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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ball, Jerald T.
Format: Recurso educativo Open Access
Language:en
Published: 1969
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED032866
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author Ball, Jerald T.
author_facet Ball, Jerald T.
Ball, Jerald T.
collection Education Resources Information Center
contents The Pentagonal Principle for Self-Oriented Classes. Ball, Jerald T. Learning Motivation Small Group Instruction Student Participation Teaching Methods Two Year Colleges Under the pentagonal principle, a class is divided into groups of five (or six) to complete a discrete learning task, which is divided into five bits. Students take turns presenting the bits; if one fails, the group takes over. In this rotation, each student leads at least once in the session; the group verifies all steps. The instructor acts mainly as consultant. The principle is illustrated here with a course in math or philosophy. The outline allows for varied student interests; shows progress from strict first objectives to more flexible ones (through small group rather than lecture sessions); gives direction in the use of the textbook (Copi's SYMBOLIC LOGIC); sets up relationships among the instructor and students as individuals and as learning team members. Expected outcomes were: various interests would be generated; four to six student leaders would emerge; students would help each other; they would use the library more; their anxiety about grades would lessen; some would reach an A grade before end of term; behavior would be reinforced with little pressure from the teacher; average learning team size would stabilize at five; ten or fewer would have trouble adapting to the learning style; some would settle early for a C or B and become less attentive. At quarter's end, some groups met most expectations; some held stable and highly motivated; others were distracted by other classwork; many opted for extra sessions; students exhorted each other to study; they learned to function as group members. (HH)
format Recurso educativo Open Access
id eric_ED032866
institution ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
language en
publishDate 1969
record_format eric
spellingShingle The Pentagonal Principle for Self-Oriented Classes.
Ball, Jerald T.
Learning Motivation
Small Group Instruction
Student Participation
Teaching Methods
Two Year Colleges
The Pentagonal Principle for Self-Oriented Classes. Ball, Jerald T. Learning Motivation Small Group Instruction Student Participation Teaching Methods Two Year Colleges Under the pentagonal principle, a class is divided into groups of five (or six) to complete a discrete learning task, which is divided into five bits. Students take turns presenting the bits; if one fails, the group takes over. In this rotation, each student leads at least once in the session; the group verifies all steps. The instructor acts mainly as consultant. The principle is illustrated here with a course in math or philosophy. The outline allows for varied student interests; shows progress from strict first objectives to more flexible ones (through small group rather than lecture sessions); gives direction in the use of the textbook (Copi's SYMBOLIC LOGIC); sets up relationships among the instructor and students as individuals and as learning team members. Expected outcomes were: various interests would be generated; four to six student leaders would emerge; students would help each other; they would use the library more; their anxiety about grades would lessen; some would reach an A grade before end of term; behavior would be reinforced with little pressure from the teacher; average learning team size would stabilize at five; ten or fewer would have trouble adapting to the learning style; some would settle early for a C or B and become less attentive. At quarter's end, some groups met most expectations; some held stable and highly motivated; others were distracted by other classwork; many opted for extra sessions; students exhorted each other to study; they learned to function as group members. (HH)
title The Pentagonal Principle for Self-Oriented Classes.
topic Learning Motivation
Small Group Instruction
Student Participation
Teaching Methods
Two Year Colleges
url https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED032866