Day 18

Problem-Solving Strategy

 Problems:
It is a situations in which we experience uncertainty or difficulty in achieving what we want to achieve.

Problem-Solving strategy:
 Problem-solving is a tool, a skill, and a process. As a tool is helps you to solve a problem or achieve a goal. As a skill you can use it repeatedly throughout your life. And, as a process it involves a number of steps.

Purposes of problem solving:   

1. To give “tools” with which to face the challenges of the real world.
2. To help students to foster self discovery and adaption. 
3. To help students understand complex dilemmas.
4. To help students think about the problems and trace the obstacles to achieve the objective. 
5. Can be guided to effective problem solving strategies.

PRINCIPLES OF PROBLEM SOLVING:

1. Model a useful problem-solving method(Show students by your example how to be patient).
2. Teach within a specific context(Teach problem-solving skills in the context in which they will be used).
3. Help students understand the problem(students need to define the end goal).
4. Take enough time(When planning a lecture/tutorial, budget enough time for understanding the problem and defining the goal).
5. Ask questions and make suggestions(Ask students to predict “what would happen if”).
6. Link errors to misconceptions(Use errors as evidence of misconceptions, not carelessness or random guessing).

 Types of Problem Solving Strategy.

1. Convergent or closed problem.

• In this type of problem solving strategy, it need to have a right answer ( need a fixed answer).

  
     2.  Divergent/open-ended problem.

• In this type  it requires knowledge from different areas.

Elements of  Problem Solving Strategy.

• The definition of a problem(should have some knowledge of a problem to solve it).
• The definition of problem solving(Should have some connection between thinking and knowledge).
• Algorithms(Using of step by steps procedure to solve the problems).
• Heuristics(Need self- exploration).
• The relationship between theory and practice.
• Teaching creativity(applying of previous learned knowledge,no new creation).
• The transfer or the application of conceptual knowledge. 

Procedure of Problem Solving Strategy.

1. Define The Problem(How is the current situation different from what you actually want it to be?).
2. Problem Analysis( Should analyzed how is the problem effecting you and other people).
3. Generate possible Solutions(Finding solutions involves analyzing the problem to ensure that you fully understand it).
4. Analyze the Solution(Think about the solution weather the solution is relevant to your solution or not).
5. Implementation( Find out weather you have achieved what you wanted and how effective was the solution).

Advantages: 

1. Solving of problems in real life experience/situation.
2. It gives direction to a decision and prevent wondering.
3. It contributes to the personality development of a child.

Disadvantages:

1. It create fake ideas about the problems.
2. Create over realization.
3. Forming hasty conclusion.

Day 17

Individualized Instruction Strategy

Individualized instruction strategy.

 

It is also called differentiated instruction. Here teacher should not stick on a method but try with many and they must observe the student individually. 

 

Definition

Classroom practices of teaching which recognizes the uniqueness of each student learner and thus provides for adequate tutorial, guide and other support services suited to bring about development in the person.

 

Purpose of Individualized instruction strategy

1.   To enhance and develop listening habit.
2.  Enables the teachers to explain a lesson or demonstrate a technique to small groups of students at a time.
3.    Individualizing instruction allows each student to progress through the curriculum at his or her own      pace.
4.    Long term retentions they note down what they usually understand.
5.    Importance is given as individual not as group or class.
6.   Careful use of teaching aids is encouraged.
7.    Smooth and continuous lesson but timely interruption.
8.    Uniform and equal learning despite of individual differences.
9.     Less time and effort needed for re-teaching the weak areas.
10.    Provide the normal students the opportunities and needs to make them successful.

Principles of Individualized instruction strategy 

1. Clarify key concept and generation to ensure that all learner gain powerful understanding.
2. Use assessment as a teaching tool to extend various merely measure instruction.
3.  Emphasis critical and creative thinking as a goal in lesson design.
4.    Engaging all learners is essential.
5.  Provide balance between teacher-assigned and student assigned task.

Requirement of Individualized instruction strategy 

1.  Each student learn differently.
2. All students are talented in different ways. 
3.     Educating children with special needs.
4.     It meets the unique educational needs of the children.
5.     Teaching requires differentiated and individualized instruction.

Procedure for Individualized instruction strategy

1) Content

•   it includes the knowledge, skills and the attitude we want children to learn.
•  Must have the tasks and the objectives to achieve the learning goals.
•  Teacher must focused on the principle and the skills.

2) Process

• In include varying learning activities to provide appropriate method for the students to explore concept.

3) Product

•   Initial and on- going assessment of student’s readiness and growth are essential.
•   Students are active and responsible.
•   Varying expectation and requirement for the student’s responses.

Advantages of Individualized instruction strategy 

1. Meeting needs and interest of diverse learners.
2. Help student’s background knowledge, language, readiness and preferences in learning, interests and to react responsively. 
3.  Maximizes each students growth and individual success.
4. Helps in providing for the uniqueness of each children.

Disadvantages of Individualized instruction strategy

1.  Time constraint and chopped up schedules are an obstacle.
2. Class size and teaching load are two of the biggest constraint .
3. Teacher preparedness.

Day 16

Field trip strategy

• Introduced in 1827 by George Shillibeer for a Quaker school at Abney Park in Stoke Newington, London, United Kingdom.
•  A field trip is a visit to a place outside the regular classroom designed to achieve certain objectives, which cannot be achieved as well by using other means. 
• Example are a visit to museums, zoos, places of business, farms, nearby colleges, theaters, historical monuments or buildings, forests, wetlands, nature parks or flower  garden out side the classroom or round of school itself.

Some features of field trip

1.      Facilitating the learning of abstract concepts.

2.      Motivating students through increased interest and curiosity.

3.       Improving long term retention of concepts. 

4.      Teaching scientific method by example.

5.       Increasing student-student and student-teacher social interaction.

6.      Developing social consciousness an increased appreciation for the phenomenon studied.

Purpose of Field Trip

1. It enhances the curriculum. 
2. Renewal (saves from boredom and can refresh a class). 
3. Give students experiential learning experiences. 
4. Concrete skills such as note taking. 
5. Involvement in a real world experience makes learning more meaningful and memorable. 
6. Field trips help the students appreciate the relevance and importance of what they learn in the classroom.

Three kinds of Field Trips:

1. Instructional trips: is a visit by a class or group of classes to a location outside the regular classroom.
2. School contests or festivals: is to provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge and skills developed through subject area instruction.(Students  involve in that contest).
3. Motivational trips: It provides a motivational incentive for the school, club, group, or class and is related to improving the school climate. (students going for picnic after contributing to the school as a motivational trip)

Advantages

1.  Hands-on, real world experiences. 
2. Quality of education, positive attitudes to learning and motivation towards the subject. 
3. Improvement of the socialization between students, which would impinge on the classroom, and development of rapport between teachers and students. 
4.   Enabling teachers to utilize other learning strategies such as cooperative learning. 
5. Students learn better as there is change in the teaching method.

Disadvantages

1. Time considerations - preparation, fitting into the school timetable.
2. Lack of support from school administrations for field trips.
3.   Poor student behavior and attitudes (Or loss over students). 
4. Inadequacy of resources and choice of venue.
5. Medical Risks.

Role of teacher

1.    Planner (Pre and Post planning).

2.     Preparing Students before the Trip.

3.    Provide guidance.

4.    Act as the evaluator at the end of the trip.