Lesson L6: Need for Variety of Instructional Methods 100% Method1 Method 2 Method 3 | r ° - 2 8 3 2 5S z 3 2 ii 0 15 30 45 60 Time in Minutes ——_—__—_, Contributors Prof. (Mrs.) Susan S. Mathew Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Education & Dr K. K. Jain Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering Education Editor: Dr Joshua Earnest, Professor of Electrical Engineering National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research Shamla Hills, Bhopal M.P. - INDIA 462 002Lesson L6: Need for Variety of Instructional Methods Learning outcome: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to justify the need for a variety of instructional methods. Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD. 3.0 NEED FOR A VARIETY OF INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS. 4.0 TYPES OF LEARNING OUTCOMES. 5.0 _ INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 6.0 __ LEARNING EFFECTIVENESS AS A FUNCTION OF TIME 7.0 NEED FOR STIMULUS VARIATION. 8.0 AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES. 9.0 CONCLUSION... 10.0. REFERENCES.... "NCTENITTT Wesule 4 Insructoal Paning and Devery 'DNITTT, Bhopal Al igs Reserves teens?Lesson L6: Need for Variety of Instructional Methods 1.0 INTRODUCTION The saying ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ holds good for every teaching-learning activity. ‘A teacher has to be concerned about how learning can be made more effective and efficient and this is where the different types of instructional methods can be of great help. This lesson attempts to establish the need to use the most suitable instructional method or technique in formal teaching-learning (T-L) situations consciously and purposefully from a plethora of available instructional methods. 2.0 INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD In various contexts, an instructional method is also called a teaching method or a teaching technique. In this module, the term that will be more often used will be an instructional method for which a working definition is given below. ‘An instructional method is an arrangement of learning events adopted by the teacher to facilitate learning to occur in the students.’ In the above definition, you must have noticed that an instructional method is an arrangement of learning events or learning experiences exterior to the learner. The aim is to facilitate learning to occur in the students, A large number of instructional methods are used in educational institutions, some of which are given below. It is the creativity of a teacher, which makes him or her use these varieties of methods in his or her class. i. Lecture and Improved Lecture xi, Simulation ii, Demonstration xii, Computer-assisted Learning iii, Tutorial xii, Educational Game iv. Laboratory/ Workshop/ Field Work xiv, Brainstorming v. Project Method xv, Self-learning Module vi. Assignment xvi. Role Play vii, Web-based Learning xvii, Case Study viii, Seminar xviii, Group Discussion ix. Panel Discussion xix, Industry/ Field Visit. x. Buzz Session The various aspects of the initial four methods in the above list are discussed in lesson 8, while the remaining are discussed in lesson 9. 3.0 NEED FOR A VARIETY OF INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS, To develop different types of skills in the student, using one type of instructional method may not always suffice. For example, demonstrations or projects are effective for meeting ‘NCTENITTT Noss Isrvctonal Panning and Dever, 'DNITTTR, Bhopal Alias Reseves terenesthe requirement for the development of certain types of skills and outcomes, but ineffective for achieving other types of outcomes. Also, a single instructional method cannot meet the requirements of every student at the same time because of individual differences. So, a teacher needs to develop the capability to use not merely a single instructional method but should be comfortable employing a variety of instructional methods. The prime reasons for Using several instructional methods by a teacher, especially regarding courses of technical education programmes are described below under the following sub-titles: a) Types of learning outcomes b) Individual differences )_ Learning effectiveness as a function of time d) Need for stimulus variation e) Availabilty of resources. 4.0 TYPES OF LEARNING OUTCOMES It has already been seen in Unit-1, Lesson 1 of this Module-4 that there are three different types of learning outcomes that have to be achieved by the learners. These are learnt differently by students due to the requirement of different mental and physical processes. a) Cognitive Domain Outcomes: Knowledge of concepts, principles, procedures, or intellectual skills (understanding, reasoning, analysing, synthesising, problem-solving, decision making, evaluating and the like). For example: explain the concept of current. and voltage, apply the current and voltage laws and others. b) Psychomotor Domain outcomes: Manual or physical skills required for manipulative performance. For example: operating a machine, setting up the apparatus and others. Affective Domain Outcomes: Attitudes, interests, values or motivational behaviours. For example: exhibit an attitude of inquiry, take a leadership role, practice good housekeeping and such others. Developing these different categories of learning outcomes require different learning conditions. Such conditions could be created by using different teaching methods. 