EDU 330: Experiential Activity

Overview: The goal of experiential activity is to provide the class with an opportunity to reflect and apply the key concepts we have discussed during the first half of the semester. We have progressed from discussing theoretical concepts in the abstract to observing these concepts in authentic settings, including “Fridays in the Field” and videos of teachers in the classroom. The next natural step in this progression is to apply what you have learned to the actual teaching of an activity. Please note that you will not be asked to develop a complete lesson plan for this activity.

Class #1 for Experiential Activity

  • You will work with your Fridays in the Field partner
  • You and your partner will develop an activity that can be taught in approximately 15 minutes. Please note that you will be teaching this activity to some your classmates during one of the next two classes
  • This activity does NOT have to be related to your content/concentration (i.e. Good teaching transcends content)
  • This activity should:
  • Reflect implications from at least onetopic we have discussed so far this semester (Cognitive Development (Piaget and Vygotsky); Intelligence Theories, Growth vs. Fixed Mindsets, Attributions, Constructivism and Conceptual Change, Information Processing Theory, Metacognition)

Please follow these steps with your partner:

(1)Choose at least one of the above topics with your partner

(2)Design a 15-minute activity (you will have work time during class). This design of this activity should be consistent with assumption of your chosen topic (or topics).

(3)Teach this activity to your classmates during class #2 or #3 (Experiential Activity)

Class #2or Class #3 for Experiential Activity

(1)You and your partner will have 15 minutes to teach your activity to the other groups assigned to the station. It is expected that you and your partner(s) co-teach.

(2)Your teaching will be followed by feedback from your classmates (see questions on the second page).

(3)At the end of class, you will be asked to reflect on your teaching of the activity. This reflection will be guided by the questions on the second page. Please write your responses to the reflection. Your written response will serve as a homework assessment but it will be evaluated on a different rubric, which is in page 3.

EDU 330: Experiential Week

Feedback Questions: These questions are intended to guide your feedback on the activity. After your classmates teach their activity, please take a few moments to think about the below questions and then provide them with feedback.

  1. What aspects of the activity do you think went particularly well?
  2. What suggestions do you have that may improve the teaching of this activity?
  3. To what extent was the activity consistent with topics we have discussed in class?

Reflection Questions: These questions are intended to guide your reflection on the activity. Please write your responses to the reflection. Your written response will serve as one of the “Homework Assessments” for this course.

  1. What aspects of the activity do you think went particularly well?
  2. What topic guided your instruction during this activity? Why did you choose this particular topic?
  1. If you were to teach this activity again, what changes would you make? Why would you make those changes?
  2. How might your experiential activity be used in a classroom setting?OR: What insight into effective teaching did this experience provide?

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Experiential Teaching Exercise: Rubric

NAME ______

0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Connection to class discussions/readings / Connections are not made to class discussions/reading / Connections are attempted, but significant inaccuracies are present and/or major details missing / Connections are attempted, but inaccuracies are present and/or details missing / Connections are attempted, but minor inaccuracies are present and/or details missing / Connections are attempted and are generally accurate, with very minor inaccuracies (no details missing) / Connections are made and represent a completely accurate engagement of the topic
Reflections on class discussions/readings / Paper does not provide reflections / Paper provides reflections, but they are not related to the connections with class discussions/readings / Paper provides reflections and they generally relate to class discussion/readings, but they lack critical thinking / Paper provides reflections and they relate to class discussion/readings, but they warrant more critical thinking / Paper provides reflections and they relate to class discussion/readings, and represent a degree of critical thinking / Paper provides reflections, and these reflections are well developed with sophistication

** PLEASE NOTE: Readability and conventions will NOT evaluated in these reflection exercises.

GRADE: ______/10 points

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