Dimensions of Learning Overview 1: Introduction

1. Dimensions of Learning Overview 1: Introduction

2. What is DoL? • Framework of 5 types of thinking (dimensions of learning) that are essential to successful learning • Gathers and organises strategies that are known to work • Designed to reduce reliance on chalk and talk • Puts student at centre of learning process

3. Explicit Teaching • DoL gives teachers bank of strategies that help teachers teach and students learn • Emphasises explicitly teaching these strategies • Students able to select and apply strategies • Students become independent learners

4. What are the 5 Dimensions? Dictionary Meanings (Dim2) (this is useful to encourage learners to be active participants in the getting of knowledge) • Look up the key words in your assigned phrase • Talk to your pair about what the phrase means • Peer Teach: work out a way to help the group to learn what it means at the highest level possible (how you do it in your hands) Dimension 1: Attitudes and Perceptions Dimension 2: Acquire and Integrate Knowledge Dimension 3: Extend and Refine Knowledge Dimension4: Use Knowledge Meaningfully Dimension 5: Habits of Mind

5. Why is the Framework Useful? • Allows us to plan curriculum, instruction and assessment tasks that take the 5 critical aspects of learning into account • Develops a common language that lets us communicate with each other/students across subject divides (helps us talk explicitly about learning)

6. How do the Dimensions Fit Together?

7. How does DoL Define Knowledge? Two Types 1. Declarative Knowledge Content or Information, facts and concepts: things students know or understand, facts and concepts 2. Procedural Knowledge Processes or skills: things students can do

8. Dimensions of Learning Dimensions 1 and 5

9. Why Start with Dimensions 1 and 5?

10. Dimension 1: Attitudes and Perceptions • Marzano (1997) (pp 13-42) • Two Areas • 1. Helping Students Develop Positive Attitudes and Perceptions about Classroom Climate • Feel accepted by Teachers and Peers • Experience a Sense of Comfort and Order • 2. Helping Students Develop Positive Attitudes and Perceptions about Classroom Tasks • Perceive Tasks as Valuable and Interesting • Believe they have the Ability and Resources to Complete Tasks • Understand and be Clear about Tasks

11. Dimension 1: Rotating Papers Work in 2 groups on one sheet at a time, each sheet divided into two columns • Brainstorm activities that would work towards achieving the aim: use info from the text and your own experience (5 min) • New sheet: read responses and add your thoughts (2 min)

12. Dimension 5: Habits of Mind Three Areas Marzano (1997) pp 261-297 Critical Thinking • Accuracy • Clarity • Open mindedness • Restraining impulsivity • Taking a position when warranted • Responding appropriately to others Creative Thinking • Perseverance • Pushing the limits of knowledge and abilities • Developing own standards of evaluation • Developing unconventional ways of viewing a situation Self-Regulated Thinking • Monitoring own thinking • Plan appropriately • Identify and use necessary resources • Respond appropriately to feedback • Evaluate effectiveness of your actions

13. Dimension 5: Pair Work • Identify a behaviour in class that stops some/all students learning effectively. Discuss the behaviour with partner. Listen carefully to each other. • Match blocking behaviours to the corresponding habit(s)s of mind in the text/list on slide above • Think of a story/film character who displays one of the habits you want to see developed by the class • Build bones of a unit of work based on that character and their demonstration of the habit of mind you want to develop

14. Three Minute Pause (Dim 1) Take 3 minutes to stop and think about what you’ve learnt about Dimensions 1 and 5 • I enjoyed . . . • I was surprised by . . . • I was challenged . . . • I’m not sure I . . . • One thing I learnt . . .

15. Dimensions of Learning Dimensions 2, 3, 4

16. 1and 5: BACKGROUND BEHAVIOURS2,3,5: LEARNING JOURNEY

17. Dimension 2: Acquire and Integrate Knowledge Examples • Add and subtract • Write a paragraph • An amoeba • The conventions of punctuation • When oppression meets resistance, conflict results • Set up an experiment • Read music • The rules of basketball • Shoot free throws • A numerator • Democracy Declarative Knowledge Content or information, facts and concepts: things students know or understand Procedural Knowledge Processes or skills: things students can do What is the major difference in how we learn a concept and a skill?

