JOT2 Task 2

Julia Thorn
A. When Constructivism is Beneficial for Learners
● Focuses on collaboration ● Could be used in a science investigation
● The learner creates their own learning where groups of students work together to
through experience (Ertmer & Newby, solve a problem.
2013)
● More than one correct answer
A. When Cognitivism is Beneficial for Learners
● Direct instruction ● This would be good for modeling how to
● This involves more complex cognitive perform a task such as a math equation.
processes such as thinking, problem ● links prior knowledge to learning (Learning
solving, language, concept formation and Theories Matrix, WGU)
information processing (Ertmer & Newby,
2013)
● Help learner store memory in an organized
and meaningful way. (Ertmer & Newby,
2013)
A. When Behaviorism is Beneficial for Learners
● Behaviorists believe the environment is
most important to learning.
● Relies heavily on stimulus and response.
● Reinforcements make the learning more
likely to occur. (Ertmer & Newby, 2013)
● A great time to use the stimulus, response,
reward would be math facts. You could use
flashcards and a verbal or nonverbal
praise, or an application on the iPad such
as XtraMath which gives smiley faces. This
focuses Behaviorism ideas for teaching
such as repetition, drill and practice,
discrimination and reinforcement for
correct responses. (Learning Theories
Matrix WGU)
● If students are learning a new skill, a
● low level skill such as vocabulary or math
facts, this would be a good theory to use.
 (@ The Mason Jar inc)
B. The lesson
plan
B. Learning Theory Reflected in Lesson Plan
● This lesson plan written by @ The Mason Jar inc is predominantly cognitivism.
● There is a stated objective
● Graphic organizers
● Work, review, and corrective feedback
C. Adapted Lesson Plan
This lesson plan could be adapted into behaviorist theory.

Vocabulary could be taught with flashcards, the teacher could flash and give
feedback.

Students could play “comparing number values” on ABCYa. This focuses on

repetition and positive reinforcement. Students earn a trophy for each correct
answer, after 5 in a row they get to play a bonus games with odd and numbers.
D. Most Beneficial Lesson Plan and Justification
I believe the most beneficial lesson plan is cognitive.
The way it is written gives ample practice for students to use and store information
in memory.
Students are using problem solving to complete the task which is a characteristic of
cognitivism.
Students will benefit from using a graphic organizer to organize the vocabulary in a
way that is meaningful to them.
Students have opportunities to discuss and practice the task.
E. Benefits of Following a Design Theory
● Frameworks allow a focus on goals, teaching, assessing and how to get there
● Structure makes it easy to follow and contain all the parts learners need
● Can be used by multiple teachers with different learners.
○ Gives a common goal and assessment
F. Strengths of Backwards Design
● Focuses on what learners need to know, and how to assess it, then moves into
how to teach that. (Wiggins, McTighe, 2005)
● Answers the “Why” and “So what” questions that our students may be thinking.
○ Which will help students succeed.

Backward design could be used in my classroom by looking at the goal/standard,

deciding how to break it apart and assess it both formally and informally. Then
working into what materials and what teaching strategies to use to help students
reach the end goal.
F. Limitations of Backwards Design
● Planning will be time consuming
● Educators may have a hard time accepting this concept
○ All teachers need to be on board with this to work for all students.
F. Strengths of Gagne’s Events
● Systematic events make sense
● Learners have opportunities to practice and receive feedback
● Encourages recall and retention of learning. (recalling prerequisite knowledge
and transferring)
I could use a variety of materials and strategies. Videos, songs, games, modeling,
worksheets, and partner
Students need fast feedback, during whole group this could be a thumbs up or nod,
on a paper it could be written points on how they were successful and how they
can improve.
F. Limitations of Gagne’s Events
● Many steps- can be overwhelming and time consuming for designers and
teachers.
● Have to question if the performance meets the goals or desired outcomes
F. Strengths of Teaching for Understanding
● Can be applied at all grade levels (Fusaro, 2008)
● Flexibility to design units around teaching style

They way this design is written you assess as you go and if you see barriers you go
back to the teaching and try a different strategy or practice in a different way.
F. Weaknesses of Teaching for Understanding
● Time consuming both the planning and reteaching
● Not all students will arrive at the goal at the same time
○ Leading to more planning/extension.
G. Most Appropriate Design Theory for My Instructional
Setting and Justification
● Theory of Backward design seems most appropriate for my classroom.
● I think it is important to start with your goal first then look at the standards, and
how you are going to assess knowledge
● After I have that information I can gather materials and decide how to present
them to the students.
G. Example(s) of Most Appropriate Design Theory in My
Instructional Setting
I have already began by setting a goal for my students based on the standard
2.NBT.B.5. From there I plan on looking at ways to assess understanding. My plan
right now is five addition with regrouping within 100 and 5 subtraction with
regrouping within 100 problems. What I am still working on is the instruction I will
provide for students to be successful and the materials I will be using.
H. References
● Ertmer, P. and Newby, T. (2013). Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism:
Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Perspective.
Performance Improvement Quarterly; 2013, Vol. 26 Issue 2
● WGU Learning Theories Matrix
● Mason, K. @TheMasonJar Lesson Plan from Teachers pay Teachers
● Wiggins, G and McTigue, J. (2005). Understanding by Design, Chapter 1
Backward Design
● Fusaro, M. (2008). What is Teaching for Understanding? Harvard Graduate
School of Education