Learned Helplessness: How to Make Students Responsible?

University of Mary Washington Eagle Scholar Education 589 Projects Education Summer 7-1-2013 Learned Helplessness: How to Make Students Responsible? Justin Womack University of Mary Washington Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.umw.edu/education_589 Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Womack, Justin, "Learned Helplessness: How to Make Students Responsible?" (2013). Education 589 Projects. 19. https://scholar.umw.edu/education_589/19 This Education 589 Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Education at Eagle Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Education 589 Projects by an authorized administrator of Eagle Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1 Running head: LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Learned helplessness- How to make Students Responsible? Justin Womack University of Mary Washington Applied Research EDCI589 Dr. Beverly Epps Summer 2013 2 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Table of Contents Introduction……………………………………………………………………………3 Problem Statement…………………………………………………………………….3 Rationale……………………………………………………………………………….4 Research Questions…………………………………………………………………….4 Learned Helplessness…………………………………………………………..4 How can students become responsible?..............................................................10 Student Centered Learning…………………………………………………….12 Examples……………………………………………………………………….14 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………………….18 References………………………………………………………………………………19 Appendix..………………………………………………………………………………23 3 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Learned helplessness- How to make Students Responsible? Today’s education system is changing. With change there is always a need for adjusting the way things are done. Students today are an ever evolving group of young minds who are constantly being bombarded by social media and with access to the world at the tap of a thumb. Student’s attention spans are shorter and teachers are always searching for creative ways to keep all of their students engaged. A New Commission on Skills of the American Workforce (2006) study concluded that K-12 schools need to move away from traditional subject specific curriculum and move towards a constructivist blend that incorporates the culture of the 21st century (as cited in Furco, 2007). This idea works to help keep the students more engaged and responsible for their learning. Students are becoming apathetic towards their schooling and they do not understand the full breadth of how it applies to the rest of their lives. Students are also becoming more helpless in their education. In some settings they know that if they wait long enough the answer will be given to them. In other settings the students are not being challenged enough to think for themselves and learn critical problem solving skills. Some students believe that no matter what they do they have no control over their success in school and if this thought prevails this will lead to undesired outcomes as adults. Students are capable of shaping their outcomes and they must be encouraged through success in their own education. Problem Statement Students need to take responsibility for their learning. They need to want to learn, but some students do not seem to care. Currently, many students have cavalier attitudes and rely on 4 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY other factors to help them. If students do not take responsibility for their own learning this could have implications for them later in life. Rationale We live in a society where individual thought and responsibility are staples of being an adult. Students need to be responsible for their education because they will need to be responsible for their adult lives. The purpose of education is to prepare young minds to contribute to society when they mature. It is crucial that students understand the significance their education plays in their future. High level thinking, problem solving skills, and creativity are all necessary for success as an adult. Research Questions 1. What is learned helplessness? 2. How do teachers know the difference between learned helplessness and being disengaged? 3. How can teachers help students become more responsible? 4. What is student centered learning and how does it relate to learned helplessness? Literature Review Definition Learned helplessness is nothing new. The idea has been around since 1967 when dogs were studied under this premise. The dogs were shocked when trying to escape a box a certain 5 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY way and developed passive behaviors even though escape was available via another exit (Tayfur, 2012). Helpless is defined as “unable to take care of yourself or do things without the help of other people” in Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary. Learned Helplessness (LH) is defined as “the act of giving up trying as a result of consistent failure to be rewarded in life” by the Collins Dictionary. People sometimes perceive the bad that happens in their lives as uncontrollable. LH fosters a belief that a person’s actions have no effect on the results of a situation (Hooker, 1976). Motivational, cognitive, social, psychological, and emotional deficiencies are all symptoms of LH (Tayfur, 2012; Hooker, 1976). Students with LH develop a cognitive disturbance within their mind where their view is negatively distorted (Hooker, 1976). People are increasingly becoming externally driven meaning that outside sources are what comprise how their lives are dictated. One study shows that from 1960-2002 college/middle/elementary students surveyed have grown in a belief that their lives are controlled by external forces. The percent change between college students in those years is 80% and for middle/elementary students was in the 70% range (Twenge, Liqing & Im, 2004). Students are developing this idea that they cannot control what happens to them. Students with LH are also known as failure-accepting students (Martin & Marsh, 2003). Another term to help understand the idea is attributions. This is the “internal explanation individuals devise to explain their success or failure at a task” (Grimes, 1981, p. 91). As negative events in our lives have increased in occurrence i.e. divorce, violent crime, and youth suicide, the trend is to place the blame externally to guard one’s self-concept (Twenge, Liqing & Im, 2004). All these factors have played a part in creating a victim mentality for today’s society (Twenge, Liqing & Im, 2004). LH has created students who are struggling to achieve in school. These students believe that what they do does not affect their outcome. 