On Multimedia Resource—Module 7

 

We are living in the modern information era where technology is obviously everywhere. Traditional chalk and board, textbooks, and passive lecture are now having its little importance in a sense of effective learning experience. Technology has been integrated into the learning experience. One of which is multimedia resources. Multimedia resources are the combination of the past modules that I have been reflecting with—text materials, audio, visuals, together with animation and effective transitions (Lamb, 2004). Integrating technology in teaching-learning experience entails greater conditions. In all cases, integrating technology must promote active, participative, effective learning and critical thinking. Hence, integrating multimedia resources must also promote those stated above. (Lamb, 2004)

Learning this module is crucial for me as a prospective educator and as a student. With this knowledge in mind, I think I could be able to integrate effective multimedia resource for my future classes. Lamb (2004), Albion (2001) and Huang (2005) have provided me ideas on how I could effectively integrate and use multimedia resources in teaching-learning process for my future classes. In fact, Lamb has taught me the hyperspace which is new to my vocabulary. This is crucial since it can help me make multimedia resources someday in a different medium. Moreover, ideas that I learned from this module add another list for my future classroom activities for my future classes. In the case of me being a student, module 7 provides me knowledge on creating and choosing effective multimedia resources to use for supplementary learning. Also, it develops my critical thinking whenever I am facing a multimedia resource. Learning this module also gives me a knowledge that does not stick me on just making a PowerPoint presentation whenever there are reporting, presentation and other activities. It adds other options. And I thank Lamb (2004), Albion (2001) and Huang (2005) for this.

Moreover, the evaluation activity helps me practice my learning from the module. It also provides me effective learning experience where my critical thinking was practiced and promotes higher cognitive skills. This reflection also provides me effective thinking skills and metacognition. Indeed, this module is effective for me as a learner. It does not only provides factual knowledge but also application, for effective creation and selection of multimedia resources.

With these things in mind, I think that someday, when I am about to make a multimedia resource or select one multimedia resource, I will be more critical of its design, process, content, and everything on it. This module opens up my mind for different options on making a resource and I am more interested in learning further from this. Continuous practice and exercise would supplement my learning. Indeed, in making multimedia resources, my imagination is only the limit. (Lamb, 2004)

 

References:

Lamb, A. (2005). Designing and developing resources: multimedia materials (Chap 11). In Building treehouses for learning: Technology in today’s classrooms, 385-438. Retrieved at http://eduscapes.com/treehouses/TN11multimedia.pdf

 

Albion, P. (2001). Developing interactive multimedia using a problem-based learning framework. In L. Richardson and J. Lidstone (Eds), Flexible Learning for a Flexible Society, 30- 38. Proceedings of ASET-HERDSA 2000 Conference, Toowoomba, Qld. Retrieved at http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.25.7527&rep=rep1&type=pdf

 

Huang, C. (2005). Designing high-quality interactive multimedia learning modules. In Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics, 29, 223-233. Retrieved at https://cset.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/files/documents/publications/Huang-Designing%20hih-quality%20interactive%20multimedia%20learning%20modules.pdf

An Instructional Plan for Balancing Chemical Reaction, Grade 9 Chemistry Using ASSURE Model-Activity 1.2|Module 2

 

An Instructional Plan for Balancing Chemical Reaction, Grade 9 Chemistry Using ASSURE Model

Lexter J. Mangubat

University of the Philippines Open University

EDS 151—Instructional Media Resource

Subject Title: Science 9

Specific Topic: Balancing Chemical Reactions

ANALYZE LEARNERS

General Characteristics

The students’ ages from 12-14 years old. The places they come from varies from Los Banos to Calamba City. They are all at the Grade 9 level. The class is consists of 40 students, 19 boys, and 21 girls. All of which came from average families. The institution that they go to is a public national school.

