Learning+Model+Article

// Researched and Written by: Amy Beckman, Kelsey Foster, Whitney Hergert & Ashley Troha // Part of the job of a teacher is to be able to approach teaching a subject in new, innovative ways. In the field of education there are many learning models to learn about and experiment with. This article will be describing and comparing only two of those models: Action Research and the Cone of Experience. Action Research is a group oriented learning model that promotes the improvement of ways students approach problem solving. Action Research was developed in the 1940’s and is used by teachers not only for problem solving purposes, but for social purposes as well, as students are usually working in groups to solve a problem. Below is a graphic organizer that illustrates the Action Research process: The procedure for Action Research is as follows: Students must identify the problem, and the problem and the solution must be proven with evidence. After identifying the problem, students must create three to five questions that address student population, the desired result, and the strategies for achieving that result. Next students must review relative literature to their problem and strategy; students should be reminded that their research should go from general to specific. Students will design a methodology that will include which data they want to use, how that data will be collected, and a timeline for data collection must be included. After data collection students will analyze it, and create a plan for future research. Finally, students will share their results with their classmates. The Cone of Experience was developed by Edgar Dale. The idea behind the Cone of Experience is that students retain more information when they are actively involved in their learning. The graphic organizer below illustrates Dale’s interpretation of student learning: The chart breaks down methods of instruction and ranks them by retention level, which also coincides with the students' involvement. At the top of the pyramid, lecture, the student has very little involvement, passively listening to a speaker reeling off information. At the highest level of retention, you also find the highest level of student involvement. When a student teaches a concept to a different student they have to have a thorough knowledge of all the parts of that concept in order to make it easy to understand. Dale provides a very clear outline of ways to plan a lesson and what parts of the teacher should put emphasis on. For example, if students only remember twenty percent of what they read and ninety percent of what they do, then there should be more students doing things in the classroom than sitting in their desks reading. The benefits of using the Action Research method in the classroom are that it is a less formal model of student learning and it is flexible. This method can be executed by one or more teachers, and is beneficial for groups of two or more students. It can be used for a short amount of time or it can be used for longer lessons. The disadvantages of using Action Research are that the problem must be limited to only one variable. If less than two students in a group are used for this method, the teacher may not be sure of the effectiveness of using this approach in larger groups. The benefits of using the Cone of Experience are that is immediate reference, and there is a direct link to student involvement, which increases student engagement and retention. The drawbacks of this method are that there is no definitive research done on Dale’s claims, and variables can exist when there is no set timeframe between pre-testing and post-testing while researching the effect of one method. Both the Cone of Experience method and the Action Research method work well as tools for lesson planning. The difference is that Action Research is an ongoing process that would need to be completed before implementing any findings and the Cone of Experience can be used as an immediate reference. Though both have their flaws, they also provide a good jumping off place to refine instruction and learning in the classroom. __ References:  __ // Action Research // (2008, October 7). Retrieved October 8, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_research Lalley, James P., and Robert H. Miller. "THE LEARNING PYRAMID: DOES IT POINT TEACHERS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?." //Education// 128, no. 1 (Fall2007 2007): 64-79. //Education Research Complete//, EBSCO//host// (accessed October 2, 2008). Ross-Fisher, Roberta. "Action Research to Improve Teaching and Learning." //Kappa Delta Pi Record// 44, no. 4 (Summer2008 2008): 160-164. //Education Research Complete//, EBSCO//host// (accessed October 2, 2008).
 * Action Research & the Cone of Experience: A Comparative Article **