Morrison Model of Teaching (Professor H. C. Morrison)

 

Teacher Teaching and Technology 

Unit -II

 Morrison Model of Teaching • Notes 

 Professor H. C. Morrison (1871–1945)

Professor H. C. Morrison (1871-1945), a distinguished educator at the University of Chicago, made significant contributions to the field of educational methodology.

◆    He developed the "Morrison plan," an innovative approach that fundamentally reorganized traditional teaching styles to better engage students and enhance learning outcomes.

◆    Morrison believed that students learn most effectively when they actively adapt to or respond to real-life situations, emphasizing experiential learning over passive reception of information.

◆    He identified a systematic five-step instructional pattern designed to optimize mastery of subject matter:

▸    Pretest – assessing the student's prior knowledge to tailor instruction appropriately.

▸    Teaching – delivering the instructional content based on the pretest results.

▸    Testing the results of instruction – evaluating the student's understanding after teaching.

▸    Changing the instruction procedure – modifying teaching methods if the student has not yet mastered the material.

▸    Teaching and testing again – repeating the cycle until the student achieves full mastery of the unit.

◆    This iterative process highlights Morrison's commitment to adaptive teaching strategies that respond to individual student needs.

Flowchart 1: Morrison Plan – Five-Step Instructional Pattern

◆    Morrison retired from the University of Chicago in 1937 after a distinguished career and passed away in 1945 due to a heart attack, leaving behind a legacy that influenced modern educational practices.

 Understanding Level of Teaching

◆    To perceive the meaning, grasp the idea

▸    This involves more than just recognizing words or facts; it requires a deep comprehension of the underlying message or concept being taught. Students move beyond memorization to truly internalize the information, enabling them to explain it in their own words.

◆    Interacts with concepts, ideas, theories

▸    At this stage, learners actively engage with the material by connecting new knowledge to existing frameworks. They analyze and synthesize information, exploring relationships between different concepts and applying theoretical understanding to practical scenarios.

◆    Evaluate the concepts and bring together the facts

▸    This level involves critical thinking where learners assess the validity and relevance of ideas. They compare and contrast different viewpoints, integrate diverse pieces of information, and construct coherent arguments or solutions based on evidence and logical reasoning.

Flowchart 2: Three Levels of Understanding

 Morrison Model of Understanding Levels of Teaching

The Morrison Model offers a comprehensive framework for analyzing and improving teaching effectiveness by focusing on multiple interconnected systems.

Flowchart 3: Components of the Morrison Model

◆    Focus (The central theme or primary objective that guides the learning process, ensuring that all activities and content align with the intended educational goals.) In the Morrison Model, the focus consists of the main learning objectives, which are listed under "Morrison Model – Focus" below.

◆    Syntax: Nature of the Subject Matter and Its Presentation – This involves the structure and organization of the content being taught, including how information is sequenced, the clarity of explanations, and the use of language or symbols that make the subject comprehensible and engaging.

◆   Social System The social system encompasses the interpersonal dynamics and relationships within the learning environment. It includes interactions between teachers and students, peer collaboration, and the overall classroom culture that supports or hinders learning.

◆    Support System This system involves the resources and assistance available to both teachers and learners. It includes materials, technology, administrative support, and professional development opportunities that enable effective teaching and learning.

◆    Evaluation System Evaluation refers to the methods and tools used to assess learning outcomes and teaching effectiveness. This system provides feedback that informs instructional adjustments and helps ensure that educational goals are being met.

 Morrison Model – Focus

◆    Mastery of Concept or Content: The primary goal is for students to thoroughly understand and master the subject matter. This ensures a solid foundation of knowledge that can be applied in various contexts, promoting long-term retention and academic success.

◆  Development of Problem-Solving Competency: Students are encouraged to cultivate strong problem-solving skills. This involves learning how to analyze situations, identify challenges, and devise effective solutions, which are essential abilities both inside and outside the classroom.

◆    Enhancement of Critical Thinking: The model emphasizes nurturing students' critical thinking capabilities. This means fostering the ability to evaluate information objectively, question assumptions, and make reasoned decisions based on evidence.

◆    Promotion of Independent and Self-Learning: Encouraging students to become autonomous learners is a key focus. This includes developing skills for self-directed study, motivation, and the ability to seek out resources and knowledge independently.

◆    Personality Development and Change: The Morrison Model also recognizes that education can lead to positive changes in students' personalities. This may involve growth in confidence, resilience, social skills, and overall character development, contributing to well-rounded individuals.

 Syntax: It Involves Five Steps

Flowchart 4: Five Steps of Syntax (Morrison Plan)

1. EXPLORATION

◆    Test the previous knowledge by questioning: Begin by assessing what students already know through targeted questions. This helps identify their current understanding and any misconceptions, setting a foundation for new learning.

