What does constructivism have to do with my classroom?

As is the case with many of the current/popular paradigms, you're probably already using the
constructivist approach to some degree. Constructivist teachers pose questions and problems, then guide
students to help them find their own answers. They use many techniques in the teaching process. For example,
they may:
1.prompt students to formulate their own questions (inquiry)
2.allow multiple interpretations and expressions of learning (multiple intelligences)
3. encourage group work and the use of peers as resources (collaborative learning)
More information on the above processes is covered in other workshops in this series. For now, it's
important to realize that the constructivist approach borrows from many other practices in the pursuit of its
primary goal: helping students learn HOW TO LEARN.
In a constructivist classroom, learning is . . .
Students are not blank slates upon which knowledge is etched. They come to learning situations with
already formulated knowledge, ideas, and understandings. This previous knowledge is the raw material for the
new knowledge they will create.

Example: An elementary school teacher presents a class problem to measure the length of the "Mayflower."
Rather than starting the problem by introducing the ruler, the teacher allows students to reflect and to
construct their own methods of measurement. One student offers the knowledge that a doctor said he is four
feet tall. Another says she knows horses are measured in "hands." The students discuss these and other
methods they have heard about, and decide on one to apply to the problem.

The student is the person who creates new understanding for him/herself. The teacher coaches,
moderates, suggests, but allows the students room to experiment, ask questions, try things that don't work.
Learning activities require the students' full participation (like hands-on experiments). An important part of the
learning process is that students reflect on, and talk about, their activities. Students also help set their own goals
and means of assessment.

Examples: A middle-school language arts teacher sets aside time each week for a writing lab. The emphasis is on
content and getting ideas down rather than memorizing grammatical rules, though one of the teacher's
concerns is the ability of his students to express themselves well through written language. The teacher provides
opportunities for students to examine the finished and earlier drafts of various authors. He allows students to
select and create projects within the general requirement of building a portfolio 1. Students serve as peer
editors who value originality and uniqueness rather than the best way to fulfill an assignment.

1.In a history class, asking students to read and think about different versions of and perspectives on "history"
can lead to interesting discussions. Is history as taught in textbooks accurate? Are there different versions of the
same history? Whose version of history is most accurate? How do we know? From there, students can make
their own judgments.

Students control their own learning process, and they lead the way by reflecting on their experiences.
This process makes them experts of their own learning. The teacher helps create situations where the students
feel safe questioning and reflecting on their own processes, either privately or in group discussions. The teacher
should also create activities that lead the student to reflect on his or her prior knowledge and experiences.
Talking about what was learned and how it was learned is really important.

Example: Students keep journals in a writing class where they record how they felt about the class projects, the
visual and verbal reactions of others to the project, and how they felt their own writing had changed.
Periodically the teacher reads these journals and holds a conference with the student where the two assess (1)
what new knowledge the student has created, (2) how the student learns best, and (3) the learning environment
and the teacher's role in it.
 The constructivist classroom relies heavily on collaboration among students. There are many
reasons why collaboration contributes to learning. The main reason it is used so much in constructivism is that
students learn about learning not only from themselves, but also from their peers. When students review and
reflect on their learning processes together, they can pick up strategies and methods from one another.
Example: In the course of studying ancient civilizations, students undertake an archaeological dig. This may be
something constructed in a large sandbox, or, as in the Dalton School's "Archaeotype" software simulation, on a
computer. As the students find different objects, the teacher introduces classifying techniques. The students are
encouraged to (1) set up a group museum by developing criteria and choosing which objects should belong, and
(2) collaborate with other students who worked in different quadrants of the dig. Each group is then asked to
develop theories about the civilizations that inhabited the area.

The main activity in a constructivist classroom is solving problems. Students use inquiry methods to
ask questions, investigate a topic, and use a variety of resources to find solutions and answers. As students
explore the topic, they draw conclusions, and, as exploration continues, they revisit those conclusions.
Exploration of questions leads to more questions. (See the CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM workshop Inquiry-based
Learning)

Example: Sixth graders figuring out how to purify water investigate solutions ranging from coffee-filter paper, to
a stove-top distillation apparatus, to piles of charcoal, to an abstract mathematical solution based on the size of
a water molecule. Depending upon students' responses, the teacher encourages abstract as well as concrete,
poetic as well as practical, creations of new knowledge.

