We read a book in my class this semester: "The New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives" by Marzoano and Kendall. Its an attempt to update Blooms Taxonomy. Lots of good stuff in there but still has a committee feel to it. However, taxonomy is more about what you teach and pedagogy is about how. I really haven't run into anyone who doesn't think there is a "time to teach" that is some belief in direct instruction. Right now I'm reading "Studio Learning" and even in art studio classes direct instruction, lectures and demonstrations, have a role. The difference is how the information is tied to student work. In a studio class you use the information taught immediately. The more I learn about learning theory the more I see it as mix and match, not black and white. <div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 12:20 PM, Kathy Pusztavari <<a href="mailto:kathy@kathyandcalvin.com">kathy@kathyandcalvin.com</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Bloom's Taxonomy reminds me of committees that never get anything done in the Life of Brian. Direct Instruction reminds me of the people that get in there and get the job done. Here is the Direct Instruction guide: <a href="http://www.zigsite.com/PDFs/rubric.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.zigsite.com/PDFs/rubric.pdf</a> <div class="im"> -----Original Message----- From: Maria Droujkova [mailto:<a href="mailto:droujkova@gmail.com">droujkova@gmail.com</a>] Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 7:48 AM To: Kathy Pusztavari Cc: <a href="mailto:iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org">iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> </div><div><div></div><div class="h5">Subject: Re: [IAEP] maths instruction On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 10:34 AM, Kathy Pusztavari <<a href="mailto:kathy@kathyandcalvin.com">kathy@kathyandcalvin.com</a>> wrote: > I'm of the direct instruction camp. If skills and concepts are not > build upon each other correctly, you will get kids that either learn a > concept wrong (then they have to unlearn it) or fail and then feel > like they are stupid. Having a kid with autism, I've seen both. > Unfortunately, I've seen both with typical kids or even smart ones under poor teaching practices. > This is especially true for teaching reading - Project Follow Through > showed that direct instruction was by far the most effective in teaching period. > > What I'm suggesting is taking effective practices and putting them in > a computer model. Using short videos or whatever (flash like > animation) to teach concepts. Strongly systematic approach is a good general principle for sciences and math. In my mind, the strength of computers is in helping kids tinker, construct, interact with microworlds and with each other, remix, tag, and otherwise be active. Learning happens through doing. Nobody learns anything deeply enough the first time they are exposed; understanding keeps growing and growing through time, as learners are ACTIVELY DOING something related to that concept. In math in particular, you need to have a very healthy balance of all levels of learning activities (see Bloom's Digital Taxonomy <a href="http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy" target="_blank">http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy</a>), which computers definitely can support. Good math learning software should combine three things: the ability to create your own mathematical objects in scaffolded environments (with videos or animations that can be a part of scaffolding); the ability to share these objects with other learners in your local community of practice; and tools for connecting these "example spaces" or "lesson environments" with mathematics at large, including other topics and past traditions of doing math and other local communities - that is, with larger communities of mathematical practices. -- Cheers, MariaD Make math your own, to make your own math. <a href="http://www.naturalmath.com" target="_blank">http://www.naturalmath.com</a> social math site <a href="http://www.phenixsolutions.com" target="_blank">http://www.phenixsolutions.com</a> empowering our innovations _______________________________________________ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) <a href="mailto:IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org">IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> <a href="http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep" target="_blank">http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep</a> </div></div></blockquote></div> -- Caroline Meeks Solution Grove Caroline@SolutionGrove.com 617-500-3488 - Office 505-213-3268 - Fax