◆    Analyse the contents, and the elements are arranged in a logical sequence: Carefully examine the material to ensure that topics and concepts are organized in a coherent and progressive order. This logical sequencing facilitates easier comprehension and builds upon prior knowledge effectively.

◆    Involves testing, questioning to explore initial learning of the students: Use various questioning techniques and informal assessments to probe students' initial grasp of the subject. This exploration phase encourages active thinking and helps tailor instruction to meet learners' needs.

◆    Decide how the unit to be presented: Plan the structure and delivery method of the unit thoughtfully. Consider the best approaches to engage students, such as interactive activities, discussions, or multimedia resources, to maximize learning outcomes.

2. PRESENTATION

The presentation stage in teaching involves three key activities that are essential for effective learning:

◆    Introducing New Content in Manageable Units: The teacher breaks down new material into small, digestible segments. This approach helps students absorb information more easily and prevents them from feeling overwhelmed. Throughout this process, the teacher actively maintains continuous rapport with the students, using eye contact, gestures, and verbal cues to keep them engaged and attentive.

◆    Assessing Student Understanding: After presenting the content, the teacher conducts informal or formal assessments to gauge how well students have grasped the material. This diagnostic step can include asking questions, encouraging discussions, or using quick quizzes. It helps identify which students have understood the concepts and which may need additional support.

◆    Reinforcing Learning When Necessary: If the assessment reveals that a significant number of students have not fully understood the content, the teacher revisits and repeats the presentation. This ensures that no student is left behind before moving on to new material. The teacher exercises patience and adapts the teaching approach as needed to facilitate comprehension.

Throughout this stage, the teacher plays a more active role compared to other phases of instruction, guiding the learning process closely and responding dynamically to students’ needs to foster a solid understanding of the subject matter.

3. ASSIMILATION

◆    Purpose of Assimilation: This step aims to achieve a comprehensive and profound understanding of the subject matter. It ensures that students not only memorize facts but also internalize concepts, enabling them to apply knowledge critically and creatively in various contexts.

◆    Active Engagement of Teacher and Students: Both educators and learners participate actively in the process. The teacher facilitates learning by guiding, questioning, and providing resources, while students engage through inquiry, discussion, and reflection, creating a collaborative learning atmosphere.

◆    Student-Centered Learning: Students assume a more proactive role compared to the teacher. This shift encourages learners to take ownership of their education, fostering skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent research, which are essential for lifelong learning.

◆    Emphasis on Depth of Content: The learning environment is designed to highlight the complexity and nuances of the subject. Students are encouraged to delve deeper into topics, analyze underlying principles, and connect ideas across different areas, promoting a holistic understanding.

◆    Extensive Student Work Beyond Classroom: Students undertake significant work outside formal instruction, including library research, field studies, assignments, and projects. These activities provide practical experience, reinforce theoretical knowledge, and develop skills such as data collection, analysis, and synthesis.

During this stage, students engage in more individualized learning experiences, allowing them to process and internalize the material at their own pace.

◆    The teacher plays a supportive role by offering guidance tailored to each student's specific needs, providing supervision that helps address any difficulties or questions that arise.

◆    This period also involves assessment, where the teacher evaluates whether students have achieved mastery of the content, ensuring they have a solid understanding before moving forward.

◆    Assimilation is crucial as it helps students integrate new knowledge with their existing cognitive framework, promoting deeper learning and retention.

Benefits of Assimilation: This process enhances retention and comprehension, enabling students to build a strong foundation for advanced learning. It promotes independent learning habits, boosts confidence in applying knowledge, and prepares students to tackle complex problems effectively.

4. ORGANISATION

◆    After students successfully pass the mastery test, they advance to the organisation phase, a critical step in consolidating their learning.

◆    During this phase, students are encouraged to write the content in their own language. This practice not only reinforces their understanding but also allows them to personalize the material, making it more relatable and easier to remember.

◆   Writing in their own language supports language development and enhances cognitive engagement by requiring students to actively organise and internalise the information.

◆    This personalised articulation helps students identify any gaps in their knowledge, clarify complex ideas, and deepen their comprehension.

◆    Ultimately, this process strengthens memory retention and fosters a more meaningful mastery of the subject matter, preparing students for future application and critical thinking.

The following observations are included in this step to assess the student's ability to organise and express knowledge effectively:

✔     Student's Determination of Content: The student actively decides what information and ideas should be included in their writing. For example, when writing an essay about climate change, the student chooses to focus on causes like pollution and deforestation rather than unrelated topics, demonstrating their ability to select relevant content.

