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Mastery of learning, instructional design, and teaching practices is evolutionary. As such, understanding of learning, instructional design, and teaching has changed significantly because of my awareness of impacts of contexts on learning, teaching, and instructions delivery. My perception of adult learning has changed because I can determine its distinctions from childhood learning. In adult learning, learners rely on previous experience and knowledge to inform their learning, while childhood learning relies on the educator’s education. Similarly, I have realized that teaching practices and instructional designs must be tailored to reflect the expectations and the needs of learners or student populations. This implies that teaching practices and instructional designs appropriate for adult learning might not be relevant for childhood learning.

Based on my changing perceptions and understandings, I have realized that I am the educator that I want to be, but there are significant areas of improvement. For example, I need to feel more confident about teaching adults, as it will help develop an in-depth awareness of adult learning principles and practices in order to implement effective teaching strategies, revolutionize learning, and actively engage the adult learners. As such, participating in professional development opportunities, including seminars, workshops, and training sessions, focused on adult education will help me become more confident about teaching adults. This implies that I should pursue continuous professional development opportunities to model me into the educator I want to become by improving my strengths while addressing my areas of improvement. I also intend to integrate relevant technologies in my teaching practices and lesson activities to make me comfortable and confident in adult classrooms.

In the future, I intend to explore instructional strategies, materials, and tools that promote culturally-responsive or context-appropriate learning. For example, I intend to integrate culturally appropriate strategies in my practice to ensure that culturally-relevant content is delivered to learners to promote inclusivity in classrooms. These strategies will promote contextual learning and empower learners to leverage their cultural content to improve their engagement with educational materials and boost their academic outcomes. Culturally-responsive will also foster a sense of belonging within classrooms, leading collaborative and actively engaged learning. Based on the dynamic nature of learning and the evolving needs of learners, I will also integrate emerging instructional strategies, including technologies, in my teaching to maintain flexibility. This will include the use of engaging in my teaching practice to create repetitive and interactive classrooms, motivate students, or increase engagement during learning to boost academic outcomes. Thus, I will ensure that blended learning strategies characterize my classroom and teaching styles to promote adaptability to emerging trends in education and evolving expectations of learners.

I am also re-imagining my courses using digital technologies. For example, I utilize digital tools to create interactive videos and presentations to promote collaborative learning through my courses. Based on the dynamic nature of learning, I am considering integrating virtual reality (VR) and augment reality (AR) digital tools into my teaching to re-imagine my courses. VR and AR allows for re-imagining of my courses by creating immersive learning experiences that shapes how my learners engage complex concepts. These immersive experiences promote visualization and simulation of course concepts, improving the mastery of relevant materials and shaping learner engagement. As such, I am leveraging digital technologies to introduce innovative learning approaches and re-imagine courses to make them relatable and create active engagement and collaborate learning opportunities.

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As an educator, I need to understand the unique needs and backgrounds of my adult learners. I assume that my students bring diverse experiences and some foundational knowledge related to the course content. For example, they likely possess basic academic skills like reading comprehension and critical thinking. However, the degree of familiarity with course content may differ from one student to the next.

Instructional Material: Mini-Lesson on “How to Learn”

Objective: equip adult learners with effective learning strategies to enhance their success in the course.

Activity: Journaling for Success

Introduction

I will begin by reflecting briefly on past learning experiences. I will write down what has worked for me and what challenges I have faced. The reflection will form the basis for our strategies.

Strategy 1: Active Engagement

Mui et al. (2019) note the role of active engagement in increasing retention and understanding. Therefore, I will encourage students to interact with the content instead of passively reading. For example, after reading a chapter, I will ask students to write a summary in their own words. Also, they will highlight any questions to discuss in class.

Strategy 3: Self-Regulation

Self-regulation involves setting goals, monitoring progress, and adjusting strategies as needed (Seufert, 2018). I will set specific learning goals at the start of each week. For instance, I will ensure that we complete a chapter each week and that each student understands its key concepts. The students will also use their journals to reflect on the goals achieved and barriers they are facing.

Strategy 3: Collaborative Learning

Head (2023) points out the essential role of collaboration in enhancing learning outcomes. Hence, I will encourage learners to engage with peers through study groups or discussion forums and ask them to reflect on how they can contribute to the learning of others.

