Principle 1 The nature of the learning process. Learning is a natural process of pursuing personally meaningful goals, and it is active, volitional, and internally mediated; it is a process of discovering and constructing meaning from information and experience, filtered through the learner's unique perceptions, thoughts, and feeling.
Principle 2 Goals of the learning process. The learner seeks to create meaningful coherent representations of knowledge regardless of the quantity and quality of data available.
Principle 3 The construction of knowledge. The learner links new information with existing and future-oriented knowledge in uniquely meaningful ways.
Principle 4 Higher-order thinking. Higher-order strategies for ìthinking about thinkingî - for overseeing and monitoring mental operations - facilitate creative and critical thinking and the development of expertise.
Principle 5 Motivational influences on learning. The depth and breadth of information processed, and what and how much is learned and remembered, are influenced by (a) self-awareness and beliefs about personal control, competence and ability; (b) clarity and saliency of personal values, interests, and goals; (c) personal expectations for success or failure; (d) affect, emotion, and general states of mind; and (e) the resulting motivation to learn.
Principle 6 Intrinsic motivation to learn. Individuals are naturally curious and enjoy learning, but intense negative cognitions and emotions (e.g., feeling insecure, worrying about failure, being self-conscious or shy, and fearing corporal punishment, ridicule, or stigmatizing labels) thwart this enthusiasm.
Principle 7 Characteristics of motivation-enhancing tasks. Curiosity, creativity, and higher order thinking are stimulated by relevant, authentic learning tasks of optimal difficulty and novelty for each student.
Principle 8 Developmental constraints and opportunities. Individuals progress through stages of physical, intellectual, emotional and social development that are a function of unique genetic and environmental factors.
Principle 9 Social and cultural diversity. Learning is facilitated by social interactions and communication with others in flexible, diverse (in age, culture, family background, etc.), and adaptive instructional settings.
Principle 10 Social acceptance, self-esteem, and learning. Learning and self-esteem are heightened when individuals are in respectful and caring relationships with others who see their potential, genuinely appreciate their unique talents, and accept them as individuals.
Principle 11 Individual differences in learning. Although basic principles of learning, motivation and effective instruction apply to all learners (regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, physical ability, religion, or socioeconomic status), learners have different capabilities and preferences for learning modes and strategies. These differences are a function of environment (what is learned and communicated in different cultures or other social groups) and heredity (what occurs naturally as a function of genes).
Principle 12 Cognitive filters. Personal beliefs, thoughts, and understandings resulting from prior learning and interpretations become an individual's basis for constructing reality and interpreting life experiences.
| Quadrant #1 | Indicators | Examples of Student Behaviors Demonstrating these Indicators | Evidence Gathered |
|
| Cognitive & Metacog. Factors | Sets meaningful goals | Articulates reasons for taking course. Reflects on what has been learned and describes what they hope, want, or need to learn. | ||
| Self-monitoring | Identifies gaps in understanding. Aware of group dynamics and role of self within group. Adapts well to changes in environment. | |||
| Self-directed | Actively seeks information to solve problems. Utilizes available learning resources. Considers alternative solutions. | |||
| Constructs knowledge | Utilizes prior knowledge to understand new experiences. Applies course experiences to build new knowledge. |
| Quadrant #2 | Indicators | Examples of Student Behaviors Demonstrating these Indicators | Evidence Gathered |
|
| Affective Factors | Motivation balance b/w Intrinsic-Extrinsic | Examples of flow experiences and examples of teacher /other dependent behaviors. Provides reasons for taking course, doing tasks. | ||
| Control of learning environ-ment | Classtime spent working on-task vs. off-task. Attendance and reports on tasks performed outside of class. Uses learning resources and tools. | |||
| Engages with learning tasks | Indicates interest in content domain/problems, perceived relevance of course goals/content, expectations of success in domain and satisfaction with outcomes (rewards) related to the course. |