Students have ideas that they may later see were invalid, incorrect, or insufficient to explain new
experiences. These ideas are temporary steps in the integration of knowledge. For instance, a child may believe
that all trees lose their leaves in the fall, until she visits an evergreen forest. Constructivist teaching takes into
account students' current conceptions and builds from there.

What happens when a student gets a new piece of information? The constructivist model says that the
student compares the information to the knowledge and understanding he/she already has, and one of three
things can occur:

The new information matches up with his previous knowledge pretty well (it's consonant with the
previous knowledge), so the student adds it to his understanding. It may take some work, but it's just a matter
of finding the right fit, as with a puzzle piece.
The information doesn't match previous knowledge (it's dissonant). The student has to change her
previous understanding to find a fit for the information. This can be harder work.
The information doesn't match previous knowledge, and it is ignored. Rejected bits of information may just not
be absorbed by the student. Or they may float around, waiting for the day when the student's understanding
has developed and permits a fit.

Interactivity

Example: An elementary teacher believes her students are ready to study gravity. She creates an environment of
discovery with objects of varying kinds. Students explore the differences in weight among similarly sized blocks
of Styrofoam, wood, and lead. Some students hold the notion that heavier objects fall faster than light ones. The
teacher provides materials (stories, posters, and videos) about Galileo, Newton, etc. She leads a discussion on
theories about falling. The students then replicate Galileo's experiment by dropping objects of different weights
and measuring how fast they fall. They see that objects of different weights actually usually fall at the same
speed, although surface area and aerodynamic properties can affect the rate of fall.
 Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to all students’ learning
needs. All the students have the same learning goal. But the instruction varies based on students’ interests,
preferences, strengths, and struggles.

Instead of teaching the whole group in one way (like a lecture), a teacher uses a bunch of different
methods. This can include teaching students in small groups or in one-on-one sessions.

Students have “multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they
learn,” says Carol Ann Tomlinson, an educator who has done innovative work in this area.

According to Tomlinson, there are four areas where teachers can differentiate instruction:

Content: Figuring out what a student needs to learn and which resources will help
Process: Activities that help students make sense of what they learn
Projects: Ways for students to “show what they know”
Learning environment: How the classroom “feels” and how the class works together
This approach works well with the response to intervention (RTI) process used in some schools. The goal of RTI is
to address learning struggles early. Students get extra support before they fall behind their peers.

Dive deeper
How differentiated instruction works
Differentiated instruction and special education
A teacher uses differentiated instruction to give every student multiple paths to learning. That includes students
with Individualized Education Programs () or .

Differentiated instruction doesn’t replace the goals in an IEP or a 504 plan. Instead, the teacher personalizes
teaching to help kids meet those goals.

What are cooperative and collaborative learning?

Collaborative learning is a method of teaching and learning in which students team together to explore a
significant question or create a meaningful project. A group of students discussing a lecture or students from
different schools working together over the Internet on a shared assignment are both examples of collaborative
learning.

Cooperative learning, which will be the primary focus of this workshop, is a specific kind of collaborative
learning. In cooperative learning, students work together in small groups on a structured activity. They are
individually accountable for their work, and the work of the group as a whole is also assessed. Cooperative
groups work face-to-face and learn to work as a team.

In small groups, students can share strengths and also develop their weaker skills. They develop their
interpersonal skills. They learn to deal with conflict. When cooperative groups are guided by clear objectives,
students engage in numerous activities that improve their understanding of subjects explored.

In order to create an environment in which cooperative learning can take place, three things are necessary. First,
students need to feel safe, but also challenged. Second, groups need to be small enough that everyone can
contribute. Third, the task students work together on must be clearly defined. The cooperative and collaborative
learning techniques presented here should help make this possible for teachers.