Entry Competence

Before starting the instruction. The teacher must ensure that the students have the following:

• Knowledge of the chemical reactions definition
• Ability to differentiate reactants and products
• Understand the Law of Conservation of Mass and Law of Conservation of Atom
• Knowledge on the periodic table of elements and its symbols
• Ability to write chemical formulas, reaction, and symbols

Learning Styles

The students have different learning styles and preferences. Half of the students want to perform hands-on activities, watch demonstration and group discussion. The other half are passive students who prefer only lectures, has a short attention span of almost 25 minutes, and less physical activities. The former half excel more in class and most of them have the intrinsic motivation of getting high grades and being members of the honor society. While on the other hand, the latter half only wants to go to school, sit on their chair, talk with their friends and eat.

OBJECTIVES

            After employing this instruction, the students should be able to:

• Balance a minimum of 10 basic chemical equation in a span of 15 minutes
• Demonstrate to the class the steps of balancing chemical equation without looking at their notes
• Balance at least 5 complex chemical equations
• Successfully answer problems involving balancing of equations; and
• Formulate the easiest way of balancing equation for them and share it with the class

 

Methods, Media, and Materials

 

• TREASURE HUNT

 

• Method

This method could be used to catch the attention of the students and at the same time to boost the energy for the class. This game should last for 10 minutes only. To put some thrill on it, the teacher could lessen the time limit. Here, the students form their own group of 5 so they will be having 4 groups. Each group assigned their group leader, scribe (secretary), treasure hunter, reporter, and timekeeper. The teacher then should give the instruction to the groups. After giving the instruction, the group leaders would pick randomly clues that are in a bowl or box. The clues that they will be picking may be definitions of terms, examples or anything that would lead to the desired terms. After picking the clues, the time will start. Then after the hunt, the teacher could ask the students to report what they have found and share with the class their experience.

 

• Media and Materials needed
  • Treasure hunters’ kit
    • Ballpen
    • Tape
    • Treasure basket (or anything where they can put the definitions they hunt)
    • Map of the classroom (optional)
  • Set of words (like “chemical reaction”, “Law of Conservation of Mass”, “reactant”, and “product”) and their definition
  • Stopwatch (or you can use the timer projected on the screen)
  • Sound effects (for a better experience of treasure hunting)
  • Clues for the positions of the treasures (definition)
• Other option

If the teacher notices that the prerequisites are well established to the students. He may use this method in presenting the new terms that they will encounter for the topic. Hence, he could change the key terms and definitions for the treasure hunt.

 

• Audio Visual Presentation

 

• Method

The teacher could present a short video of the importance of balancing equation, or even the steps of balancing the equation.

 

• Media and Materials
  • Projector
  • Sound System
  • The AVP (video)
• Demonstration

 

• Method

To fully understand the steps on balancing equation. The teacher must demonstrate the step by step method of balancing equation. He should clarify the needs to be able to successfully balance an equation. This should last for 20-25 minutes. It is a must that the teacher ensures that he/she is catching the attention of his/her students.

• Media and Materials
  • Colored chalk (to have a clearer and catchy demonstration)
  • Blackboard
  • Sets of example equations
  • Visual aids per steps (make it catchy and visible)
  • Lapel (if the environment is quite noisy)

 

• Group Activity/ Individual Worksheets

 

• Method

Two methods could be used to have some practice for balancing equations or to have a formative assessment. The teacher could ask the students what they prefer the most. Though this might be time-consuming since this is two preparation, it would help the teacher to address the different learning preference of the students. For the group activity, the teacher would ask the group to balance 10 chemical reactions and answer 3 problems involving the balancing of equations. These equations are different from the other group’s but have the same level of difficulty. The group would eventually report to the class their answers. In checking the answers, the teacher could ask the other group to check the other group’s answer. Scores will be given to each groups’ report and to the other group who check the other group’s report. This could last for only 12-20 minutes. For the individual worksheet, if the students who do not prefer group activities, he/she should answer 8-10 chemical reactions and 3 problems with the same difficulty with the group activity. For the reporting, it is better if you would ask the students to report their group’s work in their most creative way. You could also ask your student on the best method they have employed to balance an equation effectively given a time limit.

