Creating high performance learning environments

Creating high performance learning environments

If students are to succeed, they should learn in the best possible environment that can develop their learning. It means that learning has to be engaging, challenging and relevant. Teachers should use a teaching model that can reach every student in his or her class.

In this blog post, I will talk about three videos that demonstrate different teaching strategies to creative high-performance learning environments.

Case study one - Roller Coaster Physics, STEM in action
The structure of the lesson in this video was very clear and anyone watching this video for the first time would have an understanding of the steps that followed up to the final project.
The lesson started with a chime from each group that shared their trials and tribulations from the previous week, while other teams took notes and chimes in their ideas. It is a formative assessment technique to understand where students are in their understanding and to promote free learning valuing each other's ideas.
Individual sketch designs allowed the teacher to assess students ideas. Students were also able to evaluate their own and each other's ideas to sell the best idea to the entire group.
When the students decided on one group sketch, they ran it through a computer simulation to map out any failures and make modifications. Students then started testing for the longest run.
The lesson demonstrated what 21st-century learning should look like; students were sharing ideas, working collaboratively, being critical thinkers and problem solvers. Students were assigned different roles within their group, and this allows every student to participate in group work actively.
Students were engaged and able to work independently in groups, while the teacher served as a facilitator. They were also working at all times, listening and communicating effectively with other members.

Case study two - Gr. 3 Chinese math class
My experience of rhyming was only limited to nursery rhymes, days of the week, months or counting numbers. It was interesting to see it used for math. It seems to to be effective if applied correctly as within the Chinese model of teaching math.
Memorization of facts or figures has also helped me pass some tests and exams. Most of the students were engaged, but I wonder if this model of teaching would work with special needs students. Some students do not like to speak up or even raise their hands. Others might take awhile to answer a question directed at them. Chinese people consider math as a core subject, and students can spend up to 15 hours a week studying math. From the interview with Chinese high school students, I could see that they are very disciplined and committed towards their school work. College entry tests are challenging, and all students aspire to get into well-recognized colleges or universities.

Case study three - Whole Brain Teaching
The third video seemed to explore a different method of getting students engaged in their learning. Using hand signals to explain or understand certain concepts looks like fun, but it would be considered time-consuming for some teachers. The logic seems that including other movements in your learning stimulates the brain to be more active during learning.
I watched a video on the use of WBT with grade 1 students and was wondering how many hand signals or sounds a teacher has to come up with to teach all the content. Would students be able to remember all the movements or sounds?

Summary
The teaching method used in the first video can work best in my Physical Education lessons. It is an environment that is ideal for collaborative work, developing communication skills, thinking skills and solving problems.  Activities can also be made challenging with some constraints to develop students into even better problem solvers.
For example, a typical grade 5 lesson can start with students discussing ideas to create a complex gymnastics sequence. Using prior knowledge of movements practiced in class, each member of the group can write down their thoughts and sell it to the group through a demonstration. If all members agree on using an idea or combine a few ideas, they will start practicing their performance. Their peers will evaluate group sequences performed in class. Students will reflect on their performance outcomes and find ways to improve.

Using the Chinese method of teaching math in PE, would be limited to some games that include chants, such as demonstrated at http://www.jumpelastics.com/pages/games-with-chants. This method could be more effective with lower elementary students.

I would think that we are already using some form of WBT in PE. We use our body to move and have to think about our actions.

References

Teaching Channel (Director). (n.d.). Roller Coaster Physics: STEM In Action [Video file]. Retrieved March 5, 2017, from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-stem-strategies

Chen, C. (Director). (2011, June 13). 3rd grade Chinese–math class [Video file]. Retrieved March 5, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7LseF6Db5g

Biffle, C. (Director). (2010, February 12). How to Begin Whole Brain Teaching [Video file]. Retrieved March 4, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJw9mzCtWbk

Biffle, Chris. (2013, August 12). Whole Brain Teaching: Starting with 1st Graders. Retrieved on March 08, 2017 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D668Jl6zuAk