Also, in cooperative learning small groups provide a place where:

learners actively participate;

teachers become learners at times, and learners sometimes teach;
respect is given to every member;
projects and questions interest and challenge students;
diversity is celebrated, and all contributions are valued;
students learn skills for resolving conflicts when they arise;
members draw upon their past experience and knowledge;
goals are clearly identified and used as a guide;
research tools such as Internet access are made available;
students are invested in their own learning.
For more detailed descriptions of cooperative and collaborative learning, check out the books, articles, and Web
sites listed on our Resources page.
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which complex real-world problems are used as the
vehicle to promote student learning of concepts and principles as opposed to direct presentation of facts and
concepts. In addition to course content, PBL can promote the development of critical thinking skills, problem-
solving abilities, and communication skills. It can also provide opportunities for working in groups, finding and
evaluating research materials, and life-long learning (Duch et al, 2001).

PBL can be incorporated into any learning situation. In the strictest definition of PBL, the approach is used over
the entire semester as the primary method of teaching. However, broader definitions and uses range from
including PBL in lab and design classes, to using it simply to start a single discussion. PBL can also be used to
create assessment items. The main thread connecting these various uses is the real-world problem.

Any subject area can be adapted to PBL with a little creativity. While the core problems will vary among
disciplines, there are some characteristics of good PBL problems that transcend fields (Duch, Groh, and Allen,
2001):

The problem must motivate students to seek out a deeper understanding of concepts.
The problem should require students to make reasoned decisions and to defend them.
The problem should incorporate the content objectives in such a way as to connect it to previous
courses/knowledge.
If used for a group project, the problem needs a level of complexity to ensure that the students must work
together to solve it.
If used for a multistage project, the initial steps of the problem should be open-ended and engaging to draw
students into the problem.
The problems can come from a variety of sources: newspapers, magazines, journals, books, textbooks, and
television/ movies. Some are in such form that they can be used with little editing; however, others need to be
rewritten to be of use. The following guidelines from The Power of Problem-Based Learning (Duch et al, 2001)
are written for creating PBL problems for a class centered around the method; however, the general ideas can
be applied in simpler uses of PBL:

Choose a central idea, concept, or principle that is always taught in a given course, and then think of a typical
end-of-chapter problem, assignment, or homework that is usually assigned to students to help them learn that
concept. List the learning objectives that students should meet when they work through the problem.
Think of a real-world context for the concept under consideration. Develop a storytelling aspect to an end-of-
chapter problem, or research an actual case that can be adapted, adding some motivation for students to solve
the problem. More complex problems will challenge students to go beyond simple plug-and-chug to solve it.
Look at magazines, newspapers, and articles for ideas on the story line. Some PBL practitioners talk to
professionals in the field, searching for ideas of realistic applications of the concept being taught.
The problem needs to be introduced in stages so that students will be able to identify learning issues that will
lead them to research the targeted concepts. The following are some questions that may help guide this
process:
What will the first page (or stage) look like? What open-ended questions can be asked? What learning issues will
be identified?
How will the problem be structured?
How long will the problem be? How many class periods will it take to complete?
Will students be given information in subsequent pages (or stages) as they work through the problem?
What resources will the students need?
What end product will the students produce at the completion of the problem?
Write a teacher's guide detailing the instructional plans on using the problem in the course. If the course is a
medium- to large-size class, a combination of mini-lectures, whole-class discussions, and small group work with
regular reporting may be necessary. The teacher's guide can indicate plans or options for cycling through the
pages of the problem interspersing the various modes of learning.
The final step is to identify key resources for students. Students need to learn to identify and utilize learning
resources on their own, but it can be helpful if the instructor indicates a few good sources to get them started.
Many students will want to limit their research to the Internet, so it will be important to guide them toward the
library as well.
The method for distributing a PBL problem falls under three closely related teaching techniques: case studies,
role-plays, and simulations. Case studies are presented to students in written form. Role-plays have students
improvise scenes based on character descriptions given. Today, simulations often involve computer-based
programs. Regardless of which technique is used, the heart of the method remains the same: the real-world
problem.

Inquiry-based learning is more than asking a student what he or she wants to know. It’s about triggering
curiosity. And activating a student’s curiosity is, I would argue, a far more important and complex goal than
mere information delivery.

Despite its complexity, inquiry-based learning can be easier on teachers, partly because it transfers some
responsibilities from teachers to students, but mostly because releasing authority engages students.

