Planning For Instruction (Prompt 1)

Mastery learning can be tied in with Brain Research.  The reason that mastery learning can be thought to have come from brain research is for the simple fact that Brain Research is about mastering certain aspects of knowledge.  Brain research focuses on how the brain has neurons and people can make new connections between neurons and strengthen the neurons.  Someone has to start from the basics in order to make these new connections and to eventually strengthen those synapses.  This is the same for Mastery Learning.  Mastery learning makes the student starts off with the basics and will eventually master the knowledge through doing many different and challenging tests that will make new synapses and strengthen current ones.

            Cooperative learning can be connected with Vygotsky.  He would advise all teachers to use cooperative learning in the classrooms.  Vygotsky believed that people do not learn alone, but that everyone learns from someone else.  So he believed that all students should not just learn from the teacher, but that they are able to get a different type of learning from their classmates.  Cooperative learning is this exact type of learning.  It is learning by being in groups with classmates trying to achieve one goal.  The students are able to learn from each other to find the best way to achieve the goal.

            I would say I like Vygotsky theory of students learning from other people.  I believe that all students cannot just work alone because all people will eventually have questions that they need help with.  The best teaching method is mastery learning because it says that all students can learn if given the right steps and done in a progressive manner.  These two can work because many students need a little instruction at first, but then can do a lot on their own, but eventually get stumped.  At that point it would be useful to have the students to work together and learn the best way to figure out the complex problems or questions.

            I would have students use cooperative learning in order to work in groups to work on a big project at the end of the year such as a science experiment.  This will give them a chance to not just learn about their science topic, but also on how to make arrangements to work on it together and to be willing to learn from other students.