Monaco - The Palace: Lesson Plan

The Palace - Final Paper Lesson Plan – Grade 11 Math: Systems of Equations Online Lesson

This lesson is very constructivist in nature as it is primarily an online lesson using technology as the medium of delivery. Students are expected to learn within an interface that supports a variety of potential interactions and tools.

The self-instructional online learning environment (OLE) provides students with information needed to acquire and assess specified knowledge and skills, and serves as one component of a total curriculum. OLE’s organize and provide sets of information and activities that guide, support, and augment students’ internal mental processes (Dick & Carey, 1990).

I enjoyed this assignment as it is so practical for my classroom.  Students will learn within an online interface that supports a variety of potential interactions, activities and tools. Technology is a medium that is very constructivist in nature that can support a learning environment that organizes and provides sets of information and activities that guide, support, and augment students’ internal mental processes (Dick & Carey, 1990).   “Constructivism and situated cognition were developed from the work of Piaget and Vygotsky and their colleagues and distributed cognition was seen to accommodate the addition of technology in learning (Driscoll, 2005). Therefore understanding is developed through continued situated use which emphasizes the principles of constructivism. Vygotsky indicated that scaffolding techniques are useful in presenting new information including new vocabulary, technical language and social constructs (Driscoll, 2005). Through a basic understanding of digital media (technology) language and math knowledge, abilities and skills, students can engage in meaningful dynamic learning activities that engage their cognitive abilities. By creating a learning environment where students can learn by doing, we are designing an environment where learning is situated and interlinked with being social and interactive.”  (Tutkaluk, 2010)

One of the best things about MET courses is that most of the projects are ones that can be used in the classroom.  I love that I can use this lesson plan this fall for my grade 11’s.  I have taught a version of this lesson only with a white board and an overhead graphing calculator as my only “technology” resources. I have adapted the lesson considerably to an online format and I truly can’t wait to try it out. I have the PDF lesson notes ready on my math wiki that I can access for this lesson. I also have access to many online quizzes that will be very beneficial for this lesson. Ideally, I would include this lesson in a unit in a Moodle course or on my math wiki but until then, it is also able to be converted to a SMART Notebook lesson to be used in a face-to-face class and a blended online class. 

Looking back now, I would put this lesson on Prezi or make it into a mini-movie with an alternate PDF text document that students can print out if they wish.  I realize now that I wasn’t aware of all the Web 2.0 tools out there yet that could aid in my lesson delivery that are very constructivist in nature so when I look back, I find this lesson very aesthetically boring.  As a student, I would much rather a media produced lesson and that’s how I tend to view my teaching now as well thanks to the evolution of my learning over the course of the MET program.   

Assignment #2:

Online Lesson Plan/Workshop

Grade 11 Math: Solving Systems of Equations

References

Dick, W. & Carey, L. (1990). The Systematic Design of Instruction. New York: Harper Collins.

Driscoll. M.P. (2005). Psychology of Learning for Instruction (Ch5 Situated Cognition, Ch7 Interactional Theories of Cognitive Development & Ch 11 Constructivism) pp. 153-182; pp. 227-244; pp. 384-407. Toronto, ON:Pearson.

Tutkaluk, E. (2010). Student Engagement: Distributed Learning & Constructivism – Do You Believe? Unpublished graduate essay, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

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