There are multiple learning models available for teachers. Today I share my two favorites. I personally used these learning methods in my classroom.
First:
When I view this particular learning pyramid, I notice instantly the bottom layer. 90% of what a student says and does is retained in memory. As a teacher, this makes me want to instantly assign presentations for every teaching unit. Technically, according to this model, if I have my students present only, they should pass all final exams with a minimum score of 90%! Awesome! But, do our students actually retain 90% of learning when they create a presentation? If you've taught for longer than a year you should know that isn't true.
However, as a public school teacher who taught multiple class periods of the same topic, I could've taught that last class period in my sleep. Okay, not really, but after presenting a topic several times in a row, you tend to master it in your brain. On occasion I felt bad for that first period of the day, they were my first daily experience of teaching, my students on whom I was experimenting new lesson plans. Whereas, the last class period of the day, I had ironed out any wrinkles, patched any holes and overall presented a better lesson.
There are other ways that is same pyramid is presented.
Notice two things, "Doing a Dramatic Presentation" and "After 2 weeks we tend to remember". Hmm... interesting. Dramatic presentation doesn't necessarily mean that we are looking at a powerpoint/keynote or Prezi. It means that we are dynamically engaging our students in the presentation, this could be through asking higher order questions, having students teach, experimenting with real life applications (i.e. doing something a real scientist/historian/mathematican would do.). In reality, each of the steps of the cone/pyramid of learning are important and you can dramatically engage students in a reading activity, hearing lesson, seeing exercise, etc.
Also, think of the timeline required, 2 weeks to master 90% of the subject: 2 weeks, or 14 days, appoximately 3 weeks in a standard k-12, M-F, non-year round school is the minimum time needed for each unit or subunit according to the Cone of Learning by Edgar Dale.
Second:
The inquiry method learning model. This model makes all steps equally important. Learning is a cycle in which one relection leads into a new wonder. The cycle builds on itself; student learning should lead into the next area of understanding. But sometimes as teachers figuring out the bridge between one subject to the next is difficult.
Which learning models are your favorite?
Dale, E. (2014) Cone of Learning: http://acrlog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/learningpyramid5.jpg
Dale, E. (1969) Audio Visual Methods in Teaching 3rd Ed. http://wiki.monroe.edu/images/7/7b/MediaConeLearning.png
Embi, M. (2016) Inquiry Learning Cycle Image: https://www.tes.com/lessons/Ur6rBJ5tyb5dcg/technology-enhanced-deep-learning
