Top Banner
Learner Analysis 1 Running Head: Learner Analysis Assignment #1 Learner Analysis Nicole Wingate Georgia Southern University FRIT 7430
23

Wingate Learner Analysis

Nov 07, 2014

Download

Education

Nicole Wingate

learner analysis to accompany information literacy unit
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Page 1: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 1

Running Head: Learner Analysis

Assignment #1

Learner Analysis

Nicole Wingate

Georgia Southern University

FRIT 7430

Page 2: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 2

Goal: Information Literacy Standard 2The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently. Indicator 1. Determines accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness

Indicator 2. Distinguishes among fact, point of view, and opinionIndicator 3. Identifies inaccurate and misleading informationIndicator 4. Selects information appropriate to the problem or question at

hand

1. Group of Learners:My target population is a group of thirty one students in a Ninth Grade Literature class. The class is made up of eighteen females and thirteen males. My try-out learners are a group of fifteen students; nine are female and six are male.

Learner Characteristics:Students were given a survey to indicate the information below. They also participated in a short interview with me when they turned the survey in. The following two charts give the results of both the survey and interview.

Student Gender Race Age Education Favorite Subject Least Favorite Subject

Time Per Day on

Computer

Socio-Economic

Status

Interests

#1 Male African American

17 11th grade (repeating class)

Math Social Studies None Low Sports, Music

#2 Female Caucasian 14 9th grade English Social Studies 4 hrs Low Bowling, Roller-Blading

#3 Female African American

14 9th grade Gym English 4.5 hrs Average Basketball, Computer

#4 Male Caucasian 14 9th grade English Math 1.5 hrs Low Skateboarding#5 Female African

American14 9th grade Social Studies Math 9 hrs Average Music, Class

Officer#6 Female Caucasian 14 9th grade Math Science 7 hrs High Sports#7 Male African

American14 9th grade Math Science .5 hrs Average Sports

#8 Male Caucasian 15 9th grade Science English 1.5 hrs Average Golf#9 Female Caucasian 15 9th grade Math English 5 hrs Average Hanging Out#10 Female African

American14 9th grade English Science None Low Reading, Track

#11 Female Hispanic 14 9th grade Science Social Studies None Low Music, Roller-Blading

#12 Female Caucasian 14 9th grade Science English 1 hr High Socializing, Cheerleading

#13 Male Caucasian 14 9th grade Baseball Science .5 hrs Average Baseball, Hunting

#14 Female Caucasian 15 9th grade English Math 1 hr Low Music, Drawing#15 Male Caucasian 14 9th grade Social Studies Math None Average Baseball,

Hunting

Learning Group Learner Characteristics Summary

Learner Characteristic Class ResultsGender Male: 6

Female: 9

The class is predominately female, so the try-out group is comprised of a majority of females.

Page 3: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 3

Race Caucasian: 9African American: 5Hispanic: 1

The racial make-up of the try-out group represents the racial make-up of the class as a whole. The majority of students are Caucasian, with a large minority of African American students, and a small minority of Hispanic students.

Age 14: 11 students15: 3 students17: 1 student

The majority of students in the try-out group are fourteen years old. A few are fifteen and getting their learner’s licenses. Only one student is over fifteen.

Education 9th graders: 1411th graders: 1

Fourteen of the fifteen students are first time 9th graders. One student is an 11th grader who is repeating the course.

Favorite Subject Math: 4English: 4Social Studies: 2Science: 3Other: 2

There is a wide variety of “favorite subjects” in this group of learners. Therefore, this indicates a wide array of interests. The teacher should always try to make connections to real world experiences and other subjects because of this variety.

Least Favorite Subject Math: 4English: 4Social Studies: 3Science: 4

There is also a wide variety of “least favorite” subjects. This should also be taken into consideration by the teacher so that she does not lose students.

Time Per Day on Computer None: 4½ hr – 2 hrs: 62 ½ hrs – 4 hrs: 14 ½ hrs – 6 hrs: 2More than 6 hrs: 2

There is a wide range of computer interests in the class also. While some of the students do not get on a computer at all, other students spend hours a day on one. Therefore, the teacher needs to remember that all students will be entering with different entry level computer skills. Even of those who do use the computer, the majority does not use it for research purposes, but instead use it for social networking, games, etc.