Anticipated Outcomes

Integrating the strategies will help students to become more effective and independent learners. They will be able to retain more content, improve self-regulation skills, and collaborate effectively with each other.

References

Head, G. (2023). Effective collaboration: Deep collaboration as an essential element of the learning process. The Journal of Educational Enquiry, 4(2).

Mui, M. L. S., Carpio, G. A. C., & Ong, C. M. (2019). Evaluation of engagement in learning within active learning classrooms: Does novelty make a difference? Journal of Learning Spaces, 8(2).

Seufert, T. (2018). The interplay between self-regulation in learning and cognitive load. Educational Research Review, 24, 116-129.

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LDJ # 8 Design for Motivation, Engagement and Learner Agency

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LDJ # 8 Design for Motivation, Engagement and Learner Agency

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Due to the dynamic nature of learning, teachers should embrace emerging teaching practices and break away from ineffective conventional strategies. Enhancing student learning in ESL 225 involved integrating different teaching styles. With a focus on motivation, engagement, and learner agency, the discussion will explain how the strategies address students’ need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Motivation

Including personal relevance in real-world examples would help motivate students. For instance, assisting students in creating professional emails and presentations they would likely encounter in their careers motivated them to be curious. They also understood the value of learning. Besides, having peer reviews in activities like memo writing would foster a sense of competence as students receive constructive feedback.

Engagement

Interactive and collaborative activities in module 1 encourage students to actively participate in the Thesis Statement Workshop and Citation Scavenger Hunt. Adding peer collaboration would also make learning more dynamic. Third, instructional materials like videos on best practices would help cater to the students' different learning preferences while maintaining high-level engagement. Module 4, cultural awareness reflection, allows students to share and discuss their experiences while enhancing their cultural understanding and communication skills.

Learner Agency

Learner agency helps students take ownership of the learning process. For instance, in Module 3, students can select the best learning styles that suit their interests when having small debates and small talk scenarios. The student's autonomy in learning will give them control over their educational journey. Module 5's presentation further helps to boost self-reflection to encourage students to apply what they learn in a personalized form. Students can understand the lesson and comprehend how to use the acquired information. The key takeaway is that students get to personalize their learning experience.

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LDJ # 7 Incorporating culturally responsive strategies

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LDJ # 7 Incorporating culturally responsive strategies

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Incorporating culturally responsive strategies

I understand that my classroom is culturally diverse. Hence, I have designed my lessons in a manner that captures this reality and makes learning meaningful to all students. I understand that I am need to make the classroom as culturally diverse as possible by aligning the instructional goals with design elements that foster inclusion. The key objectives are imparting effective conversational skills, cultural awareness, and inclusivity, and integrating the skills gained in every encounter. Accordingly, I have set clear objectives, designed a multi-platform content delivery strategy, ensured the necessary learning materials are readily available, and insisted on the delivery of culturally relevant content. I am persuaded that incorporating these elements into my instructional design will create meaningful learning experiences for all learners and will boost their engagement and participation.

The instructional design emphasizes inclusive imagery and language, provides room for collaborative learning, and creates room for feedback and support. These measures will ensure all learners feel comfortable to discuss their cultural differences. Thus, I always ensure all learners can validate their respective identities to create the desired sense of belonging in the classroom. Furthermore, the design fosters student participation by creating room for collaborative learning and emphasizing customization. Assessments also include discussions on culturally sensitive communication to provide learners with the chance to reflect on the taught content and its applicability in their daily conversations. In this case, they learn to avoid stereotypes that could set apart peers. These approaches are expected to leverage individual learners’ strengths and challenges and accommodate their diverse learning preferences.

Looking back, instructors must take the time to consider their instructional designs to determine whether they meet the set learning objectives, while observing various cultural perspectives. The measures will prove invaluable since they will give learners the chance to put the skills gained into practical use. As a result, I am committed to continuously learning and revising my instructional designs and I am always ready to make the required changes to foster learning and boost student engagement and participation.

