RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

Education Department
M.Ed. in EDLE & CUIN
EDUC 5312: CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

Name: SELMAN ONEL_ Date: __3/12/2017___

Instructional Project 3

Directions:

This is a research assignment. Use your textbook, web articles, and NAU library to
conduct research when writing this paper.

Use APA style references and in-text- citations. You need to use at least 3 different
resources besides Castronova (2002), and Moore (2015).

Part 1. DISCOVERY LEARNING:

Download and read the following article:

Castronova, J. A. (2002). Discovery learning for the 21st century: What is it

and how does it compare to traditional learning in effectiveness in the 21st
century. Action Research Exchange, 1(1), 1-12. Retrived from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.594.6363&rep=rep
1&type=pdf
After reading this article and conducting additional research, answer to the
following questions.

What is discovery learning?

Discovery learning is a type of approach that is different than teacher-based or traditional
learning. Bicknell-Holmes and Hoffman (2000) explain discovery learning with three
characteristics;
1. exploring and problem solving to create, integrate, and generalize knowledge,
2. student driven, interest-based activities in which the student determines the
sequence and frequency, and
3. Activities to encourage integration of new knowledge into the learners existing
knowledge base (Castronova 2002, 2).
Discovery learning creates an environment that students take an active role in learning
process. Jerome Brumer (1961) describes discovery learning as an inquiry-based,
constructivist learning method that students can find relationship between his/her past
experiences and new knowledge to discover facts.
How does this form of teaching compare to traditional, teacher-centered
instruction?
There are several differences between traditional, teacher-centered instruction and
discovery learning. Main differences are as following;
1. In discovery learning, students take an active role.
2. Learning process is in the first place instead of content. This helps students to
have deeper knowledge about the content.
3. As Bonwell (1998) mentions failure has a positive point in discovery learning
since learning still has been occurred through failure.
4. Feedback has a vital importance for discovery learning. Feedback helps students
to gain deeper knowledge about the topic.
5. Since students construct their own knowledge in discovery learning, it provides
deeper learning for them.
What educational theories support the discovery learning model?
1. John Dewey: He believes that social interaction is the essential part of learning
and children can better learn when they actively interact with other learners. To
theorize his ideas, Dewey created a Laboratory School. In this school, students
participated active group learning activities including making a playhouse to learn
geometry. With this study, Dewey intended that students would be able learn
better when they were active.
2. Jean Piaget: He believes that children think differently compared to adults and are
born with a basic mental structure. Also, he thinks that children are active learners
and construct a way of the world around their experiences and discoveries.
3. Lev Vygotsky: He highlights the importance of cultural and social influences on
cognitive development. Vygotsky theorized that there is a difference in what a
child can accomplish in isolation and what he or she can accomplish with
assistance (Castronova 2002,4). He theorized his ides with an example of
kindergarten child. Different cultural experiences help the child have large
amount of vocabulary and this child can relate more new content. Vygotsky
believes that social interaction with a good parent or teacher helps student to learn
more.

What is the most important thing you discovered about discovery learning?
The most important thing that I discovered about discovery learning is creating an
available environment for students to construct their own knowledge about the lesson.
While discovery learning allows students make a connection between their past
experiences and newly learned knowledge, it also helps students to actively involved in
the learning process which is resulted in deeper understanding and more knowledge about
the lesson. This is the most important aspect of discovery learning for me because we, as
teachers, mostly concern about creating active learning environment and struggle with
providing long-term knowledge for students. Applying discovery learning strategies
would help us to create active learning environment and students retain knowledge
longer.
How can you apply this method to your future classroom?
In my classes, I have some high-achiever students. I am applying discovery learning
method in my class by giving my instruction to the class in first five minutes and then
students, as groups, start working on their projects. Each student in the groups has
different roles to run the discussion by asking open-ended questions. First of all, they
share answers in the groups and then the group representative shares their groups
outcomes with the whole class. I can improve this method by allowing my students more
time to think their experiences and the new information that they learn in the class.
Another way would be that after they create circuit and built their project, they would ask
more questions about how to make their project better and create more active
environment for them.

Part 2.ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS

Select oneof the following chapters to conduct research: Chapter 2, 3, 5 or 12.
Review the chapter and respond to related questions for that chapter by
conducting your own research.