• Media and Materials
  • Manila Paper/Cartolina (for reporting) or they could use an AVP if they have enough time. In this, you will be needing a projector and laptop.
  • Pentel pen or marking pen (reporting)
  • Activity sheets
  • Individual worksheet
  • Timer
  • Pencil and paper for solving

 

• Online Activity and Portfolio

 

• Method

 

For the effective integration of technology for this instruction, the teacher must check for available websites that could help the student tests their skills in balancing equation and, at the same time, give them some tips for an easy balancing. The teacher should look for at least 3 effective sites and give the URL to the students. It is better that the site would give the immediate feedback to the student and would monitor the progress of the student’s work. The teacher could also ask his/her student to help him in finding effective website for the class activity. In this way, you are giving the whole class a chance to participate in making their learning experience effective and memorable. Letting the students choose their most preferred site would help let them be responsible for their own learning. However, the teacher must ensure that the students would participate this kind of activity and that the students have an access to the internet. Perhaps, the teacher could ask permission to have their activity held in the computer lab of the school. The teacher should also ask the students to compile their work into an online portfolio, perhaps like WordPress or other sites that could compile students work. In their portfolio, you could ask the student to treat it as their online diary and ask them to share what they have found an effective way of balancing an equation.

 

• Media and Materials
  • 3 effective website for balancing equation (suggested sites are: http://education.jlab.org/elementbalancing/, http://www.learningliftoff.com/high-school-science-learning-activity-balancing-chemical-equations/#.WSFB82iGPIU,)
  • Computer/Laptop
  • Internet
  • Online Portfolio (WordPress or any)

 

Rationale

The methods above entails active participation of each student. It is argued that to effectively address different learning style, one could use an audiovisual media or experience. (Smaldino, et al. 2004) The treasure hunt would give you the chance to catch your students’ attention and let them have a meaningful, enjoying and effective learning experience that would help a better retention of the knowledge. Audio Visual presentation, demonstration, and group activities could also help the students to have a meaningful interactive learning experience. It is also important that in employing these methods, you consider the audibility and visibility of the media that you used. Online activities would be chosen because it would give more knowledge and practice for the student even they are not in the classroom. It would also give an effective, interactive and efficient learning experience for the students. This also would help you in assessing whether your students are achieving the objectives or not. Giving time limits would also help your students to think of an effective and easy way to balance an equation in a given time. An online portfolio would also give the students to develop metacognition which is a better way to improve learning. It would also foster interactive sharing of knowledge not only for the classroom but for the internet users. Lastly, it would help you also assess your students.

 

Evaluation of the Commercial Materials

In selecting your AVP and online activities, you must see to it that the information given by the tools are valid and reliable. You should check whether it will foster learning or not. It is also a must that you evaluate whether the tools that you are going to use will match the learning style and characteristic of your learner.

 

UTILIZE MATERIALS

Preview and Prepare materials

Before giving the instruction, it is a must for the teacher to check the materials that he/she will be using. Hence in this design, the teacher must preview and prepare the following, before employing it to the class:

• Words for treasure hunt (it must be feasible and matches the topic)
• Projector (check whether it is working or not, it is also a must that you familiarize using it)
• Laptop (check its battery, connectivity to the internet if needed, familiarity on utilization)
• AVP (check the validity and reliability of the content, its audio, and visibility)
• Sound system (check if it is working and on how to operate it)
• Visual aids (check if it is visible enough for the class, prepare the needed materials, such as tape, and the order of use)
• Online sites (check for its validity, reliability, effectivity and other functions, familiarize how to use it and prepare for the URLs of the site.)
• Internet Connectivity (check the internet connectivity if you are going to use the computer lab or WIFI for your class)
• Activity sheets and individual worksheets (you must check for typographical errors, clarity of instruction, visibility, and ensure enough copies for the class)
• Lapel (check if it is working, make sure that it has enough battery, charge it well, check for its audio and manage the enough volume)
• Timer (prepare the timer for the class activities)
• Colored chalks (make sure that you have enough materials)
• And check for anything that you think would help your class activities.

