Gee's Principle

Respond to the following questions:

• Gee's principle of probing (p. 54) states that learning is a cycle of probing the world (doing something) and reflecting in and on this action and forming a hypothesis. Select 3 principles you think it would be important for education.

The three principles that I would use would have to be discovery, practice, and identity.  I feel that these three principles can work well on their own, but I also feel that they would work very well used together in a combination.  I would use the discovery principle, because many times I can remember things that I learn better when I find them out on my own.  The practice principle would help, because when you do something right many times you have a better chance at continuing that habit.  The identity principle would work well, because I like the fact that it deals with options.

• Good simulations are hard to create. If you were creating a simulation for your class, what activity would you support? What variables could students manipulate? How would they affect each other?

I would simulate a press conference or some sort of interviewing situation.  Where my students would get a chance to learn two different was of interviewing people.  They would have an interview with pre-decided questions to ask a person, and another where they would have to just ask questions off of the top of their heads.  Students would be able to manipulate the questions they are being asked as well as the responses.  I want them to know how to turn a negative response into a positive one, and also turn a good interviews into a great one.  The students would affect each other, because they would more familiar with the person they are interviewing and they will also play different characters so they will be able to be a little more creative e and have some fun.

• Conclusion

Gee's principles can be very helpful in any teaching environment.  Simulations can as well.  The simulations help you to better organize one's teaching strategies and habits or avenues to direct certain lessons.  With simulations they can help students to better prepare for many of the different things they may experience when they get into the real world.  They both are very beneficial tools that I plan on using later on with my profession.

• References

Jonassen, David H., and David H. Jonassen. Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.