Chapter 2- Teaching Diverse Students

1. Teaching all students. Remember that a teachers job is to teach all students and
assume an attitude that all students can learn. Research techniques and strategies that can
be used to accomplish this task. Sources of information include the library, the Internet,
current journals, and recent books.

2. Intelligence profile. Evaluate your own intelligence profile according to Gardner. In

what frames of mind (intelligence areas) do you come out strongest?

Chapter 3- Managing Classroom Environment

1. Discipline approaches. Analyze the three approaches to classroom management.

Which approach, if any, do you prefer? Can you put together parts of the different
approaches and come up with an eclectic approach that you think would work for you?
Can you identify some basic concepts that appear to be true of all three approaches?

2. Causes of misbehavior. Think back over the classes you have attended in which
there have been disciplinary incidents. List the possible causes for any such misbehavior.
How might knowledge of the causes of these incidents influence a teachers actions?
Some behavior problems are teacher created and some are student centered. Can you
think of examples?

Chapter 5- Using Classroom Technology

1. How does technology enhance the teachers ability to plan instruction? Use one of the
available search engines to explore the web for technological tools such as lesson
planning software, worksheets and puzzle tools, poster and bulletin board production
tools, and time management tools that will assist you in planning. Share your findings
with your class.

Technology integration in the classroom has become an important part of teaching for
both teachers and students. Classroom dynamics can be change with effective technology
integration in the classroom. Today, students spend their time with technology and
teachers should not ignore this. Technology integration help teachers to keep their notes
and records, make research about the class, develop lessons, and plan instruction. Using
technology in the classroom, teacher can keep students attention alive and with this way,
teacher can provide meaningful learning environment for students.

I my classroom, I have used PowerPoint slides to highlight the important point of the
class. Students can have summary of the main points. I have used some websites which
have a lot of tool to make worksheets, puzzle, quiz, test etc. toolsforeducators.com,
superteachertools.us, postermywall.com are some of them.

2. Technology offers tools that can help students learn. To what technology should
students have access? Do you have any educational concerns about the use of these
technologies in schools? If so, what are they? If not, why not?

All students should have access to the modern technology with computer. Schools may
only have one or two computer labs; however, other classrooms should be built with
Chromebooks or tablets. Schools have to have high speed internet too. Teachers must set
up classroom rules and procedures in the beginning in order to eliminate any cyber
problems. As students have access to all modern technology, teacher must be aware of
harmful side of technology. Students should be well monitored and guided at all time and
in the textbook it is stated that teachers need to encourage students to report
cyberbullying and to monitor what students are writing online in their classes. (Moore,
2012, 107)

I have several concerns about letting students have access to all technology. First of all,
students may have more than enough time in front of computer and they may start
searching irrelative content which may cause social and emotional damages. Another
concern is having unlimited access to the internet that will isolate students from real
world and their families and friends. That is why, school IT managers and parents have to
filter the internet access according to education only.

Chapter 12-Teaching Effective Thinking Strategies

1. Teaching methods. What teaching methods and procedures can be used to improve
students critical thinking abilities? Creative thinking abilities?
2. Thinking. What type of thinking is emphasized in most schools? Is critical thinking
rewarded? Creative thinking? Is school success based on students ability to think
critically? Creatively?
3. The environment. What type of classroom environment would be conducive to
developing critical thinking? Creative thinking? What problems can you foresee in
 establishing this environment?

Part 3. REFERENCES:
Cite at least 5References in APA.
You need to use at least 3 different resources besides Castronova (2002), and
Moore (2015).
You may use http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-journal for citing
your sources in APA style.

References:
Bonwell, C. C. (1998). Active Learning: Energizing the Classroom. Green Mountain
Falls, CO: Active Learning Workshops.

1. Bruner, J. S. (1961). The act of discovery. Harvard educational review.

Bicknell-Holmes, T. & Hoffman, P. S. (2000). Elicit, engage, experience, explore:

Discovery learning in library instruction. Reference Services Review. 28(4), 313-322.

Castronova, Joyce A. (2002). Discovery Learning for the 21st Century: What is it and
how does it compare to traditional learning in effectiveness in the 21st Century? Action
Research Exchange. 1(1), 1-12. Retrieved from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.594.6363&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Moore, K. D. (2012). Effective instructional strategies: from theory to practice. Los

Angeles: Sage Publications.