Learning to Apply Book Three

By Quince Duncan

This textbook was designed to support the Study-classroom Program at West College Primary School (4th, 5th, 6th grades).The program will help students learn how to learn, learn how to understand what they learn and learn how to apply whatever is learned.
Learning to Apply Book Three counts. But it does not substitute for the educator, nor can it achieve the objectives without the commitment of the student. The process is triangular. On one side is this book, on another the teacher; but the fundamental side of the triangle is the student.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palibrio
• Release date: Dec 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9781463345457

Quince Duncan

Quince Duncan, Costa Rican writer. “Aquileo Echeverría” National Literature Award Author of more than 30 books, including novels, short stories, essays, and textbooks and essays on people of African descent and racism, with emphasis on the “Continental Caribbean.”

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 by Quince Duncan.

Text revision Cynthia Delgado

West College and Institute of Education

Photograph Mariela Pérez Villalobos and Quince Duncan

Special thanks to Ileana, Magaly and Debbie Villalobos

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction To Book 3

PART ONE: LEARNING TO OBSERVE

Learning to Observe Unit I. Why study?

Lesson 1. A Definition of the Field of Study

Lesson 2. Study and Motivation.

Lesson 3 Misunderstanding: a Huge Barrier.

Lesson 4 Physical Conditions for Studying.

Learning to Observe Unit II. Preparing for the Science Fair

Lesson 1. Introduction to the Science Fair

Lesson 2 Fair Modalities: Monograph.

Lesson 3 Fair Modalities: Demonstration of a Scientific Process or Principle.

Lesson 4 Designing your Plan.

Lesson 5 Designing your Plan.

Lesson 6 Designing your Plan.

Lesson 7 Designing your Plan.

Lesson 8 Designing your Plan.

Lesson 9 Designing your Plan.

Lesson 10 Designing your Plan.

Lesson 11 Designing your plan.

Learning to Observe. Unit III Getting the Job Done.

Lesson 1 Collecting Data.

Lesson 2 Preparing a Written Report.

Lesson 3 Preparing your Oral Report.

Learning to Observe Unit IV: Multiple Intelligences Theory.

Lesson 1 What are Multiple Intelligences?

Lesson 2 How about You?

ACTIVITY: Define the following intelligences:

Learning to Observe Unit V: Observation Techniques.

Lesson 1 Learning about Integrated Learning Units. First part.

Lesson 2 Learning about Integrated Units. Second part:

Lesson 3 Analyzing a Sample Integrated Unit Plan.

PART TWO: TEAMWORKS

Team Works Unit I: Working Together

Lesson 1. Introduction to the Science Fair

Lesson 2. Reviewing the Modalities of the Science and Technology Fair.

Lesson 3 Organizing your Team.

Lesson 4. Limiting your Topic.

Lesson 5 Formulating your Problem.

Lesson 6 Writing Your Objectives and Outlines.

Lesson 7 Establishing Method, Resources and Timetable.

Lesson 8 How to create a demonstrative project.

Team Works Unit II: Collecting Data.

Lesson 1 Basic Instruments

Lesson 2 Designing an Experiment.

Team Works Unit III: Reporting Results.

Lesson 1 Preparing to Report.

Lesson 2 Delivering your Oral Report.

Lesson 3 Presenting Your Research Paper.

Team Works Unit IV: Working as a Team

Lesson 1 The Basic Principles of a Group

Lesson 2 Why Organize a Group?

Lesson 3 Identity of a Group.

Lesson 4 A Code to Keep the Team Running.

Lesson 5 Evaluating your Group.

Team Works Unit V: Discovering Multiple Intelligences in a Story.

Lesson 1 Reading the story: Mr. Death and the Gardener

Lesson 2 Evaluating your Death and the Gardener activities.

PART THREE: READING TO LEARN

Reading to Learn Unit I: Overview of the Scientific and Technological Fair.

Lesson 1. Reading about the Objectives and Levels of the Fair

Lesson 2 Recalling the Modalities".

Lesson 3 Creating a Technological Project

Reading to learn Unit II: Criteria for Reading and Analyzing a Research Plan

Lesson 1. Evaluating the Formulation of a Research Problem.

