Throughout this Web site we have tried to provide instructors
and students with a variety of different strategies to better understand the
information provided in
Psychology Applied to Teaching. One such strategy
is the use of debates. Debates allow instructors and students to 1) articulate
their views on controversial issues, 2) justify their views with relevant
and supportive information, and 3) compare and contrast their views with others.
Debates can be used in a variety of different ways. As a
result, we have included two different sets of debates on this site. The first
set contains six general debates that apply to one or more chapters from
Psychology
Applied to Teaching. These debates are more formal in nature and are designed
to take at least one class session—as a one-time in-class activity or as part
of an instructional assignment. If they are used as an assignment, students
could conduct research on the debate topic and then write a paper, building
their argument for the debate. Another assignment option could follow an in-class
debate session with students writing a reflection paper on both the pro and
con positions plus a personal position on the debate topic. The second set
contains chapter-specific debates. These debates, which consist primarily
of controversial topics, are designed for brief, in-class discussions that
support lecture and text information.
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SET 1: GENERAL DEBATES
With the first set of debates, we provide some additional
resources to assist in their use. We present a
student template that can be used by both instructors
and students. Instructors can use this template as an assignment for students
to complete prior to a debate, while students can use this template to help
them prepare their positions for a debate.
Student Template
- Pose a statement identifying the two sides of the
debate. [List one or two statements that reflect the main topic(s)
for debate.]
- Choose one side of the debate. [Write down the position
— side 1 or side 2 — that you choose or are assigned; include any
notes or ideas that might help get you started.]
- Prepare an argument for your side of the debate.
[List your main arguments in order of importance, and then outline
the main areas of support for each argument.]
- List your resources. [List the resources (textbook,
journal articles, Internet resources, etc.) that you used in your
arguments; then evaluate the resources as to their value for your
argument.]
- Present your argument. [Present the main points
of your argument, orally or in written form, making sure you cite
your resources for added support.]
- Reflect on your presentation and the presentations
of others. [Evaluate your presentation as to its effectiveness; also,
if possible, think about how the arguments of others might challenge
or support your arguments.]
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Second, we provide a
debate outline to assist in the actual presentation of
the debate. Obviously, there are many different ways to present a debate.
This is just one option.
Debate Outline - Begin the debate activity by presenting the chosen
debate statement. [The topic(s) for the debate statement can either
be student generated or selected from those topics already prepared
by the teacher.]
- Two groups, side 1 and side 2, should be created
to assist in the construction of arguments. [Students can choose or
be assigned to the two sides of the debate. Once this decision has
been made, students can be put into either several small groups or
two large groups per class.]
- The two groups should be given time to prepare their
statements for the debate.
- The two groups should present their initial arguments,
allowing each group to completely present their argument before the
next group presents.
- The two groups should be allowed time to construct
rebuttal arguments. [Depending on time and how formal the debate is,
this time could either be several minutes or several days.]
- The two groups should present rebuttal arguments.
- The entire class should then do a debriefing session.
[This is where the instructor engages the class in discussion about
the points made. It also gives the instructor an opportunity to bring
out critical content that may not have been addressed in the student
debates.]
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In addition to the two templates provided here, the formal
debates include a list of the relevant chapters, a list of objectives, some
supplemental materials, and a list of suggested debate topics.
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DEBATE 1: The Value of Educational
Psychology
Relevant Chapters
- Chapter 1: Applying Psychology to Teaching
- Chapter 15: Becoming a Better Teacher by Becoming a Reflective
Teacher
Objectives
- Students will develop an understanding of the breadth
of content included in the field of educational psychology.
- Students will develop an understanding of the relationship
between educational psychology and the teaching profession.
- Students will exchange their views on the value of educational
psychology in teacher education programs.
- Students will construct pro and con arguments regarding
the value educational psychology provides for the teaching profession.
Materials
This is a conversation between Lucy and Craig, two undergraduate students
in the teacher education program. They are discussing their introductory
educational psychology course.
