According to Print (2004), teachers have expressed some concern about individualization as a teaching
strategy as they have less direct control over student learning, particularly student exposure to content. And
individualization appears to be the very antithesis of group or collective work approaches and excessive emphasis on an independent, individual approach to learning may well prove to be counterproductive to effective learner outcomes.
It focuses on the learner. In learner-centered designs, the learner is an active participant in the educational process. Researches showed that when the focus becomes student learning, colleges attain higher rates of student retention and have better prepared graduates than those students who were more traditionally trained (Matlin, 2002; Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2002).
In the tertiary level, there are varied ways where the design can be applied. One is through the use of directed self-study like lecture guides in order to encourage the students to take progressively greater responsibility for their own learning. This can make the students more self-reliant. Students can also be initiated to use timetables so that they can adjust the reading based on the given time. Handout notes, journal articles and other printed materials can often be used in self-instructional situations. To make these materials more effective to college students, they will have to be supplemented with suitable study guides that direct
them suitable chapters, sections, or topics in a systematic and cumulative way, providing them supplementary notes and assignments, incorporating self-assessment questions. This method allows students to learn at their own pace compared to the lecture method where they have to work at the pace directed by the instructor.
Another is to build a major unit of a course round student assignments.Here students are made to deliver the bulk of the course. At first, the students are given an intensive introduction to the subject area via lectures, videos and talks from visiting speakers.Then the remainder of the course will involve students in preparing in-depth seminar papers on specific topics and then presenting these in class. Each member of the class can also be provided with a full set of the seminar papers, so that the students also effectively wrote their own course ‘textbook’. The students can be assessed on the quality of their papers, the quality of their presentations, the defence of their papers and their overall contribution to the seminar programme.
Another way is through distance-learning courses, open-learning courses, part-time courses, and so on. Here
students are met by teachers to be given reading materials. After a period of time, students and teachers meet again for submission of answers to the questions previously give. At times, answers are sent through e –mails. This student-centered learning system can provide greater educational and training opportunities for those who cannot attend institutions during ‘normal’ hours. This applies particularly to those in regular day-time employment and those whose personal situations (for example, dependent relatives, physical disability or geographical location) make it difficult or impossible for them to attend regular timetabled classes.
MODELS OF REALITY
This is an alternative way of facilitating effective learning among students where they are exposed to real-life
situations. Examples of models of reality range from physical simulations to role-playing exercises. Students learn more when they engage themselves, in actual life situations.
I oftentimes include in my lesson plan, field work and field trips. I believe students will learn more in an “experiential” form of learning. Although, there are also disadvantages like expenses (venue, vehicles like bus and van), time (time in preparing for the outdoor activity and the outdoor activity itself), waiver (letters to guardians) and sometimes uncontrollable situations outside the campus where welfare of the students could be at risk, still students learn while they enjoy.
Generally, learning activities are arranged from easiest to hardest, and from most general to more specific; however, researches showed that some students are more likely to learn if specific skills or topics are introduced first. However this only means that learning varies per learner.
Learning experiences are organized in such a way that they reinforce or strengthen each other. They are also organized vertically and horizontally .The continuity of exercises refers to the vertical reiteration of major curricular elements. Thus there are materials in science and in other subjects that are continued through higher levels. Horizontal arrangement would refer to the sequencing of activities where learning experiences are built in more depth and detail, emphasizing on higher levels of treatment.
DIFFERENT TEACHING-LEARNING STRATEGIES
EXPOSITORY TEACHING
It involves transmission of information in a single direction. I found this very effective in large group of students and in topics in science where concepts are introduced to students. Common examples of expository teaching are lectures, demonstrations and audio-visual presentations. Efficiency and effectiveness of resources are hallmarks of expository teaching, thus I need to allot more time in gathering data and information to make the discussion meaningful and meaty. However, learners are essentially passive receivers of information in this strategy, thus there could be a room for boredom and lack of interest. It would now be a challenge on my part to make my discussion alive and make learning feasible. I usually start my discussion with a question where they could possibly relate,with thought provoking ideas where they could possibly engage themselves, with situations where they could make an impact. I also include short video clips in my presentation to break the monotony of my lecture.
INTERACTIVE TEACHING
It has a deliberate encouragement of interaction between learner and teacher. In the discussion or question-discussion techniques the successful features of expository teaching are incorporated with interactive and feedback elements. So far, I found this very effective in my teaching experience with the grade school students, since they are active in raising questions and reacting with the discussion. However, sometimes students tend to ask unrelated questions, and share stories of what they experienced in a certain topic
at hand. With these, the flow of thought for other students who intend to understand the main points in the discussion is broken, and they could also be time-consuming to give way for the students who want to share.
INQUIRY TEACHING/ PROBLEM SOLVING
It is also one of the teaching-learning strategies where learners are actively engaged in determining answers to questions or resolving problems. I think similar to this is what my students are doing as they perform laboratory activities where they apply the scientific method. Scientific method that involves the following steps: Identifying the problem; Formulating tentative hypotheses or possible solutions to the problem; Performing experiments (application of scientific skills like observing, inferring, collecting/gathering data, researching,
etc.); Forming conclusions based on the evidence collected and accept or reject the hypothese/possible soultions); and Retesting the hypothesis. Scientific method that involves the following steps: Identifying the problem; Formulating tentative hypotheses or possible solutions to the problem; Performing experiments (application of scientific skills like observing, inferring, collecting/gathering data, researching, etc.); Forming conclusions based on the evidence collected and accept or reject the hypothese/possible soultions); and Retesting the hypothesis. However, some topics are not appropriate to use this strategy. Allowing students to inquire into the use of power of saws in an industrial arts class on woodwork, could clearly be inappropriate. Teacher assistance and monitoring are still needed.
SMALL-GROUP TEACHING/DISCUSSION
It involves the division of a class into small groups which work relatively independently to achieve a goal.My role as teacher changes from one of a transmitter of knowledge to coordinator or facilitator of activities and guide to information and its processing. I oftentimes adapt this strategy as they perform laboratory experiment. After I have given the procedure principles, reminders and concepts of a certain laboratory activity at the start of our class, students will go to their respective groups to work together- students acquire skills of planning,organising work,developing arguments, sharing knowledge,dividing task (say even from the time of assigning their groupmates who will bring the assigned item needed in the experiment),adopting compromise positions and so forth.
On the other side, there are times when students tend not to start or finish the task wellwhen some of their groupmates are not cooperating at all.This is where, motivation from the teacher comes in. Small-group discussion could also not be successful if students within the group tend not to follow the teacher’s assigned task by just having idle time or not exerting effort to achieve the desired goal.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Learning activities shape the learner’s orientation to the content of the curriculum and ultimately their understanding of it. In the cycle of the curriculum process, learning activities are integrally related to contebt
and curriculum intent.Thus in the selection of learning activities, the objectives of the curriculum should be taken into consideration. Several questions should be asked:
1. What educational experiences can be provided that are likely to attain the objectives?
2. Will the student be able to apply the knowledge in real life? in out-of-school experiences?
3. Are they feasible in terms of expertise staff, time, cost, resources to learn the content in a feasible time?
4. Will the learning experiences allow the students to develop their thinking skills and rational powers, and broaden their interests?
5. Will they foster students’ openness to new experiences and a tolerance for diversity?
6. Will they facilitate learning and motivate students to continue learning and eventually help them to address their needs?
7. Will they foster the total development of students in cognitive, affective, psychomotor, social, and spiritual domains?
There are different teaching-learning strategies whereby a teacher may facilitate learning in schools. Some of those I found useful in my experience as a teacher.
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