Customized Learning Theory Paper – Final Paper Instructions
This assignment will allow you to create your own customized theory of human learning and development. Everyone operates with a theory of what makes the best learning environment and how people grow and develop. The problem is that most education professionals’ theories are neither well-informed nor articulated clearly. Thus, for this paper, you will articulate your theory of establishing the best learning environment. You will support it by using theoretical perspectives of what defines the best in education, within a Christian perspective. Your theory will be created by completing the steps below. This assignment will be completed in 2 stages: an Annotated Bibliography (due Module/Week 5) and a Final Paper (due Module/Week 8). Your finished paper will give you a conceptual framework from which to draw strategies and practices for the success of all parties involved in the teaching-learning process.
The paper must be a total of 6 pages: 4 pages for the body, 1 title page, and 1 reference page. It must include at least 6 scholarly sources from Liberty’s online library databases, plus both textbooks (Slavin and VanBrummelen). The library databases can be located at: http://www.liberty.edu/library/. All sources must be within the past 5 years. If you have more than the minimum required sources, be assured that points will not be deducted.
Throughout your paper, you must also weave a solid Biblical basis for your theory, and provide support with many specific scriptures that are each referenced with chapter and verse. Your CLT paper should be concise, well-developed, and in current APA format.
You may find it useful to focus on the educational area in which you intend to serve (elementary, middle, or high school, gifted, ADHD, special education, etc.). Information for your educational theory can be found throughout all the activities completed during this course.
Throughout the paper, it is essential that you demonstrate your understanding of the readings and course work. Your learning theory must be unified and congruent. Design your paper by using the following headings in your paper:
I. Introduction
II. Learning Theory and Its Importance
III. Description of an Effective Teacher and Learning Environment (Be sure to include discussions of direct instruction, technology, motivation, and classroom management. See below.)
IV. Learning Characteristics (How does your customized theory address multimodalities and ability grouping?)
V. Personal Reflection (What is the relationship of your personal learning styles profile, study skills inventory, and philosophical methodology of learning profile to creating your customized learning theory?)
VI. Conclusion
When writing section 2, you need to integrate 3 or more of the developmental learning theories (i.e., Piaget, Kholberg, Yvgotsky, Erickson, etc.) studied in this course, as they relate to your educational area and population. Be sure to incorporate specific theoretical terminology that demonstrates your understanding of each of the theories. Then, throughout your paper, support your customized learning theory from both a developmental and Biblical perspective. In the third section—the description of an effective teacher and learning environment—you will gather some valuable information from Chapter 1 of your Slavin textbook, which discusses an effective teacher. Think about what influence direct instruction has on your learning theory from Chapter 7. Also consider what ability-grouping methods would be most effective according to your learning theory, and why, from Chapter 8. Do not forget to discuss technology in your learning environment from Chapter 9. The type of motivations that would be included in your theory could be gleaned from Chapter 10. How you can prevent problems or distractions in your learning environment can be found in Chapter 11.
The fifth section of your paper is going to be a personal reflection on all of the different inventories you took throughout the course. You will be describing your personal learning styles, study skills, and learning methodologies. The use of first person is acceptable where appropriate. Substantiate your assumptions with scholarly sources. Why is understanding the way you learn important for having an effective learning theory? How will this lead to academic success?
Customized Learning Theory Paper Rubric
| Excellent (5 pts) | Satisfactory (4 pts) | Minimally Acceptable (3 pts) | Needs Improvement (2 pts) | Not Acceptable (0 pt) | |
| Introduction (1.000, 3%) | Introduction clear and interesting and tells the reader what to expect | ||||
| Headings (1.000, 3%) | Each specified heading/section is included, clear, and thorough in development | ||||
| Theoretical Perspectives (2.000, 6%) | Clear description and application of developmental theoretical perspectives such as Piaget, Kohlberg, Yvgotsky, Erikson, etc. Includes terminology specific to theories. | ||||
| Effective Learning Environment (2.000, 6%) | Effectiveness of teacher and learning environment described, including direct instruction, technology, motivation, classroom management | ||||
| Modalities and Grouping (1.000, 3%) | Different modalities of learning and ability grouping discussed | ||||
| Personal Reflections (1.000, 3%) | Personal reflections from PLSP, PMLP, & PSSI effectively discussed | ||||
| Topics Thoroughly Addressed (3.000, 10%) | Specified topics within each heading are thoroughly discussed and supported | ||||
| Biblical Basis (3.000, 10%) | Strong Biblical basis integrated throughout paper with many scriptures | ||||
| Focus (3.000, 10%) | Focus is clear and coherent (good sense of audience), with a smooth flow throughout entire paper | ||||
| Sentence Structure, Fluency, Word Usage (3.000, 10%) | Sentence structure – complete, clear, concise, and grammatically correct. Sentence fluency is coherent, unified, varied. Words – precise, unambiguous, appropriate | ||||
| Punctuation and Spelling (1.000, 3%) | All sentences are correctly punctuated and words spelled correctly | ||||
| Conclusion (1.000, 3%) | A comprehensive conclusion is objective and rises from content | ||||
| Sources (1.000, 3%) | At least 6 sources required were cited and used appropriately. Both textbooks from course are also included. Sources are legitimate and traceable and are from Liberty’s online library databases | ||||
| Appearance and Length (1.000, 3%) | General appearance readable and neat. Total length of paper 6 pages minimally, including title and reference pages. | ||||
| Title Page (1.000, 3%) | Title Page in APA format; effective title | ||||
| Body (1.000, 3%) | APA format including margins, spacing, citations, font/type style; pagination, running head, references | ||||
| Reference Page (1.000, 3%) | Reference page correctly APA formatted and alphabetized | ||||
| Customized Learning Theory Articulated (3.000, 10%) | Overall, a thorough and clear customized learning theory has been identified and discussed based on specified criteria |
