SIM Content Enhancement
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The Concept Mastery Routine
Teachers use the Concept Mastery Routine to define, summarize, and explain a major concept and where it fits within a larger body of knowledge. Research shows several benefits for secondary students when their teachers use this routine. Students whose teachers used the Concept Mastery Routine scored significantly better on tests designed to assess concept acquisition and on regularly scheduled, teacher-made or commercial unit tests. Gains by students with learning disabilities (from a mean score of 60 percent to 71 percent) were comparable to those of their peers without learning disabilities (from a mean score of 72 percent to 87 percent) on these regular tests. The percentage of students with learning disabilities who passed increased from 57 percent to 75 percent; the percentage of students without learning disabilities who passed increased from 68 percent to 97 percent. In addition, the students took better notes when their teachers used the routine. Learning Goals: Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: Provide rationales, explain the importance of the routine’s three critical components, prepare for and practice using The Concept Mastery Routine to increase student learning. Learning Activities: 1. Participants will create a draft Concept Mastery device based on their content and practice using the cue-do review steps to introduce and co-construct its content with students. 2. Participants will make a plan for implementation. Implementation/Follow-Up Strategies: Participants will be provided with access to additional SIM professional development opportunities that build upon the content of this component. Coaching session(s) will be available to help with the process of implementation.
The Concept Comparison Routine
Teachers use the Concept Comparison Routine to help students compare and contrast key concepts. Research with students enrolled in general secondary science and social studies classes showed that students correctly answered substantially more test questions related to information that had been presented through the use of the routine than test questions related to information presented using traditional teaching methods. Students with learning disabilities and other low-achieving students correctly answered an average of 71.2 percent (students with learning disabilities) and 86.4 percent (students without learning disabilities) of the test questions associated with information presented through the use of the routine, compared to 56.7 percent (students with learning disabilities) and 62.6 percent (students without learning disabilities) of the questions associated with information presented through traditional means. The experimental study involved 107 students. Learning Goals: Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: Provide rationales, explain the importance of the routine’s three critical components, prepare for and practice using The Concept Comparison Routine to increase student learning. Learning Activities: 1. Participants will create a draft Concept Comparison device based on their content and practice using the cue-do review steps to introduce and co-construct its content with students. 2. Participants will make a plan for implementation. Implementation/Follow-Up Strategies: Participants will be provided with access to additional SIM professional development opportunities that build upon the content of this component. Coaching session(s) will be available to help with the process of implementation.