Victorie Penn

June 22, 2015

FRLT7130
Final Exam
1. Write a 1-2 paragraph summary of constructivism. In addition to your summary,
identify the two most important elements of constructivism, in your opinion, and
explain why you think they are most important.
Constructivists believe that learners actively build knowledge. This theory also
holds that learning is best done through experience and appropriate interaction with the
educational environment. To be successful in using this theory, educators should instruct
their students with the following things in mind:
1. Rigorous and Appropriate Educational Environment- The teacher should
encourage students to solve complicated problems, while keeping the
classroom environment as relevant to the subject matter as possible.
2. Cooperative Learning- Students need to be able to work with others
cooperatively and see that different perspectives can benefit them.
3. Different Points of View and Methods- Educators should present the same
material in a multitude ways and from different standpoints.
4. Students in Charge of Own Learning- Students should have opportunities to
take on learning tasks that appeal to their interests and should be given
reasons that learning is important.
5. Encourage Metacognition- Teachers can prompt students to think about the
ways that they best think and learn when there are several perspectives to
learn from.
Coming from an elementary educators viewpoint, I believe that the two most
important elements of constructivism are cooperative learning and teaching with multiple
methods. In the kindergarten setting, teaching students how to get along in a group is vital
to building a classroom community anchored in trust and respect. When students work
successfully in groups, they realize their own strengths and the strengths of others.
Additionally, teaching with several different methods is an integral instructional piece for
kindergarten. To learn, for example, sight words, students need to hear, see, and practice
them multiple ways. Instruction may include watching a video, going through flash
cards, building the words with playdough, and sky spelling the words.
2. Respond to the questions below about this brief case study.
As her students returned from recess, Ms. Umbridge started talking. Okay, class,
listen up while you are putting away your coats and moving toward your seats. On
your desk I have placed two pieces of paper, on which has three columns on it and
another with a list of numbers. You will estimate the value of the numbers by placing
them in the appropriate column on the page with three columns. It is important that
you work quickly, because this material will be covered on tomorrows quiz.

Immediately several hands shot up. Harry said, Would you say again what we are
supposed to do? I missed the directions because I was at the end of the recess line.
Ron asked, What does estimating mean? Before Ms. Umbridge could respond,
Hermione said, Have we done anything like this before, because I really dont
understand the directions. Ms. Umbridge replied, Okay listen up. You act as if you
have never completed activities before. Harry ask someone who was listening about the
directions for the assignment. Ron, you know how to use a dictionary look up the
word estimating. Hermione, you need to think before you speak and then you would
know that this activity is similar to one we have done before. I dont know what is
wrong with you people!
A. Analyze this situation from the perspective of Gagnes nine events of instruction.
What events did Ms. Umbridge not facilitate well or at all? Provide evidence from
the scenario of the poor facilitation of the events you identify.
There are several aspects of Gagnes nine instructional events that did not occur in
Ms. Umbridges instruction. They are as follows:
1. Gaining Attention- Ms. Umbridge made a weak attempt at gaining her
students attention by saying, Okay, class, listen up while you are putting
away your coats and moving toward your seats. Students were still filing in
and getting settled as she asked for their attention.
2. Informing Leaners of the Objective- Ms. Umbridge did not give her class an
objective for learning, instead she went straight in to the directions for their
assignment.
3. Stimulating Recall of Prior Learning- There was no review of prior learning.
It was assumed by Ms. Umbridge that her students already knew the necessary
content to complete the task. Additionally, when Ron asked What does
estimating mean? Ms. Umbridge did not help him recall the material, instead
she lead him to a dictionary.
4. Presenting the Content- No content was presented to Ms. Umbridges class.
This scenario was task-oriented.
5. Providing Learning Guidance- Ms. Umbridge did not provide any learning
guidance to her students. Instead, she berated them for not listening and not
remembering that the activity was similar to one they had done before. She
requested that Harry ask someone who was listening about the directions for
the assignment and for Hermione to think before she speaks.
6. Eliciting Performance- Ms. Umbridge has successfully elicited performance
for her students by assigning a task to practice estimating. She also let them
know that this material will be on their quiz.
7. Providing Feedback- Ms. Umbridge has not yet provided feedback on this
task. Students have not begun working in the scenario, so it is hard to tell if
the teacher plans to look at their papers. In my opinion, having the quiz the
very next day would not be adequate time to give students feedback and have
them rework the problems they had difficulty solving.
8. Assessing Performance- Ms. Umbridge plans to assess estimating on her quiz
tomorrow. She says, It is important that you work quickly, because this

material will be covered on tomorrows quiz. It is also difficult to see if Ms.

