Running Head: EDUC 5210 Written Assignment Unit 2 1

EDUC 5210 Written Assignment Unit 2

University of the People

Event 1: Gaining Attention (Reception)

This entails gaining the attention of the learners by presenting the learners with a stimulus

(introductory activity) that engages them and brings the period of waiting for the lesson to

start to an end. I believe this stage fits the BEHAVIORIST approach because of it suites

the concept of presenting a stimulus and observing a response. Schunk postulated that ‘the

most fundamental type of learning involves the forming of associations (connections)

between sensory experiences (perceptions of stimuli or events) and neural impulses

(responses) that manifest themselves behaviourally’. (Schunk, 2010)

Classroom Strategy: In my classroom, this event occurs in so many ways. I have started a

lesson on WWII just by playing the German National Anthem out loud which got the

students all excited and interested. I also have various call and response prompts that grasp

their attention e.g. Ready to Rock…Ready to Roll. Hear Ye, Hear Ye….All eyes on Thee.

Event 2: Informing the Learning of the Objective (Expectancy)

Teachers can engage their students far more easily and help them grasp the new topic if they

make them aware of the learning objectives, thus making them aware of the skills that they

will have acquired at the end of the session. Ensuring they understand what they are learning

and why they are learning new information for them to be motivated and receptive. I believe

this stage fits the COGNITIVE approach because understand the concepts and advantages

of the new learning, taking note of the reasons why it will be beneficial to them requires

cognitive processing skills. ‘Information processing theories focus on how people attend to

environmental events, encode information to be learned and relate it to knowledge in

memory, store new knowledge in memory, and retrieve it as needed.’ (Shuell, 1986).
EDUC 5210 Written Assignment Unit 2 3

Classroom Strategy: In my classroom, following the ice breaker, the topic is introduced to

the students, the key vocabulary which will be encountered and used in the learning will also

be introduced and explained. The learning objective and lesson criteria will also be

discussed and this will initiate a thought-provoking process and brief interaction before

exploring the main lesson. Sometimes, I let my students chant the objective in a song/rap

and when we get to a keyword we say ‘HALT’ and the students try to figure it out before I

explain.

Event 3: Stimulating Recall of Prior Learning (Retrieval)

This recall of scenario, experience or fact help students builds new knowledge. The teacher

presenting the students with the scenario, fact or experience help stimulate their minds and

create a link between prior knowledge and present learning.

I believe this stage fits the COGNITIVE approach because it is easier for children to

encode and commit information to memory especially long-term when it is similar or linked

to personal experience. Schunk cites Mayer stating ‘Unlike behaviourists who said that

people respond when stimuli impinge on them, information processing theorists contend

that people select and attend to features of the environment, transform and rehearse

information, relate new information to previously acquired knowledge, and organize

knowledge to make it meaningful (Mayer, 1996)

Classroom Strategy: Next to informing the learners about the objectives, we engage in

starters such as ‘What do you know about?’ questions. Videos which introduce the topic and

will allow the learners to relate to it, enough to discuss their own experiences.
EDUC 5210 Written Assignment Unit 2 4

Event 4: Presenting the Stimulus (Selective Perception)

This event entails organizing information in a logical and easy to comprehend way. Since it

is an instructional event, the teacher must take care to use various techniques to ensure each

student need is met. Strategies which also provide explanation and examples are better. This

must be done creatively to ensure the student’s attention are caught. I believe this stage fits

the COGNITIVE approach because when auditory materials are presented and supported

with visual materials, you are stimulating a cognitive thinking cortex of their brains causing

them to create connections in their mind with what you are presenting and what you

previously presented in the starter and previous scenarios they might have experienced

about the concept being treated. This cognitive thought process allows them to draw

conclusions, make deductions and form unbiased judgements. ‘Gestalt theory and research

showed that well-organized materials are easier to learn and recall (Katona, 1940). Miller

(1956) argued that learning is enhanced by classifying and grouping bits of information

into organized chunks’ (Schunk, 2010).

Classroom Strategy: In my classroom, this is achieved in a variety of ways. For the Visual

and Auditory learners, an instructional PowerPoint or vide can be used in introducing a new

topic or genre of writing, flashcards can be used to present new concepts in Numeracy and

for the Kinaesthetic learners, a prop or activity station can be set up with a step by step

instruction for them to follow. All these are kept within a specific time frame to retain their

attention.

