Balancing Informational & Literary Texts
(Grades K-5)
In this workshop participants will examine recommendations intended to help educators organize instruction and study to improve student learning, specifically, the practice of alternating worked examples with problem-solving practice.
About This Course
This workshop is part of a new series of content collections - Pepper Online Workshops (POW) – focusing on the hottest topics that educators are dealing with across the country. These have been developed in partnership with WestEd using some of the resources from their Doing What Works project. These workshops feature amazing videos, interactive planning tools, and other research-based materials.
Much of teaching is about helping students understand and retain new knowledge and skills. This can be especially important in the elementary grades when teachers are helping students build a foundation on which to build knowledge throughout middle and high school. Helping students develop deep conceptual understanding will allow them to use what they have learned in new situations.
There are many different recommendations in the IES Practice Guide for Organizing Instructions and Study to Improve Student Learning. The workshop will focus on the practice of alternating worked examples with problem-solving practice.
This course features resources and best practices suited for middle and high school classrooms.
VIEW DETAILED COURSE OUTLINE+ Expand
Download Detailed Course Outline
FAQ+ Expand
WAYS TO TAKE THIS COURSE
Simply Audit this Course
Can't commit to all of the lectures, assignments, and tests? Audit this course and have complete access to all of the course material, tests, people, portfolios, and the online discussion forum. You decide what and how much you want to do.
Try for a Certificate
Looking to test your mettle? Participate in all of the course's activities (we use the honor code around here) and if your work meets the 85% requirements, you'll receive a personalized certificate to showcase your achievement. You can also apply for course credit (if desired).
Course Staff
WestEd
WestEd, a nationally recognized nonpartisan, nonprofit
research, development, and service agency working with education and other
communities throughout the United States and abroad. WestEd aims to improve
education and other important outcomes for children, youth and adults. WestEd
provides a wide range of resources for K-12 educators to use in their
classrooms.
Lori Larsen
Lori Larsen has
experience teaching in both the public and private environment and has worked
at the District level in administration, as well as a education consultant
traveling to schools throughout the United States and Canada. She has made
presentations at local, state, and national conferences highlighting the use of
technology as an instructional tool in the classroom and focuses on integrating
technology and curriculum to engage students. Her experience as a classroom
teacher and as a professional development specialist working with teachers
gives her opportunity to work with teachers and students to effectively enhance
classroom instruction and student learning.
Sarah Feldman, Seewan Eng