| Quadrant #3 | Indicators | Examples of Student Behaviors Demonstrating these Indicators | Evidence Gathered |
|
|
| Social and
Personal Factors |
Collab. teamwork, peer tutors & helps | Shares ownership of all aspects of writing tasks. Supports teammates efforts. Teaches rather than just tells/shows. Willingly shares expertise. | |||
| Leader-ship | Sets agendas, schedules meetings, assigns tasks, and holds teammates accountable. Leads by example, knowledge/skill, or personality. | ||||
| Effective communication | Listens to teammates/teachers. Ensures messages are understood, clear communications, avoids misunderstandings, offers tactful and constructive criticisms. | ||||
| Self-esteem | Examples of honest self-esteem vs. false sense of importance or examples of low self-esteem i.e., defeated by criticism, quits easily, reluctant to state opinions or comment on teammates work. | ||||
| Maturity | Accountability to self, team, and teacher. Accepts responsibility for results of individual and team tasks vs. blames others. |
| Quadrant #4 | Indicators | Examples of Student Behaviors Demonstrating these Indicators | Evidence Gathered |
|
| Individual Differences | Ability | Identify ability via comments about other academic courses, past successes. Estimate performance relative to ability. | ||
| Attitude toward learning | Accepts challenges, shows self-struggle to make content meaningful. Focuses on learning. | |||
| Attitude toward assessment | Uses grades and feedback on performance to learn/improve. |
Congratulations on completing the writing assignments in the {insert name} Department! Use the scale below where 5 is Very Responsible and 1 is Not Responsible to answer the following questions.
5 4 3 2 1
Very Responsible Responsible Not Responsible
How responsible was each of the following for the quality of the...
{ Insert specific writing assignment identified from Department folder}
The Teacher _________ Myself (an Individual) _______
The Team _________ Another Individual _______
{ Insert specific writing assignment identified from Department folder}
The Teacher _________ Myself (an Individual) _______
The Team _________ Another Individual _______
{Insert specific writing assignment identified from Department folder}
The Teacher _________ Myself (an Individual) _______
The Team _________ Another Individual _______
{Insert specific writing assignment identified from Department folder}
The Teacher _________ Myself (an Individual) _______
The Team _________ Another Individual _______
Briefly describe the process by which the letters were written.
Which writing assignment did you like the least?
Why?
ANY comments about ANY aspect of this problem-based approach to learning,
and your experiences in it are appreciated. (use reverse if necessary)
1. How many hours outside of regular classtime did you spend on the Operations project? ___ How were these hours spread out over the project?
Week One ____ Week Two ____ Week Three ____ Week Four ____
3. Did you find the project interesting/challenging? YES ____ NO ____
4. If YES, what made it interesting/challenging? (please be specific)
5. If NO, what made it not interesting/challenging? (please be specific)
4. How satisfied/proud are you of the written report handed in?
5 4 3 2 1
Very Satisfied Satisfied Not Satisfied
Why?
5. How satisfied/proud are you of the verbal presentation?
5 4 3 2 1
Very Satisfied Satisfied Not Satisfied
Why?
6. What advice would you give another team about to start on Operations?
1. To gather Background Information and get students to start talking.
Thanks for helping me out with this study. You have been a good sport about this and I want you to know I appreciate it.
Item 12 reads as follows:
Suppose that Bob Rowse, a personnel manager at an electronics firm, has bought the product or service that you describe in EXERCISE 11. He bought it on a six-month installment plan that calls for him to make equal payments every month. Bob made the first two payments on time but has since fallen behind on his payment schedule. Your company has sent him two invoices, and he's now two months late with his third payment. You decide that it's time to write a collection letter. You don't know why Bob is late on his payments, but you do know that his company is in trouble and has had to lay off 100 employees. Write an effective collection letter to Bob.
Remember to talk aloud and I may nag you a few times if necessary. Any questions? (again get a verbal response) Okay go for it... [Count to 15] What part are you reading now? Prompt question is "What are you thinking about?"
Week 1
1. Do you have written course objectives that you teach from?
2. That's my next question. What should students be able to do? If you had an ideal student at the end of the course, what would they look like? What would they be able to do?