Event 5: Providing Learning Guidance (Semantic Encoding)

This event helps students retain their initial entry of information to promote long-term

retention by providing resources and/or alternative approaches that shed more light on the
EDUC 5210 Written Assignment Unit 2 5

information the teacher is trying to convey. I believe this stage also fits the COGNITIVE

approach because it aids knowledge construction as well as application. Schunk states

‘Students may be able to devise elaborations, but if they cannot, they do not need to labour

needlessly when teachers can provide effective elaborations. To assist storage in memory

and retrieval, elaborations must make sense. Elaborations that are too unusual may not be

remembered. Precise, sensible elaborations facilitate memory and recall.’ (Bransford et al.,

1982; Stein, Littlefield, Bransford, & Persampieri, 1984).

Classroom Strategy: We have used mnemonics such as MRS NERG for reinforcing life

processes in a science lesson, role-playing the life and wives of King Henry VIII for a Tudor

times History lesson using props.

Event 6: Eliciting Performance (Responding): Allowing learners to demonstrate the

newly acquired skill or knowledge by practice. I believe this stage also fits the

COGNITIVE approach because it allows the internalization of new knowledge and

ensuring correct understanding and application. This event enables students to demonstrate

their learning to themselves, their peers and teachers. This best indicates learning has taken

place.

Classroom Strategy: In my classroom, we break into groups to discuss and present the

information learned in a creative and fun way. We also play the 60-second challenge game

which is a paired task. Here, you tell your neighbour all you learnt in exactly 60 seconds.
EDUC 5210 Written Assignment Unit 2 6

Event 7: Providing Feedback (Reinforcement)

It is critical that the feedback not only informs the students whether their work is correct or

not, but is also timely. I believe this stage also fits the BEHAVIOURIST approach because

the teacher provides a stimulus to elicit a particular response or stimulus from the learner.

The law of effect is seen in Thorndike’s Theory ‘When a modifiable connection between a

situation and a response is made and is accompanied or followed by a satisfying state of

affairs, that connection’s strength is increased. When made and accompanied or followed

by an annoying state of affairs, its strength is decreased. (Thorndike, 1913b).

Classroom Strategy: Feedback is given during and after tasks verbally to guide the

students as well as written comments after a writing draft to improve the learners work

before the final draft is published.

Event 8: Assessing Performance (Retrieval)

This stage evaluates the effectiveness of instruction and determines if the learning outcome

has been achieved. I believe this stage also fits the COGNITIVE approach because it

assesses all earlier events of instruction, encourages reflection of learning and provides

opportunities to apply learning to life skills. (Reigeluth’s, 1999) suggested that authentic

tasks be used in instruction. ‘Elaboration theory, for example, requires identifying conditions

that simplify the performance of the task and then beginning instruction with a simple but

authentic case (e.g. one that might be encountered in the real world).
EDUC 5210 Written Assignment Unit 2 7

Classroom Strategy: In my classroom, we have practical numeracy tasks following each

Numeracy strand to ensure learning is linked to real-life skills. E.g. Setting up a shop with

price tagged items and grading them based on correct money transactions.

Event 9: Enhancing Retention and Transfer (Generalization)

This stage enhances their expertise and promotes usage of new skills and knowledge acquired

to promote life-long learning. I believe this stage also fits the COGNITIVE approach

because it proves that all knowledge acquired is applicable in new situations and can be

represented in new ways. ‘Generalizability is enhanced by providing learners with the

opportunity to practise skills with different content under different circumstances’ (Schunk,

2020, p. 222)

Classroom Strategy: In my classroom, this is done by creating mind maps or posters to

create awareness of electrical safety after a lesson on circuits.

References

Schunk, H.D. (2010). Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective. (pp. 73-74, 164-165,

188-189, and 222) 6th ed. Pearson: Pearson Educational, Inc.

Schunk, D. H. (2012). Learning theories: An educational perspective (6th ed.). Boston, MA:

Pearson.

McLeod, Saul. (2018). Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development. Simple Psychology.

Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/simplypsychology.org-Jean-

Piaget.pdf