Task One

7/25/2018

Read Chapters One and Two in The Quest For Learning.

Answer the following questions related to Chapters 1 and 2, then respond to one or more of the other participant's responses.

How do Generation Z's and Generation Alpha's perceptions of effectively engaging classrooms differ from previous generations' perceptions of classroom engagement?
Briefly describe how the extended cycle of expertise works and why it is effective in strengthening students' learning. What abilities does a student gain from learning how to learn through the extended cycle of expertise?

5 Comments

Kelly Zimmerman

7/28/2018 12:37:02 pm

As the authors state, information can easily be accessed and no longer needs to be memorized. We are no longer effective as “sit and get” classrooms. Generation Z's and Alphas now use technology to learn and entertain themselves. “They seek, process, and share information more visually, collaboratively and in real time.”

The extended cycle contains a precise goal that is challenging and has specific steps to be effective. This allows students to be given a goal and formulate their own plan to achieve that goal. They will fail and or get frustrated but this will then allow them to experiment and try other possibilities. They will repeat this process until they successfully solve their goal. This allows students to gain critical thinking and creative problem solving skills by creating their own learning.

Tracey Palmeri

7/29/2018 05:35:25 am

I like your summary of the extended learning cycle. The emphasis on the fact that they WILL fail is so important. I think we all need to set up a teaching environment in which failure is encouraged as a way to learn more. My students are often so afraid to try or to speak up in the beginning of the year and they wait until someone who "gets it" speaks up first.

Nicole Neri

7/28/2018 07:43:29 pm

1. There are major differences in Generation Z and Generation Alpha engagement strategies compared to previous generations. In previous years, the classroom norms involved sitting and listening, teacher centered instruction, security, a commanding environment, and curriculum center. In the classroom, close book exams, textbooks, and paper were the normal materials. With Generation Z and Generation Alpha, there is shift towards try and see learning, teacher as facilitator, flexibility, collaboration, and learner centered. There should be more of a use of open book assessments, touch technology, and electronic devices.

2. The extended cycle of expertise is an instructional sequence that has goals for students to achieve. The cycle begins with a new level or problem which requires learning. The student hits frustration zone answering the challenging learning questions, vocabulary, and sophisticated concepts. The teacher might engage in this step to help move instruction forward. Next the students develop and solidify new skills through multiple modalities and repetition. This gives them a positive feeling of mastery that they were able to problem solve a difficult learning problem, which gets them ready for more new learning.

Tracey Palmeri

7/29/2018 05:32:03 am

It seems that Generation Z and Generation Alpha have a more hands on style of learning and engaging in the classroom than previous generations. I found it very interesting to read that previous generations were being prepared to take orders and direction without an emphasis on critical or creative thinking. The current generations that we are teaching are being encouraged to think outside the box and question things. Z and Alpha need to experiment and work together using technology, while previous generations would take notes, listen, and memorize. I also found it interesting that open-book assessments are a way to effectively engage students. I did this once or twice last year and my students were thrilled. They thought they were getting away with something. They weren’t. I wanted them to create an argument using evidence. So using the book was just giving them the tools they needed to inform their own original claim. It worked really well.

The extended cycle of expertise is when a student is presented with a problem or question, they hit a level of frustration because they do not immediately know the answer, they gain the skills or do the research they need to address the problem or question, they practice their new skill until they master it, therefore solving the problem or question, then they take that problem to a new level of questioning and the cycle begins again. The most important thing that I think is learned through this cycle is how to actively seek knowledge to overcome roadblocks. If you don’t know an answer, find out what you need to know and answer it. The best part is that you shouldn’t give up there- you should be encouraged to come up with new questions and seek out new solutions.

Kelly zimmerman

8/8/2018 10:21:00 am

I like how you say that once a student hits frustration they do the research to gain the knowledge to solve the problem. So true. It is about them gaining the learning on their own- not just being given the info.

Task One

Leave a Reply.

Book Study

Archives

Categories