Author: chanukkang

When exploring resources to support our project on pet longevity, I found the YouTube video Dental Health in Dogs and Cats: What You Need to Know. This short, focused resource highlights why oral hygiene is essential for pets and addresses common misconceptions, such as the idea that “bad breath in pets is normal.” It’s a practical and evidence-based video that directly supports our goal of educating pet owners about preventive health care.

The video’s interaction primarily centers on reflection. Its visuals, which starkly juxtapose healthy teeth with advanced dental disease, naturally compel learners to pause and critically examine their own experiences with pets or challenge their preexisting assumptions. Though the video doesn’t explicitly solicit direct responses, it effectively creates opportunities for learner-driven engagement, including thoughtful note-taking, generating insightful questions, or sparking informal conversations.

To build upon this learning experience, I would develop a follow-up project where students craft a “Myth vs. Reality” infographic about pet dental health using design platforms like Canva or Piktochart. This activity strategically develops students’ abilities to synthesize critical information and communicate it visually for a broader audience. By requiring students to explain complex concepts in their own words, the project also encourages deeper comprehension and critical thinking. After completing their infographics, students would share their work by uploading them to our WordPress site, creating opportunities for peer review and constructive feedback using a straightforward evaluation rubric that assesses clarity, accuracy, and creative presentation. As the instructor, I would then provide targeted feedback that highlights the students’ strengths and gently addresses any remaining misconceptions to ensure comprehensive learning.

This approach offers both manageability and scalability. By leveraging peer review, the feedback process becomes distributed, which alleviates the instructor’s workload while ensuring learners receive meaningful, constructive comments. For larger groups, peer-to-peer feedback proves particularly effective in maintaining active engagement.

To promote inclusivity, I would provide a video transcript for students who require or prefer text-based content, and offer flexible submission formats for follow-up activities (such as allowing a written summary as an alternative to a visual infographic). By integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, we can ensure that all learners can interact with the material in ways that complement their individual learning strengths.

Overall, this video serves as an excellent introduction to the topic. It effectively ignites curiosity, supports evidence-based learning, and harmonizes beautifully with our constructivist and inquiry-driven design approach. It’s a resource that not only educates but also inspires students to develop a more nuanced perspective on preventive care in veterinary medicine.

Reference

The Pet Collective. (2022, October 28). 10 tips to keep your pet healthy [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/io3Ckr8R8T0

Peer review Blog Post #4

Hi, Joanne !

Your blog post offers an insightful and well-structured strategy for incorporating the Ted Talk into student learning. The diverse range of activities you’ve designed effectively combines immediate computer-generated feedback, collaborative peer interactions, and comprehensive instructor assessments. This multifaceted approach ensures that students not only practice comprehension but also engage in deeper, more nuanced reflection through discussion boards and writing assignments. Particularly impressive is the peer response component, which brilliantly fosters interactive learning and encourages critical engagement with varied perspectives.

The attention to accessibility in your design is commendable. By proactively addressing accommodations and providing responsive support through office hours and timely email communications, you demonstrate a genuine commitment to supporting students’ diverse needs. Your approach clearly positions inclusivity as a fundamental aspect of educational design.

To further enhance the post, you might consider more explicitly linking the activities to specific learning outcomes. For instance, you could articulate how quizzes reinforce factual recall, while the writing assignment cultivates advanced skills in synthesis and critical analysis. The accessibility section could also benefit from expanded universal design recommendations, such as consistently providing captions and transcripts to support all learners’ educational experiences.

In essence, your post stands out as an engaging, inclusive, and pedagogically robust exploration of innovative teaching strategies.

Hey everyone! I’m back with our third post for EDCI335. This time, I’m thrilled to share our group’s “Learning Design Blueprint” project: “Ensuring Your Pet Lives a Long, Happy Life.” Our comprehensive exploration of topics like preventative care, nutrition, and pet dental hygiene (who knew bad breath isn’t actually normal for pets?) was incredibly eye-opening. As devoted pet parents, we recognize our furry companions are true family members, and our mission is to equip owners with scientifically-grounded insights that enable pets to not just survive, but truly flourish.

