Utilizing Learning and Teaching Resources for Effective Learning

This article discusses the importance of utilizing learning and teaching resources for effective learning. It covers resource design principles, inclusive curriculum design, and new resources like Hegarty Maths, Desmos, and Prodigy Maths. The article emphasizes the need for teachers to understand their capability for education and use them to develop resources that help students enhance their skills and knowledge.

Introduction
Clay P. Bedford says that a student will learn a lesson for a day when they are taught,
but if curiosity of learning is taught to them, then they will continue the process of learning
for as long as they might live. He further states that resources are not only the various
teaching materials and the methods used, but also the time that is made available for
instruction, the skills of the teacher and the knowledge that is incurred through the training
process and teaching experience. Learning resources is defined as any individual or material
which may have been acquired or been produced locally, which content or function that is
instructional and can be used for both formal and informal teaching and learning. Learning
resources can include print and non-print materials; audio, visual, electronic and digital
hardware or software resources and human resources. If the learning and teaching resources
are used effectively then it can benefit the students into constructing knowledge on their own
and also develop various effective learning strategies, values, attitudes, generic skills and
hence lays a foundation for a long learning process.
Links to various websites which can provide extra resources of a topic that is being
discussed or creates a platform for student learning can be available via Blackboard.

Aim of utilizing learning and teaching resources
Teachers use various methods to engage the students in the learning of the curriculum which
is outlined for them. The introduction of new technologies and physiological resources can
help the students into realizing their strengths and helping them to get engaged in the process
of learning. The aim of utilizing the learning and teaching resources are:
1. Helps to give economy in speech and time
2. Helps to make the course easy
3. Helps in making the course clear
4. Helps in increasing the motivation and interest of students
5. Helps in simplifying the complex explanations
6. Helps in creating an interest for learning

7. Helps in making the conceptual things clear
8. Helps in enhancing the course
9. Helps in doing practical of subjects (Küçükahmet, Leyla, 1995)
Resource design principles –Pat
Resource design principles helps the students to be clearer in their learning and
teaching (Collins, Brown, and Holum 1991; Bransford, Brown, and Cocking 2000). This
requires the students to be able to talk, write, analyze, report, create, judge and inquire on the
basis of the learning preferences and styles.
These activities helps the teacher, fellow learners and the students to understand the
extent of their knowledge and what queries they might have about the resources that are
available to them.
There are various researches which shows that different learning styles utilizes
different brain parts. Involving more areas of the brain, helps in containing more information.
Hence, resource design will contemplate the brain retaining technology to search the areas of
the brain which is responsible for learning.
For example:

 Visual: The visual sense of the brain is managed by the occipital lobes which are present
at the back. The spatial orientation is handled by both the occipital and parietal lobes.
 Aural: The aural sense is managed by the temporal lobes. The right temporal love is
mandatory for music.
 Verbal: The left hemisphere of the temporal and frontal lobes are called the broadcast
areas.
 Physical: The physical movement is managed by the cerebellum and the motor cortex.
 Logical: The logical thinking is driven by mostly the left side of the parietal lobes.
 Social: The social activity is managed by the frontal and temporal lobes. Both the social
and solitary styles are influenced by the limbic system. The limbic system influences the
emotions, aggression and the moods.
 Solitary: Both the frontal and parietal lobes and the limbic system are involves in this
style.

The father of resource design, Robert Gagne, have observed in the Conditions of
Learning (1965), that every instruction requires various types of instructions for learning
since every instruction in unequal.
Learners can expand their mental status, clarify their concepts and form conceptual
relationships with the help of good learning resources such as forum, blogs, journals, group
works and information technology. Online resources are helpful in learning as they give a
public platform to the students and helps them to form, refine, apply and revise the concepts
clearly.
Teachers helps students to understand the complex concepts and not the words. This
principle of Vygotsky is simple and deep. Forming concepts is a process of intellectual
operations which includes the center of attention, abstracting, synthesizing and symbolizing
(Vygotsky 1962).
This principle clearly states that a teacher is responsible for what a student does,
learns and how much clarity he has in his concepts. This principle also leads to the planning
of the learning along with implanting evaluation in the learning environment.
How theories, principles and models of inclusive curriculum design can be used
to inform resource development: Seki
The concept of curriculum has been around for a long time. However, the
understanding and theories about curriculum have evolved with time. ‘Curriculum’ has
emerged from a Greek word which means ‘course’. According to Stenhouse (1975),
curriculum aims to interact the important principles and the characteristic of an educational
plan so that it can be critically analyzed and is capable of being effectively translated into
practice. Both curriculum theory and practice adopts a balanced approach to the existence of
human through different investigations of values, freedom, human potential and others. The

