Instruction

=Instructional Strategies=

Summary of instructional strategies used in the classroom:
 * Learning Focused Strategies
 * Differentiated Instruction
 * Cooperative Learning
 * Interactive Learning
 * Student-Centered Learning
 * Project-Based Learning

In my daily instruction, I use essential questions to focus learning. I begin with preview activities for better comprehension and recall, and connect to students’ prior learning. I use different teaching strategies and assessments that reflect the learning styles of my students, and review periodically throughout the lesson. I believe all these steps are important to enhance learning.

Throughout my years of teaching computer classes, I have reduced whole-class instructional practices and incorporated more small group or partner-oriented learning and individualized mastery learning. These methods accelerate student learning by meeting students’ needs on a more individual basis, especially in a class where skill sets can vary greatly.

I am more than just a computer/business teacher. I incorporate reading, writing, and math instruction in my daily lesson plans too. For example, after a lesson on how to type a letter, I used to look only for formatting errors when grading. Now, I include grammar and punctuation in my grading and added a lesson on how to write a letter. In Excel class, the Order of Operations is reviewed and discussed before teaching students how to write formulas.

Goal setting is an important part of the learning process. The best goals are student-generated goals that are concrete and specific, have a due date, are measured through self-assessment, and reviewed periodically by learner. One tool I use for goal setting is the KWL model. Students write down what they know, what they want to know, and what they learned (at the end of the course).

Feedback is needed by the brain from its own activities for optimal learning. In the online learning environment, my goal is to provide positive feedback to students within 24 hours. Consistent feedback helps learners improve the quality of their understanding and observe their own progress. Self-feedback such as weekly blogging or journaling helps develop students’ problem solving and thinking skills. When multiple sources of feedback are used, students not only learn more but their motivation increases as well.

Between 80 and 90 percent of all information that is absorbed by our brain is visual. Whether in a classroom or online, students need a visually stimulating environment. Colorful pictures, concept maps, videos and interactive online teaching tools are important features in my online classes to keep students’ interest.

Teaching is a journey and it is important to reflect on past experiences to improve the future. I constantly evaluate my daily lessons to identify the parts that worked, needs to be changed, and/or could be improved.