Thorndike

Thorndike

I read the research by E.L. Thorndike, his article entitled “The Contribution of Psychology to Education." (Thorndike)

1. What are the roles for education and psychology envisioned by E.L. Thorndike?

According to Thorndike psychology makes education clearer and easier to understand.  It allows the importance of human behavior and human nature to come to light.  It is important to use child psychology and development to understand how behaviors and human nature effect a child’s education.  Teachers can take that research and transfer into their work within the classroom.

2. Have these roles changed? What kind of methods did Thorndike recommend for research?

Students were put into a cookie cutter mold and all students were assumed to learn in the same way.  It was assumed that students didn’t understand things quickly and were treated that way.  Now students are taught in a way that utilizes psychology.  Students are now taught in a way so that all students can understand.  Lessons are taught using differentiated instruction and behaviors, environment, social interaction, background, and culture are taken into consideration when children are learning.

Think about your Professional Development Plan. In your 1 page plan, identify:

1. What constitutes scholarly research.

Scholarly research incorporates peer-reviewed articles, books, blogs, and websites created by professionals.  When I look for information and research to use for myself I review work that has in-depth research on the topic I am learning about.

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2. Ways to acquire and interpret scholarly research.

The Mount library gives us access to many different data bases that we can utilize for research such as EBSCO and ProQuest.  You can get articles and research through these databases.  At the end of every article the sources are clearly cited for you to review.

3. Ways to use scholarly research in your future practice.

When using Scholarly Research, it is important to keep in mind where you pull your information from.  Using the databases that I previously mentioned have help you with research topics in the future.  This research can help you to effectively teach your students within the classroom.

Effective Teaching

EFFECTIVE TEACHING

·                What does it mean to be a qualified teacher?

Being a qualified teacher means you care about your students and are continuously finding new ways to engage and motivate your students.  Just having a degree does not make you a qualified teacher.  Being a qualified teacher means you create your lesson plans in a way that reach all of your students.  You are continuously finding new ways to stimulate your students and ensuring that they grasp the material.  It is not enough to just care about test scores. 

·                How do you assess qualification?

Typically, qualifications are assessed based on a students’ grades regarding the work that they complete.  However, I feel a more efficient way to assess qualification would be to observe a student and teacher interacting within the classroom.  It is important to see the different ways a teacher tries to reach his/her students through differentiated instruction.  It is important to utilize many different strategies within the classroom.  Not every student can be reached in the same way, therefore a qualified teacher will do whatever is necessary to do so.  A great teacher will do whatever his/her student needs in order to grasp the material.

·                What is good teaching and how is it measured?

A great teacher designs his/her lesson plan to reach each and every student.  It Is important to differentiate your lesson plan so that all students can understand the material.  Each student grasps the materials at different times.  Not all students are on the same working level as one another.  Good teaching should be measured on the way the student understands the material based on the way the teacher presents it.  Work should be tailored to fit the needs of each student, no matter what their learning level is.

·                How do qualified teachers make a difference? What knowledge/skills do they have that unqualified teachers do not have?

Qualified teachers make each and every student feel important within the classroom.  They show empathy and understanding to all of their students.  Qualified teachers present information in a way that all students can grasp the material.  They are also continually learning new ways to engage their students and making sure that their students stay on task.  Qualified teachers use lower and higher level thinking skills and apply them to strategies being taught within the classroom.  Unqualified teachers do not care about the needs of their students and do not differentiate their instructional strategies.  As a result, many of their students will fall behind or fail.  These students are less engaged and can easily fall behind. 

CHAPTERS 1, 2, 3

CHAPTER 1, 2, 3

Module 1: Learning and Teaching Today

1.1   No Child Left Behind Act.

Reading and math test are administrated in grades 3-8 and then again once the students are in High School. Science is tested in every grade from grades 3-12. As a result of poor state testing scores schools can be closed and certain teachers may be fired because of this. Differentiated Learning is important tool to use within the classroom. It allows students to work at different paces, and gives options to assess what fits the needs of students’ based on their interests and needs.  Teachers should alternate calling on students, so all students have a chance to speak. 

1.1.1      Effective Teaching

Being an effective teacher does not only mean having a degree that makes them be able to teach. An effective teacher cares about their students and continues to find ways to encourage their students. A lot of teachers are very concerned with test scores and forget about engaging students, so that they understand the work they are being taught. I have had many teachers in the past that were not the best teachers and didn’t engage their students. An ineffective teacher does what is easy for them and not what will benefit their student.  Effective teachers are always making observations and changing lessons/activities so that all students can grasp the material. Their main concern is on their students and their well-being and giving them the tools they will need to succeed, not only in their class but in their future education. The difference between an effective and ineffective teacher is easy to see, the effective teacher's students are engaged in learning and are learning through many different techniques and strategies that the teacher provides for them.

Module 2: Research and Theory in Educational Psychology

1.3           Methods used to conduct research in educational psychology

Single subject experiments can be used to systematically explore effects of an intervention on a student. Ethnographic research is real teachers and the naturally occurring events that take place in a classroom to better understand the meaning of events to all people involved. 

1.4: Recognize key theories of development and learning that influence educational practice.

Cognitive Development Theory by Piaget describes the four stages of development; sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational. Sensorimotor is from ages 0-2 and they learn mostly through their senses. Preoperational is from ages 1-7 and they learn by language and symbols. Concrete operational is from about 10 to adulthood and they are able the think logically. Formal operational is from adolescents to adulthood and allows for hypothetical thinking. 

Zone of Proximal Development by Vygotsky explains what children can do alone and what they can do with help and how to use this in teaching. ZPD and Scaffolding follow strategies that include modeling, organizational starters, giving hints, encouraging small steps, connecting new learning to prior knowledge and giving clear directions.