan-new-teachers/
2. https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/unit-plans/teaching-content/
insect-anatomy-and-life-cytcles-unit-plan
3. https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/
4. https://cte.smu.edu.sg/approach-teaching/integrated-design/
lesson-planning

The Final top 20 keywords/phrases you must know

1. Active learning
2. Aim & Objectives
3. Behaviourism
4. Check for understanding
5. Collaborative learning
6. Cognitive Thinking
7. Constructivism
8. Experiential learning
9. Tapped for prior knowledge
10. Lesson Plan
11. More Knowledgeable Others (MKO)
12. Passive learning
13. Reflections
14. Social Constructivism
15.Student Centric/Centered
16. Teacher Centric/Centered
17.Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
18. Facilitation
19. Engaged & Motivated
20. Scaffolding

The 13 signs of an Effective Lesson

1. Well planned – Aims and objectives were achieved
2. Students were engaged and motivated
3. Active Learning strategies were employed
4. Evidence of Experiential Learning with Reflections
5. Elements of Collaborative Learning
6. Presence of Feedback
7. Evidence of Scaffolding
8. Constant facilitation – seen throughout the lesson
9. Varied usage of resources
10. Tapped into Prior Knowledge
11. Catered to learners’ learning styles
 12. A variety of teaching methods were used
13. Continuous check for students’ understanding

Module 1, Unit 2
 cictl  Start of unit  January 13, 2019 1 Minute

Tomorrow is the first day of class after our break where we will be
beginning Module 1 Unit 2. I am excited but also a little apprehensive.
The course has been challenging but interesting and I look forward to
learning more. To be honest, however, the writing part of the course has
been particularly challenging for me. Part of the reason is time. I think I
take a lot of time to put my words to paper in a way that is acceptable to
me. The second issue is time management. I have to keep reminding
myself that just because I’ve got the first section done doesn’t mean that
I can rest on my laurels 

A note on this blog: It is being updated constantly even though there are
no new blog posts. I’ve added a new page titled, “Supporting Research”
where I’ve tried to include links to full-text articles of journal articles.
New pages will continue to be added if there is a need for it and blog
posts will begin again with the start of classes.

Here’s to a successful Unit 2!

Unit 2, Session 1
 cictl  16 Elements of an Effective Lesson, Assessment Strategies, Characteristics of an Effective
Lesson, Review, Theoretical frameworks  January 15, 2019 1 Minute
It was great to get back class but we didn’t cover any new material
because a lot of the lesson was spent on reviewing the content from Unit
1.
1. In unit 1, we used the term ‘Check for understanding’ and
‘Assessment for Learning’ but in Unit 2 we should use the term
‘Formative Assessment’.
2. Active learning involves activities that help students think about
what they are learning.
3. Teachers are facilitators and guides to student learning. Teachers
need to set expectations at the outset by telling students that they are
not there to give them the information. Roles have to be defined. It is
not the teacher’s job to provide the answers. It’s the students’ job to
think.
4. Active learning is based on the constructivist approach with
facilitation as well as reflections.
5. The main advantage of peer marking is that it allows students to
synthesize information.
6. Bloom’s taxonomy talks about categories: cognitive, affective &
psychomotor.

*16 Elements of an Effective Lesson

1. Clear Aims & Objectives
2. Tapped for Prior Knowledge
3. Students were Engaged and Motivated
4. Varied use of Resources & Materials
5. Constant Facilitation
6. Collaborative Learning was evident
7. Safe Learning Environment
8. Evidence of Active Learning
9. Good flow & pace of a lesson
10. Experiential Learning
11. Scaffolding
 12. Constructivist Approach
13. Catered to all learners
14. Effective feedback
15.Assessments were incorporated
16. A wide range of teaching methods & techniques.

 
 
 Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle

You must tap on what each student already knows.  To do this, you need
to take into account your students’ backgrounds, country of origin, etc.

 
This slide illustrates what in essence active learning is. Your lesson
should be an amalgamation of all these elements. Thus an active learning
lesson requires a lot of preparation.
 A sketching activity would be for visual or kinesthetic learners.
 Instead of guided note-taking, you could play bingo, etc.
 Control your environment for students so that it makes it conducive
for them to learn.
The diagram reminds us of an active learning lesson plan. Scaffolding
Strategies – part and parcel of the whole umbrella term of Active
Learning.

