Group+lesson+plan+critique


 * Preliminary Business Studies Lesson Plan Critique **


 * Positive comments about the plan **


 * All **components** of a lesson plan have been included and those addressed well included **class details**, **reminders** (i.e. brief notes provided to remind students of teacher expectations) and **reflection** (i.e. provision of headings for reflection of lesson effectiveness);
 * Learning activities were **structured** into an **introduction, body** and **conclusion**;
 * There is indication that this is structured as part of a **planned** thinking sequence using the IGASAR Model, and that this lesson addresses the analyse/organise and synthesise/conclude stage of the sequence. Benefits include use of a wide range of resources, active learning and development of higher-level thinking skills;
 * Use of a **variety of teaching and learning strategies** such as**:**
 * ** direct transmission ** using posters, blackboard, overhead projector slides, ensuring valuable clarification of facts and procedures before commencing student-centred and constructivist activities;
 * ** cooperative learning ** using round robin, peer tutoring, three-step-interview and think-pair-share, to improvestudent engagement and achievement, social skills, higher self-esteem, and use of particular student competencies (Cornish 2009:223);
 * ** graphic organisers ** using flow-charting, brainstorming and concept mapping, which are effective assessment tools and strategies for developing writing skills, appeal to a variety of learning styles, develop higher-level thinking skills, useful representation of interconnectivity and consolidation of information, and useful tools for planning, summarising and revising information;
 * ** Blooms Taxonomy ** using divergent questions and activities that require higher-level thinking skills, optimising the depth of student learning; and
 * ** Gardner's Multiple Intelligences ** using activities appealing to visual-spatial and interpersonal intelligences, optimising the breadth of student learning.


 * Negative comments about the plan **


 * ** Statement of intent ** is ambiguous. It should clearly and briefly specify the **purpose** of the lesson including links to learning outcomes (i.e. skills, concepts, generalisations etc.);
 * ** Syllabus outcomes and content ** do not reflect current syllabus and support documents (refer to NSW BOS 2010:8,10,17 & 18);
 * ** Specific learning outcomes and indicators ** within the body of the lesson are not correlated with the learning activities. This could be due to the lack of detail provided for each activity compared to the high degree of learning outcomes knowledge and skills specified;
 * Although the **learning activities** are listed within the lesson plan, they do not identify the purpose or breakdown of steps students should undertake nor the teacher’s activities which enable such process. Further details of learning activities can be listed separately as an adjunct to the plan (Noble 2011);
 * Other than peer tutoring for gifted students, the lesson plan fails to identify **extension activities** for students. This could be particularly problematic when teacher is working one-on-one with less capable students as indicated in flow chart activity;
 * Reference to the **contributing question** is made within the brain storming activity; however, it is not specified anywhere within the lesson plan;
 * The class brainstorm activity indicates that students had selected a **business sample**; however, further information regarding businesses or resources were not provided;
 * Despite its many benefits, a concept map is not the most appropriate tool to develop learning of financial forecasting. The use of **ICT**, namely Excel, would be far more beneficial to incorporate concepts and perform calculations, analysis and forecasting;
 * Johnson and Johnson's five conditions for cooperative learning were not evident in lesson plan; namely, **individual accountability;**
 * Significant aspects of **subject matter** are not summarised anywhere within lesson plan (Noble 2011);
 * The **resources and materials** list in the lesson plan is not comprehensive, omitting for example business samples and question stems for group concept map activity; and
 * Although **timing** is a guide only, it unrealistic that student will complete these activities and achieve intended learning outcomes within times specified.
 * Suggestions for improving the plan **


 * ** Syllabus outcomes and content ** should reflect current syllabus and support documents **P8, P9 and P10** and learn to and about content regarding business planning process of forecasting (NSW BOS 2010);
 * ** Specific outcomes and indicators ** should be incorporated into the lesson plan to guide teaching and provide benchmarks for student learning;
 * ** Learning activities ** should be carefully planned to achieve specified learning outcomes;
 * The lesson plan should specify and focus on **contributing question** providing structure and purpose to student-centered investigation and guiding selection and use of samples and resources;
 * Planned **divergent questioning** should be incorporated into lesson to develop higher order thinking skills and conceptually based understandings;
 * A **Venn diagram** activity could be incorporated to develop higher order thinking skills (i.e. analysing) whilst comparing and contrasting two or more business samples;
 * Use of **ICT** to research and develop individual and group answers would significantly increase student engagement and computer literacy skills;
 * ** Cooperative learning structures ** should be genuinely collaborative, not just ‘group work’ in order to achieve it’s exhaustive benefits at school and in future employment (Cornish 2009:223); and
 * The **resources and materials** list should be comprehensive to checklist preparedness.

** Bibliography **

Cornish, L. & Garner, J. 2009, //Promoting Student Learning,// Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest.

Marsh, C. (ed) 2008, //Studies of Society and Environment – Exploring the Teaching Possibilities//, 5th edn, Pearson Education, Frenchs Forest.

Noble, K. 2011, //EDSS968 Secondary Education: Society and Environment Curriculum Topic Notes,// University of New England, Armidale, NSW.

NSW Board of Studies 2010, //Business Studies Stage 6 Support Document//, NSW Board of Studies, Sydney. Retrieved 26 April 2011 from []

NSW Board of Studies 2010, //Business Studies Stage 6 Syllabus//, NSW Board of Studies, Sydney. Retrieved 26 April 2011 from []