The interactive pedagogical model at elementary schools in poor mountainous areas

JOURNAL OF SCIENCE OF HNUE DOI: 10.18173/2354-1075.2016-0219 Educational Sci., 2016, Vol. 61, No. 11, pp. 81-90 This paper is available online at THE INTERACTIVE PEDAGOGICALMODEL AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN POORMOUNTAINOUS AREAS Pho Duc Hoa1, Pham Thi Thuy Hong2 1Department of Postgranduate, Hanoi National University of Education 2The Research Center for Education Management, The Vietnam Institude of Education Management Abstract. Interactive pedagogy is a new vision of teaching and learning activities. Interactive pedagogy establishes a structure of thinking - the cooperation among teachers, students and the environment for the students to acquire the knowledge of science and a solid thinking of platform. This is the approach about the role of the students, teachers and the environment. This understanding is considered as a positive thinking to help educators choose appropriate teaching methods for students in the interaction with the environment. In the interactively pedagogical activities, environmental factors play a major role. Thus, the interactive pedagogical application in mountainous areas in general and northern mountains of Vietnam in particular with regional characteristics of natural conditions, economic, social and living conditions, and opportunities to access to education, etc., requires us to have a specific application model. This article refers to the application of interactive pedagogical model at elementary schools in northern mountainous area of Vietnam. In particular, the article states principles of proposing the model, the basis of application of the interactive teaching model, the model application conditions (managers, teachers, students, facilities, etc) and developing lesson plans to implement models. Keywords: Interactive pedagogy, pedagogical model, interactive pedagogical model, application of interactive pedagogy in teaching at elementary schools. 1. Introduction Reforming education is required and very necessary in the current period, pedagogical methods that promote positive and proactive dominate the students’ knowledge is appreciated. This is specified in the Resolution of the 8th Referenceat the Central Executive Board XI (Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW) of the basic innovation, comprehensive education and training: “Innovating strongly the teaching and learning methods with modern trends; using knowledge and skills of students; and overcoming the one-way communication between teachers and students. Thus, the foundation of reforming teaching methods towards active and creative learning activities, actively engage in occupying knowledge of students. Approaching the modern teaching trends in general as well as research and application of interactive teaching in particular are being mentioned in all kinds of school especially in the system of elementary schools. Received date: 10/10/2016. Published date: 5/12/2016. Contact: Pho Duc Hoa, e-mail: phoduchoa40@yahoo.com 81 Pho Duc Hoa, Pham Thi Thuy Hong Interactive Pedagogy was mentioned in French authors’s research, Margolinas C. and Brousseau G, when they researched the interaction among different elements of teaching activities. Although the interactions between two activities – teaching and learning had been studied for a long time in the history of pedagogy nowadays, the interactive pedagogical activities include three elements: teachers – students-the environment, mentioned in the book of Denomme, J. M. & and Roy, M. (2000)) - "Toward an interactive pedagogy". This approach of teaching activities emphasizes the relationship among teachers, students, and the environment. Interactive pedagogy is an establishment of a thinking structure – how to coordinate teachers, students and the environment in order for learners to acquire the knowledge on a solid scientific and naturalistic foundation. Interactive pedagogy is an approach that emphasizes the role of students, teachers, and the environment. Thus, interactive pedagogy is an approach of teaching activities, which emphasizes the dialectical relationship among the three factors learners, teachers, and the environment in educational activities. In fact of the current elementary education, teaching towards promoting students’ positive in general and interactive teaching in particular has not achieved the desired effect. This is due to both subjective and objective reasons. With the development of IT, internet, economic conditions, and social security in the mountain region, we need to create them for elementary school students to have more opportunities to develop themselves. The application of interactive teaching in mountainous areas will improve educational outcomes. So, it is necessary for separate proposals for the application of interactive pedagogy inelementary education in mountainous areas. 2. Content 2.1. Principles of proposing the model Principle 1: Compliance with the general structure of interactive teaching Interactive teaching model in elemmentary schools to ensure the application tectonic theory in design activities for learners suitable with environmental conditionals Principle 2: Ensuring to match the innovation-oriented teaching methods in elementary schools today: The proposed model of interactive teaching in elementary schools needs to demonstrate the general orientations of the sector education, while ensuring the thorough spirit of Resolution of the 8th Reference, the Central Executive Board XI (Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW) of the basic and comprehensive innovation in education and training: focusing on developing the capacity in general, and the capacity to explore, discover and solve problems for elementary students in particular. Principle 3: Ensuring the specific and generalization of the teaching model: the model is a description or the physically simulation that helps increase understanding of a certain material that we cannot observe directly. It is the way to connect all of what we have learned. Principle 4: Ensuring the viability and effectiveness of the teaching model: This principle requires that interaction model in teaching in elementary is an effective solution to renovate teaching methods, improving quality of teaching at elementary schools in northern mountainous region. The model should help teachers apply techniques for effective teaching lessons, classes, subjects, students, with the teaching aids that matching with the school practice. 