✔     Mastery Through Clear Expression (Morrison's Perspective): According to Morrison, mastery is achieved when the student can accurately and clearly write down both the presented content and the assimilated data. For instance, after a science lesson on photosynthesis, a student who can write a clear explanation of the process, including key terms like chlorophyll and sunlight, shows mastery by integrating and expressing the learned material.

✔     Teacher's Evaluation of Independent Writing: The teacher evaluates whether the pupils can write the content independently, without assistance. For example, during a writing exercise, the teacher observes if students can compose a paragraph about their favorite book without help, indicating their confidence and ability to organise thoughts on their own.

5. RECITATION

◆    Each student presents the content orally before the teacher, allowing for immediate feedback and assessment of understanding.

◆    The teacher plays a key role by organizing and planning daily recitation sessions, ensuring that this step is consistently integrated into the learning process to reinforce knowledge and track student progress.

◆    Recitation may also take the form of written exercises, offering an alternative way for students to demonstrate their comprehension and retention of the material.

 Morrison Model – Social System

◆    Active Role of the Teacher: The teacher is encouraged to take a proactive and engaged role in the classroom, going beyond passive instruction to actively shape the learning environment.

◆    Behavioral Control through Motivation: Teachers influence and guide student behavior by using motivational strategies that encourage positive participation and engagement, fostering a supportive and dynamic classroom atmosphere.

◆    Facilitating Student Involvement: While the teacher imparts essential instruction, students are expected to take responsibility for their own learning by working independently and with full involvement, promoting autonomy and deeper understanding.

◆    Flexible and Dynamic Teacher Behavior: Effective teaching requires adaptability; the teacher's behavior should be flexible and responsive to the needs of the students, incorporating empathy and a human touch to build strong interpersonal connections and support individual learning styles.

◆    The model incorporates both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, recognizing that students are driven by external rewards as well as internal desires for personal growth and satisfaction.

◆    Teachers play a crucial role in this system by actively fostering a sense of need and curiosity among students, which encourages them to engage deeply with new concepts.

◆    By creating an environment that stimulates interest, teachers help students move beyond rote learning to develop meaningful understanding and critical thinking skills.

◆    This approach emphasizes the social context of learning, where motivation is influenced by interactions within the classroom community and the relevance of the material to students' lives.

 Morrison Model – Support System

◆    Utilization of Teaching Aids: Teaching aids should be effectively incorporated into the learning process to enhance comprehension and retention. These aids can include visual materials, models, charts, and interactive tools that cater to different learning styles.

◆    Use of Audio-Visual (AV) Aids for Effective Presentation: AV aids such as videos, slideshows, and multimedia presentations can significantly improve the delivery of content by making it more engaging and easier to understand. They help in illustrating complex concepts and maintaining learner interest.

◆    Encouragement of Self-Learning and Individualized Learning: Motivating learners to engage in self-directed study fosters independence and personal responsibility in the learning journey. Individualized learning approaches allow learners to progress at their own pace, focusing on areas where they need more practice or deeper understanding.

◆    Providing Opportunities for Practice Based on Learner Effort: It is important to create chances for learners to apply and practice the material they have learned according to their own effort and readiness. This personalized practice helps reinforce knowledge, build confidence, and identify areas needing further improvement.

 Morrison Model – Evaluation System

◆    The evaluation system primarily utilizes essay and objective-type tests to comprehensively assess student learning. Essay tests allow students to express their understanding in depth, demonstrating critical thinking and the ability to organize ideas coherently.

◆    Objective-type tests, including multiple choice and analogy items, are favored for their efficiency and reliability in measuring specific knowledge and cognitive skills. Multiple choice questions are effective for assessing a wide range of content quickly, while analogy items help evaluate students' ability to recognize relationships and apply concepts.

◆    This combination of test types ensures a balanced approach, capturing both detailed written expression and precise knowledge recall, which together provide a robust measure of student achievement under the Morrison Model.

 Morrison Level – Conclusion

◆    Psychological Motivation: Teachers should actively foster psychological motivation among students by creating a supportive and encouraging learning environment. This involves recognizing students' individual needs, boosting their confidence, and inspiring them to set higher goals and aspirations. Motivated students are more likely to engage deeply with the material and persist through challenges.

◆    Problem Identification and Analysis: It is essential for teachers to accurately identify the specific problems or obstacles students face in their learning process. Once identified, teachers should thoroughly analyze these issues to understand their root causes. This analytical approach enables the development of targeted and effective solutions that address the underlying challenges rather than just the symptoms.

◆    Providing Solutions: After analyzing the problems, teachers should implement practical and tailored solutions to help students overcome difficulties. These solutions might include adapting teaching methods, offering additional resources, or providing personalized support. The goal is to empower students to progress and achieve their learning objectives successfully.