 
If these are Assessment for Learning (AfL), it is also formative
assessment.

 
 

Unit 2, Session 2
 cictl  Cone of Experience, Edgar Dale, Edgar Dale, Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, Learning
Styles, PAR method of lesson planning, The PPP approach, VAK  January 17, 2019 1 Minute
The above is what we will be covering in Unit 2. We must have an
abundance of learning activities and resources to keep
students engaged and motivated. Active learning means that we are
constantly checking for understanding and that is where our learning
activities come in.
The following is the actual template for our lesson plan.

Different styles
Discovery: My learning style is VAK. I missed out on the 4th
which is R – Read.

In Unit 2, you will need to mention the strengths and weaknesses of your
lesson plan. The requirement is 4 strengths and 3 weaknesses – This is a
self-evaluation.

Howard Gardner’s 9 Intelligences

 
 
According to Edgar Dale, the activities on the lower half of the triangle
have a larger impact on learners.

Notice the words to the right of the triangle. Doesn’t it remind you of
Bloom’s Taxonomy?

 
 

The 3P Lesson Planning Method

 
P.A.R. Method of Lesson Planning (Petty, 2009)
The difference between the 3P method and Petty’s PAR method? The 3P
method does not have constant Feedback/AFL.

Unit 2, Session 3
 cictl  Formative assessment, Uncategorized  January 22, 2019 1 Minute

The bulk of this session was spent reviewing previous sessions. In

addition, we also did a ‘teaching practicum’ with the lesson plans that we
had prepared. This was a very good experience because it allowed us to
teach with reference to our lesson plans and work on areas that could be
improved.  I found that even though my lesson plan looked good on
paper, putting it the lesson into action allowed me to see where things
did not go as smoothly as I had thought it would.

I also had some difficulty crafting my column for formative assessment

but fortunately, R set me straight. This would be things like ‘walking
around and observing’ or ‘observe and listen.’ We also had very few
slides because of our practicum but the time spent on it was invaluable.

We also went through ways to write evaluations for ourselves. This was
necessary because in Unit 2, when creating our lesson plan, we had to
evaluate ourselves by stating ways we conducted the lesson well and
other ways in which we could have improved upon it.
Learning Activities
Examples of Active Learning Activities from Queens
University 

Admin Slip
Teacher hands students a slip of paper as they enter the class. S/he will
then ask the students to write three things they remember from their last
lesson.

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to tap for prior knowledge. In

active learning, the instructor will always check for understanding so if
everyone gets a slip they will have to write something. This will probably
be enforced by peers because students will probably not want their peers
to see that they know less than them.

In the case of the CICTL class, we also added an additional column for
‘Why’ i.e. what was the purpose of us doing what we did in class.

KWL
The K-W-L strategy stands for what I Know, what I Want to learn, and
what I did Learn. These charts help students activate prior knowledge,
make connections and set a purpose when learning new concepts.

Purpose: a visual tool that provides teachers with an idea of their

students level of understanding of a topic, etc.

Mindmaps can be used before, after or throughout the lesson. As a

recap, a refresher, etc.

Note Sticks (R’s idea) – an activity designed to recap what

was covered in the previous lesson

Sticky notes with questions written on them were stuck to numbered

pieces of paper. Learners took turns to go up and select a number to
answer the question written on it.
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Table with note sticks on it

Whiteboard Splash
For example, you may have many whiteboards in your class. Ask
students to write one thing that they’ve learned on the board before they
leave. It’s called whiteboard splash because they are splashing the boards
with their answers.

Supporting Research
Below is a list of readings I’ve come across that support active learning. I
hope that it will be a useful reference for anyone creating their CICTL
portfolio.

Bargh, J. A., & Schul, Y. (1980). On the cognitive benefits of teaching.

Journal of Educational Psychology, 72,593-604. [ABSTRACT
ONLY] – Study reported a significant difference between students who
studied with the expectation of teaching what they had learned when
compared with students who studied content to just learn it for
themselves. 

Benware, C., & Deci, E. L. (1984). The quality of learning with an active
versus passive motivational set. American Educational Research Journal,
21, 755-766. Students who learn by teaching exhibited high levels of
intrinsic motivation and perceived themselves to be more involved with
the instructional environment.