Socio-Economic Status Low: 6Average: 7High: 2

The majority of the learners have average socio-economic status, but a large amount also have a low socio-economic status. The teacher needs to consider this when planning for resources that students may have access too. These resources can be material resources or experiences that students draw from.

Interests The students have a variety of different interests. Again, it is important for the teacher to remember that her students are very diverse and that appealing to these diverse interests motivates the students and gets their attention.

Page 4: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 4

2. Multiple Intelligences:The following three tables give the information collected concerning the learners’ modalities, entry level skills, and special needs. Again, this information was gathered through a survey and interview.

Student Modality Strength Social Preference

L.A. CRCT Skill Level

(8th gr. Test scores)

Entry SkillsInfo.

Literacy

Special Needs

#1 Intrapersonal Works Alone N/A11th grader, did not test previous year

Below N/A

#2 Kinesthetic/Intrapersonal Works Alone Meets Below N/A#3 Kinesthetic Work w/ Peer Exceeds Average N/A#4 Interpersonal/Musical Work w/

TeacherMeets Average ADHD

#5 Interpersonal Work w/ Peer Meets Above N/A#6 Interpersonal/Musical Work w/ Peer Meets Average N/A#7 Interpersonal Work w/ Peer Meets Average N/A#8 Interpersonal Work w/ Peer Does Not Meet Average ADHD#9 Interpersonal Work w/

TeacherMeets Average IEP-Mild

Learning Disability

#10 Kinesthetic Works Alone Does Not Meet Below Behavioral Disorder

#11 Visual Work w/ Teacher

Does Not Meet Below Limited English

#12 Interpersonal/Musical Work w/ Peer Meets Average N/A#13 Musical Work w/ Peer Meets Average N/A#14 Visual Works Alone Meets Average N/A#15 Interpersonal Work w/ Peer Exceeds Above Gifted

Since the different intelligences are not isolated, several students displayed strong tendencies in a variety of intelligences. The top three learning modalities for each student are marked below.

Student Visual Interpersonal Kinesthetic Musical Verbal Intrapersonal Logical#1 X X X#2 X X X#3 X X X#4 X X X#5 X X X#6 X X X#7 X X X#8 X X X X X#9 X X X#10 X X X#11 X X X#12 X X X#13 X X X#14 X X X#15 X X X

Learning Group Multiple Intelligences Summary

Page 5: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 5

Student Trait Class ResultDominant Modality Strength Visual- 2

Interpersonal- 8Kinesthetic- 3Musical- 4Verbal- 0Intrapersonal- 2Logical- 0

Students display a range of dominant learning modalities. There are fifteen students in my try-out learning group, but some students scored equally high on two modalities. Therefore, the numbers above total 19. Because there are so many different learning strategies preferred in the classroom, it is important that many different approaches are taken for instruction.

Social Preference Prefers to Work with Teacher- 3Prefers to Work Alone- 4Prefers to Work with a Peer- 8

The majority of learners prefer to work with someone else. However, a small group prefers to work alone, and an even smaller minority values constant feedback from the teacher. Therefore, lessons should be designed and implemented using a variety of grouping techniques.

CRCT Scores Does Not Meet Standards- 3Meets Standards- 9Exceeds Standards- 2No Data- 1 (Student is 11th grader so did not take the CRCT the previous year)

Most of the students met the standard expectations on the Language Arts CRCT the previous school year. However, three did not earn passing scores, and two earned exceptional scores.

Entry Level Skills-Information Literacy Below- 4Average- 9Above- 2

From previous assignments and interview responses, it was determined that nine students possessed target entry level skills. Four students were below the desired level, and two students were above the target entry level.

Special Needs Gifted- 1Learning Disability- 1ADHD- 2Behavioral Disorder- 1Limited English- 1

Six students have special needs that require accommodations to some extent. One student is labeled as gifted. This student is very intelligent, motivated, and learns fast. Another student has a learning disability with and IEP. This student requires remediation and works slower than others. Two students have been diagnosed with ADHD. They take medication for it and require frequent breaks. One student speaks very little English and requires much of the material be presented in Spanish.

