ADDRESSING STUDENTS' DIVERSITY

ADDRESSING STUDENTS' NEEDS: STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS

It is vital that you view every student as a unique individual regardless of the student's cultural background, while at the same time respecting multiple cultural heritages and their impact on learning styles and classroom expectations. This is not a simple task, and there is no simple way to accomplish it. You cannot be prepared for every possible situation that might arise. Instead, focus on being open to different perspectives, being aware of stereotypes and prejudiced behaviour in your class, and being ready to help every student in your class become engaged in the material and learn.

For instance, you would do well to try incorporating the achievements of Latino scientists into your curriculum to encourage and inspire Latino students. However, if the approach appears to be an act of tokenism, some of your students might feel as if they are being singled out or patronized. A better approach is to try and make the material relevant to students of many backgrounds whenever possible - even if your class does not contain every single demographic. Such an approach will benefit all of your students in expanding their knowledge and perspective.

You also should remember that the fact that a student is African American does not mean she or he will be able to or desire to speak about famous African Americans in science. Allowing students to express their views is beneficial whenever possible, but you should never expect someone to "speak for their people." Every student is a different person, and should only be asked to speak for himself or herself.

Adapted with permission from Shari Saunders and Diana Kardia; Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, University of Michigan, adapted from Chism et al., 1992.

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment is a process by which information is obtained relative to some known objective or goal. Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment. Assessment and evaluation are the mode of gathering evidences of students’ performance over a period of time to measure learning and understanding. The main goal of classroom assessment is students' performance evaluation, with the purpose of adjusting the teaching process so that it meets students' learning needs.

 With the help of assessments teachers can trace the loopholes in the teaching and provide the corrective measures. The students can be assessed in three  types of assessments; diagnostic, formative, and summative.

Educational assessment is used to raise the standards of learning, according to which the educational process should be conducted. Especially, it is related to lower ability students, since their progress and performance evaluation helps to define which particular learning needs should be addressed more.

Formative assessment is designed to assist the learning process by providing feedback to the learner, which can be used to identify strengths and weakness and hence improve future performance. Formative assessment is most appropriate where the results are to be used internally by those involved in the learning process (students, teachers, and curriculum developers). The information provided by formative assessment is to be used for modifying the teaching and learning activities in the classroom in order to get the best possible learning results. For instance, continuous assessments

 Summative assessment is used primarily to make decisions for grading or determine readiness for progression. Typically summative assessment occurs at the end of an educational activity and is designed to judge the learner’s overall performance. In addition to providing the basis for grade assignment, summative assessment is used to communicate students’ abilities to external stakeholders, e.g., administrators and employers

Nowadays both summative and formative assessment methods are used for students’ performance and learning evaluation. Nevertheless, relying on one of the two methods of classroom assessment more may lead to student learning needs’ becoming unclear, since one form of assessment cannot provide a full picture of the situation.

PIAGET’S THEORY OF LEARNING

PIAGET’S THEORY OF LEARNING

Jean Piaget, a Swiss, began as a biologist and obtained his PhD at the age of 21. His theories of learning were based on observing and description of his three young children.

However, his approach was not well received by other psychologists, who argued that it was not scientific. Piaget (1985) suggested that the learning process is iterative, in which new information is shaped to fit in with the learner’s existing knowledge and existing knowledge is modified to accommodate the new information. His learning theory is based on four basic concepts _ schema, assimilation, accommodation and equilibrium.

Cognitive Stage of Development	Key Feature	Research Study
Sensorimotor 0 - 2 yrs.	Object Permanence	Blanket & Ball Study
Preoperational 2 - 7 yrs.	Egocentrism	Three Mountains
Concrete Operational 7 – 11 yrs.	Conservation	Conservation of Number
Formal Operational 11yrs +	Manipulate ideas in head, e.g. Abstract Reasoning	Pendulum Task

Educational Implications

Piaget did not explicitly relate his theory to education, although later researchers have explained how features of Piaget's theory can be applied to teaching and learning.

• Discovery learning – the idea that children learn best through doing and actively exploring - was seen as central to the transformation of primary school curriculum.
• According to Piaget's theory children should not be taught certain concepts until they have reached the appropriate stage cognitive development.
• Within the classroom learning should be student centred and accomplished through active discovery learning. The role of the teacher is to facilitate learning, rather than direct tuition. Therefore teachers should encourage the following within the classroom:
•  The learning environment (especially in kindergarten and primary school) should help children acquire knowledge by performing actions. In other words, the learning environment should be action-based. For example, children should have physical contact with concepts such as trees, grass, cats, chickens and so forth.
•   Use teaching strategies that make children aware of conflicts and inconsistencies in their thinking: i.e. children must experience disequilibrium or an imbalance between their current schemas and new information to be assimilated, in order for them to move towards equilibrium and new levels of intellectual growth.
•  Use problems to confront or challenge students’ prior knowledge or schemas. Sometimes children do not realise that they have the relevant schema and are quick to reply that they do not know.
•  Use appropriate questioning techniques to help learners to bring out their misconceptions and faulty reasoning.
•     Children’s interactions with their peers are an important source of intellectual development: peer interactions are essential in helping children develop intellectually.
•    The learning environment should encourage active self-discovery: play effectively represents all of the requisite characteristics of Piagetian inspired instruction.