Teachers who use inquiry-based learning combat the “dunno”—a chronic problem in student engagement.

When you ask a student something like, “What do you want to know about _____?” you’re often met with a
shrug or “dunno.” Inquiry-based learning, if front-loaded well, generates such excitement in students that
neurons begin to fire, curiosity is triggered, and they can’t wait to become experts in answering their own
questions.

What inquiry-based teachers do isn’t easy at all; it’s just hidden, and some people confuse the two. Teachers
hide the strategies they use to encourage inquiry, and the students develop their own skills as content-area
experts.

WHAT IS A FLIPPED CLASSROOM?

Flipped classroom is a “pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space to
the individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning
environment where the educator guides students as they apply concepts and engage creatively in the subject
matter” (The Flipped Learning Network, 2014).

The Four Pillars of F-L-I-P™

Fitting with the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy

In traditional learning, lower level of learning such as remembering and understanding is happening in class,
while students are usually left to work on activities that involve higher level of learning outside of classroom.
However, in the flipped classroom model, learning is flipped. As you can see from the pyramid, students can
finish the lower level of cognitive work before class. And when they come to class, they can engage in higher
cognitive levels of learning with peers and teacher present.

WHY YOU SHOULD FLIP YOUR CLASSROOM?

The concept of flipped classroom was first brought up by Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams, who were both
high school chemistry teachers. In their book: Flip your classroom: Reach every student in every class every day
(2012), they discussed a couple of reasons why teachers should consider flipping (p.20-33):

Flipping speaks the language of today’s students.

Flipping helps busy students.
Flipping helps struggling students.
Flipping helps students of all abilities to excel.
Flipping allows students to pause and rewind their teacher.
Flipping increases student-teacher interaction.
Flipping allows teachers to know their students better.
Flipping increases student-student interaction.
Flipping allows for real differentiation.
Flipping changes classroom management.
Flipping changes the way we talk to parents.
Flipping educate parents.
Flipping makes your class transparent.
Flipping is a great technique for absent teachers.
Flipping can lead to the flipped mastery program.
A sidebar in this book also cites 5 “bad reasons for flipping your classroom” (p.21). It is important for teachers to
move beyond these perceptions.

Because some guys who got a book published told you to.
Because you think it will create a 21st-centry classroom.
Pedagogy should always drive technology, never the other way around.

Because you think you will become cutting edge.

Flipping does not necessarily use the latest technology.

Because you think flipping your classroom exempts you from being a good teacher.
Teaching is much more than good content delivery.

Because you think it will make your job easier.

Flipping will not make your job any easier.

HOW TO IMPLEMENT A FLIPPED CLASSROOM?

Jeff Dunn (2014) has wrote a short piece on “The 6-step guide to flipping your classroom”, which presented 6
easy steps for implementing flipped classroom.

Plan
Figure out which lesson in particular you want to flip. Outline the key learning outcomes and a lesson plan.

Record
Instead of teaching this lesson in-person, make a video. A screencast works. Make sure it contains all the key
elements you’d mention in the classroom.

In Bergmann and Sams’ book (2012), they also pointed out that do not make a video just for the sake of making
a video. Only do so when you feel these are appropriate and necessary. It all depends on the educational goal of
your lesson. If making videos better facilitate your instructional goal, then go ahead.

Share
Send the video to your students. Make it engaging and clear. Explain that the video’s content will be fully
discussed in class.

Change
Now that your students have viewed your lesson, they’re prepared to actually go more in-depth than ever
before.

Group
An effective way to discuss the topic is to separate into groups where students are given a task to perform.
Write a poem, a play, make a video, etc.

Regroup
Get the class back together to share the individual group’s work with everyone. Ask questions, dive deeper than
ever before.

After the six steps, Review, Revise, and Repeat!

Some other strategies that can be used in in-class activities include:

Active learning. Allow students to apply concepts in class where they can ask peers or instructors for feedback
and clarification.
Peer instruction. Students can teach each other by explaining concepts or working on small problems.
Collaborative learning. Collaborative learning activities could increase student engagement, enhance student
understanding, and promote collective intelligence.
Problem-based learning. Class time can be spent working on problems that can last for the duration of a
semester.
Discussions or debate. Give students the opportunity to articulate their thoughts on the spot and to develop
their arguments in support of their opinions or claims.

