Group Tech Minds - week11

1.   Let’s review the Group Critique I Software again. Your team reviewed the assigned site for the first 3 modules and analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the web design. With your team, study the dimensions of divergence carefully and see if you can think of any that should be added or deleted. (It should be based on the principles for teaching each designated components, the sequence of the instructions, and the levels of complexity of the generic skill.) (Need references!)

As far as adding or deleting components of http://www.coolmath.com/algebra/index.html, the components within the website were just in that they accomplished the purpose of the website (to help students with algebra). According to Reigeluth, “There are at least three major parts of a generic skill. The most prevalent component is a procedure--a set of steps you use to perform the skill. But you also usually need to understand and be able to apply certain principles that provide guidance as to how to perform each step, or even guidance as to when to use which procedure (approach). Third, it is often necessary to memorize the order of the steps--a memorization component.” (Reigeluth, 1999). This being said, in order to teach a designated component, like Exponents, the site needs to show a procedure, allow students to apply principles, and memorize the steps. This is done in a format of “Remember Exponents” where “this Algebra lesson reviews what exponents are and how they work”. (CoolMath, 2012). Following that are “Rules” with examples for the students to do, and each lesson is ended with practice problems for the students to show what they have learned.

The sequence of the instructions is also very easy for the students to follow since at the bottom of each page there is an option to continue to the next page which will push them along the lessons for that particular algebra topic (this one being Exponents). One of the four methods of instruction that is beneficial for teaching students is: “Systematic and explicit instruction, a detailed instructional approach in which teachers guide students through a defined instructional sequence. Within systematic and explicit instruction students learn to regularly apply strategies that effective learners use as a fundamental part of mastering concepts.” (Steedly, 2011). This is the way the website is set up to help students as the website runs students through detailed instruction where the students can learn on their earn just as if a teacher was doing in the classroom.

A generic skill is a skill that can be applied to several subjects.   CoolMath (Algebra) can help students develop problem-solving skills, metacognitive skills, technology skills, and sequential reasoning skills.  According to MWoodsPublishing, these skills are recognized as skills that are taught in a math class.  This website does a great job because it starts at the lowest level of complexity since all problems are started off with the simplest skill to a more complex one.  Reigeluth describes that a task analysis needs to be performed that will permit teachers start at the lowest level of complexity and help students reach a higher level of complexity.  

References:
MwoodsPublishing (nd). Generic skills practice in math classes.  Retrieved from
http://readmath.com/index_017.htm

Reigeluth, C. M. (2012). Module 7: Generic Skills Retrieved April 15, 2012, Retrieved from
www.indiana.edu/~idtheory/document/m7.doc

2.   Look at the components of the generic skill for this review. How the procedure was presented – a set of steps, an important list of principles, or an un-organized laundry list?

The components of the generic skills were presented as a set of steps.  All math problems or objectives are presented in a step by step procedure that needed to be followed in order so greater benefit can be obtained.  Students need to learn what a factor and a product is so they can undo the distributive property.  All math problems presented in this website are presented in a way of a procedure since basic math skills need to be attained before they go into higher level of thinking problems.  Simple adding, subtracting, dividing, and multiplying needs to be accomplished before they can start solving exponents.  All these basic skills help students acquire generic skills that can be implemented in other subject areas.

3.   Identify the cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects of the attitude you found from this Group Critique I site. (Need References.)

In a study done in Psychology & Health, it was determined that cognitive attitude are more instrumental, like beliefs about health whereas affective attitude lies more along the lines of social norms (Conner, 2011) and behavioral attitudes are more of the way someone reacts to the schema at hand. After reviewing the website http://www.coolmath.com/algebra/index.html again, the attitude toward the website remained positive. While it did not change my affective attitude about algebra, in general, in did change my affective attitude or beliefs about working on math via an interactive website. While the same study found that “affective attitudes made a larger contribution to the prediction of behavioral intentions than cognition” (Conner, 2011), that was not the case with this website. It was found that the cognitive attitude (dealing with beliefs of a subject) outweighed the affective attitudes (social aspects) as this was something that could be done individually and may not be deemed as socially “cool”. Since the website begins with saying “Bored with Algebra?  Confused by Algebra?  Hate Algebra?  Yeah, Coolmath can fix that.  Totally dig Algebra?  What to get ahead in Algebra?  Need to review your Algebra?  Yep, Coolmath is here for that too!” (CoolMath, 2012), it is often looked at as something to “get help” and for those students that are struggling in math, making it not have a positive affective attitude. As far as behavioral aspects of attitude, the website gives students good habits of algebra and helps them to learn the basics and use them as building blocks for later fundaments of algebra. This definitely gives a positive behavioral attitude on the website since it is accomplishing the purpose of helping students improve in algebra discreetly, without having to get after school tutoring from a teacher.
 