Lucy
Craig, I don't get it! I don't think the educational psychology course
that we all have to take is doing me any good for my teaching. I think
it's a total waste of time. I want to be a math teacher, so all I should
be studying should be math. I think that if I have a good grasp of the
content and become an expert mathematician, then I'll automatically
become a good math teacher. What do you think?
Craig
Well, since it is a required course it must be important.
Lucy
OK, what part of the course do you think is important? We are not even
being taught how to teach. Instead, the course is all about theories
of learning and development, and I really don't see how they are related
to my future classroom teaching. Besides, I'm a natural teacher. My
mother is a teacher, and she says that people are either born to be
a teacher or they are not. People who become good teachers are just
good at teaching. I've been a camp leader in the past and I have tutored
younger children in math and they have all liked me, so I know that
I am a good teacher.
Craig
I'm not sure, but aren't those theories in learning and development
that we read about and discussed in our educational psychology course
going to be somehow useful? Don't you think that they could become tools
for us in the future to better understand students having difficulty
in our classroom? For example, you know that I want to be a history
teacher, right? So if a student of mine was having difficulty memorizing
the dates of major events in World War II, maybe I could talk with him
or her and create a series of mnemonics for the student to remember
dates for his or her test. I didn't know about mnemonics until I heard
about it in my educational psychology class when we were on the topic
of cognitivism. I mean, I knew that they existed, since I learned "Roy
G. Biv" for the colors of the rainbow in middle school science.
But I didn't know until much later that it was actually an effective
method for memorizing information because of how our memory works. I
think that this is a pretty neat thing to be aware of as a teacher.
Lucy
I don't know. It might be neat, but I think that I can still be a good
teacher without ever learning educational psychology. |
Suggested Debate Statements
- Educational psychology is a scientific discipline that
is concerned with understanding and improving how students acquire a variety
of capabilities through formal instruction. It should help teachers to understand
students' physical, social, emotional, and intellectual differences, as
well as their motivational states, self-esteem, and test results. Therefore,
it is a very important field for helping teachers become better at what
they do.
- Teaching is a dynamic decision-making process; teachers
will be greatly aided by learning a systematic, objective framework for
making decisions. The research methods on teaching in educational psychology
can provide that framework for teachers.
- Many secondary students want to be content experts. Theory
courses detract from the time available to become such experts. For the
past hundred years, educators have continued to fail to find convincing
evidence of why educational psychology is important. It is time for teacher
education to become more practical.
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DEBATE 2: Constructivism, Behaviorism, and Information-Processing
Theory
Relevant Chapters
- Chapter 7: Behavioral and Social Learning Theories
- Chapter 8: Information-Processing Theory
- Chapter 9: Constructivist Learning Theory, Problem Solving,
and Transfer
- Chapter 10: Approaches to Instruction
Objectives
- Students will develop an understanding of the differences
in the theoretical approaches of constructivism, behaviorism, and information-processing
theory.
- Students will develop an understanding of the relationship
between theory and instructional approach.
- Students will exchange understandings of theory and approach
of constructivism, behaviorism, and information-processing theory.
- Students will construct pro and con arguments related
to theory and instructional approaches of constructivism, behaviorism, and
information-processing theory.
Materials
This is a conversation between Peter and Alice, two undergraduate students
in the teacher education program. They are discussing their introductory
educational psychology course.
Peter
Alice, so what do you think about Maggie's being a constructivist? [Maggie
is the instructor of their introductory educational psychology course.]
Alice
What do you mean? Are you talking about how different this course is
from other courses?
Peter
Yeah. I mean the way Maggie emphasizes that there is no single correct
answer as long as we can justify our thoughts on an issue.
Alice
Well, I think that her instructional approach is following her theoretical
beliefs quite well. She wants us to become good problem solvers, and
in order to do that she encourages us to do research to find multiple
perspectives related to an educational issue, and develop our own perspective
from them.