6 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Students with LH are different than students who are disengaged. Disengage from Merriam-Webster dictionary is “to release or detach oneself, withdraw”. Students who are disengaged are refusing or rejecting what is being presented (McFadden & Munns, 2002). Disengagement comes from being bored or not finding information relevant to oneself (Schussler, 2009). Further, “a 2006 Yazzie-Mintz study of 80,000 high school students showed their reason for boredom was 75% material that was not interesting and 39% not relevant” (as cited in Schussler, 2009, p. 119). Students with LH are not rejecting the information being presented or bored in the classroom, they simply believe that they cannot achieve no matter what they do. A disengaged learner can achieve. The difference is that he or she chooses not to. To be engaged is to actively participate in instruction (Rock, 2004). A LH student participates in class, but fails to see the connection between his or her actions and the results. LH can lead to characteristics of disengagement. Students may seem like they are rejecting the material when they are actually doing only what they believe they are capable of. LH students are not capable because they choose to be not capable, they are unable to achieve because of perceived and learned failures. Causes LH comes from failure, a lack of control, and stress. The way our society has developed over the years also plays into students becoming more helpless. LH develops when failure occurs continuously. As the failure continues a student’s expectations are lowered (Rock, 2004). When the student relates his or her failure internally he or she becomes more susceptible to LH (Firmin, M., Hwang, C., Copella, M., & Clark, S., 2004). In the mind of the students they do not connect their effort to the results. The students fail and they believe it is because they are incapable of achieving and not because they may not understand something fully. Students view 7 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY the failure as unavoidable and proceed to continue in a pattern of failure. When students have a stable and internal view on situations, and outcomes like a pessimistic attitude, they are more likely to become depressed and helpless (pessimistic attribution style). Stability relates to the lack of success occurring all the time as viewed by the student. Internal relates to the student having no control or being incapable of achievement (Tayfur, 2012). LH is strengthened when students believe they have absolutely no control in their lives (Tayfur, 2012). Students do not believe that what they do affects situations. The continued pattern of failure develops a cognitive distortion in their mind. Other factors that can lead to the development of LH are tragic events, and the inability to attain desired rewards (Tayfur, 2012). Not being able to control what happens to them causes students to give up trying to achieve. These students truly believe that no matter what they do it has no bearing on the outcome of their achievement. Stress can also lead to a student developing LH. As a student continues to fail anxiety begins to develop because of the continued failure. The pressures put on a student to do well can compound the stress as she continues to fail academically. A student who feels she is unable to control her outcomes also develops stress. The stress grows as the student continues to feel helpless in her attempts to do well. With the combination of failure and feeling they have no control, stress can compound an already difficult situation for students. Guler (2006) sees helplessness as “a notion of becoming passive after being exposed to stressors like repeated punishment, failure and adverse conditions and remaining passive even after environmental conditions make change possible” (as cited in Tayfur, 2012, p.418). Socially anxious people can be more vulnerable to LH. A study of mothers with high social anxiety dealing with unruly children supports this idea. The mothers who had high anxiety were more likely to feel helpless 8 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY and give up sooner than mothers without anxiety (Firmin et al., 2004). The stress failure puts on the child in combination with the need to meet standardized scores puts a great amount of burden on students. Though standards are designed to help the students grow, those who continue to fall short develop the mindset that nothing they do can make a difference. Signs The behaviors of a student with LH often appear as depression. These students are depressed because of the lack of perceived control and can be quite self-deprecating (Hooker, 1976). Students who experience adversity early as it relates to tests tend to give up easier or struggle with easier questions as the test goes on. This means if a student attempts to work through difficult questions at the beginning of the test and then comes across easier questions later on, it is more likely that the student will also struggle with the easy questions as well (Firmin et al., 2004). Other signs of helplessness include deficiencies in motivation, cognitive, and emotional abilities (Tayfur, 2012). The cognitive delays make it difficult for students to learn that applying themselves can change outcomes (Tayfur, 2012). Students who continue to fail have less motivation to give their best effort. Emotions are usually depressed especially when it comes to academia. These students will demonstrate many apathetic and passive behaviors (Tayfur, 2012). They see their lack of success as a reason not to try. This results in the students completing the bare minimum because they do not believe they can do any better. Results Education has been a focus of our government for some time now. Many regulations have been put in place with the idea of improving education. These regulations do not always provide the best environment for students struggling with LH. Students are required to take 9 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY standardized tests. States and local school districts are being held accountable for the results of these tests and the assumed improvement that should be taking place. Students are feeling this same accountability as they work to achieve great scores on tests and adhere to curriculum built around state standards. Unfortunately, academic growth in the U.S. has not improved even with legislation like No Child Left Behind (Furco, 2007). Students are becoming victims not only in their own minds, but also of an education system that needs a lot of improvement. Students with LH can find these pressures to do well on standardized tests overwhelming. This can lead to added stress in the student’s lives increasing their LH. Standardized tests also provide a way for the students to judge their work against other students. LH students need a focus on their own academic achievement, but these tests inevitably draw their focus to how well they did compared to their peers. A New Commission of Skills of the American Workforce (Commission) concluded that K-12 schools need to move away from traditional subject specific curriculum to a more constructive blend that incorporates the culture of the 21st century (Furco, 2007). The students who continue to fail will develop lowered expectations (Grimes, 1981). These same students also become frustrated very easily when working on difficult problems. Students may feel like they have no control in what they are learning. They are taught around information that will appear on a state test and not necessarily on information building on their background knowledge. This focus can leave LH students feeling less in control of their education and the outcomes that result. Students do not see any connection between their action and what results. As adults, it is crucial that students possess the ability to work in diverse communities and multicultural settings (Furco, 2007). As students with LH grow older they have difficulty learning new things, taking initiative, and coping with difficult situations (Tayfur, 2012). The student’s victim mentality grows into adulthood and they are less likely to take responsibility for 10 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY their lives, relying on others to help take care of them. Some studies show that LH factors into the workplace with behaviors like: passiveness, performance decline, tendency to make mistakes, reluctance to speak out or challenge other people, and an unwillingness to report unethical behavior (Tayfur, 2012). External focuses of students as adults will hamper them as they work to contribute to society. How can students become responsible? Students need to take control of their learning. A connection must be made between the effort they put forth and the outcomes of that effort. Instead of a surface approach to learning where students focus on repeating information, or rote learning with no substantive value, students need to apply a deep approach to learning where they work to understand the information (Heikkilä, A., Lonka, K., Niemivirta, M., & Nieminen, J., 2011). There are many strategies to help combat LH in students and make them responsible for their learning. Some examples of good strategies are: Volunteer/Service Learning, Student Motivation Wheel, and Student Centered Learning. Volunteer/Service Learning involves students using their academic knowledge to assist with community problems and find solutions (Furco, 2007). This type of learning provides students the opportunity to learn new skills, develop leadership skills, and develop realistic perceptions (Mueller, 2005). Volunteering gives students a sense of worth and importance and in order for the service to be successful the students need to feel like they are meeting an actual need (Mueller, 2005). Through service learning students are able to expand their view of the world. They are also able to “enhance their academic, personal, social, civic, and ethical development” (Furco, 2007; Mueller, 2005). Service learning allows for students to better 11 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY engage in cognitive tasks and learning (Furco, 2007). Positive relationships with adults and peers help to promote good experiences for students to build their leadership skills (Furco, 2007). Students with LH are able to engage in something that they can be successful at, which leads to confidence in their ability. These students are also able to see the success of their efforts and make connections between what they do and the results of their effort. Critics view service learning as too much, and a distraction to actual academics. On the other hand, studies have shown, “service learning increases standardized test scores, foster content knowledge and skills, improve attendance, and improve grade point averages” (Billig, Meyer,and Hofschire, 2003; Klute and Billig, 2002; Ammon, Furco, Chi, and Middaugh, 2001; Santmire, Giraud, and Grosskopf, 1999; Furco, 2007). Service learning has positive effects on self-esteem, empowerment, and self-efficacy. Students also have high expectations, and perform better academically