Prepare the Environment

It is also a must that the students have the proper and comfortable learning environment. Hence, you must consider the classroom that you will be using. If the neighboring classroom is noisy, you might prefer to close the door and windows to lessen noise. You could also use lapel to employ your instruction well, but make sure it has the enough audio, not too loud and not too soft. Check for the lighting, if you are going to use the projector, you might turn the lights off and open it for the activities. You should also prepare your projector, learning activities, for instance, the words to hide in the room, and the sound system to use. Make sure that the room has proper ventilations because it also affects the learning of the students. Make sure that the environment would foster learning, not too noisy and not too boring to the point that your students would go to sleep.

Prepare the Learners

The teacher should also prepare your students. You must see to it that they have the prerequisite before entering the classroom. You could also check their physical condition and ask them to make themselves physically, emotionally and mentally prepared for the class. Perhaps, you could let your student eat first before entering the class so that they have enough energy for the class. You could also ask them to have prior studying of the lesson. You could also ask them to make themselves presentable to everyone to boost them up. Little efforts such as making them feel that they are loved by you could also help them prepare for learning and motivate them to pursue more learning experience. Asking them to bring the needed materials would also help.

Provide the Learning Experience

To make the learning experience effective, memorable and interactive, the teacher must see to it that proper instruction, participation, and materials are used. The time limits are also followed in consideration for the next teacher. Students should also actively engage in the learning experience. So it is your duty to facilitate and motivate your students to participate in all activities. Perhaps, in your case, you could ask the other passive half of your students to try becoming active and motivate them. You could also talk to them and say the importance of each activity. You could also promote some extrinsic motivation that would help your student participate. You must see to it that their learning needs are being met and their learning preferences are also being addressed and respected. If the other half would really don’t want to participate, let them do the worksheet. Forcing them to do the things that they don’t like would not let them learn, but giving them motivation would help them learn. If they really learn in a passive way like a lecture, the demonstration method would address that. You have various methods to employ, all you need to do is make sure that the learning experience that you and your students are producing would promote effective learning and retention of knowledge.

 

REQUIRE LEARNER PARTICIPATION

The description of how to employ the methods are already been discussed above. You just have to make sure that immediate feedback was given to the students for effective learning to occur. Feedback is crucial especially for the other passive half of your class. Make sure that they are balancing the equation perfectly. But let them explore the other possibilities of balancing equation. You just need to motivate your class to participate in all activities and see to it that the learning activities is active, interactive, enjoying and effective enough for the class.

 

EVALUATE AND REVISE

Assessment of Learner Achievement

To assess your student whether they are attaining the objectives, you must do the following:

• Check whether the groups’ final output are balanced equations and the correct answers are known by the other group.
• Formative evaluation. While doing the activities, you visit each group or the individual who are doing the worksheets. You check their work but don’t give the right answer, lead them to the right answer.
• Online Portfolio. You should check the works of you students on the online portfolio that they have done for the topic. Check their progress and note the areas where they find difficulty. After noting it, you might opt to tackle about those on your next class
• Muddiest Point. You could also check the area where your students have difficulties. You could do this in your most creative way. Perhaps, you could ask your student to post note cards (that has the area they find difficulty written on it) on the designated area on the classroom before leaving the classroom.

The students must demonstrate their learning by answering all the worksheets, group activities and online activities with 95 percent and above accuracy.  If demonstrated below the desired outcome, you should check the area where they find difficulty and tackle it on the next class.

Evaluation of Instruction

You could also prepare or adopt checklist or evaluation form to evaluate the effectiveness of your instruction, including the methods, materials, and media being employed. You could also let your students assess you as their teacher and know the areas where you could improve to best promote learning. After knowing all about this evaluation, revisions may be considered. The key note here is that you do not have the same students every year, and everyone has different learning style, so you should adapt your instruction relative to your students. Hence, revisions would always occur.