Peter
That's not what I mean. Don't you think that it's such a hassle being
a student in Maggie's class? I can never tell what she really wants
us to do, and I don't know what to do to get an "A." I wish
that she were a behaviorist or an information-processing theorist so
she would be much clearer on what is right or wrong. I want to know
what the right answer is in class and just practice that at home, so
I can get a good grade on the test. Maggie does not even have objective
tests in her class. I don't think that she is really doing her job if
she does not even test us on what we know. Besides, when I become a
classroom teacher, I don't think I would have time to wait till my students
discover what is right or wrong. It is so much easier just to tell them
and have them learn from reinforcements and memorization. I don't want
my students to question what I say and start thinking that there may
be alternative explanations to what I am teaching them.
Alice
But isn't that the whole point about constructivism? When students graduate
from school, they quickly learn that the world does not necessarily
work in the way that they learned about in school. That's why we want
to try out instructional approaches such as project-based learning,
problem-based learning, and cooperative learning, so our students will
learn that they are responsible for pursuing a plausible explanation
of an issue through information sharing, research, and their own logical
reasoning.
Peter
Oh well, I guess. |
Suggested Debate Statements
- Constructivist instructional approaches are time-consuming
and too cumbersome to design and manage; therefore, it is far more beneficial
for both students and teachers to use behaviorist or cognitive instructional
approaches.
- Theorists claim that constructivism, behaviorism, and
information-processing theory are not compatible with one another. Thus,
classroom teachers ought to choose which single theoretical position they
are going to buy in to when designing their lessons and choosing what type
of instructional approach to take.
- Given that constructivism seems to be the wave of the
future, teacher education programs would be better off if all teachers took
the same approach as Maggie.
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DEBATE 3: Human Intelligence
Relevant Chapters
- Chapter 4: Understanding Student Differences
- Chapter 5: Addressing Cultural and Socioeconomic Diversity
- Chapter 6: Accommodating Student Variability
- Chapter 14: Understanding and Using Standardized Tests
Objectives
- Students will develop an understanding of traditional
theories of human intelligence.
- Students will develop an understanding of the relationship
between human intelligence and standardized test scores.
- Students will exchange understanding of intelligence and
standardized test scores with other students.
- Students will construct pro and con arguments of the implications
of the use of intelligence theories in the classroom.
Materials
Letter from the Jacksonville School Board
Dear Teachers of the Jacksonville School District,
The school board has been discussing the issue of our students' low
standardized test scores for the past several years. The school board
views this as a very serious issue, and we have now come to an agreement
that we need to take desperate measures to provide students with an
education that will enhance their achievement scores. Our schools must
focus on educating intelligent students and providing them with the
opportunities to excel in various academic areas.
We will have to make changes in our schools. We need to emphasize the
basic skills in math, English, and science. If our student test scores
do not show improvement in the next two years, we may have to rethink
our priorities and decrease the amount of hours our students spend in
art, music, and physical education. Nurturing our students' intelligence
is our top priority. The school board unanimously agrees that every
minute our students spend within a classroom for basic skills is extremely
important and must be our primary concern.
We also need to become aware that each student has different needs.
Students with great potential need to be given the best environment
for their further academic development. We must refine our tracking
system so that each student will be placed in the most appropriate level
according to his or her intellectual potential.
This change may involve hard work, but we educators are responsible
for providing school environments that will enable our students to excel,
and provide remedial help for those who are in need. We will be hosting
an open forum on February 16, 2003, on this issue at the Jacksonville
Community Health Center from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. If you have an opinion
on the planned reforms, please attend the forum.
Louise Chase
Jacksonville School Board Chair |
Suggested Debate Statements
- Given that IQ reflects a student's ability to act purposefully,
rationally, and effectively in academic tasks in a classroom, it is the
most reliable and valid measure to use for tracking students into appropriate
ability-level classrooms.
- IQ scores and standardized test scores are correlated;
therefore, if students are suffering from low standardized test scores,
it is the school's responsibility to eliminate all extracurricular programs
in their curriculum to free up funding for the basic skills courses that
are tested in the standardized tests.
- Jacksonville Schools are located in a low SES part of
the city with traditionally low standardized test scores; thus, teachers
can use educational psychology theories to help teach children skills that
would raise their test scores.
