The context-based learning models that
we are reviewing in this unit have a striking number of similarities, along
with a small number of differences. Goal Based Scenarios (GBS), Anchored
Instruction, STAR Legacy Modules and MOST environments all attempt to engage
learners through contextualized content, making the instruction relevant and
meaningful to the students. Immersing the learners in a real life scenario
allows them to develop higher-order critical thinking and problem solving
skills. According to Susan Goldman,
“Students who received information in a problem-solving context were much more
likely to remember what they read and to spontaneously use it as a basis for
creating new sets of plans”. (Anchoring Science Instruction in Multimedia Learning
Environments. Goldman, et al. pg. 4) With context-based instruction, students learn problem solving skills
that carry over to other areas of instruction, school and life. Another
similarity between the models is that the instructional content relies heavily
on multimedia to attract and keep the learner's interest. The use of sound,
video and interactive lessons allows students with differing learning styles to
stay engaged in the course work. Because of the amount of effort it takes to
develop the contextualized and multimedia instruction, these models are
challenging to create and, especially in the case of the MOST Model, require that
teachers be trained in order to use them effectively. The MOST model differs
from the others in that it is narrow in scope and primarily focuses on early
literacy. MOST is designed for at-risk students with a wide variety of
individual differences and uses visuals to create mental pictures that help
students learn and understand new content.
These context-based models are quite
exciting in their potential to engage students and harness their innate desire
to learn. Teachers who use these models are greatly rewarded by seeing students
not only engaged in the instruction, but also seeing them apply the problem
solving skills they have acquired to other areas of their lives. The biggest
drawback is that these models take a great amount of effort and resources to
create and use properly. It would be difficult to use them for everyday
instruction in the classroom, but they would be very effective for special
lessons, activities or specific goals. The MOST environment model would be difficult
to implement in a larger classroom since the learner would also require
individualized attention from an instructor. Other barriers, especially with
the MOST model, include finding the resources to train teachers and also finding
teachers who are willing to put in the time and effort to learn a new, potentially
labor-intensive, model.
Even though these models would be more
challenging to use, I can see great rewards for taking the time and effort to
implement them. I personally enjoy solving
mysteries, puzzles and problems and know that I learn better “by doing” rather
than by just reading an assignment. I imagine that there are many people like me who feel the same way. In terms of implementing these models, I might not exactly follow all the models
step by step, but I can see incorporating the problem-solving or apprenticeship
aspects of GBS and Anchored Instruction into training classes. Traditional
instruction may be too passive for some, whereas context-based instruction
encourages active participation in the learning process. Another way I could
apply these models where I work is to help teachers use some of the newer
technology tools in their classrooms to create some role-playing and problem
solving scenarios for their students. For example, the teacher could create a GBS
activity where the students could pretend they are the Minister of Tourism of a
given state or country. They would need to find the top ten tourist
destinations and create a presentation explaining why the sites are important,
describing the culture, weather, scenery, etc. Then the students could figure
out how to market the tourist spots to other people, thus learning about geography,
culture, presentation skills and new technologies.
Online contextualized instruction is
challenging to design. Fortunately, there are a number of technology tools that
can be used to make the content interesting and accessible. The basic
PowerPoint/Camtasia combination is a solid choice for creating video tutorials,
as is Google Drive for sharing information and creating quizzes and surveys. A
favorite site for locating copyright free pictures for the instructional
content and for student presentations is pics4learning.com/
. Flickr also has some copy-right free photos available. Another tool that
younger users would enjoy is Braineos. At Braineos,
users can create their own flashcards on any subject matter and then play games
with them to reinforce the instruction. I personally like catching fairies in a
jar!
Contextualized instruction is challenging
to design and implement. But it is easier to create with the help of recent
technology tools and well worth the effort when seeing the positive results of
higher retention rates and improved critical thinking skills.
