Unit-1 Evidence of learning

Evidence of learning (800 words)

a)​ Describe your personal understanding of the concept of learning and how people learn.
Ans: The lesson is efficacious as it demands active engagement from learners, stimulates critical thinking,
and allows learners to attain the specified learning objectives. Ms. Sumera's observed true report writing
lesson illustrated several best practices in teaching and learning. With an application of the educational
theories, this analysis tries to identify those key elements and justify why they made the lesson truly
effective.
1.​ Use of Guided Inquiry and Inductive Learning (Bruner’s Discovery Learning)
So, the teacher basically kicked things off by tossing the students right into the deep end with guided
inquiry—none of that “let me dump the info on you” business. Instead, the Students got to poke around
examples of reports, check out color-coded highlights, and honestly just puzzle out the report structure
themselves, all on screen. Classic Bruner, right? His whole jam was discovery learning—students
building new ideas off what they already know, instead of just cramming in spoon-fed facts.
Why’s this cool? Because when you let students mess around and figure stuff out, they actually remember
it. Nobody’s zoning out, passively soaking up words; they’re making sense of things themselves, and it
sticks better. You could really see it when they picked up on the difference between formal and informal
writing, dissecting the visuals. That’s not just learning—it’s people making real mental connections.
That’s when things click.
2.​ Active Student Participation and Collaborative Learning (Vygotsky’s Social
Constructivism)
Students got tossed into teams and told to pick apart all sorts of reports, then spill what they found to
everybody else. Kinda classic Vygotsky move, honestly—dude was all about that “learn better together”
thing. You know, pushing each other's brains in that so-called Zone of Proximal Development (fancy
phrase for “you can do even more with a little help”). Like, for example, there was this one group—total
overachievers—who broke down the bits and pieces of a formal report. They got up, shared their take
with the rest of us, and got feedback not just from the teacher but from the peanut gallery too. Instead of
the teacher preaching from the front, it felt more like we were all in on making sense of stuff together.
Honestly, kinda refreshing.
3.​ Differentiation and Multi-Sensory Approaches (Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory)
Honestly, throwing in visuals, group stuff, chit-chat, and a bit of solo thinking? That hits like every
learning flavor out there. Visual folks, they probably ate up that color-coded report. The social
butterflies? Definitely lived for those group talks. Meanwhile, the ones who’d rather keep things low-key?
Pretty sure that solo “exit ticket” moment spoke to them. Gardner’s whole deal basically boils down to:
people’s brains, they don’t all tick the same way. So, mixing up how you teach? It’s not just smart, it’s
science.
4.​ Formative Assessment to Monitor Learning (Black and Wiliam’s Assessment for Learning)
The teacher effectively used formative assessment to check understanding and guide instruction. This
included:
Class discussions on prior experiences with report writing.
Exit tickets, where students wrote what they learned and posed a question they still had.
According to Black and Wiliam (1998), such practices enable responsive teaching and support the
continuous development of learners.
Example: The teacher was able to assess conceptual understanding and plan for differentiated follow-up
for the 7 students who were less engaged, possibly due to a preference for hands-on learning.

Rina Srivastava
Unit-1 Evidence of learning

5.​ Use of Higher-Order Thinking Skills (Bloom’s Taxonomy)

The teacher designed activities that involved application, analysis, and evaluation, which are higher levels
in Bloom’s taxonomy. For instance, students had to:
Analyze different types of reports.
Evaluate language use (formal vs informal).
Synthesize their findings into a group presentation.
Justification: These tasks not only solidified students' understanding but also developed their critical
thinking and communication skills.
6.​ Positive Classroom Culture and Motivation (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)
The vibe in that classroom just hit different, it actually felt pretty welcoming instead of that weird, tense
silence you sometimes get. Students actually hyped each other up, tossing out applause and real feedback
instead of those fake "good job" comments. Guess Maslow was onto something that people need to feel
like they belong before their brains even have a shot at learning anything real. Like, when everyone
started clapping after those group projects? That wasn’t just noise. It was, you know, everyone dropping
their guard for a second and showing some real support. Honestly, that’s the stuff that makes a class click.
​ The lesson observed was effective due to its thoughtful design, learner-centered approach, and
integration of multiple teaching and assessment strategies. By grounding instruction in established
educational theories and providing varied opportunities for engagement, Ms. Sumera Fathima succeeded
in creating a learning experience that was inclusive, challenging, and rewarding.
b)​ Identify the teaching methods and learning activities you use in your current practice that engage
and motivate your students to learn.
Ans: Ms. Fathima seriously knew what she was doing in that classroom. She didn’t just stand there
lecturing, she got the students actually doing stuff. Like, she busted out a couple model reports, started
highlighting everything with colors like a woman possessed (honestly, who doesn’t love a little rainbow
action in their notes?), and *bam*—suddenly the lesson clicked for most of them. She basically did this
clever thing with dual coding (shoutout to Paivio, 1986)—mixing visuals and text so the info actually
sticks in your brain instead of vanishing at the end of the second class. Then she set up teams and had the
students hashing things out together, which is textbook Vygotsky (social learning, all that jazz). And
instead of firing off a bunch of boring yes/no questions, she threw them curveballs—open-ended stuff that
kind of forced them to think on their feet. Bloom’s Taxonomy would absolutely approve. The charts
showing the difference between formal and informal writing added a nice touch. No one’s getting
confused on tone after that. Before everyone ran for the door, she handed out quick “exit tickets.” Just a
fast, “Hey, what stuck with you today?” It’s not rocket science, but wow does it help figure out who’s
tuned in and who’s napping with their eyes open. So yeah, the whole thing felt alive—students actually
cared because what they were doing made sense. And it wasn’t just “teacher talks, Students stare.”
Everybody was in the game. Loved it.
c)​ Briefly explain why you chose these teaching methods and learning activities.
Ans: I opted for guided inquiry, inductive learning, and collaborative group tasks because they align with
Vygotsky's Social Constructivist approach, which emphasizes the importance of social engagement in
learning. By utilizing visual aids and color-coding, the teacher can enhance comprehension in accordance
with Dual Coding Theory. In line with Dewey's experiential learning model, students worked in teams to
analyze report types and engage in active analysis. Bloom's Taxonomy suggests that higher-order thinking
was fostered by open-ended questioning.... To illustrate, students noticed a variation in tone between
formal and informal reports and presented their findings. Formal exams, such as exit tickets, allowed for

Rina Srivastava
Unit-1 Evidence of learning

real-time monitoring of learning progress. These methods stimulated learners and facilitated critical
thinking through peer learning and reflective inquiry. Both were successful approaches.
d)​ Explain the differences between formative and summative assessment and their main purposes.
Ans: Ms. Fathima's teaching included group discussions, open-ended questions, and exit tickets to track
ongoing comprehension. The continuous feedback loop facilitated the adjustment of teaching strategies
and fostered active learning. Summative assessment, on the other hand, assesses the cumulative impact of
learning at the end of class, including the final report-writing task. Students constructed meaning together
with the scaffolded support provided by the teacher, which was rooted in Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal
Development. To illustrate, students who examined report structures in teams not only gained
comprehension but also assessed themselves through peer review.

References:
●​ Bruner, J. (1961). The Act of Discovery. Harvard Educational Review.
●​ Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes.
Harvard University Press.
●​ Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Basic Books.
●​ Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom
Assessment. Phi Delta Kappan.
●​ Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational
Goals. Longmans.
●​ Maslow, A. H. (1943). A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review.
●​ Paivio, A. (1986). Mental Representations
●​ Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education
●​ Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the Black Box.

Rina Srivastava