TED 367METHODS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION
MODULE 4Teacher-centered and Student-centered Methods of Teaching

Name: / ______
Date: / ______
Points: / ______
Comments:

OBJECTIVE:
Within the framework of developmentally appropriate practice, use curriculum and an understanding of the developmental levels of students to implement units and lessons for students, including atypical learners, in secondary level programs.

READING:
In the Duplass textbook, read Unit 5 (topics 21-25) and Unit 6 (topics 26-36).

ACTIVITIES:

  1. Note taking:
  2. Read topic 27 in the Duplass textbook. Will you need to teach note-taking to your students? How can you help students improve their note-taking skills?
  3. Wait time during questioning:
  4. Why is “wait time” important when asking questions?
  5. Improving lectures:
  6. Identify several (approx. 3 to 5) best practices regarding lecturing that are priorities for you to incorporate into your teaching. Use material presented in the Duplass textbook, material presented in class, and material posted to our class Wiki.
  7. Think back to a teacher in your middle school, high school, or college experience who employed lecturing successfully. What elements did this teacher employ to make lecturing so effective?
  8. In class, we examined a number of student-centered methods of teaching. Which one(s) of these methods will be an area for you to include in your teaching? Why?

TED 367METHODS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION
MODULE 4-B: Rethinking teacher-centered instructional methods.

CLASS ACTIVITY #1: Improving lectures/teacher talk.

Most of us were raised on teacher-centered instructional methods in our schooling experience. In this activity, we will consider how to improve lecturing, probably the oldest teaching method that exists.

  1. As a class, collaboratively create a Wiki page that will provide information to teachers as to how lecturing can be more effective. Use our textbook, Dr. Steve’s notes, and online sources as needed. Remember that the Wiki (as with all Web 2.0 tools) requires not only that we contribute information to the product, but that we plan, communicate, and collaborate to successfully create an effective online resource that will be helpful to teachers.
  2. Consider the following guiding questions as we plan how to construct this Wiki resource:
  3. Review the types of lectures presented in topic 27 in the Duplass textbook (feedback lecture, guided lecture, responsive lecture, demonstration lecture, pause procedure lecture, think/write/discuss, lecture with graphic organizer, Socratic method lecture). When is it appropriate for teachers to use this method? (When is this method especially effective? What type of material can be taught most successfully using this method?)
  4. Think back to a teacher in your middle school, high school, or college experience who employed lecturing successfully. What elements did this teacher employ to make lecturing so effective?
  5. Identify best practices that a teacher could incorporate into lecturing to make using this popular method of teaching more effective. Possible sources:
  6. Best practices described in the Duplass textbook.
  7. Refer to online sources (journal articles on Ebsco Host or Web sites that provide teaching research or research on best teaching practices).

Grading:

Performance Indicators / Rating
Wiki content:
  • Quality of content.
  • Breadth of content.
  • Organization.
Participation:
  • Amount of posted info.
  • Quality of posted info.
/
  • Met or exceeded all expectations: 100%
  • Met expectations with minor errors: 85-99%
  • Met expectations with major errors: 70-84%
  • Met some expectations: 50-69%
  • Met few expectations: 1-49%
  • Met no expectations: 0%

TED 367METHODS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION
MODULE 4-C: Student-centered instructional methods.

CLASS ACTIVITY #2: Preparing student-centered activities.

Many teachers are supplementing or veering from relying solely on teacher-centered instructional methods, and are focusing on student-centered methods. In this activity, we will explore and research how to implement these newer student-centered methods of teaching. Use our textbook, Dr. Steve’s notes, and online sources as needed.

  1. In a small group or individually, create a hands-on learning experience using one of the following student-centered methods:
  2. Create a cooperative learning group activity.
  3. Select a topic/task appropriate for teaching using this teaching method.
  4. Determine how many students should participate in each group. Assign roles for students in groups. Name each of the roles and determine what function each student will perform.
  5. Set up guidelines for the activity. Identify how you will group students (ability, learning style, personality, etc.).
  6. How will you introduce this activity (and method) to the class? Lead the class in starting the activity so that we can experience how this type of activity works.
  7. How will you assess this activity? Describe your assessment plans.
  8. Create an inquiry teaching/discovery learning experience.
  9. Select a topic appropriate for teaching using this teaching method. Create a real-life problem to be solved.
  10. Create materials for students:
  11. Background/scenario.
  12. Directions to solve problem.
  13. Provide any additional materials needed (Web sites, maps, graphics, statistics, etc.).
  14. How will you introduce this activity (and method) to the class? Lead the class in starting the activity so that we can experience how this type of activity works.
  15. How will you assess this activity? Describe your assessment plans.
  16. Create a project-centered learning activity.
  17. This method requires a longer period of time for students to complete, so we will not be able to engage in this method in our class. Instead, set up the activity and walk us through how you will conduct the project.
  18. Choose a subject. How will you introduce this activity (and method) to the class? Introduce the project to our class, explaining the scope, parameters, and final product(s).
  19. Provide some sample topics to help guide us in picking a project topic. Picking a topic is one of the most difficult parts of this activity. How will you teach this to your class?
  20. How will you handle deadlines and progress updates?
  21. How will you assess the product(s)? Create a rubric.
  22. Case study:
  23. Do an online search for case studies in your field. Select a case study that will provide enough information to support a lesson you will teach.
  24. Determine the purpose of using the case in your class. What do you want students to gain from analyzing this case study?
  25. Some case studies provide tasks/questions for learners. Present a task(s) or questions for the learners to address as they analyze this case.
  26. How will you assess what the learners have gained from analyzing this case?
  27. Electronic field trips and educational games.
  28. Select a topic appropriate for teaching using an educational field trip. Walk us through using this method.
  29. Locate an educational game or simulation appropriate for your field. Walk us through using this technology-based method.
  30. For each method (field trip and game/simulation), do the following:
  31. Regarding the field trip, describe the kind of guidance you would provide to the learners: questions to answer or tasks to complete.
  32. Explain how/when you will use this activity in the class (compared to lecturing and other methods you will employ).
  33. How much time will you devote to this activity?
  34. How will you determine if students have learned from this activity?
  35. Describe how these methods benefit learners compared to traditional lecture.

Grading:

Performance Indicators / Rating
Content:
  • Quality of content.
  • Organization.
Presentation:
  • Confident, enthusiastic.
  • Good pacing.
  • Use of proper English.
/
  • Met or exceeded all expectations: 100%
  • Met expectations with minor errors: 85-99%
  • Met expectations with major errors: 70-84%
  • Met some expectations: 50-69%
  • Met few expectations: 1-49%
  • Met no expectations: 0%