• Observe teachers and their classes during instructional time. Identify the approaches the teachers are using (e.g., behaviorist/student centered-constructivism/combination of both) and record these observations in a narrative.
• Interview the teachers to verify/revise your observations, and summarize your findings.
• Using your observations, readings and discussions in class determine if the learning theories were successfully implemented. A suggestive criteria for measuring this might be:
  • Student engagement.
  • Student responses to questions.
  • Quality of student work.
  • Responsiveness of the teacher to needs of the class.
  • Learning probes.
  • Evaluation of student learning.
• Identify the elements of instructional approaches observed that you might want to employ in your own classroom and discuss why.

• Describe the behaviorist and constructivist approaches to learning.
• Design a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts these two approaches.
• Using the graphic organizer created, compare and contrast the behaviorist and constructivist approaches to learning.
• Based on your readings and class discussions, identify the approach that you think is the most effective and explain why.

(Remember to demonstrate that you have completed the readings assigned in class).

Scenario
You are employed in a high school as a guidance counselor. Part of your responsibilities is to observe your student clients in their respective classes. While observing your student in a 10th grade Math class, you notice the following:

• Most of the class is inattentive but quiet.
• Students paying attention looked confused.
• The teacher is lecturing and showing the class how to solve equations using a specific formula. S/he then faces the board and puts several problems for the class to complete and says: “Do these problems now.” S/he then sits down and completes some clerical work.
• The class slowly begins to complete the problems.
• After 10 minutes, the teacher gives them the answers, and provides the homework.
• The bell rings and class leaves and your student comes over to you and loudly says, “Now you know why I hate Math!” He leaves with the rest of the class.

Questions

1. Rate this teacher’s performance using Excellent, Good, Fair, and Unsatisfactory. Provide reasons for your grade.
2. According to your readings and class discussions, identify the elements of effective instruction that were missing in this class.
3. If this teacher was a constructivist, how might s/he used the following techniques in her/his lesson:
   • Mediated instruction.
   • Top down processing.
   • Learning probes.
   • Co-operative learning.
   • Problem solving strategy.
   • Appropriate climate.
   • Feedback that supports learning.
4. We all know that there is no magic pill to make students smarter. However, there are instructional strategies that can increase students’ general thinking skills. In a paper, please address the following issues:
   • The methods/strategies you would use to help your students develop general thinking skills.
   • The methods you would use to ensure that students transfer the learning from the classroom to their everyday lives.

   (Please remember that the paper must demonstrate explicitly that you have completed the readings assigned in class).

5. You are a constructivist and you have been asked to prepare a presentation explaining your beliefs to a group of teachers, administrators and parents. Prepare a paper that describes your beliefs so that you have a point of reference for your presentation. Please remember that the paper must demonstrate explicitly that you have completed the readings assigned in class.
6. You have just finished an interview with Lev Vygotsky (you can time travel). The interview lasted two hours and he explained his beliefs about learning and teaching. Prepare a paper that describes his beliefs about constructivism and state your opinion of his ideas. Please remember that the paper must demonstrate that you have completed the readings assigned in class.