Gauge Learner Needs to Design a Successful Learning Experience

Figuring out where to start with a lesson when you do not know who your learners are can be a huge challenge. In the 1st chapter, Larson and Lockee (2014) advise teachers to start by thinking about the end results to effectively design a lesson. If a teacher knows what the desired end result is then that gives direction and perspective to planning the learning experience. Regardless of the content of a professional development effort, a major focus should be to empower teachers to best serve their students and take steps toward achieving their goals as a master educator. A key component to achieving this goal is to get to know your learners and get them invested in the learning process. The design of the lesson simply must capture the attention and interest of the learner.

A Comparison to Illustrate Good and Bad Instruction

When I think about the learning experiences that were most successful for me, it was often the teacher sharing a story related to the content that made me interested in learning and exploring that topic further. My World Geography professor in college knew how to grab our attention each morning at 8 a.m. by giving a personal account of time he spent in a country or telling about a unique cultural tradition a certain people have in a remote area of the world. It was exciting to await his entry into the room and wonder which point on the map he would select that day and which fascinating details he would reveal. I may not remember every detail, but I learned how to learn on my own and sift through topics while deciding what I want to delve into deeper. In complete contrast, I dreaded my 7^th grade geography class that utilized textbooks, teacher-dictated notes, and filling in maps as the daily instructional activities. It was 99% on the ‘remembering ‘ level of Bloom’s, and I was rarely engaged in the content or interested in anything related to countries and cultures of the world. We did not have the Internet when I was in high school, so the wealth of information and resources was quite different. When I consider today’s learner and the resources they have at their fingertips, the importance and urgency of building certain skills and abilities early on becomes clear. Teachers also have an incredible amount of resources available 24/7 like YouTube, Pinterest, and others that let us learn on our own. They need to become curators and investigators of the content online that best fits with their instructional needs, but they need guidance and advice to stay current and be efficient in their efforts. 

Teachers Need High-Quality Learning Experiences Too

Providing appropriate, high-quality professional development is not an easy task. In chapter 2, Larson and Lockee (2014) point out the need to spend time gathering and analyzing data about participant abilities and experiences in the early stages of planning. One way to do this is to give a sample group of participants a short survey asking targeted questions about things like learning preferences, experience, and even wants and needs. In my experience, teachers appreciate having input prior to the training and giving feedback after it is complete. In teacher trainings, the content is usually related to the instructional needs of the students served by that school and the quality teaching standards set by the state and district. Similar to classroom instruction geared towards students, goals for teacher professional development may have already been established. Even if the overarching goal is set in stone, as the designer of the class, I usually take part in determining the details of each activity, task, and project that will be included. Every part of the training should engage most of the participants. Consider this situation: If there is minimal evidence teachers are making use of a particular digital resource, for example Google Apps, then I may assume it is because they need more training. It is possible that other factors are keeping teachers from making use of Google, such as regular access to digital devices or the computer lab, inconsistent or poor wireless network, or a negative attitude towards using technology with students in general. Surveying the learners ahead of time will reveal most of these unknowns and allow me to use creative design techniques to build a session that will be engaging, inspiring, and challenging for them and make the learning experience successful.

References

Image retrieved from: http://blog.curriculet.com/wp-content/uploads/Blooms-Taxonomy.png 

Image retrieved from: http://www.vickihalsey.com/resources/aids-a-templates/67-engage-model 

Larson, M. and Lockee, B. (2014). Streamlined ID: A practical guide to instructional design [Kindle reader edition]. New York: Routledge.