Instructional Technology - Principles and Approaches Meaning, Principles and Maxims of Teaching
Instructional Technology
Instructional Technology is a transformative force in the educational landscape, blending cutting-edge tools and pedagogical strategies to enhance learning experiences.It plays a crucial role in the transformation of educational landscapes, serving as a cornerstone for innovative teaching and learning methodologies.
It involves the systematic design, development, use, management, and evaluation of technology in education to create effective and engaging learning experiences.
It involves the systematic design, development, use, management, and evaluation of technology in education to create effective and engaging learning experiences.
Core Components of Instructional Technology
*Systematic Approach
It involves a methodical process of analyzing needs, designing solutions, developing materials, implementing instruction, and evaluating its effectiveness.
*Application of Theory
It applies theories of human learning and communication (such as behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist theories) to create effective learning strategies.
*Resources and Tools
It encompasses all types of resources, from hardware (e.g., electronic whiteboards, VR) to software (e.g., Learning Management Systems), used in instruction.
*Focus on Improvement
Its primary goal is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of learning and teaching processes to solve instructional problems.
Principles of Teaching
Principles and Maxims of Teaching are core guidelines for effective instruction, generally including fostering connections between students and faculty, promoting active and collaborative learning, acknowledging diverse learning styles and talents, setting high expectations, ensuring subject mastery and quality instruction, prioritizing time on task, and providing prompt review and feedback to boost student morale and learning. These principles help create a positive and productive learning environment for all students.
1 The Principle of Aim
There should be a definite aim for every lesson.
2 The principle of Activity or Learning by Doing
The child is active by nature. He has certain urges which impels him to action. He learns by doing.
3 Principle of Linking with Actual Life and Other Subjects
Learning should be linked with life and other subjects as far as it is convenient to do so.
4 The Principle of Planning
Good teaching is always well-planned.
5 The Principle of Interest or Motivation
The principle of interest or motivation is the most important of all principles
6 The Principle of Sympathy and Kindly Atmosphere
Good teaching cannot take place in an atmosphere which lacks kindness and sympathy
7.The Principle of Creativity
The idea of a good teacher is to make the pupil creative learner.
8.Principle of Flexibility and Co-operation
Rigid planning is harmful for good teaching. The plan of a lesson must provide scope to make necessary changes, if need be. Teaching should be flexible to meet the unexpected
situations, if any, in the classroom.
9. The Principle of Diagnostic and Remedial Teaching
Good teaching is diagnostic and remedial. Once the pupil’s difficulties have been diagnosed, they should not be left as
they are.
10. The Principle of Looking Ahead
Good teaching looks ahead while it also takes into account the past experiences of the children. An open-minded teacher is always forward looking.
11. Principle of model presentation
The presentation of the material should be really a model one in every way.
12. The Principle of Selection of material
The right selection of material will result into proper teaching and hence desired results will be achieved. This benefits both the teacher and the students.
13. The Principle of Gradation or division
Easy and simple things should come first and difficult and complicated things will occur afterwards.
Maxims of Teaching
Maxims of Teaching refers to the Techniques in Teaching that a teacher adopts for effective teaching learning.
They accelerate momentum of teaching learning process and help in achieving success in classroom.Maxims are nothing but simple guidelines or principles which help teachers to take decisions and act accordingly during the teaching process.These Maxims have been formulated by the psychologists, educationist, pedagogues and preceptors on the basis of their experiences.These Maxims are reliable and are universally applicable.
Different Maxims of Teaching
1.From Known to Unknown
This maxim is based on the assumption that the student knows something. We are to increase his knowledge and widen his outlook. We have to interpret all new knowledge’ in terms of the old.It is said that old knowledge serves as a hook on which the new one can be hung. If we link new knowledge with the old knowledge our teaching becomes clearer and more definite.. So while teaching we should proceed from known and go towards unknown.