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DEBATE 4: Information-Age School
Relevant Chapters
- Chapter 10: Approaches to Instruction
- Chapter 11: Motivation
Objectives
- Students will develop an awareness of the current trend
in education to build information-age schools.
- Students will develop an understanding of the interaction
between the use of technology and learning.
- Students will construct pro and con arguments regarding
information-age schools.
Materials
The following is a transcript of the first two minutes of a lecture
that Professor Linda Techgood made when she was invited to the University
of Alpha to speak on information-age schools. She is a well-known professor
and has spent the last three years of her career working with K-12 schools
that are interested in incorporating technology into their curriculum.
Lecture Transcript
Lecturer: Professor Techgood
Title: Information-Age Schools Possible
Currently, the need for information-age schools has been documented
by educational researchers such as Hancock (1997). It is said that only
22 percent of people entering the job market possess the technology
skills for 60 percent of the new jobs in the year 2000. There is not
only a societal and economic need for use of technology in schools,
but some claim that the use of technology in the classroom enriches
the learning environment by introducing more student interaction, diversity
of learning resources, and opportunity for students engaging in an inquiry
process.
However, bringing a computer into the classroom does not automatically
ensure teachers and students extensive benefits of learning with technology.
Therefore, many teachers and instructional designers are reassessing
their teaching-learning philosophies and advocating specific instructional
tactics that would be most effective when used with technology in the
classroom. They also realize that there are new activities and tactics
to use in a technology-rich classroom that they did not have in a traditional
classroom (e.g., the keypals project, the buddy system, the Jason project,
adventure learning, WebQuests, etc.)
Currently many educators agree that constructivist learning environments
complement technology-rich classrooms well (Mehlinger, 1996). In these
classrooms, students are encouraged to take initiative for their own
learning. Teachers are less knowledge disseminators, but rather are
guides who mentor their students' learning process. Classrooms become
more activity/project based rather than simply a series of dry lectures.
Therefore, information-age schools are not only schools that invest
in purchasing hardware and software technology but also are schools
where teachers and media specialists work together to design instruction
incorporating technology to offer the best learning experiences for
students.
As K-12 schools are preparing to become "information-age schools,"
numerous logistical, economic, and societal issues will arise. It will
not be easy for traditional schools and school districts to transition
to an information-age school. |
Suggested Debate Statements
- Given that information-age schools are going to prepare
students for the twenty-first-century job market and promote an inquiry-based
learning environment, incorporating technology into the curriculum will
benefit both the teaching experiences of teachers and the learning experiences
of students.
- Currently there is a perception that schools are not good
enough if they are technologically behind; therefore, schools ought to first
focus the use of their resources and funding on technology-related purchases,
then address professional development and teaching.
- Technology purchases by schools are an addiction that
needs to be fed every few years as technology changes. There is little proof
of the value of technology in terms of changing student achievement. Why
waste taxpayer money?
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DEBATE 5: Computer-Scored Essay Testing
Relevant Chapters
- Chapter 13: Assessment of Classroom Learning
- Chapter 14: Understanding and Using Standardized Tests
Objectives
- Students will increase their awareness of the impact of
computer-scored essays in education.
- Students will develop an understanding of the validity
and reliability of essay tests.
- Students will construct pro and con arguments regarding
computer-scored essays.
Materials
The following is what a school principal announced to her teachers at
the Johns County High School. The principal is considering having her
school become a test school site for PEG, a computer system that scores
student essays. She needs at least four teachers to agree to use PEG
in their classroom over the year to be admitted into the program for
testing PEG free of charge. The principal has invited the faculty of
her school to share their thoughts on whether they think that using
PEG in their classroom would be a good or bad idea. She has also brought
in a consultant to talk about technology like PEG.