in school (Furco, 2007). The motivation wheel is a strategy developed by Martin (2001, 2002) to help improve student’s beliefs and success in school (Martin & Marsh, 2003). If students believe that they are capable of success then they will have better attitudes approaching new material. To encourage success the wheel focuses on four specific aspects in motivation: self-belief, learning focus, value of school, and perceived control (Martin & Marsh, 2003). These focuses help to build a relationship between the student and learning that they have not had before. Self-belief works to prepare students to problem solve. Valuing ones schooling provides the students with the will to push on in times of challenge. A focus on learning and not performance allows students to explore their own achievements. Showing students that they have control in their lives can help to build the relationship between effort and outcome (Martin & Marsh, 2003). Students with LH 12 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY lack that motivation to work harder and achieve better. With a motivational strategy students will build a strong foundation to support themselves as they work to achieve more academically. Student Centered Learning What is it? Student centered learning (SCL) is an educational strategy that will have great impact on these students who struggle with LH. SCL is, “knowledge that is constructed by students and where the lecturer is a facilitator of learning rather than a presenter of information” (McMahon & O’Neill, 2005). Too often students are being presented information in the same lecture and note way that leads to behaviors that our not favorable for the learning environment. In order for students to combat LH they need to be engaged and actively constructing their own knowledge inside the classroom. In SCL the teacher becomes more of a facilitator for the classroom guiding students through reflection and group discussions. Questions are used to guide the class through discussion and projects, but the students are allowed freedom in how they utilize those questions (Horng, J., Hong, J., ChanLin, L., Chang, S., & Chu, H., 2005). The focus of the classroom centers on what the students can achieve through their learning and being more active in their education rather than passive. This emphasis increases responsibility and accountability on the student. The students learn to become more interdependent and develop a deeper understanding of subject matter (McMahon & O’Neill, 2005). At times it can be difficult to engage and challenge the wide range of learners in a classroom. SCL allows for students to work at their own pace (Herreid & Schiller, 2013). This gives the students the opportunity to experience success in their own time 13 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY without worrying that someone else has already completed the task. SCL opens the doors for teachers to create an environment of active participation, free expression, and independent thinking (Horng et al., 2005). To keep information moving along it is important in SCL to keep activities time sensitive thus keeping students engaged (Felder & Brent, 2009). Guidelines for SCL must be clear and there should be a solid base for background knowledge for the students to operate effectively within the environment (Horng et al., 2005). How does it look? Students are the focus of this strategy and with this in mind a SCL environment should show the students being responsible for their own learning (McMahon & O’Neill, 2005). A cycle is formed in the classroom where students: experience, reflect, generalize, and apply the knowledge being gained (Smart & Csapo, 2007). The experience involves the actual activities that the learners engage in. Reflection begins as the learners form meaning from their experience. Generalizing has students making connections from the meaning of the activities to their actual lives. The whole process concludes as the students have been guided to engage in higher level thinking as they apply their new found knowledge outside of the classroom (Smart & Csapo, 2007). It is essential that the students become responsible for their learning to improve their intrinsic motivation towards education. Students’ participation is necessary for learning and the teacher operates the classroom as a facilitator for that participation. The students effectively become the operators of their own education as the teacher acts as the IT help desk for the learning environment. This interaction breeds relationships that are more equal among the students and promotes their growth and development (McMahon & O’Neill, 2005). 14 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY A SCL classroom will incorporate many varied activities that engage the students. Through the experience of the activities students discover and develop the knowledge desired. The students are then able to reflect on their experience and continue to build upon it through class discussions (McMahon & O’Neill, 2005). Teachers pose questions/problems to the class. The students work individually or in small groups to come up with responses. The individuals or groups give responses on the subject/question. The teacher improves the engagement of the environment by calling on individuals/groups to answer questions rather than asking for volunteer answers (Felder & Brent, 2009). All these factors create an environment that focuses on clear objectives, controlled activities and instructional interventions (Smart & Csapo, 2007). Objectives must be clear for students to be able to work effectively through them. The instructor acting as a facilitator is able to provide immediate, necessary feedback to students as they work. The focus of the class becomes the process and competence as content takes a backseat. Examples When implementing SCL there are two specific strategies that work very well. Both strategies are built on the foundation of placing the focus on students and