BP #2
Today's topic: Learning Theories.
My job for the past few visits to my service learning placement has been to decide which learning theory my teacher uses most in her classroom. With that in mind, I have determined that I mostly see cognitivism being implemented. Cognitivism is a learning theory that focuses on breaking things down and conceptualizing topics to make them easier to comprehend. Since I mainly visit during the class' math time, I see this technique used a lot during the lesson and in the method she chooses to teach.
For example, during one visit she was teaching the students how to multiply whole numbers and decimals. She instructed them to draw a box representing each place value and enter the decimal number into its correct spot above the box. Then, she instructed them to put the whole number they were multiplying by on the left side of the box. She then instructed them to multiply each box. For example, 7 x 2.9, 7 x 2 = 14 (ones), 7 x 9 = 63 (tenths). Next, they were to interpret the standard form of the products they found. For example, 63 tenths would be 6.3. They then add the standard form of each place value to get the final answer of 20.3.
This level of breaking the concept down into so many steps is a really good example, I think, of cognitivism in the classroom. Something else that I noted as well as appreciated was that she included a method that had less steps for the people who might understand it little better. The second method was much more like I multiply decimals today, where I take into account how many decimal places I have, then multiply the numbers as if they were both whole numbers. Using the same example of 7 x 2.9, 7 x 29 = 203. Then, I would recall the number of decimal places the original problem had and make my answer match. So, 20.3. I love that this was included at the end of the lesson as well, because I could see some kids struggling to grasp the first method, then instantly click with the second. That's one of my favorite parts of teaching, watching the "click"!
My job for the past few visits to my service learning placement has been to decide which learning theory my teacher uses most in her classroom. With that in mind, I have determined that I mostly see cognitivism being implemented. Cognitivism is a learning theory that focuses on breaking things down and conceptualizing topics to make them easier to comprehend. Since I mainly visit during the class' math time, I see this technique used a lot during the lesson and in the method she chooses to teach.
For example, during one visit she was teaching the students how to multiply whole numbers and decimals. She instructed them to draw a box representing each place value and enter the decimal number into its correct spot above the box. Then, she instructed them to put the whole number they were multiplying by on the left side of the box. She then instructed them to multiply each box. For example, 7 x 2.9, 7 x 2 = 14 (ones), 7 x 9 = 63 (tenths). Next, they were to interpret the standard form of the products they found. For example, 63 tenths would be 6.3. They then add the standard form of each place value to get the final answer of 20.3.
This level of breaking the concept down into so many steps is a really good example, I think, of cognitivism in the classroom. Something else that I noted as well as appreciated was that she included a method that had less steps for the people who might understand it little better. The second method was much more like I multiply decimals today, where I take into account how many decimal places I have, then multiply the numbers as if they were both whole numbers. Using the same example of 7 x 2.9, 7 x 29 = 203. Then, I would recall the number of decimal places the original problem had and make my answer match. So, 20.3. I love that this was included at the end of the lesson as well, because I could see some kids struggling to grasp the first method, then instantly click with the second. That's one of my favorite parts of teaching, watching the "click"!
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