Throughout this module, the class explored Merrill’s principals of instruction, and creating a lesson plan using constructive alignment and backward design. As our group had decided to focus on the lobes of the brain for the final assignment, I made an H5P Guess the Answer questions on this. With Merrill’s principals of instruction in mind, I tried to focus on relating the lobes of the brain and their functions to real world problems for the learner. I kept in mind consistent demonstrations for the lesson, and that learning will be promoted if I have the students display what they learned through a learning activity of them drawing and labelling. This same learning activity is on the quiz, allowing this consistency. This drawing exercise promotes active learning as well. For the function of each lobe of the brain, the attempt to relate to every student and how the functions of the brain impact and effect their everyday lives. Maybe after the lesson the student will be walking down the sidewalk and think “What part of my brain is making me walk without thinking about it?”

Below is the lesson planning template for constructive alignment and backward design

Here are my interactive H5P Guess the Answer Questions

While using H5P, I thoroughly enjoyed all the interactive learning options. What a great way to make active learning easier for students, and allowing teachers to create questions that when using the right tool, could really aid in the students understanding, and promotes the practice they need. H5P also gives the teacher feedback as to where to improve in their lesson planning, depending on how the students do in what exercise.

Throughout this module, learning about Merrill’s principals, constructive alignment and backward design, it helped me understand how previous courses I have taken that I have not particularly enjoyed, did not incorporate some of these ideas. I can reflect how not enough active learning throughout the course, and on my own time is a big reason why, to help understand the material for better progression throughout the course. I can also reflect courses I have thoroughly enjoyed and done well in, which incorporated most of Merrill’s principals. One course I particularly liked at UVic that incorporated a nice balance of active and passive learning was a cartography course I took some years ago. The lecture provided the passive learning, while the lab portion provided an extensive active learning opportunity. The cartography course tied both together for the final project allowing students to make of map of anything of their choice by using real world data sources, combining them and producing a map of the data. All the while making sure the map was represented well visually.

EDCI 337 also balanced the active and passive learning well by providing each module with readings, videos etc. for passive learning, while doing the activity by creating a blog post, providing the students with the active learning portion.

I am pleased to say that the courses I teach at work, although they always start with a not so great laid out powerpoint, the emphasis on active learning is always there. We always teach the basics that students need with the powerpoint, and then focus on doing the real world problems and relating it to their every day jobs at work.

Thanks for reading my blog post!