PRAs’ Innovation configuration Map (IC Map)

PRAs’ Innovation configuration Map (IC Map)on how to engage students mentally.

During some PD sessions in term three of 2012, the teachers drew up an IC map pertaining to the pedagogy of engagement, after reading much descriptive materials around the topic as possible. The teachers were given several materials regarding active learning and the pedagogy of how to engage students in constructing their learning to read. Through consensus they identified components and variations of students’ mental engagement.

What is innovation configuration?

This idea has been borrowed and adapted from Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) in Austin, Texas. The innovation configuration frequently termed the IC is a map that is used to describe an innovation, a new programme or change being made, in clear operational terms.  It is a tool designed for developing clarity of change by defining it in operation.  Implementation issues are discussed as they relate to teachers’ implementation of the innovations. An IC map offers a guideline to planning and implementation of an innovation. It provides a clear and precise definition such that people would know what is expected of them, as such as there would be better and more consistent implementation.

During the PD session of Wednesday 13^th February, 2013 the teaching staff;

(i)                 Revisited the IC map in liaison with teaching syllabus.

(ii)               Lesson preparation;

Planned lessons for the topics they were going to teach by making use of the ideas elaborated in the IC map.

Here below is the IC map the teachers of Praslin Secondary School constructed and every member is encouraged to use it along with other methods that engage students in their learning.

IC Map:  Engaging students mentally

Component:  Classroom questions

Variations:

1	2	3	4	5
Teacher; asks an adequate amount of high level cognitive questions that foster higher students’ understanding and achievement (deep learning); asks questions that encompass application, analysis, /synthesis and evaluation.	Teacher asks a balance (a combination) of high and low level questions depending on students’ needs and understanding (leading to differentiation).	Teacher asks an adequate amount of low level cognitive questions to engage low ability students in gathering basic skills.	Teacher asks mainly: Low-level cognitive questions; vague questions; questions about classroom management; recall questions; simple comprehension questions (i.e. questions where the answers have previously been provided).	Teacher does not ask questions.  Teacher stands at the front of class and uses didactic talk.

Component:  Cooperative Learning

Variations:

1	2	3	4	5
Teacher consistently sets / organizes tasks so that students in small groups of four to six work together collaboratively to complete tasks; There are individual accountability and positive interdependence whereby the group members depend on one   another and display social construction of knowledge (students learning from and with one another). The groups are rewarded for social skills displayed during the tasks.	Teacher frequently sets tasks so that students in small groups of four to six members depend on one another to complete tasks (individual accountability and positive interdependence). The group members frequently learn from and with one another.  The teacher monitors the social skills exhibited.	Teacher occasionally sets tasks so that students in groups of four to six learn from and with one another as well as depend on one another to complete tasks. The teacher states expected social skills but does not monitor or reward.	Teacher assigns students to work in pairs.	Teacher does not assign students to groups. Teacher sets tasks that permit students to work alone. The lesson is whole class followed by independent seat work.

Component:  Developing Students’ Metacognitive Skills

Variations:

1	2	3	4	5
Teacher consistently: - -           Organizes for students to plan and set goals, self-assess and regulate their thinking and writing (learning). -          Gives students opportunities to practice monitoring their learning and adapting as necessary, -          Encourages students to ask questions and keep a learning journal or learning log. -          Instructs students to use flash cards to study for test and exams, -          Encourages note taking, -          Assigns tasks that involve making and refining predictions as well as, summarizing, -          Reviews the topics and asks students to revise their summaries, -          Assigns tasks that encourage students to think aloud; problem solve and advise others on how to approach tasks, -          Develops students’ declarative, procedural and conditional knowledge Students consistently identify important ideas, underline texts and key words, as well as draw concept map.	Teacher frequently: - -          Organizes for students to plan and set goals, self-assess and regulate their thinking and writing (learning). -          Gives students opportunities to practice monitoring their learning and adapting as necessary, -          Encourages students to generate and ask questions and keep a learning journal or learning log. -          Instructs students to use flash cards to study for test and exams, -          Encourages note taking, -          Assigns tasks that involve making and refining predictions as well as, summarizing. -          Reviews the topics and asks students to revise their summaries, -          Assigns tasks that encourage students to think aloud; problem solve and advise others on how to approach tasks, Students occasionally identify important ideas, underline texts and key words.	Teachers occasionally: - -           Discusses topics with students to allow them to hear multiple perspectives on the topics. -          Models metacognitive behaviours as in 1 and 2 on the left. -          Students sometimes talk to themselves about the metacognitive process. -          Thinks aloud to demonstrate thinking processes. -          Labels thinking processes for students to recognise thinking skills -          Guides self-evaluation experiences.	Teacher assigns tasks requiring students to mainly use note memorization. Teacher assigns paired problem-solving tasks.	Teacher mainly: - -          Dictates, lectures and provides answers (teacher’s answers are automatically forced upon students), -          Students listen attentively.

Experiential learning is constructivist learning, where students are active learners, constructing their own knowledge, rather than observing the demonstrative behaviour of a teacher. Such learning may involve one or more of the following instructional strategies:

Experiments

Field observations

Games

Role plays

Simulations

Surveys

Component:  Experiential Learning

Teacher coherently: - -           Organizes for students to construct knowledge and skills through: - surveys, experimentation and investigation, field trips, interview, model building, role plays. -           Prepares learners to actively develop their understanding. -          Provides activities that encourage critical reviews (guiding thinking and challenging to developing understanding). -          Asks questions that stimulate thought about relevant issues and enables the students to use answer given to develop further thought and learning.

Teacher: -           Demonstrates (demonstrative behaviour of the teacher), -          Transfers skills and knowledge. -          Engages students in unreal role play. -          Makes power point presentation. -          Writes on the board and speaks while learners listen and look and try to absorb (“chalk and talk”).