Saturday, September 20, 2014

RSA #3 Resource based learning



RSA#3-Resource based learning

The APEF Foundation document for Language Arts defines resource-based learning as learning that “actively involves students, teachers and teacher librarians in the effective use of a wide range of print, non print and human resources.” (www.du.pe.ca/bil/bil.asp?ch1.s2gdx)
Research skills are crucial for a student to have in order to be successful.  Such skills allow students to analyze the content they are studying and think critically about how to apply the ideas they have learned to the assignment at hand.  In Sir Ken Robinson’s “Bring on the Learning Revolution” he brings up the point that education must be transformed into something else (2011).  Resource based learning is a way to transform the traditional lecture from the teacher to an exploration for the students.  It allows students to provide a backbone to support his or her point of view on a topic, as well as provides evidence to compare and contrast a topic.

The article in Educational Technology & Society supports the success of resource based learning.  In this particular assignment, seventh grade students were learning Chinese poems.  The main focus of the study was how learners were able to locate appropriate resources for Chinese poems.  This study was student centered, which is a basis for resource based learning.  Students were given hand held devices to conduct their research.  The study found that students have more of a positive attitude toward learning when using a hand held device (Yang, Tseng, Liao, & Liang, 2013).  Since students typically have difficulty appreciating poems, a resource based approach was used to help them simulate the setting of the poem in order to get a deeper understanding.  The use of trust worthy multimedia sources helped the learner connect to the poem in ways using a textbook would not be able to accomplish.    

This article from Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching also supports the use of resource based learning.  In this article, teachers prepare online resources for primary level students in an effort to get feedback on resource based elearning.  The framework of RBeLEs includes four areas:  creation of contexts, selection of resources, use of tools and adoption of scaffolds (So & Ching, 2012).  Three teachers were asked to prepare 90 minute science lessons.  One teacher used a computer lab where each student used their own desktop computer.  The other two teachers taught their lessons in traditional classrooms with textbooks where students sat in groups a shared a notebook computer.  Teachers stated that they observed the online resources raised student’s interest in the topic. 
So and Ying found that there were challenges that pupils faced while interacting with the online resources. Students found it difficult to switch between different websites.  In addition, some video resources had a language barrier issue.  Many students needed teacher directed guidance on where to look.  In addition, one teacher had difficulty finding appropriate online resources for the students to use.  Despite these challenges, students indicated they were generally in favor of learning with online resources (So & Ching, 2012).


Resources

(Yang, Tseng, Liao, & Liang, 2013)

(So & Ching, 2012)

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