The principal's announcement:
"Computer technology became a tool that some teachers and administrators
claim makes life easier with common spell checkers, grammar checkers,
word processors, and electronic gradebooks, and now electronic portfolios,
computer conferencing, distance learning, and Web-based testing. Others
counter that such technology tools make teaching much harder and student
learning more difficult to interpret. One person who has tried to make
the task of teachers easier, especially those who emphasize writing
in their classrooms, is Ellis Page at Duke University. Dr. Page worked
for thirty years to create computer software that can score student
essay papers as well as human judges. His software is called Project
Essay Grade (PEG). While early versions of PEG looked at simple things
like length of paper written, PEG now looks at content, organization,
style, mechanics, and creativity. In addition, it could do so more rapidly
and economically efficiently than human raters. In anticipation of more
essay portions on the SAT and GRE examinations, Educational Testing
Service recently compared the scores of PEG with pairs of human judges,
and the computer scores surpassed the accuracy of the average score
of two or three humans. In effect, PEG is more accurate, faster, more
economical, and perhaps even more informative than humans.
There are many objections to the use of PEG. First, the humanists assert
that certain essay scoring choices require human wisdom and knowledge
and computers can only do what they are programmed. Others argue that
a computer cannot know when a student is toying, joking, or attempting
to trick it by writing a bizarre or nonsensical essay. Third, some maintain
that the computer only measures statistics that are not really related
to good-quality writing. Fourth, some argue that this is the first step
of administrators' trying to get rid of teachers in schools; other technologies
are on the way. Of course there are many other arguments." |
Suggested Debate Statements
- Essay tests are difficult to score reliably. Thus, using
a computer-based system such as PEG will boost the accuracy of scoring and
encourage teachers to use essay questions in their classroom tests more
regularly.
- Instructional objectives need to be aligned with the instruction
itself and student assessment; therefore, when teachers are using computer
systems such as PEG, they need to be able to program the objectives of a
lesson into the computer system.
- A key barrier to including more writing in the curriculum
is time for evaluation; tools like PEG may promote important changes in
schools and help emphasize the writing process more.
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DEBATE 6: Gender and Technology
Relevant Chapters
Chapter 4: Understanding Student Differences
Objectives
- Students will increase their awareness of existing gender
differences in technology use in schools.
- Students will generate ideas about what teachers can do
to lessen the gender gap in technology usage.
- Students will construct pro and con arguments regarding
gender differences in technology use in the school.
Materials
The following is an article that appeared in Technology and Classrooms,
a monthly journal published by the Association of We Think a Lot About
Schools and Technology (AWTST). Technology and Classrooms is
distributed to all AWTST members, and the November 2000 issue was a
special on technology and gender issues.
Much research shows that girls are treated differently than boys by
their parents, teachers, and society starting at a very young age. In
fact, these differences are often seen even before birth, when parents
and others buy pink clothes and blankets for girls and blue clothes
and blankets for boys. This gender differentiation continues into childhood,
when girls are typically given dolls and cooking sets while most boys
are given balls and trucks to play with. Further, these are the toys
that society expects girls and boys to play with, and any crossing over
is often considered socially unacceptable and dealt with through criticism
and mockery.
Many studies conducted during the 1980s and 1990s show that the field
of technology is not immune to the gender gap prevalent in so many aspects
of our society. Indeed, the field of technology is dominated by men
(just think of the CEOs of major technology corporations, e.g., Bill
Gates, Steve Jobs, and Steve Wozniak, etc.), leaving little room for
female role models within the field. What is troubling for educators
is that girls' lack of interest in computers and technology often develops
(and/or is reinforced) in school (Koch, 1994). Here are a couple of
examples of how this may happen: - If computers are being shared within a classroom
or lab, it is often the boy who is controlling the mouse.
- Teachers often ask technical questions of only the
boys.
- Teachers will often give boys instructions for how
to fix a technical problem but will fix the problem for the girls
(Koch, 1994).
Additionally, many of the popular computer games on the market are shoot-em-up
adventure games that appeal mainly to boys, thereby further discouraging
girls from using computers. |
Suggested Debate Statements
- Children from a very early age are conditioned into gender-related
behaviors; the use of technology in school provides just another avenue
for directing girls and boys into stereotypical roles.
- There is a lack of prominent female role models in the
field of technology, and female employees in technology companies are overwhelmingly
likely to "hit the glass ceiling"; female students would be better
off if teachers discouraged them from pursuing technology-related careers.