Page 6: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 6

The survey that I used to analyze the learning modalities of my students came from learning-styles-online.com. It was one of the resources listed in our class PowerPoint presentation. It is a seventy question survey that analyzes student responses and classifies them under various modalities. The students completed the survey, turned it in, and I entered their responses online. The website then calculated their dominant learning modalities based on their answers. The survey is included at the end of this report. A completed survey with the results page is also included. The survey showed that I have a wide range of learning strategies at work in the classroom. Therefore, it is important that information be presented in various ways throughout the unit. There are many ways to address several modalities at once, and these strategies should be used. One example of this would be a PowerPoint presentation (for visual learners), that I narrate (for verbal learners), and that students take notes on (for kinesthetic learners). Activities and lessons that use various learning modalities are best for this class.

3. Special NeedsIn this class, I have several students with special needs. I have students with minor learning disabilities, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, behavioral disorders, and one gifted student. Therefore, a variety of accommodations will need to be made. The following accommodations are planned for learners. (Accommodations planned for students with limited English have been included in the following section, Cultural/Ethnic Needs.)

Students with Learning Disabilities – A variety of accommodations will be made to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities. Many of the following suggested accommodations are addressed in the student’s IEP. Accommodations include:

- Graphic organizers that will be available for students with learning disabilities to help them connect, organize, and record new information.

- Students with learning disabilities will be given additional time to complete activities.

- Students’ work will be broken down into smaller, more manageable portions

(Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, 2001).

Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder – the following accommodations will be made for students with ADHD.

- Students will be given seats that will limit the distractions available for the child.

- Distracting noises will be minimized in the classroom.- Lesson parts will be given in small chunks.- The teacher will frequently “check-in” with the student throughout the

lesson or activity, to make sure they are on track.- The teacher will insure students understand directions by having them

repeat directions before beginning the assignment(Massachusetts General Hospital, 2006).

Page 7: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 7

Gifted Students – Gifted students will need to be challenged throughout the course to ensure that they do not become bored or lose interest. The following accommodations will be made for gifted students.

- Gifted students will be given open-ended questions to stimulate higher-order thinking skills.

- Teachers will develop lessons using Bloom’s Taxonomy, making sure that higher-level thinking skills are required in several activities.

- Gifted students will be able to “skip” activities they find “remedial” for more meaningful and enriching activities(McGrail, 2005).

Students with Behavioral Disorders – The following accommodations will be made for students with behavioral disorders.

- Teachers will set consistent behavioral expectations and enforce them.- Teachers will communicate effectively with parents to make sure that the

behavioral expectations set are consistent at home and school.- Teachers will establish cues for students to signal inappropriate behavior.- Teachers will encourage and reward appropriate behavior

(Watson, 2003).

4. Cultural/Ethnic NeedsThe cultural makeup of this class is very diverse. In a class of thirty-one students, there are twenty Caucasian students, eight African American students, and three Hispanic students. In the try-out group there are nine Caucasian students, five African Americans, and one Hispanic student. The three Hispanic students in the class speak very little English. Therefore, this will affect my instruction in several ways. To ensure quality instruction, cultural awareness, and appreciation among all of the students teachers can:

1- Have the assistance of a teacher certified in ESOL accompany the Hispanic students to class to provide additional assistance to them with the language barrier. She can also assist me by translating work written in Spanish and help me understand characteristics of their language that may transfer over into English written work (Davis, 2002).

2- Use cooperative learning groups often in the classroom. This will give the students opportunities to work and interact with students of different backgrounds and cultures, helping them to create a classroom community that is open and inviting to all cultures. These groups will be monitored closely to ensure that all behavior is appropriate and on task (Merlino).

3- Use translation software to assist students who speak Spanish. Handouts can be translated into Spanish. Also, lecture outlines can be created in Spanish that help students follow along and understand material during lectures (Imagiforce).

4- Ensure that classroom content and material include culturally diverse material, and students are guided to learn about and respect various cultures. This way, all students, regardless of their cultural background, feel comfortable in the class. To be able to do this effectively, teachers first have to make sure that they have become knowledgeable of the various cultures that are represented in their classrooms (Merlino).

Page 8: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 8

5. Motivational StrategiesFor the students to take something away from this lesson, it is important that they are motivated to actively participate in the learning process. Teachers should use the ARCS Model to motivate them.

Attention: The teacher will begin by asking students to write a journal entry about a time that someone spread a rumor about them that was not true. They will write about how they felt because of the rumor, what happened to them and others as a result of the rumor, and if the truth ever came out. The teacher will then let students share their journals with their ones and twos partners. This is a situation that every ninth grade student can relate too, and it’s something they’re interested in. Therefore, the teacher has hooked their attention. The teacher should then explain that untrue statements and ideas can be found in various resources, also (the internet, magazines, etc.). We’ll relate how important it is to know the information in those resources is true to how important it was for them that their friends knew the truth when they were being gossiped about.

