EDU221MeaningfulEngagedLearningUnitIntro

toc Our first unit of Module 1 is the Meaningful Engaged Learning Model.

Objectives
you will understand that you will know you will be able to
 * the learning environment and the learner's experience are contributing factors to student success in learning
 * motivation is a factor in student learning and that different types of motivation have different impacts
 * teachers can guide students to learn by making content meaningful
 * the four components and nine factors that make up the Meaningful Engaged Learning Model
 * apply the components of the Meaningful Engaged Learning Model to a given unit or learning experience
 * recognize examples and non-examples of the various factors of the Meaningful Engaged Learning Model

[[image:HookIconSmall.jpg]]Introduction
You know what kind of student you are and you know what kind of students are in your classes. How would you categorize them?

[|Here's a college professor's categorization of his students.]

Do you recognize any of them? Can you relate?

Without stereotyping, you as a teacher will find that your students fall into different categories at different times. You can use those categories to your benefit and to the benefit of your students. Meaningful Engaged Learning can help you capitalize on your knowledge of your students to help them be successful in their learning.

Knowledge Acquisition

 * 1) Read Mike Muir's article "[|What engages underachieving middle school students in learning?]"^ As you read it, ask yourself, "What are the rules and consequences that make this work?" //[You need to log in with your maine.edu email and password to see the article. Under Fair Use Guidelines, I can give a copy of the article to you because it's for educational purposes, but if I posted it on the web, anybody could see it and that would violate copyright law. Utilizing the restricted share feature of Google Drive, I have made it accessible only to students in this class. ]//
 * 2) There are many theories/ categories/ approaches about learning styles. You will find conflicting and differing information but that doesn't mean that one is right and one is wrong. In EDU 221, we focus mostly on Gardner's multiple intelligences, but there are other ways to differentiate based on student needs and interests. In this unit, we are going to focus on visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (VAK) learning styles, but there are many others.
 * You've already participated in three "inventories" (surveys, quizzes...) about your preferences. In Dr. Grace's class you found out whether you are a puppy, clipboard, microscope, or beach ball and you also determined (at least according to one survey) your preferred multiple intelligence. For Beth, you completed the Clinical Dialect Preference Survey (Pajak) that will help with communication between "the teacher and supervisor" (you and Beth). Take one of these learning styles inventories or find one of your own:
 * Felder and Solomon wanted to find out about how engineers learn best. They developed an Index of Learning Styles. Take their [|Inventory of Learning Styles] and see what you think of their categories.
 * John Fewings of Brainboxx in the United Kingdom put together this [|quick online learning styles inventory] . Embrace the differences in American and British ways of spelling and enjoy figuring out different terminology such as "adverts," "telly," and Lego "bits."
 * Instructional designer Don Clark from Edmonds, Washington designed [| this inventory].
 * [|The group "Businessballs" also has a learning styles "test"]that often gives very different results from the other two.
 * After you get your results, explore what that website has to say about the learning styles. Do you agree or disagree with their suggestions on how people with your learning style acquire information or express themselves? What do you think of their strategies for teaching and learning as they relate to the learning styles?
 * 1) Some say targeting learning styles is malarkey. What evidence is there about addressing learning styles? Read [|Richard Felder's 5-page literature review on the validity of learning styles^^]. (You can [|download a copy] under educational use of Fair Use exemption of US Copyright Law if you are enrolled in the UMaine System.)

Formative Assessment

 * 1) So what does this all mean? You have read two articles and explored VAK. Create a reflection that demonstrates your understanding and application of all this information.
 * What's your reaction to these 3 things? Be sure to include a summary of some kind that demonstrates that you read and understood both articles and your survey results.
 * Your reflection should be professional and appropriate, but don't be afraid to be creative.
 * It should reflect YOU as well as your learning. Feel free to include personal examples of your experience with MEL.
 * What questions do you have? What additional things do you want to learn?
 * Be sure to give credit where it is due (there should be citations for Felder and Muir and a hyperlink to the VAK site(s) you used).
 * Put your reflection (or a link to it) in a page of your Classroom Management Kit titled "Meaningful Engaged Learning."

^Muir, M. (2001). What engages underachieving middle school students in learning? //Middle School Journal//, 33(2), pp. 37-43. ^^Felder, R. M. (2010, September 27). Are learning styles invalid? (Hint: No!). Retrieved from http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/LS_Validity(On-Course).pdf