Perspectives on Instructional Decision Making

 Perspectives on Instructional Decision Making 

Developmental Perspective 

Piaget's Developmental Stages 

This is a very popular teaching model for its developmental approach. Piaget's model suggests that there are four periods of development: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operations.Sensorimotor: Birth to 2 years old 

Preoperational: 2 to 8 years old 

Concrete Operational: 8 to 11 years old 

Formal Operational: 11 to 15 years old 

The Formal Operational stage is what some people call the "thinking and analyzing stage" which is theory is where middle-schoolers should be at before entering high-school. However, studies have shown that a bulk of those students are still in the Concrete Operational stage. Piaget's model are not fixed on age level or grades, but is more so an generalization, and the stages most likely overlap. 

If a teacher chooses to follow this theory when teaching, the teacher must consider age and individual appropriateness. 

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Vygotsky's Socially Mediated Learning 

Vygotsky's models is based on the theory that intellectual growth centers not on developmental stages but on what he terms the zone of proximal development and on patterns of social interaction. 

Important Terms

• Schema: a mental scaffold for learning, made up of previously learned concepts to which new concepts are attached.
• Zone of Proximal Development: The difference between the intellectual level a child can reach on his or her own and the level that can be reached with expert assistance.

If a teacher chooses to use this theory as their basis for their decision making, then it is important to consider where their students are intellectually, and with that plan out their lessons. 

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Behavioral Perspective 

The behavioral perspective provides a theoretical foundation for many approaches to teaching and curriculum construction. 

Direct Instruction 

Direct Instruction is also called "whole-group" or "teacher-led" instruction. This kind of instruction is more about student's focusing and remaining on task and factual knowledge; this provides students with few choices and it more big-group centered rather than small-group centered.

Benefits of Direct Instruction

1. Information is given to the class at the same time and in the same way.
2. Attention is focused on the teacher.
3. This process is good when there are time constraints. 
4. Teacher can focus on the learning objectives.
5. There is less preparation required on the teacher's part. 
6. The students are all doing the same thing.

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Programmed Instruction

Programmed Instruction is used when technology is heavily utilized in the classroom; this is built on the premise that information can be imparted to students in small "doses" and reinforcement for correct answers are immediately given. 

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Cognitive Perspective 

There are two overall goals when learning about Cognitive Perspective. One goal is for the teacher to teach in such a way that their student's thinking goes beyond factual information. The second goal involves the teacher providing effective learning experiences for the students so that the students are in a position where they can teach themselves. 

Principles of Cognitive Model of Instruction 

1. Students are educated through active learning and problem solving. 
2. More than one learning strategies are utilized.
3. Responsibility for learning is on the students NOT teacher.
4. Teacher determines rate of learning. 
5. Teacher has to make instructional decisions.