MOTIVATING STUDENT THINKING: EDUGF – 527

Introduction

Overview and Rationale

The students' ability to apply curricula content requires that they have control over their thinking processes. Both curricular design and instructional delivery, must therefore deliberately and efficiently address and assess students' cognitive abilities. The ability of students and teachers to understand their own thinking is affected by their understanding of how the brain functions. This course addresses the conditions that create the positive climate in the school and in the classroom that foster brain compatible learning.

Course Description

This course is based on the most current strategies for increasing student achievement through the integration of cognitive instruction with academic content. The course introduces participants to cognitive instructional strategies that enhance student interest and academic success. Participants are actively involved in creating model lessons designed to promote rigorous and challenging lessons. Participants will learn explicit cognitive strategies to redesign lessons and units for their respective content areas and to promote the transfer of learning in their brain-compatible classrooms.

Course Standards

Illinois Learning Standards

#1 Content Knowledge

The competent teacher understands the central concepts, methods of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines and creates learning experiences that make the content meaningful to all students.

Benchmarks:

I C. understands how students' conceptual frameworks and their misconceptions for an area of knowledge can influence their learning.

ID. understands the relationship of knowledge within the discipline to other content areas and to life and career applications.

IG. uses differing viewpoints, theories, "ways of knowing" and methods of inquiry in teaching subject matter concepts.

I I. designs learning experiences to promote students skills in the use of technologies appropriate to the discipline.

#2 Human Development and Learning

The competent teacher understands how individuals grow, develop, and learn and provides learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.

Benchmarks

2A understands how students construct knowledge, acquire skills and develop habits of mind.

2B. understands that student's physical, social, emotional, ethical and cognitive development influences learning.

2H. stimulates student reflection on prior knowledge and links new ideas to already familiar ideas and experiences.

#3 Diversity

The competent teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning

and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.

Benchmarks

3C. understands how students' learning is influenced by individual experiences, talents and prior learning, as well as language, culture, family and community values.

3D. understands and identifies differences in approaches to learning and performance, including different learning styles, multiple intelligences and performance modes.

3F. understands personal cultural perspectives and biases and their effect on one's teaching.

3I. uses information about students' families, cultures and communities as a basis for connecting instruction to students' experiences.

#4 Planning for Instruction

The competent teacher understands instructional planning and designs instruction based upon knowledge of the discipline, students, the community, and curriculum goals.

Benchmarks

4C. understands how to take the contextual considerations of instructional

materials, individual student interests and career needs into account in planning

instruction that creates an effective bridge between student experiences and career

and educational goals.

4F. understands how to review and evaluate educational technologies to determine their instructional value.

4L. creates and selects learning materials and learning experiences appropriate for the discipline and curriculum goals, relevant to the students and based on students' prior knowledge and principles of effective motivation.

#5 Learning Environment

The competent teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Benchmarks

5A. understands principles of, and strategies for effective classroom management.

5G. knows strategies for intervening in situations to prevent crises from developing or escalating.

5M. organizes, allocates and manages time, materials and physical space to provide active and equitable engagement of students in productive tasks.

5N. engages students in and monitors individual and group learning activities that help them develop the motivation to achieve.

5P. modifies the learning environment (including the schedule and physical environment) to facilitate appropriate behaviors and learning for students with diverse learning characteristics.

5R. uses effective methods for teaching social skill development in all students.

#6 Instructional Delivery

The competent teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills.

Benchmarks

6A understands 1he cognitive processes associated with various kinds of learning and how these processes can be stimulated.

6C. knows how to enhance learning through the use of a wide variety of materials as well as human and technological resources.

61. varies his or her role in the instructional process as instructor, facilitator, coach or audience in relation to the content and purposes of instruction and the needs of students.

#8 Assessment

The competent teacher understands various formal and informal assessment strategies

and uses them to support the continuous development of all students.

Benchmarks

8A. understands assessment as a means of evaluating how students learn, what they know and are able to do in meeting the Illinois Academic Standards an what kinds of experiences will support their further growth and development.

8D. understands how to use the results of assessment to reflect on and modify teaching.

8J. understands how to select, construct and use assessment strategies and instruments for diagnosis and evaluation of learning and instruction.

8K. involves students in self-assessment activities to help them become more aware of their strengths and needs and encourages them to establish goals for learning.

Course Outline

WeekOneCogAbilities - Introduction, Chapter One - Basic Brain Facts, and Chapter Two - How the Brain Processes Information

• Overview of brain research

• Three Brain networks - Universal Design for Learning model

This information is Web-Based and outside the typical span of your text, however, the content is essential to your learning.

WeekTwoCogAbilities - Chapter Three - Memory, Retention, and Learning

• The Recognition Network

WeekThreeCogAbilities - Chapter Four - The Power of Transfer

• The Strategic Network - Part One

WeekFourCogAbilities - Chapter Five - Brain Specialization and Learning

• The Strategic Network - Part Two

WeekFiveCogAbilities - Chapter Six - The Brain and the Arts

• The Affective Network

WeekSixCogAbilities - Chapter Seven - Thinking Skills and Learning

WeekSevenCogAbilities - Chapter Eight - Putting It All Together: Planning for Today and Tomorrow

VI. Methodology

This is a mixed format course that combines face-to-face and online components.The course objectives will be accomplished through a variety of teaching techniques including direct instruction to summarize key research in motivating student thinking and brain-based teaching and learning. In addition, participants will engage in experiential exercises to develop a variety of practical experiences in applying techniques and strategies to engage student thinking and increase motivation. Reflective journals and peer coaching will be used to facilitate transfer. Students will engage in Socratic discussion, individual and team presentations, and critical reflective analysis of the course material.

InternalLinksCogAbilities

ExternalLinksCogAbilities

SlideShare Resources

ExpectationsAssignmentsCogAbilities