Social constructivist theory Measuring the effectiveness of social constructivism in the classroom will take place in two different ways. When working on group projects or when engaging in class discussion, students will be expected to demonstrate the five essential elements that are unique to a cooperative learning classroom: positive interdependence, individual accountability, face-to-face interaction, and social skills (Moreno, 2010).
This is very abstract and therefore, will be measured through direct evaluation because it allows the teacher to receive quality information on individual participation and give each student specific feedback. The second measurement will be a criterion-referenced assessment using either an exam or paper that relates to the topic being learned to assess how much learning students are receiving from in-class group work and discussions. Both of these methods will be quantified and averaged together to provide an individual grade as well as a more holistic understanding for the teacher.
Indeed, the drawback of the former method is that it is primarily subjective which can cause inaccuracies. It is also time consuming and may not be feasible for large classes. Based on how well students are progressing, all things considered, one-on-one interviews will be held for those who are struggling to meet the standards to find a more suitable alternative. Affect Positive affect will also be measured using the five essential elements of cooperative learning because the level of student engagement in group work and class discussion is largely indicative of students’ affect.
If a student is in a bad mood or is not feeling well, whether it be physically or emotionally, they are likely to not meet these standards. A point system will still be used to quantify the elements. This is intended to account for how well students are progressing working in groups together. There is are several aspects that students with positive affect show. When students have positive affect, they can “activate mental schemas, make meaningful associations, consolidate their long-term memories, become more creative and flexible during problem solving, take more risks… isplay more prosocial behaviors” (Isen, 1999).
At the end of each class period for the entirety of the schoolyear, students will hand in a reflection paper explaining how their individual biases either changed or stayed the same regarding the current events used for the day, as well as how they feel about what they are learning. They will also include in their reflections how confronting cognitive conflict in discussions and group work has affected their schemas, current beliefs, values, and goals, as well as how it has altered their sense of competency.
Indeed, students who have not yet reached a sufficient metacognitive level will struggle with these types of tasks. Nonetheless, assuming that the majority of the classroom has agreeable metacognitive skills, engaging in these reflections will help the students and teacher recognize if they are improving in handling American history topics. Critical thinking Critical thinking will be similar to the assessment methods used to evaluate social constructivism and affect.
A significant part of the evaluation will occur through direct evaluation. During discussions students will be posed questions that pique their interests which will motivate students to willfully engage the material and as they continue to improve, they will become more comfortable sharing information with their classmates. Throughout these discussions the teacher will model the correct behaviors and guide students as they attempt to reason and weigh available evidence through scaffolding.
This approach will enable constant assessment to help recognize where students are struggling versus excelling, aid students in improving their confidence in American history, and in turn help them be more comfortable working in groups. For example, an ideal format to use this approach would be having students prepare for a debate with their groups where they will be required to demonstrate their research, reasoning of the evidence, and construct a logical response. Criterion-referenced assessment will also be used to evaluate students’ development of critical thinking.
Papers are a great way for students to express their ability to think critically. They will be allowed to choose a topic that relates to the subject material they are currently learning. To write a quality paper the students will need to research their topic thoroughly and determine a position they would like to argue for or against. Then, they will need to understand the counter-arguments of their stance and construct a high-quality defense for their topic while acknowledging where it may be lacking in support.
Students will feel a sense of autonomy because they will be allowed to choose what they will write about and simultaneously improve their critical thinking skills in the process. Further, students will be provided with a rubric that will outline what is expected of them but they will have plenty of maneuverability within the parameters of the assignment. Through observation and criterion-referenced assessment, the teacher will receive a clearer understanding of the students’ progress. Conclusion In an American history high school classroom, students may feel uncomfortable working with each other which hampers their motivation to learn.
However, providing the proper structure and classroom environment can help correct these issues and make whole-class and small-group activities enjoyable again. Three concepts help to create this kind of classroom: social constructivist theory, affect, and critical thinking, all of which build off of each other. Using social constructivist theory, the teacher can create a learning environment where students feel comfortable sharing their personal perspectives on subject material without the concern of being judged.
This will eventually facilitate development of higher stages of cognitive and moral development in students. Once the learning environment is established, positive affect in students will increase because an explicit change has occurred in their moods, feelings, and emotions where they now look forward to coming to class because it is enjoyable. The last concept of critical thinking builds off of affect because students are now motivated to engage and analyze the learning material. However, assessment is crucial and can vary by concept.
Both observation and criterion-referenced assessment are used to recognize student improvement. Using group projects and class discussion the teacher can gauge if students are meeting the five essential elements of cooperative learning. Traditional methods will also be used to understand how much learning is taking place through the group work and discussions. Still, nonconventional methods will also be applied to ensure students do not become complacent, such as a reflection paper or journal to be turned in at the end of class or “cliffhanger” questions to leave children pondering the knowledge they gained that day.
Thus, for students to become effective consumers of American history, they must have the ability to think critically. Yet, for one to be able to think critically, the student must believe they are entering a safe, learning-oriented environment each class period. Once this is established, students will develop their skills which they can then transfer to other areas of their lives. A famous historian by the name of Howard Zinn once said, “If democracy were to be given any meaning, if it were to go beyond the limits of capitalism and nationalism… It would come through education… ” (2003).