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LDJ # 6 Curriculum Mapping - Getting Started

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LDJ # 6 Curriculum Mapping - Getting Started

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Journal: Assessments

I used the following passage I found online to design the assessments and the rubric:

“Many people have owned, or have heard of, traditional “piggy banks,” coin banks shaped like pigs. A logical theory about how this tradition started might be that because pigs often symbolize greed, the object is to “fatten” one’s piggy bank with as much money as possible. However, while this idea makes sense, it is not the correct origin of the term. The genesis of the piggy bank is the old English word “pygg”, which was a common kind of clay hundreds of years ago in England. People used pots and jars made out of this red “pygg” clay for many different purposes in their homes. Sometimes they kept their money in one of the pots, and this was known as a pygg bank. Over the years, because “pygg” and “pig” sounded the same, glaziers began making novelty banks out of pottery in the shape of a pig as a kind of joke. These banks were given as gifts and exported to countries where people spoke other languages and where no one had ever heard of pygg clay. The tradition caught on all over the world, and today piggy banks come in all colors and are made of all kinds of materials, including plastic.”

Multiple-Choice Assessment for Domain Knowledge

1. What was the material traditionally used to make piggy banks?

a) Plastic

b) Pygg clay

c) Metal

d) Wood

2. What was the original purpose of pygg pots and jars?

a) To store food

b) To hold coins

c) To plant flowers

d) To keep water cool

3. Why did glaziers start making pig-shaped banks?

a) To symbolize greed

b) As a practical joke

c) To honor pigs

d) To attract children

These questions assess students' recall of essential facts about the history and origin of piggy banks. Common misconceptions or frequent mistakes might include associating the origin with the pig's symbolism rather than the material "pygg" clay.

Assessment for Understanding/Application

1. Describe the significance of the term "pygg" in the history of piggy banks.

Student Response 1: Pygg was a type of clay used to make piggy banks.

Student Response 2: Pygg was a common material for pottery in England.

Informing Instruction: Analyzing student responses would reveal their understanding of the historical context and linguistic evolution of the term "Pygg". Correct responses indicate understanding, while misconceptions suggest the need for clarification or additional examples.

2. Explain a possible reason why pig-shaped piggy banks became popular worldwide.

Student Response 1: Because pigs symbolize wealth and prosperity.

Student Response 2: Due to the innovation and humor associated with pig-shaped banks.

Informing Instruction: Comparing student responses allows an instructor to assess whether students recognize the cultural and historical factors driving the popularity of piggy banks globally. This assessment evaluates students' ability to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Performance Assessment Rubric

Content Understanding

Developing

Proficient

Exceeds Expectations

Content Understanding

Limited understanding of piggy bank history and significance

Adequate understanding of piggy bank history and significance

Thorough understanding of piggy bank history, significance, and related concepts

Analysis of Concepts

Limited ability to analyze the cultural impact of piggy banks

Able to analyze the cultural impact of piggy banks with some depth

Demonstrates a deep analysis of the cultural impact of piggy banks and related historical context

Presentation Quality

Visuals lack clarity and organization; Grammar and style detract from the content

Visuals are clear and somewhat organized; Minor grammar/style issues

Visually appealing; Correct grammar and style enhance presentation

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English as a Second Language Course

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2

Topics:

· Foundational language skills

· Read and write

· Comprehension

· Proficient Writing

· Diversity Appreciation

· Cultural Competence

Scope and Sequence:

· This course seeks to provide students with an all-inclusive understanding of English, by enhancing their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. The course will start by teaching foundation skills and before focusing on learners' reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

Knowledge Buckets

· Reading Proficiency- Students are taught strategies they can use to improve their comprehension of written texts, analysis of text content, and reading at the required pace.

· Speaking and Writing Skills- Lessons focus on pronunciation, conversations, presentations, and public speaking.

· Listening Attentively- Students are introduced to listening, speaking, and turn-taking skills.

· Diversity- Lessons focus on differences among people and the ways to appreciate them.

· Cultural Competence- Students learn to appreciate diversity and differences between them and their colleagues. Lessons focus on social justice, stereotyping, biasness, and inclusion.

Course Content

· Lessons focus on foundational language skills, including sentence structure, verb tenses, phonics, print concepts, vocabulary, sight words, alphabet, and spelling.

· Students participate in vocabulary-building exercises, such as repeated writing, odd-one-out exercises, multiple choice exercises, sentence translation, and spaced repetition exercises.

· Integration of speaking practice exercises, such as role-plays, group discussions, class presentations, short debates, and presentations to parents at home.

· Students access and utilize reading materials, including articles, storybooks, and literary prints.

