The "5E" stages of learning
In English, this approach to planning for daily instruction is called the “5E Learning Cycle” since it includes 5 components beginning with the letter “E:”
- Engage
- Explore
- Explain
- Elaborate (or Extend)
- Evaluate
For our purposes in translation, we might refer to it as the “5 Stage Learning Cycle.”
What is the learning cycle?
The Learning Cycle allows students the opportunity to get more readily engaged in interactive and in hands-on activities, preferably with real materials and sometimes even in real-life situations. When their teachers use the Learning Cycle, the students become involved with exploration of ideas, materials, and the human directed and natural world first, before becoming "entangled" in--what at first--may seem to be irrelevant and excessive vocabulary and factual knowledge. This strategy involves the students in the learning immediately, even before they are introduced to new terminology, ideas and concepts. Learning Cycle learning events provide students the opportunity to apply knowledge and concepts directly, thus creating meaningful long-term learning experiences. The roots of the learning cycle are found in Western approaches to science education, but are useful in many contexts in the natural and social sciences. (Currently in the United States, the “5E learning cycle” is approved and supported by the National Science Teachers Association, which is the single largest organization of science teachers in the world.)
A learning event plan that incorporates the Learning Cycle usually spans from one class period to a few days. For our purposes, we call this a “learning event” to help teachers and preservice teachers keep in mind that dedicated professional educators plan for learning first, based on goals and outcomes, not just to teach a topic in a specified amount of time (i.e. one class period). Many ‘learning events” can be completed in just one class period—like to old concept of a lesson plan—however, in many instances one class period is inadequate to meet the goals for the specific topic/concept to be studied. Thus the term learning event is introduced allow the teacher the freedom to plan instruction to effectively and efficiently meet goals and objectives, rather than letting the class period define the planning, which may result in a poor job of teaching the subject.
A unit, dealing with a broad concept, can take several days or even weeks. The sequence of learning cycle stages can and should be based upon what we know about how children learn, upon the particular learning event or unit, and upon the ideas and questions generated by students. Hence a “unit that might be 10 days (spanning 10 class periods) long, may have only 4 – 6 learning events—some of which might be the same length as the class period and others might span 2 or more class periods.
The elements of the Learning Cycle
Whether developing a learning event or a unit, it is crucial that Learning Cycle based instruction begin with exploration (preferably introduced with an engagement strategy). In addition, the cycle includes a teacher-led stage, the Explanation, and an Elaboration stage where students return to physical and/or intellectual interaction with the phenomenon. Stage five, Evaluation, should be on going as well as cumulative and final. Often the well-planned learning event is designed such that the Elaboration phase for the students is also part of the final evaluation!
I. Engagement
The intention of the first stage of the Learning Cycle is to engage the students in the learning event. The first stage of the Learning Cycle can consist of a question or set of questions, a short demonstration or activity, or a variety of other approaches. The teacher should not attempt to teach vocabulary or bring students to concept understanding in this stage. The Engagement activity can be useful to help reveal students' background knowledge and readiness for the experience at hand. Engagement is critical for pre-assessment, helping the teacher to understand the capabilities and level of understanding of their students.
II. Exploration
The Exploration phase is activity-oriented The learners are immersed in exploration of the topic or concept. Students work with one another to develop ideas through hands-on activities. The teacher is the facilitator and observer who listens to students as they interact, interfering, or joining in only when necessary. The teacher asks probing questions and redirects investigations or thinking, only when necessary, so students clarify their understanding of the major concepts. Sufficient time for this stage of the cycle is critical.
II. Explanation
The concepts discussed and the vocabularies introduced in this stage are outgrowths of the Exploration phase of the Learning Cycle. It is here that the concepts are named, and appropriate vocabulary is developed. Here it is very important for the teacher to develop a questioning and discussion sequence that relates to the new knowledge,
· moving from what is known to what must be learned (in the natural sciences this would be from observation to inference),
· from concrete to abstract, and
· from the known to the new/unknown.
It is also important that the teacher encourages interaction among the students, and reflection across the group about their varied and various understandings of the concept. The teacher guides and directs these interactions.
III. Elaboration
In this phase, students do an activity that requires them to apply the concept explored and explained in the previous phases. The Elaboration phase of the Learning Cycle, is usually performance-activity oriented. The phase provides reinforcement for the concept that is the focus of this learning event or a series of related learning events in a unit. The activity chosen should ask students to apply the concept in a new situation. Closure is provided by teacher-led discussion of the activity and of how the activity applies to the concept and knowledge that is the focus of the learning event.
IV. Evaluation
Evaluation should include descriptive (pre-assessments), formative (embedded assessments), and summative (final performance and traditional assessments) elements. It should be ongoing throughout the learning event and unit, allowing the teacher to “check for growth in understanding” and guide the instruction. Evaluation should follow naturally from your objectives for the learning event, and should allow you to answer the question, "What did the pupils learn about my objective and how did they demonstrate that learning?" Teachers should strive for a match between their purpose and the activities chosen for the learning event, and should challenge themselves to use the full range of evaluation techniques, from performance assessment through more traditional paper/pencil tests.
Below is a general framework for thinking and planning learning events oriented the curriculum designer/teacher on “doing items” for the teacher and the pupil.
|
Think in terms of ever-widening extensions extending the area[s] before them |
|
Activity |
Content |
Processes |
Dispositions |
States of Mind |
Ideals |
|
What do I want to accomplish in this lesson? |
What concepts or understandings do I want my students to know as a result of this activity or lesson? |
What processes do I want my students to practice and develop? |
What habits or dispositions of mind do I want my students to use and develop as a result of this activity? |
In which of the states of mind do I wish my students to become more resourceful as a result of this course? |
What personal set of virtues do I want my students to develop and practice? |
|
What will I do to make it happen? |
What will I do to help them understand them? |
What will I do to help them develop these processes? |
What will I do to assist in their development? |
What will we do to empower them? |
What will I do to help them develop these? |
|
What will my students be doing if they are accomplishing it? |
How will I know they understand them? |
How will I know if they are practicing & developing them? |
How does what they are doing today compare with our vision of what they could be? |
How will we know if they are more empowered? |
How will we know if they are developing these virtues? |
|
|
|
|
|
How does what we are doing today compare with our vision of what we could be? |
How does what we are doing today compare with our vision of what we could be? |
|
|
|
|
|
efficacy flexibility craftsmanship consciousness interdependence
|
beautiful good true uniting
|
|
|
|
|
|
toward increasingly authentic, congruent, & ethical behavior |
better purer more beautiful more loving more concerned |
| 