82 The interactive pedagogical model at elementary schools in poor mountainous areas 2.2. The basis of the application of interactive teaching model in elementary teaching in northern mountainous areas The basic theory of the application of interactive teachingmodel - Theory of behaviorism: In this theory, the mechanism of learning process is the process of changing behavior. - Theory of Consciousness: According to cognitive theory, the mechanism of the learning process considered as a processing of information. - Theory of constructivism: This theory confirms the mechanism of learning process is the creation of knowledge. - The essence of teaching that based on interaction: Teaching that based on interactive is essentially a teaching strategy that focusing on students, promoting the mobility of students in the learning process and being derived from the modern teaching philosophy such as philosophy of constructivism, or philosophy of problem-solving. To clarify the essence ofthis teaching strategy, it is necessary to consider it on many different levels. 1) Considering in the macro level, it considered as a teaching perspective, this view based on the interactions between the basic elements of teaching and learning activities that mainly between the teachers, students, and the environment. 2) Considering at the intermediate level, teaching based on interactions consideredas particular teaching methods. In this aspect, it has the morphology of specific teaching methods, as known as technical models of teaching methods. With the same ideology and theory, it can develop in the different models. 3) Considering at the micro level, it is the technique relying on interactive learning. The teaching technique in general was understood as the actions of teachers and students in a more narrow range in order to gradually realize teaching methods to achieve the goal of teaching. It is very difficult to list all the techniques in a specific teaching method. However, we can mention some key techniques in the teaching methods that based on the interaction as follows: 1/ The technique of creating motivation and maintaining excitement for students; 2/ The technique of creating teaching environments; 3/ The technique of organizing and managing the interactive pedagogy (teacher - student interaction; student – student; teacher, student - environment) and so on. - The characteristics of teaching based on interactions 1) Interactive teaching considered the interaction between the student, the the teacher, and the environment; it is the purpose and the reason for the development of teaching and learning activities. 2) The interactive teaching appreciates environmental factors: The identification of the basic elements of teaching activities has been discussing for a long time. For example, as mentioned above, the Russian educators such as Babanxki (1966), Savin (1983), suggested that the basic elements of teaching activities include teachers, students and teaching contents, etc. Meanwhile, the interactive teaching identified three basic elements of teaching activities including students, teachers and teaching environment. In particular, environmental factors are not merely the conditions of the classroom layout as light, temperature, sound, learning spaces; they include all the elements of outside and inside the students and teachers, which have influenced directly or indirectly to the students, teachers and their activities. 3) The interactive teaching valued the experience of the students: The strategy based on interactive teaching regarded studentsas "people who have the knowledge" because of all that they 83 Pho Duc Hoa, Pham Thi Thuy Hong have experienced even just once are also stored heterogeneously in the right hemisphere. At some points, they will mobilize in the process of forming new knowledge. - The structure of the interactive pedagogy The structure of the interactive pedagogical activities is considering the interaction mechanism in the triangle relationship Student- Teacher - Environment. These factors interact with each other; support each other to achieve the learning goals. a. Student: Student is known as a person who goes to school (learn how to learn), not the teacher. Students need to try their best to learn, including all people who go to school as a factor in the interactive pedagogy. b. Teacher: Teacher is an educator; teacher is also a person who organizes orient and help students. The erudition in knowledge, high level of culture and style, and the value of teachers will motivate the students to be interested in learning, stimulate the student engage in school activities. c. Environment: Environment are all things and phenomena taking place around the students and the impact on students. Environment considered as a coordinated system of external circumstances, the natural and social conditions surrounding that is necessary for the survival and development of human beings, including the formation and development of the personality. Philosophical basis The teaching process is a process of cognitive control. Therefore, the organization of awareness activities in the teaching process must be based on cognitive theory that philosophy has built up; then, applies to the teaching process to build up the basic principles that the interactive teaching has to implement. Psychological basis The main products of psychology are basic rules of advanced neural activity, rules of scientific thinking, and cognitive theory about the world of human being, especially with the students. These rules are the basis for building principles of interactive teaching process. Practical basis The teaching that applying interactive pedagogy in which the environment is one of the important structures requires programs, equipment, facilities, teaching staff to meet the requirements of teaching. Meanwhile, the actual conditions of this guarantee have some disadvantages. However, the limitations of geography, nature, and society are not necessary weaknesses when applying the interactive pedagogy. Overall, this is a foundation so that the education managers can plan and build models to apply interactive pedagogy in teaching at elementary schools in the northern mountainous region that suitable with regional characteristics. 