principles adopted by the teachers in the classroom are equality, diversity, inclusiveness and
fairness for all students to motivate them into realizing their full potential.
The government have been focusing on out of classroom learning for the last few
years and this has helped in the expansion of the Lifelong Learning Sector. According to
Watson and Taylor (1998), the UK higher education system have shifted from being elite to a
mass system over the years. Lifelong learning is a learning activity which can be taught
throughout the whole life both formally and informally.
Lifelong Learning is a concept which connects different stages of both formal and
informal learning to formal education which became popular during the 1960s and 1970s.
Lifelong learning is used to promote education as a means of social development and
economic growth as well as to expand the field of education.
Lifelong learning promotes the concept if learning which is beyond the traditional
system of schooling and through every adult’s life. This statement is derived from the
concept of ‘four pillars’ of education for the future which was formulated by Jacques Delors
(Learning – The Treasure Within, 1996, page 45-47). Furthermore, the terms ‘programme’
and ‘curriculum’ are interchanged and used, where the term curriculum has a wider concept
and context. In the UK, Fraser and Bosanquet (2006) derived that the term curriculum has
various meanings among the staff who are working in higher education, such as:
 The content and the structure of a subject
 The content and the structure of a programme associated with study
 The experience of the student while learning
 A positive and communicative process of learning and teaching (Fraser &
Bosanquet, 2006)

In the UK, Lattuca and Stark (2009) derived from their extensive research that
curriculum has similar meanings for the staff. This absence of the proper understanding about
the term curriculum could be difficult for when the staff gathers together to design a
curriculum. Hence, Lattuca and Stark (2009) support that a proper framework which could be
used for all the curriculum which can use the concept of ‘Academic Plan’ and concentrate on
the planning process. There are eight elements which are included in it: Situation, Intents,
Content, Teaching and Learning, Assessment, Organization and Evaluation.
The plan takes place in the sociocultural context. Therefore the model in the
Sociocultural Context is termed as Academic Plans (Lattuca and Stark, 2009, p29). The
elements that are present in the Lattuca and Stark model has many similarities with the
components of the curriculum that have been described in Figure 1.2. The idea of planning
activity is affirmed in the term ‘curriculum design’ and this can be high level process which

can define the learning which takes place in an exact programme of the study, which leads to
appropriate sections of credit and qualification (JISC 2014, p2). The terms curriculum design
and curriculum development have been interchanged many times. Ornstein and Hunkins
(1998, p17) describes that the planning, implementation and evaluation of a curriculum is
done with the help of a curriculum development.
Gardner’s multiple intelligences
The multiple intelligences theory of Gardner can be used for variety of activities such
as selection of course, related assessment strategies, planning instruction and curriculum
development. Certain instruction which are designed in such ways so that they can help the
students to develop their strengths can motivate them to develop their weaknesses as well.
Instruction which carry a lot of meaning and has specific activities, assessments and methods
can help in addr3ssing the multiple learning preferences of students.
Different people have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, students who
are ‘interviewed’ to gain access to a course can be misjudged as not being desirable as the
assessment might be inappropriate due to many reasons such as biasness towards a particular
student, poorly formed interview questions and others. People who are good at different

things collectively are required in life. People who possess different sets of intelligences are
the ones who build a well-balanced world and organization. This helps the team to have a full
collective capacity than the ones who share same intelligences (businessballs.com, 2009).
1. Verbal-linguistic intelligence – Can use words effectively as they have high auditory
skills and are sensitive to words.
2. Logical-mathematical intelligence – Able to think intellectually and conceptually and are
able to recognize numerical patterns and logic.
3. Visual-spatial intelligence – Ability to understand with the help of drawings, verbal and
physical images.
4. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence – Able to use the body effectively and have a deep sense
of body awareness.
5. Musical intelligence – Ability to show sensitivity to sound and music.
6. Interpersonal intelligence – Ability to understand and interact with others.
7. Intrapersonal intelligence – Ability to understand one’s own goals, interests and desires.
8. Naturalist intelligence – Able to segregate and recognize different plants, animals and
other natural objects.
9. Existential intelligence – Sensitive towards understanding deep and intellectual questions
about the existence of human beings (Source: Thirteen ed online, 2004).
Devising new resources
Hegarty Maths
Hegarty Maths is a platform which explains maths with the help of constructive
examples, necessary knowledge on the subject, videos followed by demonstrative assessment
which coordinate well with the videos and finally an uncomplicated tracking system which
enables teachers to keep a track on the mistakes of the students and also make it easy to

collect the tracked data. The founders built the platforms on the belief that a maths teacher
would always be available.
(g)Math – EdTech
(g)Math – EdTech is a digital math platform which enables teachers and students to
both construct new math problems and respond to questions as well. (g)Math Add-On, makes
it easy for the teachers to design math questions and share them on Goggle Docs, Forms and
Sheets. Students can teachers can virtually respond to any question on their PC or Chrome
book’s keyboard and touchscreen.
Desmos
Desmos is a graphing calculator which is useful in mobile application and web
application and written in JavaScript. The calculator has good reviews in both app stores and
Twitter users. It helps students to experience all aspects that math offers by creating activities
on the calculator.
Prodigy Maths
Prodigy Maths is one of the most connecting digital platform for Maths which
contains all the vital topics that would be required by the students into getting them ready for
tests. Prodigy maths helps the students to get ready with the help of systematic tests that give
them correct results, inbuilt tests and automatic distinctions. All tests that the students solve
in the digital platform is reported back to them at the moment. The students can what they
done correctly, and in which problem they need support.

