Day 13: Cognitivism (a review of main concepts)

Objectives:

Students will be able to

• review important concepts in cognitivism: learning, theorists and their contributions, critical components, principles and assumptions, etc.
• compare and contrast Behaviorism and Cognitivism.

I. Reviewing Behaviorism (15 min)

Form groups of 5. Each group will receive a topic. The job of the group is to provide an explanation of the topic as accurately as possible.

Group 1:  What is learning based on Behaviorism?
Group 2:  Brief history of the major behavioral learning theorists and their contributions to Behaviorism.
Group 3: Critical Components of Behaviorism
Group 4: Principles and assumptions of Behaviorism
Group 5:  Behaviorism principles in instruction

II. Reviewing Cognitivism (15 min)

Review basic concepts of cognitivism by going over the presentation here.

Complete your reviewing by checking out this worksheet on the contributions of major precursos of Cognitivism.

Here is a website that offers simple information about Cognitivism and its application in the classroom.

III. Compare and Contrast Behaviorism and Cognitivism. A reflection. (15 min)

Write a paragraph or two comparing these two learning theories. 5 minutes.

Share with peers. 10 min

Here is a website than offers a comparison between these two theories.

Homework 

It´s important you begin studying these learning theories carefully and regularly. Soon, you will be instructed to write a reflective paper on this topic. 

Sources:

Di Sun Website. Learning Theories. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/2012ide621disun/home

Teaching and Learning Resources. Retrieved from http://teachinglearningresources.pbworks.com/w/page/31012664/Cognitivism

Days 11 and 12: Taking a Closer Look at Cognitivism

Objectives

Students will be able to

Retrieved from majap.weebly.com

• name the main principles of Cognitivism.
• talk about the most important figures in this learning theory.

COGNITIVISM

Presentation

Video 1

Video 2

Day 10: Behaviorism: Wrap-up

Objectives:

Students will be able to

• review the basic principles of Behaviorism
• discuss the application of these principles to the language classroom

I. Discussion

Individual work: Complete the chart on the board using your notes and understanding of prior classes.

Group work:  Get in groups of five and discuss your answers.

Each group will be asked to submit a written copy of their work.

II. Wrapping-up Behaviorism

Strengths

Weaknesses

Application in the foreign language classroom

Homework

It is important that you become skilled at describing and explaining what you learned about this learning theory. Please, devote time to regularly review it and reflect on it. This practice will prepare you for the upcoming test.

Day 9: Taking a Closer Look at Behaviorism and Cognitivism (cont.)

Students will be able to

• review some important concepts from Behaviorism and Cognitivism.
• discuss the impact of these two theories in education.
• contrast these learning theories and their application in the classroom.

Behaviorism

Presentation

Video 1 (Watch an example of how behaviorism can be applied to classroom management)

Video 2 (Watch B. F. Skinner talking about his experiments and about behaviorism)

Cognitivism

Presentation

Video 1
Video 2

Homework:

Contrast these two learning theories using the following criteria:
a. role of the teacher
b. role of the learner
c. role of the environment



Sources
Videos are from:
Bluesofamedia. Retrieved from YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYDYzR-ZWRQ
SimplyPsychology. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html

Day 8: Taking a Closer Look at Behaviorism and Cognitivism

Objectives

Students will be able to

• review some important concepts from Behaviorism and Cognitivism.
• discuss the impact of these two theories in education.
• contrast these learning theories and their application in the classroom.

Behaviorism

Presentation

Video

Cognitivism

Presentation

Video 1
Video 2

Homework:

Contrast these two learning theories using the following criteria:
a. role of the teacher
b. role of the learner
c. role of the environment

Sources
All videos are from Bluesofamedia. Retrieved from YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYDYzR-ZWRQ

Day 7: An Introduction to Learning Theories

 

 Objectives

  Students will be able to

• continue sharing and explaining important findings made during the research done on relevant topics from Psychology and Pedagogy.

• become aware of the importance these topics for our course study.

• discuss the contrastive chart they made for the most important learning theories.                        

I. More discussion on topics which students find interesting and relevant. Group work.

II.  Learning Theories (Chart).

Homework:

Very soon we´ll be discussing the topic of language acquisition.  Here are some key terms you may like to explore:

First Language Acquisition

Second Language Acquisition

Noah Chomsky (Universal Grammar, Language Acquisition Device)

Day 6: Discussion Session

Retrieved from atig.emmanuel.edu

 

 

Objectives

Students will be able to

• share and explain important findings made during the research done on relevant topics from Psychology and Pedagogy
• become aware of the importance these topics for our course study.
• write a contrastive chart for the most important learning theories.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

1.  Hand in your sheet with the three most important things you learned during the past two days.

2.  Form groups of three and discuss those findings you consider important and interesting to know for someone who plans to become a teacher. (15 min)

3. Class discussion

4.  Fill out the Learning Theories: How People Learn chart.  (15 min)

Homework:

Finish the chart about Learning Theories for tomorrow.
   
