What do you need to change in your thought process or learning style(s) to begin to adapt to R-Directed thinking for the purpose of creating 21st Century learning environments for students?
I believe that there are a many different ways you can incorporate R-directed thinking processes in the learning environment. Of these, multimedia projects which are engaging and thoughtful with meaning to the students is a great start. This means that if you are doing a science project on pollution, make it apparent information to them. Choose places which are polluted around the area which students would know as good examples. Children love animals, bring up the dangers of oil spills to birds and aquatic life. Other different forms of pollution (which is appropriate for school aged children) can be the six-pack holders for soda. There have to be abundant pictures of birds with those things stuck to their legs. It was even in a movie where a penguin had one stuck around his neck and it was causing him to slowly suffocate.
As for my own personal thought process and learning style, I do not believe I need to make drastic changes to become a fully R-directed thinker and promoter of education. I feel that I have tried to find meaning in most of the items I teach. I know from previous experiences it is difficult to have students find meaning in what they are learning, especially mathematics and algebra. When developing word problems or interesting applications I always try and make it applicable to the students. There are many ways you can include items within the students' lives like using their names in examples, birthdays, ages, locations, ambitions, favorites and many more to make it more enjoyable. Having the subject be personable makes it more fun and engaging. Finding or making games out of the work children have done is a great way to review as well as to correct students when they are wrong and help them become more proficient with the material. I don't think that I was a majorly L-directed thinker. I feel that I side a lot more, and feel that I would benefit more with the R-directed thinking processes. I think one thing that I can improve on would be my story senses.
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3 comments:
Your blog entry made me smile. I would have to agree. The one thing I am very thankful for is the wonderful connection I have with most of my students. I have past and present students frequently stopping in my office to share stories or ask questions. I think this is because I've found ways to incorporate their own lives into the learning. I also ask about them and their lives. This always impressed me when professors took the time to do similar things and it's something I strive for in my own classroom. I think it definitely helps that my students and I are of a similar age. Many of us have similar education backgrounds and have grown up in similar times with similar technology. I think connecting with students will probably get harder as we get older and our students stay the same age.
Jennifer
Stephanie,
As I read your blog entry and you talked about being a certain way and trying to be another way, it reminded me of our different modes at home or at work, or in other situations. Basically, what I think I mean is that I believe most of us can operate in all of these modes it is just that we have refined and developed certain modes for certain situations (for whatever reason) and sometimes it takes a special jog, prompt, conk on the head, relaxed moment, or who-knows-what, to cause us to switch modes. I've seen very sequential, lecture-mode instructors "come alive" when you catch them after class, in-the-hallway, or during office hours and suddenly there is a whole new dynamism and empathetic mode at play. It is very refreshing to hear your perspectives on all of this and it sounds like you apply your self-awareness very well to teaching situations. I think we should be encouraged in being aware of ourselves, but also to be aware that we all can get out of character and into a new mode with the right stimulus and develop those different (perhaps more latent) modes. Personally, I am convinced that the capability is naturally there for all of us.
Thanks for a good read...Chris
I can completely agree, sadly, that connecting with students will get harder as we continue to get older. I know I was saying stuff about older teachers who were set in their ways. They were boring and didn't use technology or if they did, barely knew how to use it. I just hope that when I'm approaching that age that the learning process for myself hasn't stopped and that I have continued to adapt to the change in time so I don't turn into the teacher everyone talks about being 'outdated'.
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