Lesson 8- Teaching with contrived experiences

"We teach through a re-arrangement of the raw reality; a specimen, a manageable sample of a whole...when the direct experience cannot be used properly in its natural setting."


              

    

Contrived experiences are substitutes of real things when it is not feasible to bring the real thing to the class. These include models, mock ups, specimens, objects, simulations and games.

 1. Models - Is a "reproduction of areal thing in a small scale, or large scale or exact size - but made of synthetic materials. It is a substitute for real thing which may or may not be operational." ( brown, et al, 1969 )

2. Mock up - Is " an arrangement of a real device or associated devices, displayed in such a way that representation of reality is created. The mock up may be simplified in order to emphasize certain features." ( brown, 1969 )

3. Specimens - Is any individual or item considered typical of a group, class or whole.

4. Simulation - Is a " representation of a manageable real event in which the learner is an active participant engaged in learning a behavior or in applying previously acquired skills or knowledge" 
 ( Orlich, et al, 1994 )

We use simulations and games o make our classes interactive and to develop the decision making skills and knowledge construction skills of our students,Orlich, et al (1994) enumerates 10 general purposes of simulations and games in education;

1. To develop changes in attitude
2. To change specific behaviors
3. To prepare participants for assuming new roles in the future,
4. To help individuals to understand their current roles
5. To increase the students ability to apply principles
6. To reduce complex problems or situations to manageable elements
7. To illustrate roles that may affect one's life but that one my never assume
8. To motivate learners
9. To develop analytical processes
10. To sensitize individuals to another person's life role

The most important thing to remember when we make use of models and mockups are to make them close as we could to the real things they represent. If for one reason or another they could not replicate the real things in size and color and we should at least cautious the user or the reader by giving the scale.  

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