Relevance: The teacher will have students examine an article on the topic of their choice to see whether it is reliable or not. That way, they can see that information literacy is relevant in their everyday lives because they have to be able to examine the information they come into contact with daily. That way, students understand that all information they encounter should be examined for accuracy, not just information they gather for school reports.

Confidence: Students will be presented with an essential question the first day of the unit that points out the primary purpose – to learn how to evaluate information effectively. Therefore, students know their goal from the beginning. Students will have the opportunity several times throughout the unit to examine various different articles for quality of information. There will be different levels that students will work at, based on their entry level skills. That way, students will start the process with success and be confident during the rest of the unit. Some possible activities for different entry level learners include:

- Below level learners: Learners are given four articles, and are told to label two as reliable and accurate and two as unreliable. Students then know how many articles of each category they are looking for.- At Entry level learners: Learners will be given four articles and told to label them as reliable or unreliable, not knowing how many of each category there are.- Above Entry level learners: Students will be asked to find two articles in the media center that are reliable and two that are unreliable. The articles must all cover the same topic.

Satisfaction: Students will work through the research paper process, beginning with finding information that is reliable, up-to-date, and on topic. Therefore, they will experience the satisfaction of accurately evaluating resources as they write

Page 9: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 9

their paper. The teacher will give feedback regarding all sources before they begin writing their paper.

Technology resources Various technology resources would prove beneficial for this group of learners. Many of

them acknowledged spending extended time on computers. This knowledge of how computers work would be helpful in completing online research for articles. Also, databases such as Galileo would be helpful for these learners. An LCD projector and screen would also be beneficial for working through searches with students.

Students would also benefit from the use of cd players and televisions where short interviews or lectures could be presented. Using these different forms of technology would appeal to the various learning modalities, such as visual and auditory learners.

And finally, software used to translate handouts and lecture notes would prove to be extremely beneficial for the Spanish-speaking students. All of the various forms of technology used could also work to motivate learners within the lessons.

Page 10: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 10

Name ______________________________________________________

Note: Answer each statement in the following manner:0 - the statement is nothing like me1 - the statement is partially like me2 - the statement is very much like me

1 You have a personal or private interest or hobby that you like to do alone.

2 You put together itineraries and agendas for travel. You put together detailed lists, such as to-do

lists, and you number and priorities them.

3 Jingles, themes or parts of songs pop into your head at random

4 Math and sciences were your preferred subjects at school.

5 You are happy in your own company. You like to some things alone and away from others.

6 You enjoy learning in classroom style surroundings with other people. You enjoy the interaction to

help your learning.

7 You like to read everything. Books, newspapers, magazines, menus, signs, the milk carton etc.

8 You can easily visualize objects, buildings, situations etc from plans or descriptions.

9 You are goal oriented and know the directions you are going.

10 You prefer team games and sports such as football/soccer, basketball, netball, volleyball etc.

11 You navigate well and use maps with ease. You rarely get lost. You have a good sense of direction.

You usually know which way North is.

12 You prefer to study or work alone.

13 You like being a mentor or guide for others.

14 You spend time alone to reflect and think about important aspects of your life.

15 In regular conversation you frequently use references to other things you have heard or read.

16 You enjoy finding relationships between numbers and objects. You like to categorise or group

things to help you understand the relationships between them.

17 You keep a journal or personal diary to record your thoughts.

18 You communicate well with others and often act as a mediator between them.

19 You love sport and exercise.

20 You like to listen. People like to talk to you because they feel you understand them.

Page 11: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 11

21 You like listening to music - in the car, studying, at work (if possible!).

22 You can balance a checkbook, and you like to set budgets and other numerical goals.

23 You have a number of very close friends.

24 You use lots of hand gestures or other physical body language when communicating with others.

25 English, languages and literature were favorite subjects at school.

26 You like making models, or working out jigsaws.

27 You prefer to talk over problems, issues, or ideas with others, rather than working on them by

yourself.

