Certain Basic Principles to Remember...

Socio-constructivism
There are, however certain basic principles to remember. You have probably heard these over and over again throughout the implementation of the reform. All of the learning scenarios are to be constructivist in nature and moreover they are designed to be socio-constructivist. If they sometimes fail in this, we are sure that you will reconstruct the learning scenarios. There are some questions that we may ask ourselves as teachers to lead us more closely in creating socio-constructivist learning scenarios for our students. The focal point of all student learning in the QEP is the construction of his/her World-View:

With this in mind, the questions might be directed in the following manner:

Are my students examining their initial views of the Iroquois society?
Are they evaluating where these views come from and how they were formed? i.e. what influences their views
Are my students continually reevaluating these views?
Are they exchanging ideas and viewpoints?
In contexts of discussions (penpals, e-mail, videos...) with others of this society are they celebrating the differences and similarities to their own lives?
Are my students having many opportunities to discover ideas, take positions and express them?
Do my students have occassions when they are asked to consider the way that they are constructing their views and perspectives?
Are they given chances to observe facts, situations and events from various viewpoints?
Are they given opportunities to compare viewpoints with their classmates so as to develop their critical judgements?
Are they given chances to test their model of the world against that of others?

For these types of socioconstrutivist learning scenarios to develop our students must :

• become aware of their opinions and attitudes
• reflect on their experiences and those of others
• discuss ideas
• form and then reformulate ways of going about learning
  

The learning scenarios need to ask students to find relevant information;organize it; use, present and evaluate procedures; analyze problems and make attempts at finding solutions as well as evaluating steps taken; develop plans, create procedures and reflect upon these; interact with others and evaluate these interactions; plan tasks with others and evaluate products, interactions and procedures. These socioconstructivist designs are entrenched in metacognitive activities. Learners need to be in continuous phases of exploration, construction and reflection. The examining of what we know and how we go about knowing is not new but the time we have our children involved in these activities are. It's just a fact of any pedagogy, especially a socio-constructivist pedagogy.

Cross-curricular

The learning scenarios are cross-curricular and should encompass these competencies above all. These are in fact the basics and the reason for having scenarios in the subject domain such as this one- History, Geography and Citizenship Education.

The learning scenarios need to embed :

• using information
• solving problems
• exercising critical judgement
• being creative
• using effective work methods
• using information and communication technology
• developing personality
• working with others
• communicating
  

For example, as students are learning to represent change and events on a timeline, they might explore a variety of ways to represent the passing of time and recording of events. The activity is thus placed in a problem solving context. Planning their timeline, choosing materials and continually entering into dialogue with peers and teacher would develop methodological competencies. Representing this information in a visual and / or media text as well as communicating elements of the process and the product would develop competencies in both cross-curricular and subject domains.

Other ways of representing information by posters, bookmarks, art, music, dance, drama, writing, graphing, etc. can be explored in the learning scenarios that you create. The cross-curricular competencies of problem solving, using information, communicating, using technology, etc. are to be at the core of these learning experiences and in our evaluations of this learning.

Evaluation

Both you and your students need to determine what criteria will determine which competencies and to what extent they have been achieved. For this evaluation and self-evaluation to take place requires planning before the actual activities begin. Children need many opportunities to reflect upon their choices that they make throughout the activities as well as the products that they create. Placing children in situations where they have to present and describe their work, and defend their ideas affords them occassions to get perceptions of what others see in the work that they've done. This reflection can bring about revisions-that which is imperative in the learning process.

Children reflect upon their learning as we place them in activities that ask them to look back on their work in authentic workshop style.

These are a few questions that lead to this reflective learning and evaluating.

Coining the Concept of 'RE'

After having many discussions with teachers over the past year regarding the concepts of the reform, I have come to a landing on a particular concept that I have decided to coin as the ' RE' concept. Over the past twenty years teachers have designed themes, units and learning activities for chidren that have delighted, informed and taught them. In a one year time span and with so many programs, texts, and materials to 'cover' it seemed difficult to return to concepts and skills to review, revise, reconsider and reconstruct - that which is at the heart of the now two year cycle of learning. In all of the learning scenarios offered in this project it will be essential to include this concept of ' RE'. Those that know me will be familiar with this next statement. As much time that is given to the actual activity is as much time that will be required to relook, reevaluate, reflect, redesign, recontruct, and reaffirm notions, ideas, skills, concepts, understandings and knowledge.

Starting From the Child

Starting from the child is in no way a new concept for teachers and in the context of the on-going devlopment of World-View it is especially pertinent. Our students can be lead to understanding the whole notion of history from their own histories or as we call it in our learning scenarios 'used-to-be'. Adding their parents and grandparents histories provides personal connection and significance while children create a timeline of their and their families' past. Involving the children in constructing their knowledge of their past, connecting it to their parents and then their grandparents will assist these young children in their understanding of timelines and historical change. Children might then begin to explore other societies and their relationship to change.

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