Class time is precious. However, there never seems to be enough of it. Maximizing class time often means maximizing what happens outside of the class, too. Christina Cavage, professor of ESL at Savannah College of Art and Design, explains some useful ways to try this out.
Adopting methodologies like blended learning or FLIPping can help maximize students’ experiences and extend the walls of our classrooms; thus, extend learning opportunities and learning. At the heart of these methodologies is the thoughtful integration of digital tools, like a learning management system, and in-class experiences. These digital tools are not used to simply reinforce learning, but serve as a catalyst for learning. They also allow for students to move up Bloom’s taxonomy and apply learning. So, the big question is how can we effectively integrate these tools to extend learning? The answer is simple — extend the content of the classroom by creating opportunities for students to interact, apply and create with content delivered outside the classroom.
How do we do this?
Let’s break this down with a simple writing task.
Imagine you are working on paragraph development. In class, you may read sample paragraphs in the text, cover topic sentences, discuss how to organize a paragraph, distinguish between general and specific statements, and even create an outline for paragraph development.
However, for many students, hearing this instruction once may not be enough. Or, class time may be limited that you do not have the time to cover all these critical aspects. Using a tool, like Writing Skills Interactive, can assist in instructing learners. It also allows them to interact with content as often as they need to in order to master the content.
Sample Lesson Plan:
In class:
– Review sample paragraphs in text.
– Put students in groups.
– Have groups identify the topic sentence.
– Let them determine what elements are included in a topic sentences.
– Have students brainstorm on paragraph organization.
– Underline general statements, circle specific details.
Out of class:
– Assign Writing Skill Instruction video in Writing Skills Interactive (Figure 1).
– Encourage students to watch as many times as they need to.
– Have students work through activities in Writing Skills Interactive to apply newly learned skill (Figure 2)
Class time: the follow-up
Once students arrive back in class the next day, they are ready to apply their knowledge to their own writing. This would be a time for students to create outlines and share with a classmate to complete a peer review.
After this, students are ready to compose. Because they have interacted with skill instruction from remembering to creating to synthesizing, both inside and outside of class, they are well prepared for the culminating task of writing their own paragraph.
As you can imagine, this same process can be easily applied to a multitude of skills. The advantages are numerous. First, the more access students have to content, the greater their learning will be. Secondly, learning becomes a joint effort…students develop greater autonomy, and less dependence on teachers. Lastly, we, as teachers, are consciously creating lessons that allow students to move up Bloom’s taxonomy — building cognitive skills in a logical and effective manner. The right digital tools and the adoption of a blended approach can help us maximize our class time, and in turn, maximize learning. In the end, it is a win-win situation.
Better Learning Champion Christina Cavage demonstrated how you can develop academic skills while moving up Bloom’s Taxonomy, by extending learning experiences for students. Watch the webinar recording here.