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Hi. My name is Ashley, and today's lesson is titled Expert Learners. In today's lesson, we will discuss what is an expert learner. As educators, we want all of our students to have expertise in learning. I'm sure you can think of some students in your class that are expert learners. They're motivated to learn, they're always prepared and ready to get started, and they know what they need in order to learn best. According to the UDL Center, an expert learner is resourceful and knowledgeable, strategic and goal oriented, and purposeful and motivated. Let's take a look at these attributes in more detail.
Students who are resourceful and knowledgeable have a good deal of prior knowledge already through their own studies and experiences. They are easily able to make connections with new information. These students are active in the learning process by using tools and resources to help their understanding and to provide More information. They also make learning meaningful by applying it to everyday situations. To develop resourceful and knowledgeable learners, focus on UDL Principle One. Principle one is very closely related to becoming a resourceful and knowledgeable learner.
Strategic and goal oriented students are natural planners. They take control of their own learning by setting learning goals they want to reach, and monitor their progress along the way. They possess a wide range of measured cognitive skills and know when to use certain strategies to receive certain outcomes. Strategic and goal oriented students have good understanding of their own abilities and what they are capable of.
I can think of many students that see a quiz or test grade, and then they begin planning for improvements. One of my students decided that she was going to take notes in class, and she stuck with it. Everyday during class whether I said we were taking notes or not, she had her pencil and paper writing things down. That was her plan to meet her goal of improving her grades, which in the end helped her. Consider focusing on UDL Principal Two to help develop strategic and goal oriented learners.
Purposeful and motivated learners are self-motivated and self disciplined. These are the students you don't have to say stop talking or where's your assignment from day. Learning is so important to them, they don't want to miss out on anything, especially not for talking or for not having a piece of paper. They're focus on mastering goals, and they stay focused until their goals are met. I have seen some students who were not ashamed to tell their best friend hey, be quiet so I can stay focused.
These students know what they need in order to be successful, and they will eliminate distractions that cause barriers to their learning. These students make learning purposeful. They can find the reason why that piece of knowledge is important to them and how they can use it in other situations. To help students develop in this area, focus on UDL Principal Three.
Let's recap what we've learned in today's lesson. Our goal is to have expert learners. Expert learners can be identified as being resourceful and knowledgeable. Resourceful knowledgeable students have prior knowledge and can make connections with information. Strategic and goal oriented learners are natural planners and make a plan to meet their goals. Lastly, purposeful motivated students are self-motivated and do whatever it takes to make sure their learning is not being restricted.
Make a list of students you think need assistance in each of the three areas. After creating a list of students, create activities or strategies that may assist with their development in that area. For more information on how to apply what you've learned in this video, please view the Additional Resources section that accompanies this video presentation. The Additional Resources section includes hyperlinks useful for applications of the course material, including a brief description of each resource.
Overview
(00:00 - 00:07) Introduction
(00:08 - 00:42) What will you learn today?
(00:43 - 01:20) Resourceful & Knowledgeable
(01:21 - 02:15) Strategic & Goal-Oriented
(02:16 - 03:06) Purposeful & Motivated
(03:07 - 03:39) What did you learn today?
(03:40 - 04:09) Reflection
UDL Journal: expert learners
This entry provides a clear explanation of the three types of expert learners as defined by UDL: strategic, goal-directed learners; resourceful, knowledgeable learners; and purposeful, motivated learners.
http://udljournal.cast.org/glossary;jsessionid=1414B8C984F9AC4AD1D608FD8EA2C61F?0&word=l35
Personalize Learning: The Expert Learner with Voice and Choice
This web entry provides a very clear explanation of how to use expert learners in the classroom and how voice and choice supports the tenets of personalized learning. The post includes easy to follow charts on the types of learners, the stages of application, and the roles of teachers and students.
http://www.personalizelearning.com/2012/10/the-expert-learner-with-voice-and-choice.html