Reading Response

Directions:

1. Based on the reading describe the following terms:
a.) student-centered instruction
b.) teacher-centered instruction
c.) instruction view
d.) construction view
e.) directed instruction
f.) constructivist (inquiry based learning)
g.) objectivists
h.) constructivists
2. Discuss the two main perspectives. Which terms go together? Why? What makes one perspective different from the other?
3. Give a way technology can be used for each perspective from your own content area (i.e. secondary mathematics)
4. Post a question or comment on another student's blog.

Response:

Student-Centered Instruction: Student-centered instruction occurs when teachers lead class in a manner where students are assisting other students in learning. Students are themselves experts of topics and the teacher is a fellow learner.
Teacher-Centered Instruction: Teacher-centered instruction occurs primarily when teachers lecture and lead the class calling on students to answer questions. Teachers using this method are usually the ones disclosing the facts while students have only the job to listen.
Instruction View - The instruction view of education is where teachers are the ones doing most of the actions. The teachers lecture, walk around the classroom, and call on students to speak. Students normally are meant to simply sit and listen.
Construction View - The construction view of education is where one believes that learning is not just a transfering of facts but instead a process where students learn to learn by creating the facts and knowledge through a collection of personal feelings and experiences.
Directed Instruction - Directed instruction is the traditional instructional method that focuses on memorization and test performance. This type of instruction puts a great deal of importance on memorization and being able to reproduce information.
Constructivist (Inquiry Based Learning) - Constructivist based learning is the method of teaching where the instructor stresses interactions and cooperation along with being able to learn on their own and apply the knowledge to every day life.
Objectivists - Objectivists are those people who feel the instruction should be based on objective standards such as multiple choice, true/false, and matching questions. They feel projects do not adequately assess students and that even essays need to be graded based on a rubric formed from standard criteria.
Constructivists - Constructivists are those people who feel the instruction should not be based on objective standards because that form of assessment is too removed from real life situations. Instead, constructivists may feel assessment through projects would be more adequate.

The two main perspectives in general are the instruction view and the construction view. The instruction view is similar to the teacher-centered instruction, the directed instruction, and the objectivists. These terms all are based on the teacher being the center of the learning. These methods rely on the teacher being able to lecture and the students being able to learn from being passive learners. The construction view is like the student-centered instruction, the inquiry based learning, and the constructivists. These views focus on the student leading his or her own education by being an active learner. The students help each other by assisting each other when possible and trying to apply the learned material to normal life. The two perspectives are obviously different because one is centered around the teacher teaching and the other is centered around the students doing the self-learning.

For the instruction view, providing the students with Number Munchers would help the students reinforce skills taught while lecturing while focusing on only the numbers and whether the answer is right or wrong. From the construction view, the teacher could leave students to solve a real world problem involving cost and suggest the student use Microsoft Excel to find the minimization of price. The students could also actually research the most up-to-date prices or actual locations for the real world situation.