Beiesch, A. M., & Daniels, B. (2013). Using self-management

interventions to address general education behavioral needs: Assessment
of effectiveness and feasibility. Psychology in the Schools, 50(4), 366-
381 [ABSTRACT ONLY]

Chase, P. A., Hilliard, L. J., Geldhof, J. G., Warren, D. A., & Lerner, R. M.
(2014). Academic achievement in the high school years: the changing
role of school engagement. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 43(6),
884-896

Clark, K. R. (2015). The effects of the flipped model of instruction on

student engagement and performance in the secondary mathematics
classroom. Journal of Educators Online, 12(1), 91-115
 

Hattie, J. and Timperly, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of

Educational Research, 77(1): 81-112 Providing specific, timely and
frequent feedback helps learners understand where they are going, how
to get there and the next steps that should be taken to keep the learning
moving forward.

Haydon, T., Mancil, G., Kroeger, S., Mcleskey, J., & Lin, W. (2011). A
review of the effectiveness of guided notes for students who struggle
learning academic content. Preventing School Failure: Alternative
Education for Children and Youth, 55(4), 226-231. Organized note-
taking strategies such as Guided Notes were consistently linked to
improved student outcomes.

Larwin, K., Erickson, M., Larwin, D. & Dawson, D. (2012). Impact of

guided notes on achievement in K-12 and special education students.
International Journal of Special Education. 27(3), 108 Organized note-
taking strategies such as Guided Notes were consistently linked to
improved student outcomes.

Lee, J. (2014). The relationship between student engagement and

academic performance: Is it a myth or reality? The Journal of
Educational Research,m 107(3), 177-185 [ABSTRACT ONLY]

Roscoe, R.D., & Chi, M. T. H. (2007). Understanding tutor learning:

Knowledge-building and knowledge-telling in peer tutors’ explanations
and questions. Review of Educational Research, 77(4), 534-574  In this
study, one group of students was told, prior to studying that they would
also be teaching the topic to their classmates. As expected, the students
who were required to learn and teach their peers outperformed their
non-teaching peers on the final assessment.
 

Webb, N. M., Farivar, S. H., & Mastergeorge, A. M. (2002). Productive

helping in cooperative groups. Theory into Practice, 41, 13-20

Xiao, L., Merkel, C.B., Nash, H., Ganoe, C., Rosson, M.B., Carroll, J.M.,
Shon, E., Lee, R., Farooq, U. (2005). Students as teachers and teachers
as facilitators. Proceedings of the 38th Hawaiian International
conference on system sciences, 1-10.  This particular study focused on
how high-school students assisted faculty with developing an online
health course that was to be taken by fellow students and suggested that
even though teachers experienced feelings of inadequacy in the area of
technology, they allowed their students to basically take control of the
classroom and assist each other as they created the online class.

Glossary
Since using the correct terms is crucial I have decided to create a page to
list down all the new terms that I will come across in my classes and
readings.

A
Aims (of a lesson) (12 Nov)
A broad statement of what learning you hope to achieve in your whole
lesson. Gives an overview of the lesson

Active Learning (14 Nov)

Engaging with the learning material, participate in class

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

“AfL is any activity, integrated into teaching and learning, which creates
feedback for learners to improve learning. Afl is a critical component of
effective teaching practice as teachers and learners cannot avoid giving
and getting feedback from any learning activity.” 

B
Behaviorism (12 Nov)
“This theory assumes that a learner is essentially passive. Learning
therefore is described as a change in behaviour based on a reaction to
environmental conditions. This theory states that the principles of
repetition and reinforcement are viewed as central to explaining the
learning process.” (From the CICTL module notes – Learning Theories)

Alternative definition
A learning theory that only focuses on objectively observable behaviors
and discounts any independent activities of the mind. Behavior theorists
define learning as nothing more than the acquisition of new behavior
based on environmental conditions.

C
Check for Understanding (14 Nov)
Provides the teacher with the opportunity to improve learning based on
student responses throughout the teaching and learning process.

Cognitive thinking (12 Nov)

Cognitive thinking refers to the use of mental activities and skills to
perform tasks such as learning, reasoning, understanding, remembering,
paying attention, and more. (Source: LearningRx)

Cognitive psychology
Cognitive theory attempts to explain human behavior by understanding
the thought processes. The assumption is that humans are logical beings
that make the choices that make the most sense to them. Methods of
instruction are lecturing and reading textbooks and the learner is viewed
as a passive receiver of knowledge by the teacher. (From the CICTL
module notes – Learning Theories)
Coherent lesson plan (12 Nov)
provides a smooth transition for learners.