3. Those are the things that they should be able to do... What would you want them to be like?
4. Could I have copies of the scenarios that you used last semester? You were talking about making some changes to them this semester, what have you done differently this semester?
5. How important is it that the students own the scenario, own the problem that they're working on? That they treat it as if it were real, as if it was part of the business simulation?
6. One group will start with Marketing etc. What about the group that starts with Operations?
7. Do you spend more time with that Operations group?
8. What's going to happen the first day of the first project? Walk me through that...
9. Do you teach the students explicitly the stages of project planning, writing the first draft, revising, and then editing?
10. Do you ask the students to be reflective at all? Do they keep journals or logs about their experiences?
11. How did you go about designing this course?
12. The skill set that the students have at the end, has anyone done a comparison to what they get using the old lecture lab method where they work on their own vs. working in groups?
13. What are the benefits for the instructors with this course design?
14. Do you find it easier to keep track of individual students? 5 groups...
15. How do you know how individuals are doing?
16.How about developing guidelines for new teachers to help them know what to look for with your course?
1. Which Starr divisions do you look after?
2. ...and the students know to go to you when you are the VP of their divisions?
3. What would you say are the important/critical elements to this course? What were the elements that you wanted to make sure were in there?
4. Have you done any reading on simulations - how they're designed and put together?
5. How is it different then the general business packet?
6. Tell me about these students in the course...they're sophomores. What do you think makes them tick?
7. It seems to me the design of this course with the exception of the Operations department is contained within available class time. Like they don't have to do any homework, maybe they read a chapter...?
8. What is the purpose of the spot quiz... why do it?
9. --- about proportion of quiz scores…its not going to make a real big difference... psychologically...
10. The Peer evaluations they serve what purpose?
11. The third component is the WSJ articles. That's again so the individual...?
12. What in your opinion, seems to work for the students in the course? What do they like, what turns them on, what gets them interested...?
13. From the perspective of the instructor what makes the course work?
14. More writing experiences translates into... its skill-based, you get better by doing it?
15. I made the observation that she seemed to provide students with what they needed - rather than a blind everyone's the same...
16. What has changed as the course evolves? What have you seen that works or needs to be changed? What about the teamwork video you wanted to use..?
17. Is eight sections, four classes too many?
18. What do you think students learn? I know what you want them to learn
but what do you think they actually learn?
1. Why is the Starr Corporation sorted into divisions?
2. Do students understand this division structure?
3. Did you do any research on simulations?
4. What do you think are the key components or elements of the course?
5. What do you think the students learn in this course?
6. Tell me about these students - these sophomores in the course...
7. How much do you think grades influence students in this course?
8. Do you think the students understand the approach to grading? Do you get questions and complaints about grades from the students? Is it clear to the students how they are being assessed?
9. About giving graded assignments back to the students... why don't you let them keep them longer that ten minutes in class so they can absorb the feedback and comments?
10. Do the problem scenarios make the students think?
11. It is more than just matching...?
12. Do the students remember the heuristics or rules of thumb?
13. When a student puts up their hand to ask something, how do you respond? What are you thinking?
14. How does it effect the students who start the course with the larger Operations project as their first group effort?
15. Why do you use a spot quiz?
16. Students tell me a strength of this course is they can do most of their work during class time....
17. Why do you think the group work is effective? Why does it work?
18. Which groups require more of your energy - high flyers asking subtle questions about fine-points, or groups asking very basic questions...?
19. Why do you think the 8 o'clock group really doesn't work that well?
20. The course continues to involve. Did you incorporate the video on Teamwork?
21. Did they get any kind of teamwork training?
22. What are you going to change in the course for next semester?
23. For the end of course evaluations, do you have your own evaluation form or do you use the standard University form...?
24. In terms of the major Operations project, what is the important learning outcome for the students? What do they learn from the Operations department?
25. What do you think the students actually take away from that experience?
26. What about the process?