Lesson 2. Analyzing the Objectives of a Research Plan

Lesson 3. Analysis of the Outline of a Research Project.

Lesson 4. Analysis of the Background Information for a Research Project

Lesson 5. Analysis of Methodology, Techniques and Procedures.

Lesson 6. Analysis of the Resource Section of a Research Plan.

Lesson 7. Analysis of the Timetable of a Research Project.

Annex section: Sample Research Plan.

Annex Section: Sample Research Paper.

Annex Section: Formalities

Annex Section: Citations and References

Ending Note

References

A NOTE OF RECOMMENDATION

When reading this Manual, use your dictionary.

Almost all difficulties with studies are a direct result of the reader not having a full comprehension of the words he reads.

Furthermore, one of the objectives of this Manual is to widen the vocabulary of our students.

Readers should never ignore or bypass a word that they do not fully understand

PREFACE

Traditional educational systems tend to promote a very abstract concept of learning, with almost no links to the social dynamics of the society as perceived by the student. Even when paying lip service to construction theories, the focus continues to be on chalk or marker, black or white board, with a professor in front of the class, delivering something that is like a speech but not exactly a speech.

In this traditional setting, teachers normally would not even try to help students construct their own knowledge; they are working hard to pass knowledge to the next generation, without any regard to the fact that by the time they make their way into textbooks, a large portion of the knowledge has already become obsolete.

The students, finding such a curricula and approach not useful, soon learn the rules of the game: memorize what the teacher says you should learn, so that you may be able to write it down on your test sheets and get a grade and then forget about the whole transaction.

In such a system, education has become a form of nonproductive activity that leads to the acquisition of a certificate.

In addition to this, modern educational research has made it clear that not all students learn in the same way. Some, for example, need a certain degree of affinity with the teacher and the subject matter; others demand good communication and some only need the subject to be presented in such a way that it seems real. Traditional pedagogy prefers to ignore this reality and continues to treat everybody the same way in an almost obsessive standing on equality, while ignoring equity—to treat each person as an individual, with his own needs, emotions, reasoning, and resulting learning style.

In recent years, scholars have questioned these traditional focus, proposing the idea of a multiple intelligence Howard Gardner (1983) and the theory of learning styles Kolb (1984).

West College Primary, has designed this program with a holistic approach, named SIPEIN¹ Quince Duncan (1980). The postulates supporting this approach are as follows:

Thorough comprehension of the parts of a subject requires the analysis of the whole.

Effective learning implies changing student roles. Activity and passivity are part of the process.

Team work is basic. The whole is superior to the sum of its parts.

To achieve effective learning, each individual must construct his or her own knowledge. The teacher cannot learn for the student.

Although all students possess multiple intelligences, these are not equally balanced. Those intelligences that are better developed in the individual, determine his or her learning style.

Every action produces a reaction. A full understanding of these premises enhances a person’s ability to influence his environment.

On the bases of the above premises, West College proposes a system that guides the student toward self-teaching. The aim is that the student learns how to learn, learns how to comprehend whatever he studies and learns how to apply his knowledge when faced with today’s challenging and changing reality.

The strategy designed to achieve the above aims is an investigative pedagogy. Leaning to do research is the best way to become capable to teach oneself. With the capacity to seek information, process it and apply it accordingly, the person has the basic tool he needs to be able to keep up front on cultural and technological changes as they occur. This sums up to having a lead when procuring better family and social relations, and an enhancement of his or her cultural competence.

The series Learning to Apply is designed to support school professors and students to achieve these aims. The series comprehends 10 levels, starting from Initial Education to 11th Grade.

INTRODUCTION TO BOOK 3

Hi. This is an adventure. A nice trip to the world of knowledge!

During this course, you are going to discuss the fundamental reason for studying and learn to handle a book as a real expert.

You are about to learn how to locate quickly and very accurately information in a text. And you will learn to read critically and to store the information collected.

All of the above is what this book proposes. But you have to be aware that this is a triangle with a very wide basis. On one side is this book, on another your professor; but the fundamental side of the triangle is you yourself.

That means that if this course is going to be