Umbridge was successful with this event of instruction. The students have not
taken the quiz yet and the reader does not know if the teacher has provided
feedback correctly.
9. Enhancing Retention and Transfer- It is unclear from the scenario if Ms.
Umbridges class participated in instructional activities to promote retention
and transfer of the material.
B. Explain how Gagnes events should have been facilitated within the context of this
lesson.
The following are recommendations for Ms. Umbridge to improve her instruction,
based on Gagnes nine instructional events:
1. Gaining Attention- Ms. Umbridge could have waited until all students were
seated to call them to attention. This would have alleviated the need for
repeated directions. Also, she could have used a talk back strategy to get their
attention such as, (Ms. Umbridge) 1, 2, 3, eyes on me. (Students) 1, 2, eyes
on you.
2. Informing Leaners of the Objective- A possible learning objective for this
lesson could have been, How can I estimate numbers? Telling this to
students before and during the lesson would give students a goal to keep in
mind.
3. Stimulating Recall of Prior Learning- To review estimating, Ms. Umbridge
could have called on students to tell what they remember. Additionally, she
could have reviewed place value, which would be a pre-requisite for the skill.
4. Presenting the Content- Ms. Umbridge could have presented the basics of
estimating in a number of different methods. This would have allowed
students to choose a method they felt comfortable with.
5. Providing Learning Guidance- After the basics of estimating were presented,
Ms. Umbridge could have had students complete a few problems, allowing
students to help each other and giving guidance to students as needed. Then
the students could share their answers and explain their thinking.
6. Eliciting Performance- Ms. Umbridge could keep her task as it is written,
although it could also be completed as homework. This would free up some
instructional time and students could bring it in the next day to check it.
7. Providing Feedback- It is important that Ms. Umbridge provides feedback on
the homework/classwork so that students can correct their answers and seek
additional help if needed. Students could check their own work and Ms.
Umbridge could encourage students to talk about their answers to each other.
She could also help students by solving the most missed problems on the
board.
8. Assessing Performance- Ms. Umbridge could keep her quiz, but assign it in a
day or two, instead of the next day. This would give students adequate time to
pursue help if needed.
9. Enhancing Retention and Transfer- Ms. Umbridge could enhance retention
and transfer by teaching her students multiple methods to solve estimation

problems. Additionally, she could provide students with real world estimation
problems. This would encourage the transfer of skills.
C. Analyze this lesson from the ARCS model of motivational design. What elements
did Ms. Umbridge not facilitate well or at all? Provide evidence from the scenario.
There are several pieces of the ARCS model of motivational design that were not
present in Ms. Umbridges instruction. They are as follows:
A. Attention- Again, Ms. Umbridge made a weak attempt at gaining her students
attention by saying, Okay, class, listen up while you are putting away your
coats and moving toward your seats. Students were still filing in and getting
settled as she asked for their attention.
R. Relevance- Ms. Umbridge tries to make the task relevant by telling her
students, It is important that you work quickly, because this material will be
covered on tomorrows quiz. However, she does not let her students know
the significance of estimating in the world. Additionally, Ms. Umbridges
instructional style is not relevant to the needs of her learners. She denies
Harrys request for repeated directions, Rons need for review, and
Hermiones demand for reassurance on the task.
C. Confidence- It is apparent that Ms. Umbridges students lack confidence to
complete the task. Ron asks, What does estimating mean? and Hermione
adds, Have we done anything like this before, because I really dont
understand the directions. This is met with outrage from Ms. Umbridge and
she never does anything to truly attend to the situation.
S. Satisfaction- The only positive outcomes of this task would be a good grade
on the upcoming quiz. Ms. Umbridge does nothing during instruction to
encourage student satisfaction, in fact, she berates her students for asking
questions and not understanding the directions. This is evident when she yells,
I dont know what is wrong with you people!
D. Explain how the ARCS model of motivational design should have been facilitated
within the context of this lesson.
The following are recommendations for Ms. Umbridge to improve her instruction,
based on the ARCS model of motivational design:
A. Attention- Ms. Umbridge could have gotten her students attention by first
allowing them to sit down, and then showing the students a jar full of marbles.
She could then ask the students, About how many marbles do you think are
in this jar? This would serve as an entry point for discussion on estimation
and how estimation is used in everyday life.
R. Relevance- Ms. Umbridge could instruct her students by including a learning
goal, review of the necessary skills, adequate guided practice, and a more
thorough walk-through of the directions for the task. This would attend to the
needs of her learners. Additionally, relevance could be increased by providing
real world tasks to solve (i.e. - estimating with money, estimating distance,
etc.).

C. Confidence- Ms. Umbridge could do several things to increase her students

confidence. First of all, she could attend to requests in her classroom in a more
positive manner. Making students feel stupid for asking questions is not a
good approach. Instead, she could have given directions again to Harry,
reassured Hermione, and reviewed with Ron. Secondly, Ms. Umbridge could
strengthen her students confidence by providing guided practice. During this
time, she could walk around and address individual students having trouble
solving the problems. Finally, Ms. Umbridge could simply provide a learning
goal in the form of an essential question or I Can statement. For example,
How can I estimate? or I can estimate using several different strategies.
S. Satisfaction- Ms. Umbridge could keep the quiz as a part of her instruction,
however the quiz should only be given once students are prepared. A
successful quiz would certainly make students feel satisfied. Additionally, it
was previously mentioned that Ms. Umbridge could enhance relevance giving
students real world tasks to solve. Doing this could also increase satisfaction
because it would make students realize that the information that they learned
is important to life, thus making them feel satisfied with their hard work in
learning it.