- Given the gender gaps related to technology, females might
be better off if they were placed in same-gender schools.
[Top]
SET 2: CHAPTER-SPECIFIC DEBATES
This second set of debates provides chapter-specific topics
for the first fourteen chapters, ideal for short, in-class discussions. A
brief description of the issue or topic related to the debate is provided,
along with suggested arguments for two potential sides in the debate.
[Top]
CHAPTER 1: Applying Psychology to Teaching
DEBATE TOPIC: How Personal Should Teaching Be?
As a new teacher, you are still trying to determine how personal
you want to be with your students. Yesterday, a group of students asked you
to join them for a bowling party that one of the students was having for his
birthday. As you think about your relationship with your students, you contemplate
whether you should attend.
Side 1: Teachers should try to develop personal relationships
with each of their students. One way to accomplish a personal relationship
is to be involved in activities outside of the classroom. It shows students
that you care.
Side 2: Teachers need to maintain a certain relationship
with students where they are seen as the leader. If teachers go to non-school-related
events, students might bring the party-like atmosphere back to the classroom.
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CHAPTER 2: Stage Theories of Development
DEBATE TOPIC: Does Development Really Occur in Stages?
Chapter 2 presents a number of different stage theories.
Stage theorists believe that children in one stage are qualitatively different
from children in another stage (i.e., there is a major change or shift in
previously acquired knowledge and skills between stages). Not everyone agrees
that development occurs this way. For example, some theorists, like Vygotsky,
believe development is more of a gradual progression.
Side 1: Development is best explained by stage theories.
If you observe children of different ages, you will notice distinct differences
in the way they think and act.
Side 2: Development, in general, is much more gradual
and not as abrupt as stages would imply. Watch children as they gradually
gain knowledge in different subject areas.
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CHAPTER 3: Age-Level Characteristics
DEBATE TOPIC: What Role Do Parents Play?
There is little disagreement that parents have a pivotal
role in the lives of young children. Young children depend on their parents
for many things. There is less consensus, however, on the influence of parents
as children enter middle and high school. Many people argue that during these
years peers become the primary influence and parents have little to no influence.
Side 1: During adolescence, youth become more interested
in the views of their peers. Just look at adolescent clothing, hairstyles,
and body piercing. Adolescents look to their peers, not their parents, for
advice and guidance.
Side 2: Although peers do become important during early adolescence,
they do not take the place of parents. Youth look to their parents for advice
when making important decisions. They also tend to model their parents' values.
[Top]
CHAPTER 4: Understanding Student Differences
DEBATE TOPIC: What is Intelligence?
People argue over the
definition of intelligence. Some people believe that intelligence is one general
ability, while others believe that there are multiple types of intelligence.
Most current intelligence tests assess a rather limited number of abilities,
all of which are highly predictive of school success.
Side 1: If you look at those people whom the general
public considers to be intelligent, they are people who have strong linguistic
and mathematical skills. It seems when we look beyond these areas we are talking
more about coping and talents, not necessarily intelligence.
Side 2: The traditional view of intelligence is too
limiting. People show their intelligence in a number of different areas. People
who have book intelligence, which is often exemplified in linguistic and mathematical
skills, do not necessarily have “street smarts.” In order for people to be
truly intelligent, they must have both.
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CHAPTER 5: Addressing Cultural and Socioeconomic Diversity
DEBATE TOPIC: What is the Best Approach to Bilingual Education?
Traditionally, bilingual
education programs have taken either a transition or a maintenance approach.
In both cases, non-English-speaking students are provided instruction separate
from their English-speaking classmates. In recent years, a third approach
has gained popularity. This program, called bilingual/immersion, involves
providing all students, English-speaking and non-English-speaking, instruction
in both English and the minority language.
Side 1: Non-English-speaking children should be instructed
separately from their English-speaking classmates so they can receive the
extra support they need. This instruction should focus first on their native
language and then move on to English.
Side 2: Non-English-speaking students should not be
taught in separate classrooms. Rather, they should be taught with their classmates.
Children of all backgrounds can benefit from exposure to and instruction in
multiple languages.