2.3. The basic principles of interactive pedagogical perspective The interactive pedagogical perspective is considered as a science – art, it a collection of knowledge that built logically around the principles that are able to verify in the reality. On the other hand, this perspective requires teachers to be skillful and competent based on the skills. Teachers need to be able to engage students during the lesson; the teachers know how to adjust their teaching methods that belong to the need of students. * First perspective: Student – Operator The interactive pedagogical perspective considers the student as a main operat or of the training process. The students playing a significant role are the first agent implementing teaching methods and responsible for themselves during the learning process. The learning methods need to base on the capacity of students and they have the ability to learn due to their five senses as well 84 The interactive pedagogical model at elementary schools in poor mountainous areas as nerve system. The students also have the ability to use their experiences and prior knowledge to access and discover the truth, the feeling, new knowledge and skills. Thus, the students who have necessary competence are able to act as the main operators in their learning process. * Second perspective: Teacher - Instructor Teachers are the instructors of their students. The teachers follow their students in their learning methods and instruct students the right way they need to follow during their learning process. The teachers cooperate, instruct, and help students to consistent to their choice until the end. * Third perspective: Environment and its effect are necessary The environment influences to all pedagogical activities; it affects to the learning process, pedagogical methods and among them having the interactive affection. Each student and teacher has his or her own characteristics of gene and education (created from the effect of the environment to each person). We need to know the importance of the environment in the teaching process; the environment always affects students and teachers. There are many situations that affect to the students’ efficiency as well as the teachers’ behavior; they have origin from the inside the students and teachers such as their emotion, culture value, life experiences; or from the outside such as family, school, and the society. On the other hand, teachers and students also affect the environment to change it. It confirms the reciprocity in the affection of teachers, students and environment. 2.4. Interactive teaching model at elementary schools in northern mountainous areas in Vietnam In the dictionary of education, teaching model is defined "as the guiding model building a program, the selection of pedagogical materials and the support for teachers in their mission". Thus, the teaching model is considered the theoretical model that reflects the basic components of the teaching process and the relationship between them. 2.4.1. The conditions to implement the model Each teaching model contains the specific requirements about the conditions for implementation. In this section, we would like to present general conditions required for primary education. We would like to make two requests for conditions to implement models including mandatory conditions prescribed by legislation and conditions to ensure implementation of the model. Mandatory conditions - Elementary teachers who teach the models need to meet the standard of teachers that prescribed in the Decision No. 14/2007/QD-MOETof the Minister of Education and Training. - Students are organized by classes specified in the Decision No. 22/2000 / QD-MOET on Issuance charter of elementary school. Each class has no more than 35 students. The classes have the monitor, one or two vice-monitor who elected by students or appointed by the teacher; each class has a teacher who teach and also manage the class. Depending on the specific conditions of each school, we can assign specialized teacher who teaches subjects such as music, art, and physical education. - The assessment of students is done periodically, the learning activities, the progress and results standardized to academic knowledge and skills of each subject and other educational activities are under the program of general elementary education that prescribed in Circular No. 30/2014/TT-MOET about promulgating regulations for elementary student assessment. - The conditions of the facilities, equipment and classrooms need to ensure as requested in 85 Pho Duc Hoa, Pham Thi Thuy Hong Decision No 22/2000/QD-MOET on Issuance charter elementary school. Conditions on the specificity of the model - Encouraging special teaching rooms for the lesson that needs the support of multimedia devices such as Sciences or some of the topics of the other subjects, etc. (if not equipped for each room). - The class must be decorated vivid visuals that fit each subject and close to the student’s living environment. Requirements are simple but creative with different themes for the school serves such as transport, environment, life, safety, and life skills, etc. - Developing operational plans, in which specifying the model of each entity involved in the operation model of interactive pedagogy such as managers, teachers, parents, social organizations, and Governing agencies, etc. - Managers School managers direct the expertise, implement test, assess teaching activities, assess the teaching lesson of the teacher; test and assess the student learning outcomes; the assessment of parents and community about the education outcomes of students; Get feedback about teaching Math following the VNEN model of teachers, students, and parents; The preliminary, final review and the evaluationof teaching results based on the interactive pedagogical model, adjust and get experiences. - Teachers Teachers are full trained about teaching interactive pedagogical model; each teacher needs to actively participate in fostering professional qualifications such as methods to teach Mathematics, Vietnamese, and Sciences, etc. Self-taught, self-training through class observations, summer trainings and short, medium and long term retraining, training through individual seminars on interactive pedagogical model. Participating in learning exchanges to accumulate experiences from many different educational institutions. Teachers must have the teaching skills using interactive pedagogical models. Teachers need to prepare plans, anticipate different situations because teachers are held to be aware of each student, the teachers monitor and help their students actively and flexibly, as well as guide students self-learning; and proactive in helping the student team when they are in difficulty, adjust a number of activities to suit their students; provide levels of assistance for each student. - Students Need to understand the differences in learning interactive pedagogical model. Consciously protect