References:
Conner, M., Rhodes, R.E., Morris, B., McEachan, R., & Lawton, R. (2011). Changing exercise through targeting affective or cognitive attitudes. Psychology & Health, 26(2), 133-149. doi:10.1080/08870446.2011.531570

CoolMath Algebra (2012). Retrieved from http://www.coolmath.com/algebra/index.html

Reigeluth, C. (1999). Instructional-Design Theories Site. Retrieved from http://www.indiana.edu/~idtheory/methods/methods.html

Steedly, K., Dragoo, K., Arefeh, S., and Luke, S. (2011). Effective Mathematics Instruction. Retrieved from http://nichcy.org/research/ee/math

4.   How do you define the attitude conflicts occurred between the principles of learning and teaching? (Need references.)

Below is a table that compares what CoolMath.com offers as an effective teacher applied to Principles of Teaching along with how it is received as a student applied to Principles of Learning.

CoolMath.com (yes/no)	Principles of Teaching involves an effective teacher to ("Enhancing education," ):
NO	1.  acquire relevant knowledge about students and using that knowledge to inform our course design and classroom teaching.
YES	2.  align the three major components of instruction: learning objectives, assessments, and instructional activities.
NO	3.  articulate explicit expectations regarding learning objectives and policies.
YES	4.  prioritize the knowledge and skills we choose to focus on.
YES	5.  recognize and overcome our expert blind spots.
YES	6.  adopt appropriate teaching roles to support our learning goals.
YES	7.  progressively refine our courses based on reflection and feedback.
CoolMath.com (yes/no)	Principles of Learning ("Enhancing education," ):
YES	1.  Students’ prior knowledge can help or hinder learning.
NO	2.  How students organize knowledge influences how they learn and apply what they know.
YES	3.  Students’ motivation determines, directs, and sustains what they do to learn.
YES	4.  To develop mastery, students must acquire component skills, practice integrating them, and know when to apply what they have learned.
YES	5.  Goal-directed practice coupled with targeted feedback enhances the quality of students’ learning.
YES	6.  Students’ current level of development interacts with the social, emotional, and intellectual climate of the course to impact learning.
YES	7.  To become self-directed learners, students must learn to monitor and adjust their approaches to learning.

As a free remedial website, it is offered to the public, the whole world.  Therefore, certain aspects of the website could not be specifically tailored to a students particular needs either as a teacher role or as the student role.  The website does not require any previous knowledge of the student or knowledge of the student and does not have explicit expectations for the student; the website does have expectations for the student after a lesson.  This website also cannot monitor the process of how the student is organizing their data but does offer everything else for the student.

Regardless of principles (rules) to be followed, student satisfaction (attitudes) has been of pivotal concern to educators for many decades.  A study conducted by Keri in 2002 concluded that student satisfaction was not found where students' learning styles and instructors' instructional styles perfectly matched.  With this being so, other variables must be taken into account in the classroom such as: instructors' possessing strong command over the students of instruction, and knowledge associated thereto, and used course content appropriate language, willingness to motivate, enthusiasm, commitment to excellence and general flexibility to adapt to varying needs of students can all lead to student satisfaction (Keri, 2002).

A website cannot offer these emotional variables to students, but an effective teacher can tackle attitudes and gain student satisfaction in curriculum presentation by (Gourneau):

1.  Demonstrate Caring and Kindness - The effective teacher willingly shares emotions and feelings (i.e., enthusiasm, affection, patience, sadness, disapproval) as well as a sincere interest and care about their students. Communication was also valued and feelings were openly expressed by both the children and teachers.

2.  Share Responsibility - An effective teacher must not be overly possessive or need complete control of the children and environment. It is important to allow students both responsibility and freedom within the classroom community.

3.  Sensitively Accept Diversity - The effective teacher can identify sensitivity, acceptance, and encouragement as critical when approaching issues associated with the diversity of the children while  understanding students without analyzing or judging.

4.  Foster Individualized Instruction - An effective teacher believes every child can and will learn by not pointing out weaknesses, but instead stressing individual strengths and talents.

5.  Encourage Creativity - The effective teacher who listens to students ideas and suggestions for lessons and activities; being open to students’ ways of being imaginative and utilized many approaches to learning.

An effective teacher can easily close the gap of principles of learning and principles of teaching by following these 5 simple steps to make a positive influence in a young persons life.

References:
Enhancing education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cmu.edu/teaching

Gourneau, B. (n.d.). Five attitudes of effective teachers: Implications for teacher training. Retrieved from http://www.usca.edu/essays/vol132005/gourneau.pdf

Keri, G. (2002). Degrees of congruence between instructor and student styles regarding student satisfaction. Retrieved from http://radicalpedagogy.icaap.org/content/issue4_1/04_Keri.html