[Top]
CHAPTER 6: Accommodating Student Variability
DEBATE TOPIC: Is Ability Grouping an Effective Strategy?
Ability grouping is a
popular practice among educators today. The idea is to teach children of similar
abilities together as one group rather than trying to teach the same information
to children of multiple ability levels. The most common types of ability grouping
are between-class and within-class. Although ability grouping is a common
practice, research has shown that the academic effects are minimal and the
social effects are negative.
Side 1: Ability grouping is a valuable instructional
method because teachers can plan their instruction to be appropriate for students
of similar ability levels. Teachers do not have to try to present curricula
to multiple ability levels at once. In addition, ability grouping may also
benefit students, because they will be working with students experiencing
the same types of accomplishments and challenges.
Side 2: Research on ability grouping has found limited
academic increases. The increases are generally found with the higher-ability
groups. In contrast, there is considerable research and anecdotal information
about the negative effect ability grouping has on the self-esteem of children
in low-ability groups.
[Top]
CHAPTER 7: Behavioral and Social Learning Theories
DEBATE TOPIC: Is Rewarding Students for Learning Appropriate?
Operant conditioning theorists
argue that all behaviors are influenced by the consequences that follow. Consequences
that strengthen a behavior are called reinforcements. Consequences that weaken
a behavior are called punishments. Based on this research, many educators
reinforce or reward their students to motivate them to learn.
Side 1: Rewards are powerful motivators. Everywhere
you look, people do certain things for the rewards they bring. This is also
the case in education. Teachers often find themselves faced with students
who are not interested in learning. By using rewards, such as praise, teachers
can often motivate students to learn.
Side 2: Rewards produce nothing more than short-term
compliance. When rewards are removed, students often revert back to old behaviors.
In addition, rewards have the potential to undermine interest. Students may
become so focused on the rewards that they fail to see the value of what is
being learned.
[Top]
CHAPTER 8: Information-Processing Theory
DEBATE TOPIC: What Role Should Memorization Play in Education?
Much of our education
system emphasizes memorization. For example, in elementary school students
are expected to memorize spelling words and multiplication tables. In high
school, students memorize historical dates and element tables. What does this
memorization teach our students about learning? Is memorization equivalent
to understanding?
Side 1: There are many basic facts that students must
learn in order to develop higher-level thinking skills such as critical thinking
and problem solving. Without these basic facts, the skills that students learn
are relatively useless. One of the most efficient ways to learn many of these
basic facts is through rote memorization.
Side 2: Rote memorization often results in short-term
effects. That is, students often forget information learned through rote memorization
fairly quickly after it is used. In contrast, students who augment their rote
memorization techniques with strategies such as elaboration and organization
remember the information much longer and are able to apply the information
to a variety of settings.
[Top]
CHAPTER 9: Constructivist Learning Theory, Problem Solving,
and Transfer
DEBATE TOPIC: Is Discovery Learning an Effective Instructional
Technique?
Discovery learning as
an instructional approach has been around for many years; however, in recent
years teachers have tried to incorporate the technique more in their instruction.
Discovery learning is based on the theory of constructivism. Constructivism
is based on the idea that meaningful learning occurs when people actively
create a personal interpretation of their experiences. Discovery learning
is designed to support that active personal construction.
Side 1: In discovery learning, children are given problems
to solve. The idea is that they will discover the answers to their problems
either independently or by engaging in group discussion. The teacher's role
is largely that of a guide. Through children's active involvement in discovery
learning, children are making learning more personally meaningful.
Side 2: Discovery learning is a rather time-consuming
approach to instruction. Children can learn the same types of information
in a shorter amount of time if a more direct approach to instruction is utilized.
In addition, since children are largely in control of their learning, they
may learn inaccurate information that the teacher has to reteach.
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CHAPTER 10: Approaches to Instruction
DEBATE TOPIC: Is Cooperative Learning an Effective Instructional
Method?
Cooperative learning is
an instructional approach that utilizes small groups of students working together
to accomplish shared goals. Over the last twenty-five years, a number of different
cooperative learning approaches have been proposed. As teachers become more
familiar with these different approaches, cooperative learning is being implemented
in classrooms more.
