Embrace

entice

Entice

ENTICE is an important teaching step in getting students' focus and attention by activating prior knowledge.
bulb

Enlighten

Transform surface learning into a deep, successful learning event by using direct interventions.
engage

Engage

Generate, compare and connect with the new knowledge received using engaging encounters.
creative-thought

Embrace

EMBRACE is the final step for reflecting, connecting and retaining the knowledge gained.

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A. for quick access to small group tools, insert the letters "smgr" into the lc main search bar.

B. for quick access to lc test question guide, click here

Without reflection, learning ends well short of the re-organization of thinking that deep learning requires (Ewell,1997)." (INTIME, 2001). "Answering study questions only require low-level recognition." (Goodwin, 2014).  Learning products can vastly enhance and increase knowledge, understanding and long-lasting connections.

(Embracing Strategy Purpose)
(Embracing Strategy Examples)

embrace modules/tools

LC Module: Brain Quest Reviews

Reflection tools used for brainstorming, activating prior knowledge, and stimulating analytical/critical thinking skills

“Brainstorming can be used as an effective method to activate prior knowledge. Available research evidence also supports the general effectiveness of brainstorming techniques compared with the traditional lecture method. Brainstorming elicits higher levels of reflective thinking and creative problem solving, including synthesis, application and evaluation. There is also evidence that information learned through active discussion is generally retained better than material learned through lecture. Moreover, students often prefer to participate in discussion rather than to be passive learners in a lecture.” (Kapel,1988 as stated Keshwan, 2014).

LC Module: Graphic Organizers

Reflection tools for identifying, restructuring and organizing lesson content into graphical representations,

"A graphic allows readers to see relationships, understand organization, connect ideas, and make abstract ideas concrete.” (Perfect Learning Corporation, 2014)
"Using graphic organizers to represent similarities and differences has been shown to improve students’ understanding of content as well as their ability to recognize and generate similarities and differences.” (Ohio Dept of Ed, 2014)
“According to Joseph Novak and Alberto Cañas, the human brain remembers information by organizing it into hierarchical structures; since concept mapping requires the intentional construction of this “scaffold,” it helps individuals to learn better, remember more, and apply what they have learned in novel situations.” (Temple.edu, n.d.)
“(Graphic) Organizers portray knowledge in a meaningful way which helps bring clarity to ideas as connections are made. Having a way to organize ideas, facts, and concepts graphically facilitates effective student learning. Graphic organizers match the mind.” (Mentoring Minds, 2014)
"Mind mapping allows students to imagine and explore associations between concepts represented. Concept mapping allows students to understand the relationships between concepts.” (Davies, 2010)
“Every concept map responds to a focus question, and a good focus question can lead to a much richer concept map. Concept mapping is so powerful for the facilitation of meaningful learning is that it serves as a kind of template or scaffold to help to organize knowledge and to structure it.” (Novak & Canas, 2008)
As researcher David P. Ausubel has shown, the mind arranges and stores information in an orderly fashion. New information about a concept is filed into an existing framework of categories called a schema. A schema already contains preexisting knowledge about that concept. Graphic organizers arrange information in a visual pattern that complements this framework, making information easier to understand and learn.” (Mentoring Minds, 2014)

LC Module: Learning Products

Reflection tools for re-organizing, restructuring and consolidating lesson content into tangible, long lasting learning products.

“Learning Products allow students to chunk and consolidate creatively. “Chunking is a very effective way of enlarging working memory’s capacity. Too often, information deemed important is taught just once and the students are expected to remember for a lifetime. We cannot recall later what we have not stored” (Sousa, 2011)
“Recognizing that the creative cognitive process is the highest level identified and employs the use of thinking skills in all of the other levels.” (Combs, 2003)
“Effective summarizing leads to an increase in student learning. Students have to analyze information at a deep level in order to decide what information to delete, what to substitute, and what to keep when asked to give a summary (Anderson, V., & Hidi, 1988/1989; Hidi & Anderson, 1987).” (NREL, 2005)
“A good amount of research supports the idea that the ability to summarize has a positive impact on achievement. Summarization training has been shown to increase the recall of major information from reading, studying and lectures (King, 1992; Rinehart et al, 1986) and on writing summaries (Armbruster, 1987).” (Ohio Dept of Ed, 2014)
"Summarizing may encourage deeper engagement with a text and encourage students to reread as they construct a summary (Kamil, 2004). Summarizing either taught alone (e.g., Armbruster et al., 1987) or as one of several strategies (e.g., Palincsar & Brown, 1984) has been shown to improve comprehension and memory for what was read (National Reading Panel, 2000). Summarizing is a complex activity that involves paraphrasing and reorganizing text information.”(Rice, 2004)
“Based on over a decade of research regarding the benefits of technology integration in today’s classroom, there is overwhelming evidence that supports the use of technology to raise student achievement. By allowing students to engage in technology-enhanced curriculum, educators can ensure that their students will have the necessary skills to be competitive in the global workforce.” (Gasell, 2008)

LC Module: Life-Size Simulations

Reflection tools to develop life-size demonstrations or graphical representation of the lesson content

“Simulations are good techniques that replicate complex real life situations which make learning easier. The use of simulation has been found to be effective in increasing achievement of students in chemistry. Simulation provides active participation and manipulation of materials which make the lesson more meaningful. Also simulation enables students to apply their senses to the lesson.” (Ezeudu & Ezinwanne, 2004)

