Guide to Professional Development of
Out-of-School Science Activity Leaders

From the National Partnership for After School Science (NPASS)

NPASS

Comparing Educational Activity Approaches

The links on this page provide everything needed to present a 60-minute, adult-learning session exploring the effective use of the educational approaches in leading activities.

There has been much research, particularly in the past 10 years, to uncover the processes involved in how people learn. An awareness of some of the main findings from this research is extremely useful to anyone involved in designing or presenting educational activities. This session is designed to open the door on the topic of how people learn best, and how to craft activities that reflect that understanding. Activity leaders first experience a series of activity stations, each using a different approach to investigating the same topic. As they visit each station, the participants are challenged to become aware of their own reactions to the different approaches. They also weigh the advantages and disadvantages of particular approaches. This shared experience allows for a dynamic discussion of a variety of educational activity approaches, as well as the diversity in individual learning styles. The presenter introduces how research has been applied to create an instructional model known as the “learning cycle,” which focuses on ordering activities to match the way people naturally learn. Participants leave the session with a useful tool for planning and conducting educational activities for children and youth.

The learning cycle model introduced in this session has been developed by researchers and educators, and refined and deepened in recent years by newer findings in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. The model represents the learning process as taking place in specific phases, which eventually lead the learner to begin the process once again. Of course, since this model was designed primarily for use in formal learning settings, some modification is necessary when applied to informal situations where the focus may be more on exploration instead of development of specific content understanding. In both settings, the learning cycle can be used as a model of instruction that takes into account the learner's prior understandings, and recognizes his or her need for firsthand experiences. Lessons or activities designed according to this model are learner-centered, provoke questions, and enable the learner to conceptually integrate and apply new ideas and information. The resources and activities for children suggested in this manual have been designed with learner-centered, hands-on instruction in mind. Familiarity with this instructional model can help activity leaders begin to understand why they should follow carefully designed activity plans, and supports their ability to make thoughtful instructional decisions while leading activities.


NOTE: The learning-cycle model presented in this session is based on a four-phase cycle including invitation, exploration, concept invention, and application. There are other models with minor variations; some have three main stages, others four or more, but most share a common vision of how learning takes place.