Side 1: Cooperative learning is an important instructional
approach because it teaches students how to work together. Research has shown
that cooperative learning increases student self-esteem, student motivation,
and student relationships. In today's business world, people are expected
to be team players. Cooperative learning helps train students for this role.
Side 2: Cooperative learning has the potential to result
in overly dependent students. If cooperative learning is not run well, some
students may come to depend on their classmates to do all the work. This may
cause animosity between group members.
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CHAPTER 11: Motivation
DEBATE TOPIC: What Role Should Teachers Play in Increasing
Student Self-Esteem?
There is a considerable
body of research explaining the relationship between self-esteem and achievement.
Students with low self-esteem tend to be less motivated in school, and as
a result they tend to have lower achievement levels. Self-esteem is obviously
very important. What should teachers do to increase self-esteem?
Side 1: Research has shown that students with low self-esteem
typically struggle in school. Teachers have a responsibility to help those
students. Teachers should try to do whatever they can to support their students.
They should make an extra effort to praise students for their effort and improvement.
They should also find ways to ensure that all of their students are experiencing
success in the classroom.
Side 2: Many students come into classrooms with a lot
of emotional baggage. Learning is the last thing they are interested in doing.
Teachers have a responsibility to try and help these children; however, there
is only so much teachers can do. Teachers are not trained to be counselors.
Rather, they are trained to provide students knowledge and information and
to facilitate their learning.
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CHAPTER 12: Classroom Management
DEBATE TOPIC: What Is the Best Leadership Style?
Teachers utilize a number
of different leadership styles in the classroom. Some teachers prefer having
complete control over the classroom, while other teachers seem to allow their
students to run the classroom. There has been discussion as to which approach
is best.
Side 1: “Don't smile until December”: a common phrase
used among teachers in the past, the idea still holds true today. If you want
to maintain control of the classroom, you need to get student compliance.
Also, it is much easier to be strict at the beginning of the year and become
more laid back later. If you use the laid back approach first, it is difficult
to get control.
Side 2: The best way to maintain control of the classroom
is to gain your students' respect. You do not gain respect through student
compliance. You gain respect by presenting your expectations, by respecting
your students, and by getting them involved in the management of the classroom.
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CHAPTER 13: Assessment of Classroom Learning
DEBATE TOPIC: What Is the Most Effective Assessment Technique?
There are many different
types of classroom assessment. The most commonly used assessments include
written tests and performance tests. Written tests typically test a person's
acquired knowledge and skills, while performance tests measure a person's
ability to use his or her knowledge and skills to solve problems or create
products. Both approaches have their advocates and their critics.
Side 1: Written tests are more effective than performance
tests. Written tests are efficient. They take less time for students to take,
meaning there is more time for learning. In addition, they are easy to score,
and the scoring is both reliable and valid.
Side 2: Performance tests are more effective than written
tests. Performance tests emphasize active responding by students; they test
the process as well as the product. Also, they are more likely to approximate
everyday tasks; typically, there is a close relationship between teaching
and testing.
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CHAPTER 14: Understanding and Using Standardized Tests
DEBATE TOPIC: What Role Should Standardized Tests Play
in Education?
Almost every state in
the United States using some type of standardized test to measure student
achievement. In addition, by the year 2005 a national test will also be in
place. Standardized test results are used for a variety of purposes besides
student achievement. Currently, there is much debate over the appropriateness
of these purposes.
Side 1: Compared to many European and Asian countries,
students in the United States score significantly lower on standardized tests
of achievement. This means that in some places our educational systems are
not effective. One way we can determine their effectiveness is by using standardized
tests. Standardized tests hold teachers, schools, and districts accountable
for student learning.
Side 2: Standardized tests are designed to measure
student achievement (which some people question), not teacher, school, or
district effectiveness. How well or poorly a student does on a standardized
test may or may not have anything to do with the student's teacher, school,
or district. It may be that the student did not take the test seriously or
was not feeling well. There are too many potential factors involved to place
blame anywhere.
