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Relevance of discovery learning to ICT-mediated instruction

  • Malisa
  • Oct 4, 2015
  • 3 min read

TOPIC: DISCOVERY LEARNING

1. Example of a Discovery learning lesson.

Discovery learning encourages learners to build on past experiences and knowledge and to use their intuition, imagination and creativity to search for new information to discover facts, correlations and new truths (Pappas, 2014).

The discovery learning lesson example that I have selected involves teaching young children how to count. The ICT resources required are Microsoft Powerpoint (productivity tool), desktop computers (information technology hardware) and an interactive white-board (information technology hardware).

The main objectives of the lesson are for the children to be able to count reliably up to 10 (this is the starting point) and recall pairs of numbers with a total of 10. Firstly, the teacher will have the class focus on the white-board as he/she displays the first powerpoint presentation – counting pictures. The first slide will show 1 object and the teacher will engage the children by asking them how many more objects are required to get to 10. As the children count the teacher will paste another one of the objects until they get to 10. Then the teacher will say something like 1 add (number of objects pasted) equals 10. The teacher would then write the number equation 1 + 9 = 10. The teacher will advance through the slides until he/she reaches all the way to 10. The teacher will then use the presentation “Removing pictures” in a similar way to count down from 10.

After the plenary session is completed and the teacher is satisfied that the children have a sufficient understanding he/she will allow the students to do a similar exercise by themselves using the computers on their desks.

Sources:

Lesson plan:

Lesson Powerpoints:

2. Description of the teaching strategy and learning assessment

The teaching strategy used is active learning. Research shows that active learning improves students' understanding and retention of information and can be very effective in developing higher order cognitive skills such as problem solving and critical thinking (Merlot Pedagogy, n.d.). The teacher is constantly engaging the children through purposeful questioning and through classroom demonstrations. The assessment will be done through observation. Observations are a powerful mode of gathering ongoing data of students’ learning (Gibson & Shaw, 2011). The students’ individual sessions on their computers will be used to assess how effectively they have been able to absorb the lessons taught. The teacher will review the work done by the students on their computers to make a determination as to how they have progressed.

3. Description of an area or concept where learners have the opportunity to problem solve, construct new models of thinking and discover new connections.

Bruner stated "true learning involves figuring out how to use what you already know in order to go beyond what you already think" (Snowman & McCown, 2013). The children have the opportunity to problem solve in the areas of addition and subtraction. As they explore the number pairs they will begin to expand their understanding of how numbers can be added and subtracted to form other numbers.

References

  1. Pappas, C. (2014). Instructional Design Models and Theories: The Discovery Learning Model. http://elearningindustry.com/discovery-learning-model

  2. Hart, P. (n.d.). Counting. Available online at http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/maths/ks1-2/resources/lessonplans/documents/y1_bondsto10plan.doc

  3. Merlot Pedagogy. (n.d.). Teaching Strategies. http://pedagogy.merlot.org/TeachingStrategies.html

  4. Gibson, K., Shaw, C. (2011). Assessment of Active Learning. The International Studies Encyclopedia. http://webs.wichita.edu/depttools/depttoolsmemberfiles/carolynshaw/Gibson%20Shaw%20compendium.pdf

  5. Snowman, J., & McCown, R. (2013). Constructivist Learning Theory, Problem Solving, and Transfer. In ED PSYCH. Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

 
 
 

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