· Formative and summative assignments, done individually and in groups.

Prior Knowledge Required

· Students who enroll for the course should have basic knowledge of English language, be familiar with common English words, and have the ability to compose simple English sentences. Furthermore, students should be intrinsically motivated to learn English as a second language.

Methods for Organizing Knowledge Buckets

· Completion of tasks

· Thematic teaching and learning

· Spiral approach to curriculum

Assessment

· Weekly assignments

· Individual essay at the end of every topic

· Group projects

· End of semester exams

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Book Club: Design for How People Learn Chapters 4-6

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Treating teaching as a form of engineering necessitates a methodical and cyclical approach to pedagogy. In my educational setting, this perspective would require meticulous course planning, continuous refinement based on student input, and the deliberate incorporation of technology to enrich learning experiences. Adopting learning engineering would involve harnessing technology for interactive learning, implementing formative assessment techniques, and cultivating a nurturing environment that encourages active participation. Educators should employ various assessment methods to ensure student comprehension and urge students to express their understanding through discussions and reflections. Persistent improvement of teaching strategies based on observed results and student feedback can help educators develop more impactful and engaging learning experiences that foster a deeper grasp and application of concepts (Laurillard, 2015). This engineering-inspired approach to pedagogy empowers educators to systematically design, iterate, and enhance their teaching methods, ultimately leading to more effective and meaningful learning outcomes for students.

Reference

Laurillard, D. (2015). Why should faculty think about teaching as a Design Science?. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/149159489

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Why should faculty think about teaching as a Design Science?

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Dr. Diana Laurillard, Professor of Learning with Digital  Technologies @ University College London, shares why faculty with a research focus should take those same skills and apply them to their teaching.

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My perception of adult learning has changed significantly. Markedly, adult learning differs from childhood education, considering the former relies on previous life experiences to impart new knowledge and skills. During this learning phase, adults are inspired by specific reasons to acquire knowledge, including self-development and growth associated with their career path or work. In this regard, adult learning must depict unique characteristics, such as independence, flexibility, clarity, interaction, and consistency. Adopting these unique attributes guarantees the success of adult education programs.

Independence is one of the unique attributes of adult learning. Independence in adult learning encompasses self-directed education, whereby the instructor acts as a guide while the students execute a significant portion of learning. Besides, adult learning should embody flexibility. Since the pedagogy seeks to build on the learner's previous experiences, it should be flexible to accommodate other activities in which the adult learner might be engaged. My comprehension of adult learning is that it depicts various aspects of interaction. Markedly, students engage with their peers and instructors, who play a pivotal role in promoting learning success. On the same note, the curriculum should set clear expectations for both students and teachers and offer the option of remote learning. Adult learners should be able to access classes and learning materials online to facilitate remote learning. Notably, remote learning is encouraged in adult education to enable students engage in learning, even as they accomplish other tasks.

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My learning experience is mostly with children, but I have dealt with some adult individuals in some rare cases. The interaction with different learners has enriched me to the extent that I have become a holistic learner who knows and lives what they are taught. I got to know what the children like and how they learn things. This experience previewed my hit points and some weaknesses as well. It gave me a better understanding of how attributes such as flexibility, tolerance, and empathy are of great value to help create successful learning and working environments.

With access to information regarding the human cognitive process, I believe I ultimately have a complete understanding of people, especially how children learn. I grasp teaching strategies in their downsides to learn the vital neuroscience part of knowing the interplay among the learning sequence's environmental cues, internal inclinations, and socio-emotional aspects. Additionally, children are like "sponges," absorbing knowledge through different methods and not forgetting entertainment like play, exploration, and social connections. Besides, I have oriented my class toward flexibility and sensibility because every child has a natural capability for academic and emotional learning.

It is crucial to consider all circumstances under which a learning experience should be created to be effective and intriguing when designing learning experiences for children. Educators involved in developing curriculum in formal educational structures, such as schools, arrange constructive activities and planned classes for students with different learning styles and skill levels to enable them to cover and understand topics fully. Experiential learning is preferred in unstructured places such as museums and nature reserves. There, children can move at the speed that best stimulates their curiosity and creativity. I consider digital platforms an extra interactive tool that, via multimedia materials and simulations, can improve comprehension and recall to a whole new level.