Week3 reflection-Evidence-based teaching and Jigsaw strategy

Course Overview

The third lecture was so informative that it forced me to spend more time absorbing it. At the beginning of the class after reviewing the theories from the previous class, the lecturer summarised some of the students' blog features from the first week and invited us to share some blog writing experiences on the stage. The lecturer introduced us to the teaching strategy of Evidence-based teaching (EBT). Based on the knowledge of EBD, we carried out the top 6 strategies showcase.

Evidence-based teaching

The lecturer introduced teaching strategies of EBT, which refers to pedagogical techniques and tools that have been proven through rigorous experimentation to promote learning (Schwartz & Gurung, 2012). Geoff Petty combined the works of Hattie and Marzano and concluded that the highest effective six strategies are graphic organizer, manipulative, reciprocal teaching, interactive teaching, assessment for learning and cooperative learning.

Of these, the graphic organiser is the most influential and effective. Graphic outlines are quite common in our daily learning, including mind maps, flow charts and Venn diagrams. Casteleyn et al. (2013) stated graphic organisers were a good way to help students to summarise what they have learned and to understand the interrelationships between the aspects of what have been taught to them. I also noticed that our lecturer is very fond of using charts and graphs in her teaching,especially she preferred to start the lectures with diagrams to review what we had learnt in the previous lesson. For example, at the beginning of this lesson, she took us through the dialogic patterns in the process of metacognitive facilitation between teachers and students which we learned in the last lecture with the help of diagrams.

 Upon my first interaction with the notion of EBT, I was amazed by the effectiveness and ingenuity of this pedagogical approach. Initially, I had the belief that due to the unique nature of each student, instructors should possess the ability to tailor their teachings in order to accommodate their diverse requirements. However, in most cases, teachers have limited energy and time, tailoring their teaching to the needs of students can be difficult to achieve to some extent. I was also profoundly perplexed about how to instruct a larger class. EBT has provided me with new insights. Whilst many factors may be beyond the control of any single teacher, it is significant that teachers control what they can - one such variable being the teaching methods they utilise in the classroom (Dunn et al., 2013). Similarly, I cannot predict the types of pupils I will have in my future classroom or the contingencies that may arise. However, I can determine which empirical and effective teaching strategies I will employ. EBT is tried-and-true instructional method that are effective in any classroom. One of the most significant advantages of using EBT is its ability to eliminate uncertainty when implementing novel approaches within my prospective educational setting. I am able to make informed decisions about curriculum design, instructional strategies, and assessment techniques.

Jigsaw strategy 

When the top six teaching strategies of EBD were mentioned, the lecturer asked each member in the group to select one strategy. As we were assigning roles and starting to discuss, the lecturer suddenly asked us to be separated for Jigsaw. To be honest, as an ELL, this was also the first time I had seen the word jigsaw. Faced with the instruction of a brand-new word, I was chaotic at that moment and didn't understand what was going on. Luckily, the lecturer then explained that she would pick students with the same strategy from different groups to form a new group.

In the traditional group model, each group is assigned a specific task which is solved through collaborative discussion among group members. In educational settings where the Jigsaw method is used, students are assigned to groups and assume the role of "experts" in their respective topics. They delve deeper and comprehend their part of the material. Following the acquisition of expertise in their individual areas, students reconstitute themselves into Jigsaw groups. Every Jigsaw group includes an expert from each of the initial groups. These mixed groups collaborate to ensure that all members possess a full comprehension of the whole of the subject matter. For instance, in the context of assessments for learning (AFL), it would be needed to form a distinct cohort of students from various teams who have selected the same topic. In the new team, the whole process of collaboration proceeded smoothly, we went through the sources together and edited collaboratively in the Drive document. Omar emphasised the importance of AFL and his own sense of experience. Meanwhile, Shiwei frequently referred to the components of assessment for learning. As a result of engaging in collaborative conversations, I acquired a more comprehensive comprehension of AFL. Consequently, when rejoining my first group, I endeavoured to disseminate the information I had acquired.

Both the Jigsaw strategy and zone of proximal development (ZPD) are related to social interaction in the learning process, emphasising a learner performs with the assistance of a more knowledgeable person. The Jigsaw strategy provided a chance for students must collaborate, instruct, and learn from their peers (Doymus, 2007). Because of the collaborative nature of Jigsaw, students must engage in conversation with a variety of peers. Within the group, it is expected that an individual would assume the responsibility of the more knowledgeable other. They can receive assistance and guidance from these more knowledgeable individuals. Therefore, the Jigsaw strategy coincides with the core of scaffolded learning. Similarly, Nordlof (2014) pointed out that in scaffolding instruction, a more experienced party offers support or scaffolds to aid the learner's progress. The more competent person provides the scaffolds so that the students may perform activities with assistance that they would otherwise be unable to do, assisting the students through the ZPD.

References

Casteleyn, J., Mottart, A., & Valcke, M. (2013). The impact of graphic organisers on learning from presentations. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 22(3), 283–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939x.2013.784621

Doymus, K. (2007). Teaching Chemical Equilibrium with the Jigsaw Technique. Research in Science Education, 38(2), 249–260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-007-9047-8

Dunn, D. S., Saville, B. K., Baker, S. C., & Marek, P. (2013). Evidence-based teaching: Tools and techniques that promote learning in the psychology classroom. Australian Journal of Psychology, 65(1), 5–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12004

Nordlof, J. (2014). Vygotsky, scaffolding, and the role of theory in writing center work. The Writing Center Journal, 45-64. 

Raymond, E. (2000). Cognitive characteristics: Learners with mild disabilities. Needham Heights: Allyn& Bacon Com. 

Schwartz, B. M., & Gurung, R. A. R. (Eds.). (2012). Evidence-based teaching for higher education. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/13745-000