2.From Near to Far
Every child is able to learn well in the surroundings to which he belongs. So the child should be acquainted fully with his immediate environment. Gradually he may be taught about those things which are far from his immediate environment. This principle, if kept in view, will smoothen the
leaching-learning process considerably. Thus the child should be taught the home, followed by the street, the bazaar, the school and then the distant environment of the city to which he belongs. In the same way, acquaintance with the city should lead to acquaintance with the Tehsil, the District,
the Division, the Stale and then the Country as a whole. This type of teaching will be incremental and will be step by step learning. The textbook writer who writes books for the small children should also place the different chapters in his bookkeeping in view this principle. Then only his book will stand better chances of approval by all concerned.
3.From Simple to Complex
In this process of teaching-learning, the teacher should see those simple things are presented first to the students. That way they will start taking an interest. Once they become interested, thou gradually complex type of things can also be learnt by them. By learning simple things, they feel encouraged and they also gain confidence. On this basis, they become further receptive to the complexmatter.Gradually more difficult items of learning may be presented to the students. It will smoothen teaching being done by the teacher and make learning convenient and interesting for the students.
4.From Concrete to Abstract
Concrete things are solid things and they can be touched with five senses. But abstract things can only be imagined. So it israther difficult to teach children about abstract things. The students are likely to forget them soon. On the other hand, if we
teach the students with the help of concrete objects, they will never forget the subject matter.
5.From Particular to General
While teaching, the teacher should, first of all, take particular statements and then on the basis of those particular cases, generalization should be made. General
facts, principles and ideas are difficult to understand and hence the teacher should always first present particular things and then lead to general things.
6.From Whole to Part
This Maxim is the offshoot of Gestalt theory of Learning whose main emphasis was to perceive things or objects as whole and not in the form of parts.Whole is more understandable, Motivating and effective than the parts.In Teaching,the teacher should first give a synoptic view of lesson and then analyse it into different parts.This principle holds good while teaching a thing to the small children.
7.From Induction to Deduction
Induction means drawing a conclusion from a set of examples whereas deduction is its
opposite. The teacher should proceed from induction to deduction. For example, in
English, while teaching the conversion of active voice into passive voice, the teacher
should first convert a few sentences of active into the passive voice and on the basis of those conclude the general rule for a conversation of active voice in to passive voice.
8.From Psychological to Logical
Modern education gives more emphases on psychology of the child. The child`s psychological development is of utmost important than any other thing. A teacher while teaching should follow this maxim viz from psychological to logical.
Psychological approach takes into consideration the pupil his interests, abilities,aptitudes, development level, needs and reactions. The teacher should keep in mind the psychological selection of the subject matter to be presented before the pupils. Logical approach considers the arrangement of the chosen content into logical order and steps.
9.From Emperial to Rational
Empirical knowledge is that which is based on observation and first and experience about which no reasoning is needed at all. It is concrete, particular and simple. We can feel and experience it.On the other hand rational knowledge is based upon arguments and explanations.For example suppose the students are to be taught that water boils on heating. They should first
be made to heat the water and see it boiling. Then the teacher should explain that when water is heated, the molecules gain kinetic energy and there is thermal agitation of the molecules which
make the water boil.This maxim is an extension of some of the previous maxims, namely proceed from simple to complex proceed fromconcrete to abstract and fromparticular to general.
10.From Analysis to Synthesis
When we divide a thing into easy parts or separate elements in order to understand it
easily is called analysis. It is the process which helps in understanding the hidden
elements of a thing orthe cause of some incident or behavior.Synthesis is just opposite of analysis. All parts are shown as a whole. The process of analysis is easier than synthesis for understanding a thing. This process develops the analytical power of the students. It is the bestmethod of starting the teaching process.
Advantages
•Makes teaching Simple and interesting,
• Makes teaching joyful and interactive,
• Makes teaching purposeful and meaningful,
• It makes students creative,
•Students analyze & synthesize content,
• It develops scientific attitude,
• It is Learning by doing, ensures involvement,
• It develops critical thinking .