During our design process, addressing the diverse needs of all learners emerged as a critical challenge. Our approach embraces accessibility and varied learning styles. For visual learners, we’ve crafted engaging “Myth vs. Reality” sections, particularly around dental health, featuring eye-catching infographics and compelling side-by-side comparisons of healthy and unhealthy gums. Auditory learners will appreciate embedded audio summaries and captivating TED Talk excerpts exploring pet longevity. Kinesthetic learners can dive into interactive quizzes and reflective journaling prompts that encourage direct, personal engagement. By blending multiple media formats, we ensure effective information absorption, catering to individual learning preferences.

Recent global events have underscored the critical need for educational adaptability. Our blueprint anticipates unexpected scenarios, such as a pandemic necessitating home-based learning. Activities like the “Walk a Dog, Lose a Pound” program can seamlessly transition to dynamic online forums featuring shared reflections and virtual exercise challenges. For hands-on topics like pet dental care or FDA dishwashing protocols, we envision learners submitting concise video demonstrations, thereby cultivating a sense of community. Critically, providing clear online platform tutorials and readily accessible technical support would guarantee successful home-learning experiences.

Ultimately, designing this resource has illuminated the profound significance of flexibility and empathetic design in education. It’s fundamentally about constructing a resilient framework for high-quality, impactful learning, even when confronted with unforeseen circumstances.

References

• University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. (2025, July). The myth of learning styles. Retrieved from https://onlineteaching.umich.edu/articles/the-myth-of-learning-styles/
• Education Next. (2018, Summer). The stubborn myth of “learning styles”: State teacher-license and prep materials debunked the theory. https://www.educationnext.org/…/stubborn-myth-learning-styles/

Tony’s Blog Post #3

Your post does an excellent job of highlighting the significance of adaptability in teaching, particularly during unexpected disruptions like the pandemic. I genuinely appreciate how you not only focused on transitioning content online, but also emphasized providing comprehensive support through tutorials and diverse submission methods.

The concept of “soft deadlines” is particularly insightful, as it demonstrates empathy by reducing stress for students navigating complex personal challenges beyond their academic life. Your example of utilizing Padlet to foster collaboration is compelling, effectively illustrating how digital platforms can still facilitate meaningful interaction and peer feedback. What resonated most with me was your commitment to accessibility by offering both online and offline alternatives, which reflects a truly inclusive approach to education.

This design ensures that every student can remain engaged and supported, regardless of their individual circumstances. Ultimately, your approach strikes an impressive balance between maintaining academic structure and embracing flexible, student-centered learning strategies.

Hi everyone ! This week’s Post 2 delves into theoretical approaches to learning environment design and their practical application. I’ll be zeroing in on ‘Experiential Learning’.

What is Experiential Learning?

Experiential learning, as its name implies, is an educational approach where knowledge, skills, and values are gained through direct ‘experience’. It goes beyond passive information absorption, emphasizing learning by actively doing. Based on my research, experiential learning is characterized as a ‘philosophy and methodology’ where educators immerse learners in hands-on experiences and meaningful reflection.

A key feature of this learning method is its ability to cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It also enhances learners’ capacity to apply knowledge in real-world contexts. The approach isn’t solely focused on outcomes but also values the learning ‘process’ itself. Effective experiential learning requires a thoughtful balance of reflection, content, and active engagement.

Incorporating Experiential Learning into My Design

I have a deep passion for economics and innovative educational approaches, particularly in creating engaging learning resources like educational comics. I firmly believe that applying experiential learning principles within economics can help students develop a more profound and practical understanding of complex economic concepts.

In an ‘Economics’ course, I would move beyond traditional theoretical lectures by designing interactive and immersive learning experiences. For instance, students could simulate market dynamics by creating a hypothetical startup and navigating its financial challenges, or they might critically analyze real-world economic policies to predict potential societal impacts. Through these hands-on, immersive activities, learners can naturally internalize fundamental economic principles like supply and demand or cost-benefit analysis by directly experiencing their practical applications within a controlled, supportive environment.

When developing educational comics or animation scripts to explain economic theories, experiential learning becomes an incredibly powerful pedagogical tool. Picture students crafting narratives that illustrate complex concepts like inflation through relatable daily life scenarios or exploring comparative advantage through engaging trade narratives. The process of researching economic principles, structuring compelling storylines, and creating visual representations; while confronting and overcoming design challenges – transforms into a rich, transformative learning experience. Through this approach, students don’t merely memorize theoretical concepts; they actively construct and internalize economic knowledge by creatively applying their understanding.