Collaborative Learning (14 Nov)

An educational approach that involves groups of learners working
together to solve a problem, complete a task or create a product.

Constructivism (14 Nov)

A philosophy of learning based on the concept that people construct their
own understanding by reflecting on their personal experiences, and by
relating the new knowledge with what they already know. Individuals
create their own mental-models, known as ‘schemas’, to make sense of
the world. Individuals accommodate new knowledge by adjusting their
schemas. (From the CICTL module notes – Command Words)

Alternative explanation
Learning is an active, contextualized process of constructing knowledge
rather than merely acquiring it.

Cooperative Learning (14 Nov)

Students are more inherently interdependent, promoting greater
accountability to each team member during their work together.

E
Engaged (12 Nov) – Engaged & Motivated
Involved in something; busy doing something

Experiential learning
“Experiential learning involves learning from experience and was
proposed by psychologist David Kolb. According to Kolb, this type of
learning can be defined as ‘the process whereby knowledge is created
through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the
combinations of grasping and transforming experience.” (From the
CICTL module notes – Learning Theories)
Alternative explanation
According to Kolb, experiential learning is a process whereby knowledge
is created through the transformation of experience. It is based on four
main elements which operate in a continuous cycle during the learning
experience: concrete experience; reflective observation; abstract
conceptualization and active experimentation.

F
Facilitation
The act of helping other people to deal with
a process or reach an agreement or solution without
getting directly involved in the process, discussion, etc. yourself:
Example:

Instructors should have appropriate facilitation skills and

be able to develop learner autonomy.

  L
Learners (12 Nov)
Visual
Auditory
Kinesthetic

Learning Abilities (LA) (12 Nov)

Low LA
Middle LA
High LA

Learning Activities (12 Nov) as opposed to games. Use the correct

term to avoid unhappy parents
Teachable moments

Lesson Plan 
A lesson plan in the teacher’s guide for running a particular lesson and
it includes the goal (what the students supposed to learn), how
the goal will be reached (the method, procedure) and a way of
measuring how well the goal was reached (test, worksheet,
homework, etc.).

M
Motivated (12 Nov)
very enthusiastic or determined because you really want to do
something:

More Knowledgeable Others (MKO)

Multiple Intelligences
Developed by Howard Gardner in 1983, this theory states there are at
least seven ‘intelligences’ of how learners understand and perceive the
world. The theory has been criticized by educators who argue that
Gardner’s definition of intelligence is too broad and that his seven
different intelligences simply represent personality traits and abilities.
(From the CICTL module notes – Learning Theories)

O
Objectives
Goals of a lesson

P
Passive learning is being applied when an educator delivers
a passive activity and subsequently puts students in a position to
demonstrate they learned from the activity, without providing additional
learning experiences.
(Source: https://activelearningworks.com/blog/what-is-passive-
learning/)

 
Prior knowledge (12 Nov)
Activating Prior Knowledge is important in students understanding,
because it allows them and helps make connections to the new
information. By using what students already know, it helps the teacher
assist students with the learning process because it give him/her an idea
of what students know and what they still need to learn.
(Source: https://strategiesforspecialinterventions.weebly.com/activating
-prior-knowledge1.html)

S
Social constructivism
“This theory focuses on the importance of learning within a community
and was developed by the psycholinguist Lev Vygotsky. For Vygotsky,
learning is primarily by building up knowledge as we interact with other
people through language. An important idea is the zone of proximal
development (ZPD) which describes the area where the teacher interacts
with the learner to take them from tasks that they can accomplish
independently to more challenging tasks.” (From the CICTL module
notes – Learning Theories)

T
Teaching Activities (12 Nov)
Asking students to write in a journal is a teaching activity

Z
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
“The area where learning activities should be focused lying between what
the learner can achieve independently and what the learner can achieve
with the teacher’s guidance.” (CICTL Module Notes, p.3)

OR

The area where the teacher interacts with the learner to take them from
tasks that they can accomplish independently to more challenging tasks.
(CICTL Module Notes)