making them more responsible for their learning. A Flipped Classroom and WebQuests are two effective ways to actively engage students in their education. A Flipped classroom is exactly how it sounds, students view tutorials and instructional videos at home and then come to school to participate in active learning in the classroom. The idea is that work done in the classroom with the guidance of a teacher is better suited for students (Herreid & Schiller, 2013). Flipping a classroom allows for more focused learning and teaching and allows for better differentiation of instruction (Kachka, 2012). By flipping the classroom a 15 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY teacher can incorporate all types of learners through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic avenues. The teacher is in the classroom to facilitate as the students work on activities related to the information presented at home. The use of technology is a way of alleviating the use of one way lecturing (Kachka, 2012). Videos are the main source of instructional delivery. This technology is flexible and appropriate for 21st century learning. Videos should be no longer than 10 minutes and the use of various multimedia sources is encouraged. The instructor can monitor student participation through summaries of videos or questions that the students write pertaining to the media viewed. This allows the instructor to better tailor the class around information not understood and not belabor information already understood (Kachka, 2012). Flipping a classroom allows for students to move at their own pace as they complete homework in the classroom which allows the teacher insight into the different learning styles and struggles of students. The instructor can also view what topics are confusing students or causing them trouble (Kachka, 2012). This allows for immediate adjustments to be made to cater to the students and adjust instruction for further success. The curriculum is easier to update/customize and get to the students. Creativity provides a more effective and engaged classroom and has shown to increase achievement/interest/engagement (Herreid & Schiller, 2013). Thinking is promoted inside and outside of the classroom and students who miss school are still able to access content immediately (Herreid & Schiller, 2013). Concerns arise around the ability for all students to have the correct technological capabilities to participate in the flipped classroom. To counter this it is important to make sure instructional posts are placed in multiple locations and provide many options to allow all students access to the content (Kachka, 2012). Another difficulty centers on the implementation of the flipped class. Students may be resistant in the beginning and there will be difficulty in 16 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY tailoring homework and activities specific to the students learning styles (Herreid & Schiller, 2013). The success of flipping lies in how the instructor utilizes the increased class time to interact with students (Kachka, 2012). WebQuests are, “an inquiry oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet, optionally supplemented with video conferencing” -Bernie Dodge (Kurt, 2012). This activity was introduced in 1995 when internet technology was starting to take off (Abbit & Ophus, 2008). WebQuests comprise of six steps: introduction, tasks, information sources, description, guidance on how to organize information, and conclusion. These activities can vary in length from short (2-3 class periods) to an entire month (Kurt, 2012). WebQuests have guiding questions to assist the learners through the activity to completion (Piercy, 2004). Students work through the quests individually or in larger groups. The quests themselves are designed to require learners to use creative thinking and highlevel problem solving skills. Teachers are also able to give students feedback as they work through their quest (Piercy, 2004). Structure and scaffolding are maximized for learners during their use of WebQuests and the strategy is a great introduction to integrating technology in a learning environment (Abbit & Ophus, 2008). Students are guided through interactive activities focused on content. Motivation is positively affected in students participating in quests. Students prefer the quests because of their engaging nature (Abbit & Ophus, 2008). Many factors contribute to the success of a WebQuest. This is still a relatively new idea and research is still evolving. This strategy presents itself as a great tool for learners to access the information outside of school or anywhere that has internet access (Piercy, 2004). Cognitive load can be overloaded and hinder learners understanding of information. In order to maximize learning quest creators should watch for: Split attention Effect (Use of different sources that 17 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY require attention to be split), Redundancy Effect (the duplication of adequate material within the design of instructional materials), and Modality Effect (presentation of material in more than one modality) (Kurt, 2012). Though students enjoy this type of activity it is crucial not to overwhelm them with excess information. The overall goal for this tool is interactivity to increase the learners motivation, where interactivity is the extent learners can participate in modifying the form and content of an environment in real time (Kurt, 2012). These activities work to provide students a platform to create their own ideas of the information being presented. Murray (2006) and Tsai (2006) suggest that students find WebQuests more interesting and engaging than textbooks and lectures (as cited in Abbit & Ophus, 2008). In another study, Kotecamp & Bartoshesky (2003) found that students relate well to the collaborative nature of WebQuests (as cited in Abbit & Ophus, 2008). Impact on Students SCL has lasting effects on students as they continue in their