By emphasizing active engagement, experiential learning provides students with a robust framework for independent discovery and meaningful intellectual growth, effectively bridging the often-perceived gap between abstract economic theory and real-world practical application.

References

• The Association for Experiential Education. (2024). What is experiential learning? Experiential Learning. https://www.experientiallearning.org/info/what-is-experiential-learning/?v=3e8d115eb4b3
• Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Experiential learning. Northern Illinois University. https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide/experiential-learning.shtml
• Study.com. (n.d.). Experiential learning: Definition, methods & examples. https://study.com/learn/lesson/experiential-learning-techniques-examples.html

Hi Tony !

I appreciated how you connected direct instruction to personal experiences in math and science—this approach made the explanation both engaging and accessible. I concur with your observation that the method’s primary advantage lies in the instructor’s immediate intervention when students encounter confusion, which is particularly crucial in progressively complex subjects.

Your assessment of the pet health project was also insightful. I found your comparison between direct instruction’s structured framework and inquiry-based learning’s adaptability compelling, especially considering the individualized nature of pet care. Your suggestion of a blended approach is intriguing—using direct instruction to establish foundational health knowledge, then transitioning to inquiry-based learning for applying those principles to diverse pet scenarios seems like an effective strategy.

Learning Experiences with Behaviorism

Behaviorism fundamentally centers on modifying behavior via a system of rewards and consequences, doesn’t it? For me, the most vivid illustration comes from my elementary school experience with multiplication tables. Our teacher strategically motivated us by awarding colorful stickers for precise recitations, and those who demonstrated rapid mastery were even treated to small stationery prizes. By employing consistent drilling and providing positive reinforcement for accurate responses, I effectively internalized these mathematical facts with both speed and precision. This scenario epitomizes the behaviorist methodology, wherein a targeted behavior in this case, memorizing multiplication tables is systematically learned through persistent practice and carefully structured incentives.

Learning Experiences with Cognitivism

Cognitivism centers on how learners take in, analyze, and retain information. The approach emphasizes comprehending concepts and solving problems, moving far beyond simple memorization. My high school economics classes, particularly when exploring intricate economic models, exemplified this learning philosophy perfectly. Take, for example, our lessons on supply and demand curves or the impact of government policies on market dynamics – I wasn’t passively recording facts, but actively engaging with the underlying mechanisms. By breaking down complex information through different examples and visual representations, I systematically worked to understand how various factors interconnect and influence outcomes. This process of logically restructuring information, critically examining relationships, and constructing new understanding was a quintessential demonstration of cognitive learning in action.

Learning Experiences with Constructivism

Constructivism proposes that learners build new knowledge by integrating their personal experiences and prior understanding. My current group projects provide an excellent illustration of this concept. Particularly in EDCI 335, and 337 collaborating with teammates to develop a Learning Design Blueprint or an educational comic exemplifies this approach. We openly exchange ideas, seamlessly blending our diverse backgrounds and individual perspectives to generate innovative solutions. Engaging in discussions around open-ended challenges without a single predetermined answer, we collectively evolve and refine our understanding, reconstructing knowledge through mutual exploration. This collaborative process powerfully embodies the core principles of constructivist learning: tackling authentic problems and co-creating knowledge through interactive and dynamic teamwork.

Peer Feedback Comment

Hi, Joanne

Thank you for sharing such a well-structured and insightful post! I deeply appreciated how you articulated the transition from conventional extrinsic motivators to more contemporary, research-supported approaches like expectancy-value theory and self-efficacy. Your explanation of how students’ perceived competence and task value are crucial to their motivation was particularly compelling.

The breakdown of Keller’s ARCS model was both clear and practical. I found your explanation of each component especially valuable, particularly the emphasis on connecting content to students’ interests and learning styles to establish relevance. This perspective offers a tangible approach to instructional design that I can readily incorporate into my own thinking.

I have a minor suggestion: A brief, direct comparison of performance versus mastery goals might help clarify their distinct impacts on motivation. Also, I noticed a small typo—I believe you meant “self-efficacy theory” instead of “self-efficiency theory.”

In summary, this was an excellent overview that skillfully bridges theoretical concepts with practical applications. Thank you for sharing such thoughtful and informative insights!