 

Reference:

(Smaldino, S. E., Russell, J.D., Heinich, R., and Molenda, M. (2004). The ASSURE model (Chap 3). In Instructional technology and media for learning (8th ed), 46-78. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Retrieved at https://navelmangelep.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/instructional-technology-and-media-for-learning-8th-ed.pdf)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effectivity of integration of TPACK in the design and the Level of Technology Integration

 

Upon looking at the design, technology complemented and supplemented the pedagogy and content well enough. The use of online activities is one proof that the technology could supplement the learning in balancing equation while complementing the pedagogy being employed which is an active and participatory approach. Technology will also help the teacher here to employ his/her instruction on its creative way. The use of projector to magnify the content and instruction, the use of sound system to have a clear instruction, the use of lapel to make the teacher’s voice audible enough while making sure the proper volume, and the use of laptop in presenting the AVP, demonstrate the effective integration of technology into the design. I have not seen distractions of technology here in the design, but I am more open to know if you have seen one. The level of the technology integration basing to the Technology Integration Matrix revolves around ENTRY LEVEL to INFUSION Level. Entry level in a sense that the teacher here would use the technology to deliver his/her instruction and Infusion level in a sense that the students have given a chance to choose the 3 most effective websites that they are going to choose to assess their learning. But if you see more level, I, again, would be willing to hear it from you. God bless and Thank you!

My Reflection on the Introduction to Instructional Media—Module 1

 

 

Hi there everyone! It has been a fruitful study of module 1 for me and with that, I am going to share with you what have I learned in this module, its implication on me as a prospective educator and a student, and its impact on my learning and experience. I hope I would be able to share some perceptions on this with you and I hope you could get something from me. 🙂

 

Module 1

Module 1 tackles about the meanings of Media, Technology and Instructional Media and Technology and its roles. It also tackles about the famous Cone of Experience of Edgar Dale. And lastly, it tackles about the different types of Instructional Media and Materials. I will share with you what have I learned in these. And as I share with you, my learning on these, I will integrate my perceptions and implications, impacts and related experiences.

 

Definition and Roles of Media, Technology and Instructional Media/Technology

Media refers to anything that helps the source communicates the information to the server. It may be a text, audio, visuals, motion, 3D objects or people themselves. (Smaldino, et. al., 2004) Technology, on the other hand, has an ambiguous definition that ranges from being a hardware of an object to the way of thinking or a process. (Smaldino, et. al., 2004) But, I think, most of us when we heard of technology, the first things that would come to our mind are computers, the internet, cell phones, TV or more likely the modern technology. This is how I perceive technology before reading the module. This could not be wrong. But upon studying the module, I have learned that it is only the “hardware” side of technology. When we go to Instructional Technology, Seels & Richey (1994, as cited in Smaldino, et. al., 2004) would say that it is “the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of process and resources for learning.” So it is not only about the computers, laptops or other high-end gadgets that are emerging, instructional technology refers to the design, implementation, and development of learning materials, resources, and process. Instructional Media refers to the medium that it is used to learning.

The roles of Media, Technology and Instructional Media/Technology in learning must be to promote an interactive, personal, effective and efficient learning. It must supplement the instruction of the teacher or the teacher-learning process. I say “must” since these can be used in wrong ways. For instance, too much used of these could distract the learning process and to less used of these could not promote an effective, productive, meaningful and personal learning experience. So it is a “must” to use these three in a proper way. One of my learning on this is that, we should use these as a supplement to the teaching-learning process and instruction, it must not be the whole instruction per se. (Florida State University Center for Teaching and Learning, 2010)

 

Reflections

It is crucial to know these definitions for me, as a prospective educator, to identify the scopes of these terms. It also gives me the idea on how these two could work together since they are both used in a learning environment. Definitions of these terms are crucial for better understanding and foundation of the growing process of learning Instructional media. With good foundation comes better understanding and retention of learning.

