Chapter 6 Case Study

Case 1:
1. After this activity it is likely that students will remember details from the civil war that include things like how soldiers lived, what they wore, what they ate and the weapons and gear that they used. This learning method as opposed to simply reading a textbook gives students an idea of what life was like that cannot completely be understood until they have experienced it. It puts the focus on the individuals in the Civil War and puts less focus on the facts such as dates and places (although those could be applied to this activity as well.) This activity also applies physical and emotional tactics that reading a book most likely would not.
2. Mr. West's activity puts students in the place of the soldiers in a way that allows them to, at least to an extent, feel all the physical and emotional ups and downs that went with being a soldier. This method of emotional targeted teaching allows students to connect what they are learning with what they are feeling at the time of the activity, thus appealing to the episodic component of long term memory.
3. Based on the dual-coding theory, it would be good for Mr. West to include activities that target the other senses and learning styles. This might include things such as a writing assignment about what it was like to be a soldier during the civil war. This could be preceded by a lesson or presentation that fills in the dates and figures associated with the civil war. Students could also do a project based on a similar theme, that could include a poster, a poem, or art project.

Case 2:
4. While I don't think it is necessarily a good thing for the students not to know what will take place in class ahead of time, I agree with Mr Richards teaching style and feel it has the potential to really help students learn and maintain that information. Mr. Richards teaching style includes a large variety of activities and assignments that would allow students to rehearse the subject matter and that could appeal to the 3 components of long term memory. Hands on activities such as role playing would help students construct their own meaning and activities guided by the teacher would assure that the information is less likely to be misinterpreted in the encoding process.
5. The Students from Mr. Dunkin's class would most likely be focused on, and able to remember the facts that are presented to them through lecture, reading and then reviewed in assessment. Repetition is another element that could be present as students read about what they have been, or will be taught. Mr. Richard's students may also remember the facts that are presented to them, but these facts are more likely to be associated with emotional experiences had in the various activities that are offered to them. A variety of activities could also allow Mr Richards to review the material various times without it becoming monotonous and boring.