WHAT HAS RECENT RESEARCH ON FLIPPED CLASSROOM AND MEDICAL EDUCATION SUGGESTED?
A most recent systematic review (Chen, Lui, and Martinelli, 2017) examined 46 articles on the effectiveness of
flipped classrooms in medical education with different learning outcomes.

The effect of flipped classroom

This review suggested inconsistent findings regarding the effects of flipped classroom in student learning, with
some suggesting benefits while others reporting negligible improvement over traditional teaching methods.

Perceptions of flipped classroom

“Students were generally satisfied with the approach, particularly the usefulness of the online modules, because
of easy access to resources for self-paced learning” (p.590).

Attitude changes after using the flipped classroom

Positive changes were reported in this review study. Studies have suggested that medical students reported
increased enjoyment, decreased boredom, and greater task value in flipped classroom.

Knowledge, skills and behavior changes with the flipped classroom curriculum
Mixed results were detected regarding students’ changes in knowledge and skills with the flipped classroom
versus the traditional lecturing. Similar to student learning outcome, some studies found positive results while
others suggesting no differences.

This review further provided several suggestions for future research. First, future research in flipped classroom
and medical education should try to take students’ compliance with the flipped classroom requirement into
account. Other confounding variables may include time spent in class, outside of class and in clinical work.
Second, future research could examine the differences of flipped classroom on knowledge requiring different
cognitive levels. Third, future research could use change in attitude as a moderator to examine the effect of
flipped classroom on knowledge acquisition. Finally, students’ knowledge retentions and transfer of knowledge
to professional practice would be worthy of examination.
Direct instruction - A practical guide to effective teaching
Lucie Renard — Mar 29, 2019
According to research, direct instruction is one of the most effective teaching strategies. Although often
misunderstood, students who are taught using the direct instruction method perform better in reading, maths,
and spelling than those who weren’t.

If you have no clue what direct instruction is all about, you’ve come to the right place! This blog post covers the
most frequently asked questions about this teaching method. I’ll give you the what and how, and include some
practical examples.

What is direct instruction?

Direct instruction is a teacher-directed teaching method. This means that the teacher stands in front of a
classroom, and presents the information. The teachers give explicit, guided instructions to the students.

So, isn’t that how everything has always been taught in a classroom? Not entirely. Nowadays, experimenting in
education is “hot”, as teachers find that not all students benefit from listening to a teacher talk all day, and not
all lessons are best taught through direct instruction. Teachers now match the type of instruction to the task.
Using direct instruction is effective when it suits the skill students have to learn.

Here’s an example:

The order of the planets is best learned via direct instruction.

Teaching what materials are magnetic is better learned through experimentation.
The direct instruction method is based on two core principles:

All students can learn when taught correctly, regardless of history and background.
All teachers can be successful, given effective materials and presentation techniques.
The 6 functions (or steps) of direct instruction
Direct instruction doesn’t stop at the teacher explaining a concept. There are 6 steps that are very important in
the process. I’ll briefly describe them below, but if you want to dig deeper, make sure to read “Teaching
Functions”

1. Introduction / review
First, you set the stage for learning. This is the opening of the lesson, and it’s intended to engage students, get
their attention, and activate their prior knowledge.

Build upon a previous lesson, or get an understanding of their background knowledge of the subject you are
about to teach them. To show your students what exactly they have to learn and what is expected from them,
you can give them lesson objectives.

2. Present the new material

Use clear and guided instructions, so students can begin absorbing the new material. The lesson content should
be carefully organized step-by-step, with the steps building on each other.

In the direct instruction method, you can present new material through a lecture or through a demonstration.

Lecture method
There are a few essential steps for a lecture to be successful:
State the main points of the lecture.
Introduce a main organizing idea or theme.
Use examples to illustrate each idea.
Use repetition to reinforce the main points.
Summarize and refer back to the main organizing idea.
But how you go about these steps? This is where the fun comes in, and where every teacher gets to use their
creativity. This is where you get to engage your students. So, if you think a lecture is boring, you got it all wrong.

