Designing Leaner Centered InstructionPinnacle 2012

Found classes bor-ing

Schoolwork too hard or boring

49%

18%

High School Students Surveyed

(Kortering and Braziel, 2002)

• Make things more exciting• Make boring classes more fun• Provide more hands-on activities• Provide more individualized help for specific

learning needs• Use experiments rather than so much bookwork• Explain things better, break it down, teach

students rather than books

What do students say?

Practice and review Small-group instruction

Dialogue with students about

process and content

Adjust difficulty of tasks

(Swanson, 1999)

What are learning centers?• Any area that defines a specific focus or

affords an unique learning opportunity (Cosgrove, 1992)

• Divide a room in a way that allows students to make choices, move freely, grow in areas of need, and work together

• NOT busy work, tests, or mindless play

Learners who “got” the content and are ready to move on to much higher levels of content

Learners for whom the presentation, pace, and practice the teacher is using is “just right”

Learners who need a little bit more practice with new content

Learners who need a lot more practice with new content

(King-Sears, 2007)

(King-Sears, 2007)

•Students can be more actively engaged in learning

•Students have the opportunity to practice new skills

•Students can increase proficiency in acquired skills

•Students can apply knowledge and skills to new situations

HOW DO LEARNING CENTERS “FIT” INTO INSTRUCTION?

Learning Center Quick TipsHow many centers? Start small! You can add more once students are

comfortable and you are proficient at managing them.

What content should be the focus? Content you’ve already taught or are currently teaching. Students should be able to practice, explore, build on, and review content.

How do I avoid setting up new centers every week?

Establish generic centers where the content and level is the change.

How do I ensure students know what to do?

Procedures! Practice them until you and students are sure and clear!

How do I monitor student progress?

You can use self-check or self-graphing items.

Differentiated Learning Center Activities

Outcome: Students read or listen to information and then write or type responses to questions about the information.

Materials: Books, Laptops, Discovery Streaming videos, Viewing guide or form with varied levels of questions about the information

Differentiation: •Students complete fill-in-the-blank responses•Students respond to a prompt and write an essay response•Students complete an outline as they are listening

Differentiated Learning Center Activities

Outcome: Students use the Pythagorean theorem to draw designs that match specified measurements.

Differentiation: •Students are given the Pythagorean theorem so they do not have to know it from memory. These students use simplistic measurements such as graph paper boxes, then progress to inches and centimeters.•Students are given color coded key information or terms to help them as they complete the activity.•Students are given activities that can be self-corrected such as answer cards with diagrams and measurements.

WHERE DO TEACHERS START WHEN DESIGNING LEARNING CENTERS?

Certain students need more

practice with new vocabulary.

One group knows the content, but

needs time for application.

I need a review activity for

vocabulary.

Certain students need more practice with new vocabulary.

One group knows the content, but needs time for application.

I need a review activity for vocabulary.

Students will utilize Quizlet to practice vocabulary.

Students will work at the writing center using story starters and open ended questions to complete a blog post.

Students will practice placing the vocabulary by the corresponding picture or definition on the graphic organizer.

WHAT KIND OF ACTIVITIES CAN OCCUR AT LEARNING CENTERS?

Varied and Diverse Activities

Auditory• Verbal directions• Step-by-step directions

Visual

• Illustrations• Color-coded tasks

WHAT DO STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LEARNING CENTERS?

What to do How to do it When to do it

Where they should do it

How & where to find

materials

What to do with the

completed activity

How to evaluate their

success

What they should do when they’ve finished

Other considerations

How will students be assessed?

Ensure that students have been introduced to material .

Leave directions at the center, even if they’ve previously been given verbally.

Activities should be meaningful, not busy work.

Example ActivitiesLanguage Arts• Language/lit study• Read Aloud• Silent Reading• Journal Writing• Composing• Small group instruction

Social Studies• Small group instruction• Read, listen, watch• Practice vocabulary• Timeline creation• Compare and contrast

Mathematics• Small group instruction• Draw pictures to

represent math problems• Math fact practice• Describe problem solving

steps in writing• Use newspaper ad to

determine…• Arrange objects to show

the fractional parts…

WHAT DO TEACHERS DO WHEN STUDENTS ARE AT LEARNING CENTERS?

Example 90 minute math course with learning centers

Plan for amount of time per designated instructional task

LearningCenter A

Learning Center B

Learning Center C

Learning Center D

1:10 to 1:15 (5 minutes)Opener, warm-up

Whole Class: listens to the advance organizer for the day, completes warm-up independently, check warm-up

1:15 to 1:35 (20 minutes)Direct Instruction, Whole group

Assign Learning Centers: Demonstration has occurred the previous day; today’s demonstration is the 3 rd Pythagorean theorem for the class. Vocabulary has been introduced and used. Assign groupings per learning center: ___ goes to LC-A first; ___goes to LC-B first; ___ goes to LC-C first; ___ goes to LC-D first

1:35 to 1:37 (2 minutes)Transition to learning center

Students Move to the Appropriate Learning Center for Them. Two minutes maximum for transition; this includes gathering materials, moving, and beginning work.

1:37 to 2:00 (23 minutes)Learning center activities

Small Group Instruction with Teacher

Complete the Problems…

Match the measurements….

Draw your own triangle…

2:00 to 2:02 (2 minutes)Transition to learning center

Students Move to Their Next Learning Center.

2:02 to 2:25 (23 minutes)Learning center activities

Small Group Instruction with Teacher

Complete the Problems…

Match the measurements….

Draw your own triangle…

2:25 to 2:27 (2 minutes)Transition to desks

Students Return to Their Desks

2:27 to 2:40 (13 minutes)Closure and mini-assessment

•Students respond in writing to three brief problems to provide teacher with formative feedback. •Assign homework.•Provide review.

HOW DO I SET THIS UP?

• Tables and storage

Space

• Doors, windows, desks

Traffic Flow • How many people?

People

• Equipment• Materials

Availability

Classroom Floor Plan Sites:http://classroom.4teachers.org/http://teacher.scholastic.com/tools/class_setup/

LEARNING CENTER EVALUATION

Did I clearly state the objective of the center?

Are the materials properly prepared?

Are the activities interesting and do they stimulate curiosity and problem solving?

Are the directions easy to follow?

Are the activities adaptable to different needs?

Are the activities self-checking?

Do students know what to do before, during, and after their time at the center?

Are self-control, resourcefulness, independence, & good work habits nurtured?

References

Sloane, M. W. (2000). Make the most of learning centers. Dimensions of Early Childhood, Winter, 16-20.

King-Sears, M. E. (2007). Designing and delivering learning center instruction. Intervention in School and Clinic,42(3), 137-147.

Cosgrove, M. S. (1992). Inside learning centers.