Principles of Effective Instruction

Principle of Context

-No learning is without context- The context must exemplify the meaning involved in learning

What makes a good context?

• Interaction• Concrete Experience• “Pauca precepta, multa exempla”

Simple Concept Many examples

Degrees of Excellence

• 1. Textbook only• 2. Textbook together with supplementary academic

readings.• 3. Non-academic and current materials (magazines,

newspapers, flyers, etc.)• 4. Graphic materials• 5. Demonstrations, field trips, visit and presentation

by experts• 6. Personal, social or community undertakings

exposure program either in school or out.

Principle of Focus

• Meaningful and effective learning must be organized about a focus

What makes a good focus?

• Purpose• Form and Unity• A Quest for Insight

Degree of Excellence

• 1. Learner’s task is defined by page assignments, exercise completion, etc.

• 2. Focus established by announced topic, together with page or chapter references, etc. More varied and extensive but still an information-getting and memorizing process.

• 3. Focus established by setting up broad concept to be comprehended or problem to be solved.

• 4. Focus established as a concept to be understood, a problem to be solved, or a skill to be acquired to carry out a task.

Fractions and cooking

Principle of Socialization

• Meaningfulness and effectiveness of learning depends to an extent upon the social setting

• Very little of the best learning happens in complete solitude

What makes a good socialization?

• Social Facilitation• Incentives• Democracy

Degrees of Excellence

• 1. Socialization characterized by submission; there is imposed discipline and the group’s function is to respond to authority.

• 2. Socialization characterized by contribution. Group members may raise questions, suggestions, violent reactions. Discipline is still imposed but sympathetic.

• 3. Socialization characterized by cooperation; there is a common undertaking where everyone shares responsibility. Discipline is self-generated.

Principle of Individualization

Meaningful learning must proceed in terms of the learner’s purposes, aptitudes, abilities, and experimental procedures

What makes a good individualization?

• Acknowledging differences:• 1. Vertical differences – IQ, mental age,

mental readiness, physical differences• 2. Qualitative differences – special abilities,

aptitudes and interests, methods of working

Degrees of Excellence

• 1. Uniform tasks on uniform schedule. Individualization shows up only in performance and results.

• 2. Homogenous groupings based on IQ, MA, EA. Individualization by grouping.

• 3. Contract plans on two or more levels; more choices than number 2.

• 4. Individual instruction.• 5. Large units with optional related activities and

experiences.• 6. Individual undertakings coming from and contributing to

the joint undertaking of the group of learners.

Principle of Sequence

• The sequence of meaningful learning must be meaningful itself to obtain authentic results.

• Sequence of Learning = Mental Growth

What makes a good sequence?• Growth as something continuous• Growth dependent on purpose• Growth dependent on emergence of meaning• Growth as evolution from immediate to

remote • Growth as movement from concrete to

symbolic• Growth as movement from crude to

discriminating• Growth as Process of Transformation

Degrees of Excellence

• 1. Sequential blocks of content. Additive accumulation of knowledge and skill.

• 2. Learning is knit together by introductions, previews, pretests, ec.

• 3. Sequence is organized according to readiness.

• 4. Sequence is organized in terms of lines of emerging meaning.

Principle of Evaluation• The effectiveness of any job of learning is

heightened by a valid and discriminating appraisal of all its aspects.

What makes a good evaluation?

• Evaluation and Direct Results

• Evaluation and Transfer

• Direct Evaluation of the Learning Process

Degrees of Excellence

• 1. Evaluation on results only• 2. Evaluation on results with some attention

paid to process• 3. Evaluation on total learning process,

including results.