Moreover, it is good to know that we should moderate and properly use Media and Technology, for me as a future teacher, for me to have a guide in preparing my instructional materials and in using instructional media and technology. The implication of this learning for me as an online student is that I should be using the media and technology and instructional materials properly, in a way that it should not distract my learning. As an online student, you are expected to be responsible for your learning, so with this, I should by now utilize these in a way that it would foster my learning experience and would really help me in retaining and applying my learning to the real world. It must not hinder my learning experience, rather, it must promote active, effective and efficient learning experience. It is hard though, to do this “active” learning online, since most of the time, you are facing with your laptop and just reading the modules. I think the forum part and interactive activities would somewhat help me in being an active, participative learner.

Before, I am thinking how could I actively learn and interact with my classmate and professors. I am a bit intimidated of the possibilities that could hinder my learning, for instance, my laziness in reading. Then, module 1 came to my learning experience. It helps me realize that the media and technology that I am using right now, serves already their purpose, which is to facilitate and communicate the information that I should be learning. The only problem for me is my utilization of these things. I kept on thinking that, my professors should be responsible for properly designing these modules and study guides since they know how to. But, I did not notice that some of them already do it, that the media were presented and I should, by then responsible for my personal learning experience with it. I think this is a result of growing up with the traditional education.

 

Conclusion

But now, I have realized and learned that being a professor must be being the facilitator. I must be promoting learner-centered education rather than the usual teacher-centered education since it is more effective and efficient. I am also by now looking forward on how I would utilize the media and resources that will be presented to me and on how would I personalized the utilization of these in such a way that I would help myself and of course, my fellow classmates and professors (facilitators) to fully have an effective, productive, efficient and personal learning experience. I included my professors here since I believed they are also learning from what they are doing. So now, I am seeing myself someday, as a facilitator, consultant, and co-learner of my students. Hence, guys, one thing that I could advise to you by now is to become fully responsible for your own learning experience. Make sure that you are utilizing the media and resources that were presented to you properly, personally and effectively.

 

 

Resources:

Florida State University Center for Teaching and Learning. (2010). Chapter 9 – Instructional media: Chalkboards to video. Instruction at FSU Handbook 2010. Retrieved at https://distance.fsu.edu/docs/instruction_at_fsu/Chptr9.pdf

Smaldino, S. E., Russell, J.D., Heinich, R., and Molenda, M. (2004). Media, technology, and learning (Chap 1). In Instructional technology and media for learning (8th ed), 2-22. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Retrieved at https://navelmangelep.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/instructional-technology-and-media-for-learning-8th-ed.pdf

(Duhaney, D. C. (2000). Technology and the educational process: Transforming classroom activities. In International Journal of Instructional Media, 27(1), 67 – 72. Retrieved at http://pedagogy21.pbworks.com/f/Technology+and+the+Educational+Process.pdf)

(Dale, E. (1946). The “Cone of experience” (Chap 4). In Audio-visual methods in teaching, 37-52. New York: Dryden Press. Retrieved at http://ocw.metu.edu.tr/file.php/118/dale_audio-visual_20methods_20in_20teaching_1_.pdf)

(Lee, S. J. & Reeves, T. C. (2007). Edgar Dale: A significant contributor to the field of educational technology. In Educational Technology, 56 – 59. Retrieved at http://ilpworldwide.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/LeeReeves07Edgar-DaleUPDATED.pdf)

(Naz, A. A. & Akbar, R. A. (2008). Use of media for effective instruction its importance: Some consideration. In Journal of Elementary Education, 18(1-2), 35-40. Retrieved at http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/JEE/PDF-Files/JEE-18(1-2)%20No_3.pdf)

 

 

Participatory Learning

 

 

Hi fellas, this is my second to the last blog entry for EDS 131! And for this entry, I would like to share my knowledge on participatory learning and how it personally attracted me. First, I will cite information about participatory learning based from a reading I encountered in this module and a document from the internet.

