For Week 9, Dr. Smirnova posted a video to watch. In light of my Internet service, videos always take longer to load than they are in viewing time! But, I proceeded.
Our topic was still Direct Instruction but with an eye towards beginning to learn about the Information Processing Model and Inquiry-based lesson plans. The video actually took place in the Long Island Children's Museum. The activities depicted were so vast and varied that I felt as though I had to go there with my own children as soon as possible. The perfect laboratory for learning!
The museum visit is an ideal combination of direct instruction and inquiry-based learning: the museum presenters had the children gather in small groups and gave them information and then encouraged them to touch, smell, think and question (asking questions of the museum presenters as well) on their own.
The forum of the museum presents opportunities for all sorts of learners to learn: visual, tactile, auditory, and inter- and intra-personal. The children's faces glowed with excitement and engagement. For the children on the field trip from their school, it could be that this is their only chance to experience such a place. For the children, young and older, visiting with their families, everyone had a chance to sit face-to-face, hear the information and then interact with each other with the information. Often times, families don't make time for this sort of essential educational and emotional interaction.
This adventure is constructivism at work!
Interestingly, the expressions of excitement on the children's faces at the beginning were still present at then end of the video but they also looked exhausted from their adventure!
I truly experienced their excitement with them during this video. I have gone to MANY museums myself and with my own children. As they play, they are learning. The educational process in a children's museum or in any hands-on exhibit occurs naturally. Knowledge is assembled naturally and remains with the children for a long, long time.
This video was an excellent example of kids learning through discovery. While Direct Instruction is necessary, I think it is during inquiry that the real learning occurs. The children are able to figure things out on their own, and make their own decisions by thinking critically. I have never been there, but the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum might be a nice place to take a field trip to some day. Here's their link if you are interested. http://www.mhcm.org/new/pages/home.htm
ReplyDelete-Kelly