Strategic Lesson Planning Online

Course Description

This course is designed to assist teachers in public and private schools in creating more effective lesson plans by aligning their plans with their students' learning styles. Lesson plans are a teacher's self-created guide to content presentations that maximize mastery by the student. This course combines meta-analysis with current action research. By combining these two fields of educational research, you will be able to create lesson plans that are both efficient and effective. Research based lesson plans address both today's high standards and the differentiated learning styles of the student. The identification and approach to each of the learning styles presented in the book, The Strategic Teacher by Harvey F. Silver, Richard W. Strong & Matthew J. Perini, will form the foundation for the course. The course will explore the following:

• Direct and indirect instruction
• Reading for meaning
• Concept attainment
• Compare and contrast
• Reciprocal learning
• Decision making
• Task rotation
• Metaphorical Instruction

Objectives

• Create a lesson matrix
• Summarize a command lesson
• Distinguish inductive learning is a critical skill for students to master
• Construct a content appropriate lesson to introduce tinductive learning
• Identify a lesson that would most benefit from the Reading for Meaning statements
• Formulate one question for each of the five Reading for Meaning Statements
• Summarize a Concept Attainment lesson
• Select lessons that lend themselves to a Concept Definition Map
• Select lessons that lend themselves to a Concept Analysis Matrix
• Summarize two lessons that will incorporate of the comparison organizers
• Summarize learning expectations for specific graphic organizers
• Describe the functions of Reciprocal Learning
• Create a lesson incorporating Reciprocal Learning
• Develop an introductory question or statement
• Identify the sources of information available to the students for an introductory question or statement
• Summarize a lesson that can be used with all four learning styles
• Assess the impact of task rotation on high stakes tests
• Create a lesson addressing student weaknesses reflected in standardized tests
• Summarize a review lesson which lends itself to creating a content metaphor or simile
• Create a set of three similes and  three metaphors students could create in your area of instruction
• Discuss the powers and pitfalls of Metaphorical Lessons as part of your instruction

Curriculum Design & Time Requirements

Students will be required to complete a variety of tasks, readings and reports on readings, reflections and the creation of actual lesson plans. Required periodic forum postings foster collegiality and the active exchange of ideas. The is an online sixty-hour, three credit graduate level course taught over a thirteen-week period.

Hardware & Computer Skill Requirements

Students may use either a Macintosh computer or a PC with Windows 2000 or higher. Students should possess basic word processing skills and have internet access with an active e-mail account. Students also are expected to have a basic knowledge of how to use a Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Safari, Mozilla Firefox etc.

Course Materials

The required text for this course is The Strategic Teacher, by Harvey F. Silver, Richard W. Strong, Matthew J. Perini. Published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. A variety of readings, graphs and charts will be referenced throughout the course. In addition, participants will be directed to several web-sites that will provide them with a greater breadth of understanding. Students will also receive a student guide.

Session Outline

Session 1: Introduction and Overview, Direct Instruction: Modeling and Practice
Contents:

1. Master the four phase process for maximizing instruction
2. Plan a direct instructional lesson
3. Utilize the command strategy

Session 2: Inductive Instruction: Key Concept Identification
Contents:

1. Teach identification & categorization
2. Determine methods of grouping
3. Plan an inductive learning lesson

Session 3: Reading for Meaning: Ten Key Statements
Contents:

1. Prepare focused guiding statements                                   
2. Support, preview, predict & identify strategies

Session 4: Concept Attainment: Conceptual Clarity
Contents:

1. Identify key concepts
2. Recognize critical attributes

Session 5: Compare and Contrast: Four Organizers
Contents:

1. Identify similarities and differences
2. Facilitate the use of Comparison Organizers

Session 6: Reciprocal Learning: Peer Problem Solving
Contents:

1. Initiate student pairing
2. Enhance learning through peer coaching

Session 7: Decision Making: Questions, Dilemmas, and Situations
Contents:

1. Enable informed decision making
2. Apply decisions
3. Organize ideas and testing conclusions

Session 8: Task Rotation: Differentiated Presentations
Contents:

1. Objectives: Identify dominant learning styles
2. Differentiate assessment
3. Rotate teaching styles

Session 9: Creating the Lesson Plan: Selecting the Strategy
Contents:

1. Engage multiple styles simultaneously
2. Build reflective skills through note taking
3. Increase meaningful discussions

Session 10: Metaphorical Instruction: Self-Expressive Learning
Contents:

1. Encourage making connections and comparisons
2. Stimulate reflection on past experience and knowledge
3. Optimize the introspective use of vocabulary
4. Improve comprehension through the use of similes and metaphors

Grading

		Assignment	Points			Grading Scale
		Forum Participation	15			100 – 93	A
		Reflections	75			92 – 85	B
		Final Lesson Plan	10			84 – 77	C
		Total Points	110

Student Requirements

	1.	Forum Activities - In the course you will be asked to post items in the "Forum." Not all module assignments require a forum posting.  For those that do, you must post your reflection or requested response in the forum to share with your classmates. You are asked to post your reflection or requested response to the module assignment. Additionally, send the instructor your reflection and/or requested response.  The purpose of the Forum Posting is to share your work with your classmates and to respond to at least two of your classmates Forum Postings.
	2.	Reflections - At the conclusion of each module there are assignments that you are asked to complete. Direct any questions regarding module assignments to your instructor.
	3.	Final Requirement - You will create a lesson plan based on the research and strategies identified in the course content.

Student Academic Integrity

Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.

Register

To register to take TEI's Strategic Lesson Planning Online course, go to the Course Registration page.