LC Module: Mnemonic Connections

Reflection tools to develop mnemonics to serve as memory devices to help chunk and recall large pieces of the lesson, such as steps, stages, parts or phases

“Mnemonics are memory devices that help learners recall larger pieces of information, especially in the form of lists like characteristics, steps, stages, parts, phases, etc. We knew back in 1967 from a study by Gerald R. Miller that mnemonics increased recall. He found that students who regularly used mnemonic devices increased test scores up to 77%! “ (Congos, 2005)

LC Module: Notetaking Repair and Maintenance

Reflection tools to review, reformat and/ or rewrite lesson notes to help organize thoughts and enhance meaning, retention and understanding

"Without explicit instruction in note taking, however, many students simply write down words or phrases word for word, without analysis (or good effect). Successful note-takers summarize to arrive at a nugget of meaning, which they are much more likely to retain.” (NREL, 2005)
“Memory fades quickly. No matter which note-taking format you use, it’s a very good idea to review and refine your notes as soon as you can after class. It’s best not to wait more than 24 hours, because your memory of the ideas presented has weakened considerably after that time. Testing yourself is a good way to check to see if you really understand the important points of the lecture—and if you don’t understand them, to confer with a teacher or a classmate to sort out the information.” (Nazareth College, 2011)

LC Module: Project Planning - Assessment and Accomplishment

Project reflection tools to analyze contributing factors to project challenges and accomplishments.

“Compared to traditional instructional methods, students engaged in small-group learning achieve higher grades, retain information longer, and have reduced dropout rates, improved communication and collaboration skills, and a better understanding of professional environments (Johnson, Johnson, & Stanne, 2000; Springer, Stanne, & Donovan, 1997; Terenzini, Cabrera, Colbeck, Parente, & Bjorklund, 2001; cited in Oakley, Felder, Brent, & Elhajj, 2004)." (Vega, Vanessa 12,03,2012).
“Many other research studies show similar effects. In general, PBL research shows a slightly positive effect on achievement scores with much larger positive gains on indicators such as: critical thinking and problem solving skills, abilities related to accessing, analyzing, organizing, and communicating information, student attendance patterns and disciplinary behaviors.” (Glassgow, 1997; Jones, Rasmussen & Moffitt, 1997).” (Haney, Dr. Jodi J. 2005).

LC Module: Reflection Questions

Reflection tools that generate questions to restructure thinking, show comparisons and stimulate higher thinking skills

“Asking and answering questions is at the heart of high-quality thinking. Questions naturally arise from the desire to know and learn things and may be the starting point for a journey of understanding.” (Open University, 2014)
"Paul (1985) points out that thinking is not driven by answers but by questions. The driving forces in the thinking process are the questions. When a student needs to think through an idea or issue or to rethink anything, questions must be asked to stimulate thought. When answers are given, sometimes thinking stops completely. When an answer generates another question then thought continues. Teaching students to generate their own questions as part of the learning process is an effective way to boost metacognition and encourage higher level thinking.” (R.W. Paul as stated Mentoring Minds, 2014)
"Questions lead to understanding. Many students typically have no questions. They might sit in silence with their minds inactive as well. Sometimes the questions students have tend to be shallow and nebulous which might demonstrate that they are not thinking through the content they are expected to be learning. If we, as educators, want students to think, we must stimulate and cultivate thinking with questions (Paul, 1990)”. (R.W. Paul as stated Mentoring Minds, 2014)
“ReQuest (Manzo, 1969). ReQuest stands for Reciprocal Questioning in which the students ask the teacher questions. To do this activity, the students and the teacher read the text carefully. Then students get into groups to create questions they want to ask the teacher (230 Hurst & Pearman—“Teach Reading?) The same process can be used for the groups to ask each other questions.” (Hurst & Pearman, n.d.)

LC Module: Small Group and Leadership Prep - EMBRACE

Small group and leadership tools.

LC Module: Small Group and Project Planning - Leadership Prep

Project quotient tools for evaluating group and leadership skills required for project success.

LC Module: Writing Reflections

Reflection tools for generating opinions statements and unique written presentations related to the lesson

“This (reflection) project provided evidence that supports the idea that guided student reflection on a daily basis helps students in their achievement of the learning goals for a unit of study as well as their self-confidence in attaining those learning goals. In terms of increased achievement, students in the treatment unit showed a greater gain from pre-test to post-test than in the non-treatment unit. Students also commented positively when interviewed that refection helped them achieve the learning goals by helping them to remember the information and track their progress better. Students also gained self-confidence through reflection.” (Grotbo, 2014)
“Yinger and Clark (1981) believe that reflection results written down are more powerful than reporting them orally. “The ability to reflect is a learned behavior that is cultivated by the individual over a period of time.” (Clark, 2011)

LC Module: Writing Templates and Term Papers

Writing templates for corroborating, reporting and supporting facts/opinions as well as writing instructions and describing events/experiences.

“When answering study questions, students engaged in fragmented, low-level recognition and recall. When taking notes, they focused on larger concepts but still failed to make their own sense of the content. Only essay writing caused them to think critically—synthesizing, hypothesizing, and evaluating ideas.” (Goodwin, Bryan 04, 2014)
“Writing is not merely the simple task of using paper and pen or pencil to connect letters to form words. Instead, it is using words to form larger thoughts that demonstrate understanding.” (Waring, Jennifer 2007)
“Writing is, in fact, one of the best tools for learning any material because it activates thinking” (Daniels et al., 1998, p. 63). (Daniels, H., Hyde, A., & Zemelman, S. 1998)