education. Students need to be engaged and their motivation has to come from within. It is clear through both examples that SCL helps to improve motivation amongst students (Abbit& Ophus, 2008; Herreid & Schiller, 2013). The scaffold approaches of SCL create confidence in students and their own ability. Ruddick (2012) study showed that test scores for a chemistry class done flipped and regular lecture style were high for those students in the flipped classroom. The students became more interested in the class and found that content less intimidating (Herreid & Schiller, 2013). Test scores increase when active learning is introduced in a classroom (Prince, 2004). Students are able to advocate for themselves and their education with the immersion in SCL. Choice in what students learn and how they learn allow for responsibility to grow. Assessments provide students the opportunity to self-assess themselves which is essential to getting the student to 18 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY understand their responsibility for their learning (McMahon & O’Neill, 2005). Students participating in SCL develop independent thinking, creativity and are more imaginative (Horng et al., 2005). Using strategies such as randomly calling for answers requires students to be prepared to respond (Felder & Brent, 2009). Students have to be engaged when they know there is a possibility they could be called on at any time. Their knowledge is regulated by themselves with the guidance of the teacher in the classroom. Students develop higher order thinking skills, and explore their own attitudes and values. As the students experience education it helps them to retain knowledge better (Smart & Csapo, 2007). SCL encourages all areas of a student’s education as they are pushed to understand their role in their future. A Helsinki study showed that students involved in SCL developed better study skills and understanding. Another study, Hall & Saunders (1997) showed that student participation and motivation, and grades had increased in classrooms focused on SCL (McMahon & O’Neill, 2005). With skills in hand students will be prepared to adapt to the ever changing adult world. Students will be able to assess their lives and problems that arise in a creative, assertive way. Increased motivation to do well will aid students as they strive to reach the goals they have set for their lives after school. Conclusion In the 1960’s people believed that hard work would bring them success, unfortunately this may not be as strong a belief in 2013. Our society seems to grow as one that looks to place the blame rather than take responsibility. It is this kind of mentality that is reflected in the youth of today. Students have become increasingly external in their belief of how their lives are controlled. This belief has falsely led these students into a helpless state. Students who experience early failure are susceptible to developing LH. If the failure continues it is almost certain that they will not understand the correlation between their effort and their outcomes. 19 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Students need a strong academic foundation of success from which they can grow. With the experience of small successes confidence can be built. If these students’ issues are not addressed early it makes it even more difficult to try to adjust later in their life. With the improvement of technology our society continues to perpetuate the idea of quick and simple results. No longer does it seem that hard work brings success because it everything is being created to get rid of the work. Students are not learning. They are going through the motions. Our education system has to evolve to meet the changing needs of these students. New 21st century oriented lessons and planning is necessary to motivate the young minds of students. They need to see the connections and understand why it is important for them to learn all the things that they are being taught. If students continue to seek help rather than work problems out for themselves they will grow to be adults who cannot advocate for themselves. The goal of education is to prepare a capable mind for contribution to society. Educators need to reflect on the strategies presented and work to educate students on being responsible for their education. References Abbit, J., & Ophus, J. (2008). What we know about the impacts of web- quests: A review of research. AACE Journal, 16(4), 441-456. Disengage. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disengage Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. (2009). Active learning: An introduction. ASQ Higher Education Brief, 2(4), Retrieved from http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/ALpaper(ASQ).pdf 20 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Firmin, M., Hwang, C., Copella, M., & Clark, S. (2004). Learned helplessness: The effect of failure on test-taking. Education, 124(4), 688-693. Furco, A. (2007). Growing to greatness: Advancing youth academic success, student engagement, and international leadership through service learning. Retrieved from http://www.nylc.org/sites/nylc.org/files/files/321advyouth.pdf Grimes, L. (1981). Learned helplessness and attribution theory: Redefining children's learning problems. Learning Disability Quarterly, 4(1), 91-100. 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[Web log message]. Retrieved from http://tippie.uiowa.edu/faculty-staff/allcollege/kachka.pdf Kurt, S. (2012). Issues to Consider in Designing WebQuests: A Literature Review. Computers In The Schools, 29(3), 300-314. Learned Helplessness. (n.d.). In Collins Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/learned-helplessness Martin, A. J., & Marsh, H. W. (2003). Fear of Failure: Friend or Foe?. Australian Psychologist, 38(1), 31-38. McFadden, M., & Munns, G. (2002). Student engagement and the social relations of pedagogy. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 23(3), 357-366. Retrieved from McMahon, T., & O'Neill, G. (2005). Student–centered learning: What does it mean for students and lecturers?. Emerging Issues in the Practice of Learning and Teaching, Retrieved from http://www.aishe.org/readings/2005-1/oneill-mcmahon-Tues_19th_Oct_SCL.html http://www.jstor.org/stable/1393431 Mueller, A. (2005). Antidote to Learned Helplessness: Empowering Youth through Service. Reclaiming Children & Youth, 14(1), 16-19. Prince, M. (2004). Does active learning work? a review of the research. Journal of Engineering 22 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Education, 93(3), 223-231. Retrieved from http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/Prince_AL.pdf Rock, M. L. (2004). Transfiguring It Out: Converting Disengaged Learners to Active Participants. Teaching Exceptional Children, 36(5), 64-72. Schussler, D. L. (2009). Beyond Content: How Teachers Manage Classrooms to Facilitate Intellectual Engagement for Disengaged Students. Theory Into Practice, 48(2), 114-121. Smart, K. L., & Csapo, N. (2007). Learning by doing: Engaging students through learner-centered activities. Business Communication Quarterly, 70(4), 451-457. Tayfur, O. (2012). The Antecedents and Consequences of Learned Helplessness in Work Life. Information Management & Business Review, 4(7), 417-427. Twenge, J. M., Liqing, Z., & Im, C. (2004). It's Beyond My Control: A Cross-Temporal MetaAnalysis of Increasing Externality in Locus of Control, 1960-2002. Personality & Social Psychology Review (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), 8(3), 308-319. 23 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Appendix How to Flip your classroom? To flip a classroom the focus and goal is to move instruction outside of the classroom to allow for more activity oriented time inside the classroom. Here are some key steps for flipping your classroom. 1. Create a lesson presenting the information to be learned through a screencast, podcast, online video, or some other type of outside technology. 2. Create an environment or online community for your classroom to post responses to the material viewed at home. This will also be a great place for other outside interaction between students or for questions they may have for you the teacher. 3. Utilize in-class time to work on activities related to the content viewed at home. You may want to go over some points to review. Use this class time to connect content to the students’ lives. 4. Act as a help desk for students working on activities either individual or group. 5. Conduct group discussions and writing sessions about the content discussed. 6. Always provide hard copies for those who may not have complete access to all the technology necessary. 7. Be open for class feedback to be able to better tailor your class to the student’s needs. 8. Allow for tiered learning to facilitate the learning speeds of different students. Provide more advanced activities for students who are understanding concepts more quickly. 9. Monitor progress through weekly assessments as well as unit assessments. 24 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Great Resources Google Document for Flipping Classroom- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IOI5tXZvOEVCFhoN5hlsccnRa-8_77nx3GDdB6C-tE/edit?pli=1 Web tools- http://www.edudemic.com/2013/04/web-tools-for-flipped-classrooms/ More information- http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf http://www.knewton.com/flipped-classroom/ How to create a WebQuest? WebQuests are a great tool to utilize to get your students engaged in high order thinking. They are also a creative more engaging way for the students to learn. Here are a few keys to making a WebQuest. 1. Create an outline for the lesson or content activity that you want to work with. 2. Find a template or create a template to construct the actual WebQuest on. 3. Once you have an outline you then follow the six steps involved in creating a template: Introduction, Task, Process, Resources, Evaluation, and Conclusion. You can also add a home page as well as a teacher page to detail what other teachers need to complete the Quest. 4. The topic/introduction discusses what the content is about. The task is what the students will be doing. The process is how they will complete the task(s). Resources is where you list all your online resources. Evaluation shows the students how they will be 25 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY graded. The conclusion wraps all the parts together and reviews what was hopefully learned through the Quest. 5. Be sure to create a hard copy of the Quest for those students who may have trouble accessing technology. Great Resources Template for WebQuest- https://sites.google.com/site/indt501webquest/ http://zunal.com/index.php http://webquest.org/index-create.php Guide to WebQuests- http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech011.shtml http://www.slideshare.net/yvette21/creating-a-web-quest Flipped Classroom Lesson Plans and WebQuests Flipped Classroom Lesson Plan- Math (SOL 7.14a) One-Step Linear Equations 7th Grade Content that would be available and viewed at home: Content Videos- What is a variable? https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra/solving-linear-equations-and-inequalities/variableand-expressions/v/what-is-a-variable Example: Evaluating an expression 26 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra/solving-linear-equations-and-inequalities/variableand-expressions/v/variables-and-expressions-1 Why we do the same thing to both sides: simple equations https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra/solving-linear-equations-and-inequalities/why-ofalgebra/v/why-we-do-the-same--thing-to-both-sides--simple-equations One-step Equation Intuition https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra/solving-linear-equations-and-inequalities/why-ofalgebra/v/one-step-equation-intuition At home Task: Write a paragraph review of what you learned from