Demonstration
Here, the teacher demonstrates the skill or principle in small steps. Visual demonstrations will engage more
students than a pure auditory lecture. This method is often used in science classes.

3. Guided practice
Here, the teacher and students practice the concept together. The student attempts the skill with the assistance
of the teacher and other students.

The guided practice is conducted by the teacher. The purpose of this step is to guide initial practice, correct
mistakes, reteach (if necessary) and provide sufficient practice so that students can work independently.

It’s very important to ask good questions to verify your students’ understanding.

4. Feedback and correctives

If students don’t understand the lesson material, the teacher has to correct them and give feedback. This is also
very important in the guided practice, as students have to understand everything in that phase.

There are 4 types of student responses to questions and actions a teacher should take depending on the
answer.

Student answer Teacher action

Correct, quick, and firm Ask a new question to keep up the pace of the lesson.
Correct, but hesitant Provide encouragement.
Incorrect, but careless Simply correct and move on.
Incorrect and lacking knowledge Provide hints, ask a simpler question, or reteach.
5. Independent practice
After guided practice and receiving the right feedback, students are ready to apply the new learning material on
their own. Independent practice gives the students the repetitions they need to integrate the new information
or skills with previous knowledge or skills. Independent practice also helps students to become automatic in
their use of the skills.

During this phase, students usually go through two stages: unitization and automaticity. During unitization, the
students are putting the skills they’ve learned together and use them in new situations. As they keep on
practicing, students reach the “automatic” stage where they are successful and rapid, and no longer have to
“think through” each step.

6. Evaluation/ review
Check whether your students know everything before moving on to a new concept that builds upon what
they’ve just learned. Collect student data you can review and decide whether or not the lesson needs to be
retaught.

There are much evaluation and reviewing methods, so make sure to pick the right one to find out data that
really means something. Make sure your evaluation says something about your students’ learning process.
Formative assessments are better suited for this.
15 Engaging direct instruction examples
After reading the 6 important steps above, you might think: what room is there for the teacher to be passionate
and creative in his teaching? If everything is so well-structured, a teacher can’t control learning? That’s not
entirely true. I’ll show you some direct instruction lesson plans that you can use in the classroom, while still
meeting the direct instruction model functions.

Introduction/ Review
1. Entry ticket
Use an exit ticket as an entry ticket. Ask your students a question about what they learned the lesson before.
You can also use them to quickly figure out what students already know (or think they know) about a topic as
you begin a new unit.

You can do this digitally with BookWidgets.

2. Mentimeter
Use tools such as Mentimenter to quickly see what students still know about the previous lesson, or see what
they already know about a certain topic. Mentimeter is a live question tool that engages students to answer
questions anonymously. A “slide” is presented on the big screen and changes live as students type in answers
via their phones.

3. Math - Arithmetic
The BookWidgets Arithmetic widget is made to practice basic arithmetic operations. The teacher gives in some
parameters, and the widget will automatically produce calculations that students have to solve. Use this widget
to review calculations students just learned or to introduce a new kind of calculation.

Click to open
In this example, students have already learned to make sums. The exercise encourages them to review this math
topic again, and when they have found the right solutions, a word will reveal what they are going to learn next.
Can you find it?

Present the new material

4. Storytelling
New material can be presented in several ways. A lecture can be given through storytelling. Use the app
MySimpleShow to present the new material in a story-like format.

This tool lets you create engaging explainer videos in minutes. So why stick to just you explaining things when it
can be visually much more appealing and fun?

You can also use InVideo and create your own lesson videos. The video making website is very intuitive and has
many ready-to-use templates.

5. Photo widgets
Use compelling and interactive widgets to illustrate the new material. For example, project a Hot Spot Image
widget. on the big screen, go over the pop-ups on the image, and explain them. Here’s an example:

Click to open
BookWidgets has many more photo widgets that can serve as illustrations, and that make images more
interactive.