18. TASKS: Understanding the different knowledge types influences how teachers identify knowledge when planning for lessons and units (what do students already know, what do they need to know, what will they know by the end of the lesson/unit) Choose a Task . . . • Task1: Which of the examples are declarative, which are procedural knowledge? (classifying task, Dim 3) • Task2: Using one example of each or of your own, in a pair, think about how we teach declarative and procedural knowledge differently . . . (comparing task, Dim 3) (circles rather than steps?) • Task 3: Think of an average lesson/unit of work and work out which parts of it involve the learning of procedural knowledge and which the learning of declarative knowledge . . . What different types of learning tasks do you use for each (Deductive reasoning, Dim 3)

19. Dimension 3: extend and refine knowledge Marzano (1997) p 113-184 This occurs as learners examine and analyse knowledge and information in a way that: • helps them make new connections • discover or rediscover meanings • gain new insights • clarify misconceptions Results in learners being able to do more than recite definitions and give other examples. Involves them thinking about the information by using reasoning process that are more complex than those used to recognise or reproduce knowledge. These processes CHANGE the knowledge they have.

20. Dimension 3:Extend and Refine knowledge Comparing . Inductive Reasoning Classifying Eight Complex Reasoning Processes Abstracting Deductive Reasoning Constructing support Analysing Errors Analysing Perspectives

21. THINK PAIR SHARE Many of these processes we scaffold for the students as part of our normal lessons . . . TASK: think pair share two examples of when we have seen or used one or more of these processes in scaffolding our lessons. (have a look at the next slide if you need a brief summary of what each process involves)

22. The 8 Complex reasoning processes described • Comparing: Indentifying and articulating similarities and differences among items • Classifying: grouping things into definable categories on the basis of their attributes • Abstracting: Identifying and articulating the underlying theme or general pattern of information • Inductive Reasoning: inferring unknown generalisations or principles from information or observations • Deductive Reasoning: Using generalistions and principles to infer unstated conclusions about specific information or situations • Constructing Support: building systems of support for assertions • Analysing Errors: identifying and articulating errors in thinking • Analysing Perspectives: identifying multiple perspectives on an issues and examining the reasons or logic behind each.

23. EXPLICITLY TEACH THE PROCESSES As well as getting students to use these processes through the scaffolding of assessment tasks and learning activities, we also need to directly teach these processes to the students, so they can select and use them independently. Each of the processes is used unconsciously every day, but to use this as a way of refining and extending knowledge, we need to teach the STEPS involved, so students use them DELIBERATELY.

24. Each of the eight processes is taught in the same way: • 1. Help students understand the process (the function/goal of it) • 2. Give students a model for the process, and create opportunities for them to practice using the process (the steps involved and examples) • 3. As students study and use the process, help them focus on critical steps and difficult aspects of the process (examples and suggestions of how to deal with elements) • 4. Provide students with graphic organisers or representations of the model to help them understand and use the process • 5. Use teacher-structured and student-structured tasks (modeling to independent work)

25. Dimension 4: use knowledge meaningfully Marzano (1997) p 189-254 Using knowledge requires more complex reasoning processes than required by Dimension 2 of learning (recall, reproduce knowledge) DoL’s identified 6 complex reasoning processes that can be applied to help them use knowledge meaningfully . . .

26. D4: 6 reasoning processes • Decision Making: generating and applying criteria to select from among seemingly equal alternative • Problem Solving: overcoming constraints or limiting conditions that are in the way of pursuing goals • Invention: developing unique products or processes that fulfil perceived needs • Experimental Inquiry: generating and testing explanations of observed phenomena • Investigation: identifying and resolving issues about which there are confusions or contradictions • Systems Analysis: analysing the parts of a system and the manner in which they interact

27. FIVE STEPS TO TEACH THEM . . . . . . so that students can learn how to do it themselves . . . (same steps as for Dim 3) 1. Help them understand process 2. Give them a model for it 3. As they practice, help them focus on critical steps 4. Provide them with graphic organisers to help them use the process 5.Use teacher-structured tasks leading to student-structured tasks.

28. REFLECTION • Of the Five Dimensions, which is the Dimension that you use strategies from the most in your classroom: • Why?