5.0 INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Although there are many commonalities between students of any class, all students are invariably and uniquely different in many ways. Even the rate of acquiring and assimilating knowledge is different in individuals and a teacher has to be conscious of this factor in selecting activities and methods for slow learners, average learners and fast learners. Due to individual differences, the students use different learning styles. Methods of instruction should always attempt to match the learning styles of students. The students also differ from class to class and institution to institution due to several other factors such as: a) Intelligence ©) Aptitudes b) Temperament 4) Social background ‘NCTENITTT Noss Isrvctonal Panning and Dever, 'DNITTTR, Bhopal Alias Reseves teenede) Cultural background i) Analytical abilities f) Communication skills k) Drawing abilities 8) Physique 1) Interests h) Attitudes 1m) Values and such others. i) Motivational level Therefore, these differences in the students are important factors to be considered in the choice of instructional methods. There is also a difference in the pace of learning and a teacher needs to consider the methods to be employed to manage the pace. Broadly, there can be three categories: Self:paced - the students learn at their own pace (rate), Teacher-paced ~ the students proceed at the teacher's rate of teaching and Group-paced - the students proceed at the rate of their peers. Different methods exist for each of these, which will be discussed in later lessons. REFLECTION SPOT If you are already a teacher, compare the traits, characteristics and factors under Section 5.0 of this lesson of five of your peers or students, in order to identify the individual differences. 6.0 LEARNING EFFECTIVENESS AS A FUNCTION OF TIME Research has shown that by using a single type of teaching method, the attention of the students cannot be retained beyond 15 to 20 minutes in a normal class period. if a time v/s attention graph is plotted as shown in Figure 1, it can be noted that the curve after rising initially and reaching a maximum level starts to droop. This implies that the effectiveness of the teaching method starts decreasing after a certain amount of time Le. about 15 to 20 minutes. When the attention of the student in the class starts drooping and if another teaching method 100% is seamlessly introduced at this point of time during the instructional period as shown in Figure 2, the effectiveness of the attention curve Hectiveness is sustained and rises to a new level for a greater period. If this ‘cycle’ of using a new teaching method is introduced, whenever the attention = “¢5pan of Attention > curve starts to droop, the attention will rise again vena ime in Minutes and thus the learning can be made more Figure 1: Attention Curve effective and efficient during the whole period of ‘ure 4: Attention ce instruction which is. generally around 45 to 60 minutes, "NCTENITTT Mosul Instructional Planing and Devery ‘DNITTT, Bhopal Aliens Reserves terenesMethod 1 Method 2 Method 3 100% Effectiveness Span of Attention» 15 30 Time in Minutes 45 Figure 2: Need for Variety of Teaching Methods fora Teaching Session 7.0 NEED FOR STIMULUS VARIATION Incorporating the maximum number of the human senses in a multisensory manner in the teaching-learning process activates more of the brain, which accelerates the learning process in the brain and facilitates the development of the various types of skills. Educational research has established that if more of the five senses i.e., senses of hearing, sight, taste, touch and smell are used, then the learning is more effective. This is what the advertisement world also encashes upon through the Internet, social media, TV and other methods to market their products. Good teachers also do the same by using techniques and methods, which make use of more than one human sense. At least two senses i.e. hearing and seeing can be used in most learning situations. Also, the sense of touch can be used in many relevant situations in the realm of engineering education. Monotony as you must be aware results in boredom and loss of interest. On the other hand, ‘stimulus variation’ enhances the effectiveness of learning, Itis, therefore, essential to bring in variety in T-L situations. The relevant activities should be planned and provided to involve the learners in the T-L processes. This objective can be accomplished by using different types of teaching methods that allow students to listen, watch, write, ask questions, respond to questions, discuss, manipulate and the like. 8.0 AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES Many resources are available to teachers or can be developed or acquired by them. Also, they are required to teach under various constraints. These resources and constraints may be due to various factors which are: a). Student's background (social, cultural, intellectual, and educational) b) Students! entry-level (prior knowledge and experience) ©) Class-size (Number of students) d) Time available €) Instructional Resources available (equipment, consumables) ) Location of learning (classroom, laboratory, workshop, industry). INCTENITTT Noss Iervctonal Panning and De very 'DNITTTR, Bhopal Alias Reseves TerenceTherefore, different types of instructional methods have to be judiciously selected based on the resources available. 9.0 CONCLUSION The teacher must ‘Focus on student's Learning, not instruction or teaching’. You have learnt in this lesson that there are vast differences in the students as each of them is uniquely created. It was seen how different methods can be used to enhance the limited attention span of learning during classroom sessions. Further, it was also seen that for different types of learning outcomes, different types of teaching methods are required to be adapted in different educational settings. Every teaching method has its strengths and limitations, which have to be used judiciously based on the outcomes that are to be developed in the students. 10.0 REFERENCES Mayer, R. E. (2008). Learning and Instruction (Second ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall. Banthiya, N.K., Earnest, Joshua, Mathew, Susan S.et al. (1999); Devise Teaching Strategies and Select Teaching Methods- Competency-Based Self-Learning Module; TTTI Bhopal. Wilson, Bob. (1987). Methods of Training: Group Work { Vol.2), Parthenon Publishing Group Ltd., England, Garvin, David A. (2000) Learning in Action; A Guide to Putting Learning Organization to Work - Harvard Business School Press; Boston, Massachusetts. Patki, S. D. (1997). A module on overview of Training Methods, Cement Industry HRD Project: Technical Teachers’ Training Institute. INCTENITTT Noss Iervctonal Panning and De very 'DNITTTR, Bhopal Alias Reseves eene?