Design-based learning (DBL) is a learning strategy that requires students to use their theoretical knowledge to develop an artifact or system to tackle a real-life problem..
Activities which involve student interaction with content can include listening to and/or watching a live or recorded talk, engaging with a written or visual text, engaging with multimedia, or a combination of these..
Robotics competitions in schools are popular design-based learning activities, wherein student teams design, build and then pilot their robots in competitive challenges..
It is the teacher-designed activities that give the lesson the inspiration to want to keep learning and progressing.
These activities engage the student and absorb them in the subject..
Content Focus.Interactivity Focus.Critical Thinking.Production.Problem Solving.Reflection..
Robotics competitions in schools are popular design-based learning activities, wherein student teams design, build and then pilot their robots in competitive challenges..
A well-designed lesson plan: Helps students and teachers understand the goals of an instructional module.
Allows the teacher to translate the curriculum into learning activities.
Aligns the instructional materials with the assessment..
Learning activities need to be aligned with learning outcomes and assessment to provide students with opportunities to develop relevant and appropriate skills, knowledge, values, and attitudes..
I thought it would be interesting to apply this approach to my teaching, regardless of whether it was through a quiz, a group project or a tutorial activity.
So, every learning activity I created came packaged with its own scenario.
The more fun the scenario, or the more shocking the conclusion, the better the students remembered the learning point.
However, there is another issue.
If we design activities meant for stronger students, the weaker students will feel lost and disengage from the class.
If we design for the weaker students, stronger students will complete the task quickly on their own, become bored and disengage from the class.
To solve this conundrum, I found it effective to borrow.
This is not the only ingredient for making learning activities unforgettable.
The other reason I create fictitious scenarios and situate learning activities in them is that it provides fertile soil for the students’ imagination.
This is particularly powerful when we invite them to role-play.
There, students step out of their identities to be someon.
One of the most exciting parts of course design is thinking about what students actually do while learning.
It is more impactful for students to be engaged and actively participate in the learning process.
With these categories in mind, we can design learning activities that have low difficulty but are still challenging enough for stronger students.
This is achieved by providing just enough scaffolding and guiding resources, such as:
Learning activities can be defined as ‘specific interactions of learners with other people, using specific tools and resources, oriented towards specific outcomes’. ♦ Activities do not have to be ‘designed’ by a teacher.
In the early stages learners need tasks that are carefully structured and paced.
The first principle of design for learning is that all learning involves some form of activity.
Learning activities can be defined as ‘specific interactions of learners with other people, using specific tools and resources, oriented towards specific outcomes’. ♦ Activities do not have to be ‘designed’ by a teacher.
