CLEAR instructional model

In the CLEAR learning process, five main instructional activities are in sequence:

  1. Create: request learners to create a tangible output as assessment.

  2. Learn: provide learners with basic knowledge as the must-know content.

  3. Extend: provide learners with extended learning materials to expand their knowledge on the topic.

  4. Apply: guide students to apply their learned knowledge to creation.

  5. Reflect: guide students to be more aware of their own learning process and reflect on learning experience.

The learner's action “create” is promoted to the earliest stage of the instruction. The purpose is to achieve a tighter connection to reality and allow learners to construct meaningful learning from the early stage of a class. When learners attempt to create a tangible output, they will not only learn basics from teachers but also extend such learning beyond the classroom to actively seek knowledge and methods, connect acquired information, question their understanding, and compare solutions for optimization with one sole purpose of materializing their intangible knowledge into a tangible output. They will apply acquired learning to create final outputs with the support and iterative feedback from both teachers and peers. Along the process, various types of assessment are available to test knowledge retention rate and support self-reflection.

The CLEAR instructional model has evolved through two versions. In a previous research a novel instructional framework–Create, Learn, Extend, Apply, and Remember (CLEAR)–was created to promote online active learning through engaging students in the production of online tangible outputs (Lin, 2021). The model was later updated to replace “Remember” with “Reflect” (Lin, Upcoming), as shown in Figure 1. The “Create” element embeds SCCAs into the course. Teachers provide both fundamental and additional content for students to “Learn” and “Extend” their learning, respectively. Teachers develop a social support process to assist students when they “Apply” knowledge to SCCAs and guide students to “Reflect” on their entire learning experience as more conscious learners of their learning habits, behaviours, and gains.

References:

Lin, J. (2021). The CLEAR Framework to Implement Active Learning in STEM Education. 2021 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE). IEEE TALE2021.

Lin, J. (2022). Connect Curriculum to Reality via Creation-Based Learning: The Pre-Experiment of the CLEAR Pedagogy among STEM Students. Proceedings of 15th International Symposium on Advances in Technology Education.