Context-Based Instruction and Multimedia

The past few weeks have been filled with readings on "context-based" instruction methods.  These instruction methods include:  Goal Based Scenarios, Anchored Instruction Environments, the (Software Technology for Action and Reflection) STAR Legacy Model and (Multimedia Environments that Support and Organize Texts) MOST multimedia environments.

Comparing and Contrasting the Methods

Each of these instructional models have a huge emphasis on story-telling and the story is the driving factor to motivate students in each.  The way stories are used differs with each model however.  The MOST model is a tool to teach reading and uses multimedia to help tell stories.  Further, it has students retell stories, often to puppets as a way to motivate students and teach more advanced reading skills rather than simple decoding.  Meanwhile, GBS uses story as a way to set the learner up in a role-play scenario.  Then, Anchored Instruction uses story to provide the students with relevant data to problem solve.  Finally, the STAR legacy model uses story to show conflicting viewpoints which force the learner into deeper thinking.

There is also a huge focus with each of these forms of learning to provide students with learning that is relevant to the future and combines multiple skills.  These are very rigorous programs that require students to step out of their comfort zone and think about problems in ways that are relevant to real life situations.  There is also a huge emphasis on "doing" with each of these models.  The "doing" in each of these models is mostly done in acquiring the skills needed to carry out the overarching objective.

Assessment and feedback is another factor with each of these that is both similar and different at the same time.  Each of these programs gives multiple opportunities for feedback and three (MOST being the odd one out) seek to give students a "just in time" set of information that informs the student before major decisions are required.  The STAR Legacy model goes as far as incorporating actual formal assessment in form of tests and quizzes with their "Test Your Mettle" approach, which was most likely due to Vanderbilt's experience with Anchored Instruction and their feedback from teachers with the Jasper series.  GBS provides most of its feedback in the form of a coaching or matching your performance with a real world example.  MOST model students would primarily receive teacher feedback but there was a mention of possible community and family involvement that would also inform the students as to their performance.  It's also important to remember that MOST was targeted at young children.  While the other models were for middle school age students or even adults.

Reactions

Goal Based Scenarios

I believe GBS to be an excellent way to teach and I really feel like education is moving in this

direction.  Schank's assertion that experience is the best teacher is spot on and I've often found

myself wishing for apprenticeship situations for students as soon as middle school so that students could build an understanding of why school is relevant.  The primary benefit I see to this method lies in showing students that school is relevant and with the ever increasing dropout  rate this is a much needed answer.  This method also takes into account how people learn, reason and remember so it works with our natural learning styles rather than against.  The problem I see with this method is "scope" and development.  I think it would be difficult for a lone teacher to oversee the development of a solid GBS program.  There are so many possible solutions or consequences it really requires a team of experts and usually teachers are a far cry from being an expert even in their major field. 

There are a number of new tools that might help make this work.  First, there's research/bookmarking tools like Delicious and Diigo to help catalog case studies.  Second, Vimeo could be used to deliver the Cover Story.  Further, Moodle or other CMS software could help to catalog and track progress.  Finally, collaboration tools could enable teacher to plan such units with help of other teachers and even allow contact with experts in a field.

Would I use this in class?  Absolutely if these scenarios were provided by a third party.  I think the occasional GBS in my class might happen but the amount of work would prohibit its regular use, not to mention my lack of expertise across domains.  Maybe this is where professional learning communities can help in the future.

Anchored Instruction and STAR Legacy Model

I chose to cover these two together because I really feel STAR Legacy to be the successor to Anchored Instruction.  From my readings, I felt like the STAR Legacy model refined everything that went right with Anchored and took it a step further.  The benefits to Anchored Instruction and STAR both are they're group oriented, cross curricular, provides real world examples, works like PBL and they each help students develop a deep understanding of the source material. 

The primary barrier I see to use in these models lies in the amount of planning involved initially.  Both of these require a "problem" to be solved that isn't simple and can have multiple solutions.  The problems in the Jasper series required a 14step process to fully overcome and STAR has a spiral of deeper learning where you constantly spiral deeper into topics.  This planning clearly pays off in increased motivation from students and the type of learning experienced but it is a lot to ask of an individual teacher. 

I think the materials mentioned in both these models would be an awesome addition to my classroom and I would readily use them.  I think I could use the Jasper series to help teach science although it was primarily a math focused lesson.  The biggest problem I see with my current students lies in how to orient them to the group assignments.  My students are very social which helps them get along well with one another but keeping them on task is a problem.  The nature of these two models is one where my students might drift off task if left too much to their own devices.

I can see many new tools helping promote these models.  For instance, I could see Prezi or other presentation software helping students record their "legacy" projects.  YouTube would be an excellent way to store and playback video so that students could easily review clips.  Bookmarking tools could also be of use here to help students in their research.

MOST Environments

The MOST model is the one that I think might be the most needed of all these models.  I have noticed over the years that many students are very good at decoding but they have no comprehension skills.  This problem follows students the rest of their careers because it is often hard for teachers to identify the "weak" readers when decoding isn't the problem and then to help gain the necessary skills once identified.  This isn't just in at-risk schools either.  Teaching with the MOST model would help ensure students are able to comprehend what they read in addition to being able to call the words. 

The primary barrier I see to the MOST model is time.  In order to spread the MOST model across to more students it would require many more helpers in the classroom.  Teachers could not do this alone in a classroom and today in education teacher assistants are often being cut from budgets.  I think the barrier here would be solved by adding personnel. 

As for using the MOST model in my class, I could see a way to implement it although I'm a middle school teacher.  This might be a good way to teach history.  Students could learn historical factual stories and through retelling of the stories obtain a deeper understanding of the material.  The tools I think would be most useful here are things like Storybird or even a simple video recorder like the FLIP cam.  I would recommend other movie making programs like Windows Moviemaker or iMovie but I fear the primary audience of young students might find these difficult to master.

Conclusion

Goal Based Solutions, Anchored Instruction, STAR Legacy Model and MOST Environments are all constructivist theory based models.  Each have an emphasis on using stories to provide context for the information being taught.  The goal in each of these models is for students to be able to apply their learning to real life situations and therefore each of these models have a focus on "doing" activities to acquire knowledge rather than lecture.  These models emphasize rigor, meaning that each of these methods will force students to use acquire and apply numerous skills to demonstrate their mastery of material.  The differences mostly have to do with the structure of lessons, the way story telling is used, and the way feedback is given.