6. Demonstrate
If you’re teaching science subjects, it’s sometimes easier and much more fun to just demonstrate certain
reactions or experiments. Experimenting is not a part of the direct instruction method, but it’s not
experimenting when the teacher shows how it’s done. Afterwards, you can still ask your students to apply the
new material on a new situation in the guided practice phase.

Guided practice
7. Group work
Here, students work together and apply the new learning material in new situations. The teacher is there to
guide them through the steps. Here’s an example: first, the teacher demonstrated a certain reaction based on
basic principals; then, students have to practice it themselves by working together and filling out this worksheet:

Click to open
The teacher asks many questions to make their students think about what they’ve just learned. In the end, they
can see the explanation again.

8. Think, pair, share

Set a problem or a question around a certain topic, and pair up your students. Give each pair of students enough
time so they can reach a proper conclusion, and permit the students to share their conclusion in their personal
voice. This way, your students will be engaged, communicating, and remember more of the class than ever
before. You can repeat this process easily. Ask students to find a new partner and share the wisdom of the old
partnership with this new partner.

9. Buzz session
Participants come together in session groups that focus on a single topic. Within each group, every student
contributes thoughts and ideas. Encourage discussion and collaboration among the students within each group.
Everyone should learn from each other’s input and experiences. As a teacher, you could give your students
some keywords to spark the conversation.

Correctives and feedback

Check out the four corrective teacher actions above.

Independent practice
10. Quiz
Set up a quiz or worksheet in BookWidgets with many different and interactive question types about the lesson
content. Let students solve the worksheet it independently. It’s very important to ask your students the right
questions. Below is an example of the different question types about the learning content. You can choose to
link to other theoretical steps and give hints if necessary.

Click to open
If you are using BookWidgets quizzes, you have many feedback options. Questions can be automatically graded
so students have a really short feedback loop and know what aspects they have to learn again. A teacher can
also see the student’s answers immediately after them submitting.

11. Planner
If you want to dig deeper, you could set up a BookWidgets planner for your students to follow. Give them
exercises they have to go through. Students can send their work to the teacher for review and check out the
tasks they finished. Here, the student works independently but is still closely monitored and guided by the
teacher.
As a teacher, you can review the student’s work. So, in the next step (Evaluation/review), you’ll be able to
collect data out of these exercises. If you notice a student is still struggling with the content, you can set up a
personalized planner with more guidance if necessary.

12. Flashcards
New vocabulary is something that needs to be automatized. A student needs to know this without thinking too
much. Translations and meanings need to pop-up at the moment. Flashcards are the perfect fit for automatizing
this learning content.

Create BookWidgets flashcards and let your students use the ‘practice mode’ and practice independently. As a
teacher, you can add text, images, and audio. The more connections you make between those content styles,
the better all students will understand, because combining images with text is one of the most effective learning
techniques.

Here’s an example:

13. Kahoot
If your learning material allows multiple choice questions, Kahoot is a fun and quick way to measure
understanding. Ask your students questions about the lesson material and immediately see how many students
understood the lesson. Kahoot will show you instant statistics about what your students answered and if they
were right or wrong. These statistics can give you an insight into whether you need to reteach certain parts of
your lesson or not.

14. Mind Map

Ask your students to create a mind map about a topic you just taught them. If you’re using BookWidgets,
students can send their mind map back to the teacher. Check if the students remembered everything, or if there
are things they don’t mention. If more students show the same gaps in their knowledge, you know what to
reteach. You can use a rubric to evaluate a mind map.

Here’s an example of a mind map:

15. Digital Quiz/ worksheet
If you want your students to answer more in-depth questions, you should create a fun quiz about the learning
content. As you can see above (number 10), quizzes have more possibilities. And again, if you’re using
BookWidgets, you get statistics that will give you some useful insights such as:

the average score per question

the median, maximum and minimum score per class
the grade per student on each question
and the grade evolution per student on each test
Conclusion
Some teachers will realize that they actually were already using the direct instruction teaching method all this
time. Others will consider this method as an opportunity to teach more effectively, as they know now direct
instruction is not just a boring teaching strategy.

Looking for more interactive teaching strategies? Check out this post with 20 interactive teaching activities.

If you’d like to get started with this teaching method and create examples of direct instruction like I showed in
this post, just click on the button below.