                      

Day 5: Reviewing Relevant Concepts in Pedagogy

Retrieved from www.theguardian.com

Objectives:

• Students will be able to review those concepts in Pedagogy that are related to our course study.

Please browse the links provided, or any other website you consider useful and reliable, to answer the following questions:

1.  What is Pedagogy?

2.  What is teaching?

3.  What is learning?

4.  What is the difference between acquisition and learning?

http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/news/pedagogy-using-theories-classroom/23183

5.  What are the key theories on which Pedagogy is based?  List them and give a short explanation for each.

http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/news/pedagogy-using-theories-classroom/23183

Bloom´s Taxonomy

Piaget's Cognitive Theory

Vygotsky´s Theory

6.  Find out about Learning Styles .

7.  How do people learn?

http://www.pearsonhighered.com/samplechapter/020538935X.pdf

Homework

1. Go over your notes from these two days of research. Become knowledgeable
 on these concepts so you can participate in tomorrow's discussion in class.  Participation will be  graded.

2. Choose three important things you learned from the experience. Write them down on a separate piece of paper to be handed in in class.

3.  Review the concepts of
Behaviorism
Cognitivism
Humanism
Constructivism
Make sure you understand and talk about the theoretical principles of each approach.

Day 4: Researching Relevant Topics on Psychology and Pedagogy

Taken from www.apa.org

Objectives:                                                

During the next two days, students will be able to get acquainted with those topics from Psychology and Pedagogy that are of most interest for our course study.

  I. Go over the blog posts for Days 2 and 3, if you haven´t done so. (10 min)

 II.  Read instructions carefully. Decide if you want to do the following assignment individually or in pairs.

 III.  Open  this document  to review the questions you need to investigate about Psychology.

 You may answer the questions using the material already posted on this blog or other other web resources.
 For the first questions you may like to use this link. It contains the video posted on Day 3 and its corresponding  script.   Here it is a good link in the same website, which may be of help in finding answers for the other questions.

Homework:

1.  Don´t forget to bring your name tag to class on Thursday. Make sure you also bring something you can attach it to your outfit. I need to see your name clearly at all times.

2.  Please answer any question you couldn´t answer during this class. Review your notes today because we´ll be having a discussion on this topics on Thursday and participation will be taken into consideration.

Day 3: Background Knowledge on Psychology

Objectives:

Students will be able to

• review the parts and structure of the human brain.
• review some important concepts in the field of Psychology.

1. What do you remember about your study of the brain?

Video 1:  Brain parts and functions
(This video has no narrating sound; however, the different parts and functions of the brain are clearly labeled. Take notes.)

Video 2:  Brain parts and function
(Take notes.)

2. What important concepts and ideas you studied in Psychology I?

Video 3: What is Psychology?
(Take notes.)

Other relevant Topics in Psychology:

How humans perceive and sense the world
   Sense organs
   Individual and cultural differences in perceptual organization

The Concept of Learning
     Theories of Learning
     Cognitive Learning
     Social Learning

Memory

Intelligence

Motivation

Personality

Handout 1:  Reviewing Relevant Concepts in Psychology / The Goals of Psychology

Homework

Please, investigate and review the topics in Psychology listed.




Sources:

Videos of the brain:

a. Nucleus Medical Media. Video retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVGlfcP3ATI&noredirect=1

b. Brain Parts and Functions for Kids. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z48xmSxo8Co

Education Portal. What is Psychology. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfx6k9xiA5Q

Day 2: Features of Good Teachers

Objectives

Students will be able to

• discuss the characteristics they think make a teacher memorable and effective.
• review conceps studied in Psychology I.
• watch videos on the human brain parts and functions.

I. What are the characteristics of a good teacher?
Video 
Presentation

Make a rough calculation of the number of teachers you´ve had during your entire life as a student.
From these number, think about those you remember the most because they were good teachers.
Discuss in groups of three. Decide on the characteristics and make a list.

Homework:
Please, investigate and review the topics in Psychology we listed today.

Sources:
ABC. What makes great teachers. Retrieved from YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bIQ4-3XSxU