Introduction to Hands-on Activities

By

David Agnew

Arkansas State University

Objectives

• Explain why Hands-on Activities are highly encouraged

• Describe the nature of a Hands-on Activity.

• Describe the Differences in VO and CO Hands-on Activities.

Many Names: One Concept

Hands-On ActivitiesActivity Based LearningExperiential LearningLearning by Doing

KEY CONCEPTS RELATED TO CAREER EDUCATION

AS DEFINED BY HOYT AND ASSOCIATES

• Preparation for successful working careers shall be a key objective of all education

• Every teacher in every course will emphasize the contribution that subject matter can make to a successful career.

• “Hands-on" occupationally oriented experiences will be utilized as a method of teaching and motivating and learning of abstract academic content.

State Department Stresses Hands-on Approach

In their printed materials and presentations

What is Activity Based Learning?

• Activity Based Learning - learning where student physically and mentally explore subject by simulation of the work environment, manipulation of tools and materials associated with the world of work, or performance of a real work task.

What is a hands-on activity?

• Where students participate individually or in groups, where learning by doing takes place

Underlying Assumption

• Doing an activity associated with a career area will be more meaningful and insightful than talking or reading about it in class.

Why is Hands-on So Important?

• Has a greater impact on learning and retention.

• Affects the emotions, feels and attitudes more that “Book Learning”.

• John Dewey said “All genuine learning comes through experience”

Two Basic Questions Every Teachers Faces?

• What to teach?

• How to teach?

Take about 3 minutes and list as many methods (or techniques) as you can?

TIMETIME

1 minute left

15 seconds left

How to Teach!

• How to teach is dependent on several factors, one of which is “What” is being taught.

• How to teach – Usually think of Methods or Techniques, media, visual aids, etc.

• Hands-on is just one of many methods, however is it a methods or is it more closely connected to a principle than a method/technique?

Common Methods

• Presentation

• Teacher lead discussion

• Supervised study

• Job Instruction

• Cooperative learning

Difference in a Methods and a Technique?

• Method broader than technique

• Technique is sub-category of Method

• Method is more like a concept

• Technique is more closely related to how you implement the concept.

Hands-On Activities is Related to Which Method(s)

• Job Instruction

• Supervised Study or Project

• But you may also use presentation and others in some way associated with the activity.

Other Methods or Techniques

• Panel discussion

• Fieldtrip

• Guest Speaker

• Demonstration

Principles of Learning

• What are principles of learning?

• How does a principle differ from a law?

• Which of the two questions from the previous slide does it relate? (How? What)?

• Does it ever relate to the other question?

• How do principles of learning relate to the selection of a method?

Review of Learning Principles

• When the subject matter to be learned possesses *meaning, organization, and structure* that is clear to students, learning proceeds more rapidly and is retained longer.

• *Readiness* is a prerequisite for learning. Subject matter and learning experiences must be provided that begin where the learner is.

• Students must be *motivated* to learn. Learning activities should be provided that take into account the wants, needs interests, and aspirations of students.

Learning Principles, Continued...

• Students are motivated through their *involvement* in setting the

goals and planning learning activities. • *Success* is a strong motivating force.

• Students are motivated when they attempt tasks that fall in a range of *challenge* such that success is perceived to be possible but certain.

• When students have a knowledge of their learning progress, performance will be superior to what it would have been without such knowledge (*feedback*)

Learning Principles, Continued...

• Behaviors that are reinforced (*rewarded*) are more likely to be learned.

• To be effective, reward (reinforcement) must follow as *immediate* as possible the desired behavior and be clearly connected with that behavior by the student.

• *Directed learning* is more effective than non-directed learning.

• To maximize learning, students should *inquire into* rather than be instructed in the subject matter. Problem oriented approaches to teaching improve learning.

• Students learn what they practice. (repetition)

Learning Principles, Continued...

• *Surprised practice* that is most effective occurs in a functional educational experience.

• Students learn by doing.

How Does All This Talk About Principles Relate to Methods?

How do we learn?How much do we retain?

• Dale’s Cone of Experience

Summary of Why we Do Hands-on Activities

• Consistent with Principles of Learning and established theories of instruction.

• Increased retention of information

• Cuts across all three domains of learning, pyschomotor, and affective as well as cognitive.

• Better understanding of tasks related to that a career.

Vocational Vs. C.O. Hands-on Activity

• What are the difference in the vocational type hands-on activity and the career orientation hands-on activity?

• The goals of the activities are different.

Type of InstructionVOC CO

• In–preparation to

go and do a job for pay with the expected skill level.

• About– develop

awareness and understanding of the nature of the work that is done.

End PurposeVOC CO

• Perform a competency• Ready for a job

• To give insight • To create interest• Explore career field

Sequence in FlowVOC CO

• Sequence or placement of activity within unit of instruction is important

• Not necessary to start and stop in certain place.

Type of Activity to SelectVOC CO

• Usually a series of very narrow activities

• Broad based or narrow

Level of DifficultyVOC CO

• Go from low to high level of skill

• Usually very simple

Duration / Length of TimeVOC CO

• Long

• Several hours to months

• Short

• Usually done within a 50-55 minutes

• Sometimes only take 10-15 minutes

• Rarely take more than one period.

Level of ProficiencyVOC CO

• Very high standard• Identified and

Documented competencies

• Low level• Not really graded on

outcome as much as effort to do the activity.

Five Steps in theExperiential Learning Model

• 1. Experience– Do the activity

• 2. Share– Reactions to activity, discuss the observations with others

• 3. Process– Reflect and analyze from your personal prospective

• 4. Generalization– Connect lesson learned to life

• 5. Apply– transfer what was learned to similar situations

Experiential Learning ModelExperience

Share

ProcessGeneralize

Apply DO

APPLY

Typical Flow of a Hands-on Activity

• After a lesson, with objective(s) introducing the topic give an overview of what is going to be done.

• Give a demonstration if needed --Walk through it step by step.

• Distribute materials.

• Conduct the activity

• Debrief , review what was learned

Typical Sequence in a Hands-on Activities

Introduction

Demonstration

Distribute Resources Conduct the

ActivityReview DebriefClosure

Duration of Hands-on ActivityBeginning Ending

• Depends on the activity, but it usually consist of questions such as:– What did you think?

– What did you like about this activity?

– How did it go?

– What skills would you need to do this as a career?

– Etc…

• Some activities come with their own set of follow-up questions.

• Assess student ability or success at the activity.

• Key Point: Always be positive about the activity. We are all not alike.

• Note: We did not say evaluate or test. Why?

Review, Debrief, Closure

In Review

• What are some terms similar to Hands-on?

• Why is Hands-on so important?

• How do the hands-on activities in Co differ from those in Vo Ed.

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