28 Music was your favorite subject at school

29 In school you preferred art, technical drawing, geometry.

30 You love telling stories, metaphors or anecdotes

31 You like identifying logic flaws in other people's words and actions.

32 You like using a camera or video camera to capture the world around you.

33 You use rhythm or rhyme to remember things, eg phone numbers, passwords, other little sayings.

34 In school you like/liked wood or metal working, craft, sculpture, pottery

35 You have a great vocabulary, and like using the right word at the right time

36 You like the texture and feel of clothes, furniture and other objects.

37 You would prefer to holiday on a deserted island rather than a resort or cruise ship with lots of other

people around.

38 You like books with lots of diagrams or illustrations.

39 You easily express yourself, whether its verbal or written. You can give clear explanations to others.

40 You like playing games with others, such as cards and board games.

41 You use specific examples and references to support your points of view.

42 You pay attention to the sounds of various things. You can tell the difference between instruments,

or cars, or aircraft, based on their sound.

Page 12: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 12

43 You have a good sense of color.

44 You like making puns, saying tongue-twisters, making rhymes.

45 You like to think out ideas, problems, or issues while doing something physical.

46 You read self-help books, or have been to self-help workshops or done similar work to learn more

about yourself.

47 You can play a musical instrument or you can sing on (or close to) key

48 You like crosswords, play scrabble and word games.

49 You like logic games and brainteasers. You like chess and other strategy games.

50 You like getting out of the house and being with others at parties and other social events.

51 You occasionally realize you are tapping in time to music, or you naturally start to hum or whistle a

tune. Even after only hearing a tune a few times, you can remember it.

52 You solve problems by "thinking aloud" - talking through issues, questions, possible solutions etc.

53 You enjoy dancing.

54 You prefer to work for yourself - or you have thought a lot about it.

55 You don't like the sound of silence. You would prefer to have some background music or other noises

over silence.

56 You love the theme park rides that involve lots of physical action, or you really hate them because

you are very sensitive to the effect the physical forces have on your body.

57 You draw well, and find yourself drawing or doodling on a notepad when thinking.

58 You easily work with numbers, and can do decent calculations in your head.

59 You use diagrams and scribbles to communicate ideas and concepts. You love whiteboards (and

color pens).

60 You hear small things that others don't.

61 You would prefer to physically touch or handle something to understand how it works.

62 You are OK with taking the lead and showing others the way ahead.

63 You easily absorb information through reading, audiocassettes or lectures. The actual words come

back to you easily.

64 You like to understand how and why things work. You keep up to date with science and technology.

65 You are a tinkerer. You like pulling things apart, and they usually go back together OK. You can easily

follow instructions represented in diagrams.

66 Music evokes strong emotions and images as you listen to it. Music is prominent in your recall of

memories

67 You think independently. You know how you think and you make up your own mind. You understand

your own strengths and weaknesses.

Page 13: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 13

68 You like gardening or working with your hands in the shed out the back.

69 You like visual arts, painting, sculpture. You like jigsaws and mazes.

70 You use a specific step-by-step process to work out problems.

Page 14: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 14

Page 15: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 15

Page 16: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 16

Page 17: Wingate Learner Analysis

Learner Analysis 17

References

Davis, Barbara Gross. (April 2002). Diversity and complexity in the classroom:

Considerations of race, ethnicity, and gender. Retrieved September 18, 2008, from

http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/diversity.html

Massachusetts General Hospital. (2006). Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Retrieved September 19, 2008, from

http://www.massgeneral.org/schoolpsychiatry/info_adhd.asp

McGrail, Laura. (2005). Modifying regular classroom curriculum for gifted and talented

students. Prufrock Press Inc. Retrieved September 20, 2008, from

http://www.prufrock.com/client/client_pages/Modfying_Curriculum.cfm

Memletics Learning Styles Questionnaire. Retrieved September 12, 2008, from

http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory/questions.asp?cookieset=y

Merlino, Rob. Addressing cultural diversity in the classroom. Helium. Retrieved September

18, 2008, from

http://www.helium.com/items/169369-addressing-cultural-diversity-in-the-classroom

Translation Software-Translate Foreign Languages. Retrieved September 19, 2008, from

http://www.translationsoftware4u.com/

Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center. (December 2001). The learning disabilities

adaptations and accommodations guide. Retrieved September 18, 2008, from

http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu/publications/LDGuide/

Watson, Sue. (July 2003). Best practices for behavior disorders in the classroom. Retrieved

September 20, 2008, from

http://specialed.about.com/cs/behaviordisorders/a/Behavior.htm