Participatory Learning

 

Participatory learning occurs through active participation on the learning activities. According to Sarah Thomas (n.d.) participatory learning entails “…participatory and visual methods with natural interviewing techniques and is intended to facilitate a process of collective analysis and learning.” Indeed, participatory learning is an active process or learning. In fact, UNESCO Bangkok (n.d.) stated that “learning [per se] is an active process where a learner goes through an experience and learns from it.” This basically states that participation and experience are crucial factors for participatory learning.

 

I believe that this approach provides deeper learning and relativity to one’s life. It provides deeper learning since one could experience self-reflection, active learning and more participative ways of learning that could foster metacognition. This is not to say that this approach does not foster cognitive skills rather, it foster both skills that are crucial for an individual especially on adults. Moreover, participatory learning certainly entails relativity to one’s reality since it will start from where the students are, which context are they currently have and what assumptions and motivations do the students have. Increasing the relativity of the instructions and learning activities itself give attraction for the adult learners to pursue or continue learning.

 

I really commend and like this kind of approach that is why I always use it whenever I am conducting theater and film workshops. By the way, I am a theater and film actor and somewhat an apprentice director of both. I am handling workshops for theater and films to high school students here in my place. Going back, whenever I am handling workshops, I make sure that my kids (children, since I treat them as my sons and daughters) came to my workshop to participate, and not merely passive members. Moreover, the curriculum that I am basing at is participative in nature that is why the only problem that I may encounter is on how to employ those instruction. Upon reflection, I think my strengths and attributes that made me, and will continue to help me become a good facilitator of participative learning are: my experience in participative theater, my eagerness to help and share my knowledge while also learning with others, my sense of humor and I think my passion on theater and films. These things in fact help me achieve success on the workshops that I handled.

 

Finally, I will end this entry by giving some tips that I have learned upon handling a participative workshop to foster participative learning approach and upon reading the UNESCO Bangkok’s work on participatory learning.

• Make sure that they (participants) came to your workshop by their own will. This could be done by interviewing your participants on ‘why they came here’.
• Before you start your workshop, introduce yourself and let your student know each other to avoid awkwardness. You can do this by playing games. We have this game called “line game” wherein the participants were divided into groups and then ask them to line according to a given category, the first group who finish and perfectly line themselves according to the given category gets a point. There are lot of games that you might use, all you need to have is a creative and playful mind.
• During workshops, it is inevitable to talk in giving instruction and synthesizing the learning we get from the workshop or activities. But to promote active and participative learning, you could ask your participants about their learning and assess what they have learned from the activity. You could also form discussion group where in the participants were divided into groups and share what they got from the activities.

You could also use a healthy competition for you to encourage your participant to participate. I observe this effective when handling children and youth. I guess in adult, this may not be effective as much as the youth. But who knows? We have diverse adults, it will all depend on who your participants are and where they are coming from.

• Group activities really promote participative learning. You just have to make sure that each of the participants really contributes to the group. In this case you may opt to also promote inclusivity within the participants.
• Lastly, you should have an open mind to the endless possibilities of knowledge, reflections and flow of your activities. Make sure that your participants are learning through their experience and do not try to lead them to what your desired outcome is. Respect what they learn but make sure that they really get what they must achieve upon completion of the workshop. You must be the facilitator, advisor, consultant or co-participant of the workshop.

 

These suggestions are merely what I have learned from my experience and readings. This may not be applicable to some of you but I bet that it will help you more in facilitating participative workshop or seminars.

 

References

Thomas, S. (n.d.). What is Participatory Learning and Action (PLA): An Introduction. Retrieved from http://idp-key-resources.org/documents/0000/d04267/000.pdf

UNESCO Bangkok. (n.d.). Participatory Learning (Module 4). In UNESCO Bangkok, Handbook non-formal adult education facilitators. Bangkok: UNESCO.