the videos and write your own one step equation. Post to the class website. In-Class Activities: Students will work in groups of 4 and create 20 one step equations that relate to their lives. They will trade questions with other groups and solve the equations. Class discussion on the usefulness of being able to use these equations and questions related to understanding. Students will get back in their groups to create a Newspaper Article for the front page detailing one-step equations. Flipped Classroom Lesson Plan- Science (SOL 6.5) Water Cycle 6th Grade Content that would be available and viewed at home: Content Video- Bill Nye the Science Guy-Water Cycle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6FpOdSVeIU 27 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Interactive Models- Water cycle diagram http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/watercycle/ Water cycle http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/science_up_close/308/deploy/interface.swf Evaporation+ Condensation http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/science_up_close/408/deploy/interface.swf At home Task: Write a paragraph review of what you learned from the videos and any questions you have about the content. Post to the class website. In-Class Activities: Students will work with partners to create a brochure about a certain part of the water cycle. The class will then take part in a team(4) water cycle jeopardy game. Class discussion about content and how it relates to their lives. WebQuest- Written(Paper Supplement) English 9th Grade (SOL English 9.4) Poetry? I’m no poet……yet! Introduction- Poetry is dumb. I’m never going to need this. It doesn’t even make sense. These may be a few phrases that you have said or that you have heard from your classmates. Poetry is a great way to express emotions or tell a story in unique ways. You and your partner are going to become poets and discover what poetry is all about. By the end of the week you will perform your partner’s poem that they create for the class. *Poet- A person who writes poems. 28 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Task- This Quest will transport you to the world of poetry. When you have completed this Quest you will know the history of poetry and some of its big players. You will develop and understanding of the purpose of poetry and you will create your own poem to be performed by your partner. Process- Task #1 Take a look at the history of poetry through these two sources WikiPoetry and Poetry.org. Usually these items would be linked to the pages that support and give examples of the content stated. For a hard copy version you would provide the information on those specific pages for the student to research. Each partner should write down 10 important facts learned from the history. Together you will create a timeline with at least 10 specific references to the history of poetry. Task #2 Now that you have the history down you will need to know what types of poetry there are and who the major players were. After reviewing the types of poems and poets you and your partner will write 2 sonnets. The first sonnet will be about poets and the second will focus on types of poetry. Remember the rules for a sonnet and be creative. Task #3 You will now become a poet. Both partners will compose their own poem. The poem must be about a meaningful event in your life. You may use any type of poem that you like but it must be a decent length (at least 10 lines). Once completed you will work with your partner on how your poem will be performed for the class. Now prepare to perform! *meaningful event- something that has significance or purpose 29 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Again, the words in blue represent links to online information for students to access to complete the quest. In hardcopy form you would include this information printed out for students to view. Resources- Linsao, K. (n.d.). How to perform poetry. Retrieved from http://www.wikihow.com/Perform-Poetry Poetry foundation. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/ Timpane, J. (2013). Writing a sonnet. Retrieved from http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/writing-a-sonnet.html What Are Different Types of Poems? . (n.d.). Retrieved May 21st, 2013, from http://examples.yourdictionary.com/what-are-different-types-of-poems.html What is poetry?. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.poetry.org/whatis.htm Wikipedia-history of poetry. (2013, June 2). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_poetry 30 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Evaluation- Rubric Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Score Timeline /25 Sonnets /40 Individual /25 Poem Performance /10 Conclusion- Look at what a poetry expert you are now. I bet you didn’t think you would create a poem to be performed by someone else, but you have done it and it was a success. Everyone has feelings and people deal with them in different ways. You now have the knowledge and expertise to express yourself through sonnet or haiku. As you mature into an adult take what you have learned and use it to your benefit. Sometimes poetry is a great tool to have when you have feelings that you need to express immediately in a neutral form. Do not overlook the power poetry can provide you. “Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words.”- Edgar Allan Poe 31 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY WebQuest- Computer Screencast Civics 8th Grade (SOL CE.1) Here is an example of a Civics lesson designed for two weeks. To reach this lesson online visit: https://sites.google.com/site/womackswebquest/home Home Introduction 32 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Task Process 33 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Evaluation Conclusion 34 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY Credits Teacher Page 35 LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY