Anything that can be learned falls broadly into two categories: things you need to understand intellectually, and skills you need to be able to perform. Most things you want to learn involve a mix of the two.
ee the distinction between skills and concepts, you can devise two separate learning strategies for each.
Rule #1: Practice for Skills, Connections for Concepts
Patterns make concepts useful, patternless concepts tend to have a very limited use, so they aren’t studied that much.
But it needs more time to mature in the back of your head while you do other things. Worse, it utterly fails when put under intense stress or time constraints.
Rule #4: Concept Checklists are Useful
Then create a second-order list under each of the larger bullet points with sub-concepts.
Write out (I suggest on a word document, since it allows multiple levels of bullets) all of the major concepts covered in your course.
Heuristics for Learning Better
A concept checklist is a good way to handle those scary, “I don’t understand anything!” moments that many learners face. It allows you to dissolve the frightening implications of total ignorance into a step-by-step guide that can allow you to slowly conquer any subject.
Tactic #1: The 5-Year Old Method
Tactic #2: Metaphors
I recommend brainstorming for metaphors. Start with open-ended questions like:
This idea reminds me of…?
This idea is used in real-life situations, such as…?
What phenomenon mimics this idea?
If I wanted to tell a story about this idea, it would go like…?
Tactic #3: Visceralization
combine smell, feeling and motion into an image, not just a picture.
Tactic #4: Deep Linking
if you know you don’t actually have to deeply learn the material, going deeper into a subject can actually make the original idea easier to understand.
1. How to Learn Faster - The basics of learning better
2. How to Learn Anything - Rules of thumb to master hard subjects
3. Tactics for Learning Better - Specific methods to learn faster
Ten Steps Toward Universal Design of Online Courses
Implementing the principles of universal design in online learning means anticipating the diversity of students that may enroll in your course and planning accordingly. Designing a course with principles of universal design in mind is an ongoing and creative process. One does not achieve the level of usability aspired to with a simple checklist, but with an open mind and a commitment to making design and inclusion a priority.
There are a few elements, though, that if taken into consideration, can enhance access and usability greatly. Knowing and incorporating these elements on the front end of the design process can save hours down the line.
A PBL project includes both the creation of the authentic product aligned to the project AND the scaffolding, learning activities, drill and skill, etc., that must occur to support student creation of the final product.
Projects and PBL aren’t the same.
I use the Project Essential Elements checklist to ensure that I am in fact doing PBL and not projects.
Invite students using their University e-mail addresses; also invite the course administrator and another tutor (so that the Diigo work doesn’t get lost if you fall ill).
Create a link from Diigo to the VLE (using the HTML code that Diigo provides) so that updates are posted to the VLE (I got the idea of using widgets found in Mason and Rennie’s on E-learning and Social Networking Handbook, 2008:83) – and possible show your Diigo ‘education pioneer’ badge too… See the screenshot from my Blackboard VLE below.
1. Request an educator's upgrade for Diigo; this will allow you to create private student groups that cannot be found by public search engines2. Use Diigo to invite students to join the group; follow up with emails as necessary 3. Refer students to online videos on social bookmarking, to make sure that students understand what social bookmarking involves.4. Seed the group with some example texts, including comments and annotations, so that students understand your expectations.5. Ask students to practice, to find out what issues they might have.6. Give feedback on early attempts, to reassure students they are on the right tracks.
Kids with attention deficit disorder respond best to specific goals and daily positive reinforcement—as well as worthwhile rewards. Yes, you may have to hang a carrot on a stick to get your child to behave better in class. Create a plan that incorporates small rewards for small victories and larger rewards for bigger accomplishments.
Seat the child with ADD/ADHD away from doors and windows.
Alternate seated activities with those that allow the child to move his or her body around the room. Whenever possible, incorporate physical movement into lessons.
Write important information down where the child can easily read and reference it. Remind the student where the information can be found.
Divide big assignments into smaller ones, and allow children frequent breaks.
The self-esteem of children with ADD/ADHD is often quite fragile
Develop a “secret language” with the child with ADD/ADHD. You can use discreet gestures or words you have previously agreed upon to let the child know they are interrupting. Praise the child for interruption-free conversations.
written behavior plan is near the student
consequences immediately following misbehavior. Be specific in your explanation, making sure the child knows how they misbehaved.
Recognize good behavior out loud. Be specific in your praise, making sure the child knows what they did right.
cross off each item as it is completed.
run an errand or do a task for you
play a sport—or at least run around before and after school.
Provide a stress ball, small toy, or other object for the child to squeeze or play with discreetly at his or her seat.
do one step and then come back to find out what they should do next
extremely brief when giving directions
write directions down in a bold marker or in colored chalk on a blackboard.
Read to children. Read with children. Make reading cozy, quality time with you.
Make predictions or “bets.” Constantly ask the child what they think might happen next. Model prediction: “The girl in the story seems pretty brave—I bet she’s going to try to save her family.”
Act out the story. Let the child choose his or her character and assign you one, too. Use funny voices and costumes to bring it to life.
If you understand how your child with ADD/ADHD learns best, you can create enjoyable lessons that pack an informational punch.
With organization
Establish a homework folder for finished homework.
Check and help the child organize his or her belongings on a daily basis, including his or her backpack, folders, and even pockets.
If possible, keep an extra set of textbooks and other materials at home.
Help the child learn to make and use checklists, crossing items off as they are accomplished.
Help organize loose papers by color coding folders and showing the child how to hole-punch and file appropriately.
Allow the child breaks as often as every ten to twenty minutes.
Teach a better understanding of the passage of time: use an analog clock and timers to monitor homework efficiency.
Neurological deficits, not unwillingness, keep kids with attention deficit disorder from learning in traditional ways.
If you can work with and support your child’s teacher, you can directly affect the experience of your child with ADD/ADHD in the classroom.
Home › Parenting ADHD Children
More Classroom Tips for Teachers of ADD ADHD Students
in Parenting ADHD Children
ADHD Checklist for Classroom Teachers
Physical Arrangement of Room:
Use rows for seating arrangements. Avoid tables with groups of students, for this maximizes interpersonal distractions for the ADHD child. Where possible, it may be ideal to provide several tables for group projects and traditional rows for independent work. Some teachers report that arranging desks in a horseshoe shape promotes appropriate discussion while permitting independent work.
seated near the teacher, as close as possible without being punitive.
away from both the hallway and windows to minimize auditory and visual distractions
portion of the room free of obvious visual and auditory distractions
desk dividers
as a "privilege"
appropriate peer models next to ADHD child. Stand near the student when giving directions or presenting the lesson. Use the student's worksheet as an example.
Provide an outline, key concepts or vocabulary prior to lesson presentation.
variety of activities during each lesson
multisensory presentation
lessons brief o
involve the student during the lesson presentation.
instructional aid who is to write key words or ideas on the board
Encourage the students to develop mental images of the concepts or information being presented. Ask them about their images to be sure they are visualizing the key material to be learned. Allow the students to make frequent responses throughout the lesson by using choral responding, frequently calling on many individuals, having the class respond with hand signals. Employ role-playing activities to act out key concepts, historical events, etc.
computer assisted instruction
self-correcting materials
cooperative learning
specific role or piece of information that must be shared with the group.
game-like activities
Use the student's name in your lesson presentation. Write personal notes to the student about key elements of the lesson.
Let ADHD students share recently learned concepts with struggling peer
use colored chalk to emphasize key words or information.
days could more accurately be described as the electronic version of class
hand-outs. These courses usually consist of a course description, a syllabus,
lecture notes, reading lists, and assignment checklists. In other words,
whatever materials a student might have viewed on paper in the past are now read
onscreen, and whatever presentations a student might have watched in the
classroom are now observed on their screen
Online Course Design Pitfall #1: Upload your course materials, then call
it a day.Reading your course material on a computer screen does not
make for a memorable learning experience. Step back and take a fresh look at
your content in the larger context of the world and the Web
Online Course Design Pitfall #2: Let the course management system drive
your thinking.Course management systems (CMS) are usually
preconfigured with a course template that instructors are expected to populate
with their course description, syllabus, assignments, and announcements. Often
these templates
Feed readers
are probably the most important digital tool for today's learner because they
make sifting through the amazing amount of content added to the Internet
easy. Also known as aggregators, feed readers are free tools that can
automatically check nearly any website for new content dozens of times a
day---saving ridiculous amounts of time and customizing learning experiences for
anyone.
Imagine
never having to go hunting for new information from your favorite sources
again. Learning goes from a frustrating search through thousands of
marginal links written by questionable characters to quickly browsing the
thoughts of writers that you trust, respect and enjoy.
Feed readers can
quickly and easily support blogging in the classroom, allowing teachers to
provide students with ready access to age-appropriate sites of interest that are
connected to the curriculum. By collecting sites in advance and organizing
them with a feed reader, teachers can make accessing information manageable for
their students.
Here are several
examples of feed readers in action:
Used specifically as
a part of one classroom project, this feed list contains information related to
global warming that students can use as a starting point for individual
research.
While there are literally dozens of different feed reader
programs to choose from (Bloglines andGoogle Reader are two
biggies), Pageflakes is a favorite of
many educators because it has a visual layout that is easy to read and
interesting to look at. It is also free and web-based. That
means that users can check accounts from any computer with an Internet
connection. Finally, Pageflakes makes it quick and easy to add new
websites to a growing feed list—and to get rid of any websites that users are no
longer interested in.
What's even
better: Pageflakes has been developinga teacher version of their tooljust for us that includes an online grade tracker,
a task list and a built in writing tutor. As Pageflakes works to perfect
its teacher product, this might become one of the first kid-friendly feed
readers on the market. Teacher Pageflakes users can actually blog and create a
discussion forum directly in their feed reader---making an all-in-one digital
home for students.
For more
information about the teacher version of Pageflakes, check out this
review:
The simple answer is this: Finland’s cultural values and priorities are manifested in its system of education: “to guarantee all people…equal opportunities and rights to culture, free quality education, and prerequisites for full citizenship.”
Finland aims to uplift everyone in society; in Finland’s case, this vision can be achieved by providing equitable access to education and other social benefits.
Finnish students do not begin their formalized education until the age of 7, standardized testing is unheard of in the formative years, and autonomy and play are encouraged throughout the curriculum.
At the foundation of Finnish educational success are two core values: trust and equity.
Finland’s educational system had become more decentralized and decision-making occurred at the local level.
local autonomy
Constraints on control and standardization facilitated greater flexibility, freedom, and the teaching profession became more supported, trusted, and respected.
Love of Learning
growth
relationships
personalized learning
n such a climate, adult stakeholders ostensibly trust one another, causing classroom environments to be less controlling and more collaborative in nature.
With trust and equity as twin pillars of the educational system, it is unsurprising that Finland is able to focus on learning processes for civic engagement and development rather than on expending unnecessary energy for checklists, data, and oversight.
Too many of our communities, schools, and students remain constrained and marginalized by poverty, lack of access, and limited opportunities. Too many of us are focused on extrinsic motivators that inevitably lead to competition, compliance, expediency, sanctions, disengagement, and a diminished love of learning.
“we’re measuring a lot of things in education today,” and wondered, “how are we measuring care?”
perhaps we should be focusing less on Finnish education and more on the cultural values and conditions that make it possible.