Teachers much always help in the development of resources. A resource developer is
an individual who looks after the preparation and development of resources so that it can be
used to please the needs of the students and help them to reach their full potential in their
learning.

The individual requirements of the students must be attended and specific plans must
be constructed to fulfil their learning needs. The next objective would be to design the tasks
according to the requirements of the students and deliver those tasks to them. Once the
student completes the task then the teacher can assess the performance through which the
effective of the student can be understood by the resource developer.
According to a Turkish online journal of education technology (2009), a survey is
done with two groups of students, where one group of student is given the lower level of
resources, whereas another group is given the higher level of resources. The outcome derived
from this survey shows that the group with the higher level of resources has more positive
results than the other group.
It has been found that when the technology of teaching consists of sound and vision
then the student’s reaction to teaching and learning becomes more positive with time.
The LeTUS report series (2003) shows that it is important for the teachers to
understand their capability for education and use them and arrange for learning resources in
their teaching which will help to develop the teaching environment and make it more
organized. It states that teachers should construct such resources which will help the students
to enhance their skills and knowledge rather than developing resources which fits everyone.
Developing such resources will help the teachers to develop their professional
development which will also help them to connect with the students so that they can feel
included in the learning environment.
Many researches and articles explain the advantages of personalized resources for
students through textbooks or technology and stress the importance that these personalized
resources have on the students and how they help them to enhance their skills and reach their
complete potential.

There can be many instances where the learning resources needs to be designed
according to the individual needs and requirements of each student in the class. The resources
need to be differentiated and designed separately for the students with visual impairments,
hearing impairments and dyslexic according to their needs. The font size has to be made
bigger, the font color has to be changed to black and suitable images can be used to satisfy
the needs of the students who are visually impaired so they can easily understand the course.
Podcasts can be downloaded for the hearing impaired students to engage them in the
lessons plans and to make them understand the learning outcomes of the lesson. According to
the special need and requirements of the hearing and visually impaired students, different
local care coordinators or specially trained staffs who are qualified, will carry out different
assessments (NHS and Community Care Act 1990).
Students who have poor writing skills will be given a voice recorder where they can
verbally record their answers. A mentor can be arranged who will write their work for them.
Specially qualified and trained staffs can also be arranged who can assist them in their
learning. Another challenge that is faced in the teaching environment is the presence of
dyslexic students. The first and foremost thing that must be done is to identify the level of
their dyslexic and then qualified specialist must be referred who can assist them correctly.
The resources should be personalized and designed to suite the requirements of those
students. The course and resources must be easy and understandable so that they can
comfortably achieve their learning milestones.
Reflection
The purpose of introducing technology into a mathematics classroom is not just to
engage the students into new teaching tools but also to redefine the meaning of teaching and
learning mathematics. However, deciding the right form of technology for a specific

mathematics topic may be hard. These decision revolve around TPACK (Technological
Pedagogical and Content Knowledge), which is the intersection of technology, pedagogy and
content.
Technological decisions not only influence the understanding of procedures and
concepts of mathematics among the student but also the various ways in which the students
identify the subject and perceive it.
One important thought in the understanding of a student’s recognition with
mathematics is the range of the activities to which it is learner directed. Author Thomas E.
Hodges, who is a mathematics teacher himself, describes the technologies which were
available in the classroom and how he utilized them to design different learning opportunities
for the students. Co-author Elizabeth Conner, who was a student in his classroom, giver her
views on the methods as Hodges discusses various examples.
Students in the 21st century also needs to learn the recent skills such as critical
thinking, problem solving, creativity, innovation, communication and collaboration (Levin
and Schrum, 2009). These skills will help them to better prepare themselves for the situation
that lies ahead of them. Integration of technology can guide and help these abilities and make
them more easy to use for the students.
Technology is important for the diverse learners. These kind of learners, whether they
are equipped with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Individualized Learning Plan
(ILP), an ESOL student, or a student who has a difficult time to adapt to learning, can benefit
vastly from the various learning tools that are used in a classroom. Different support systems
like text-to-speech, recorded speech, word processors, graphic organizers, netbooks and
various talking devices allow the students to work side by side with their peers. Furthermore,
the capability of working in a classroom full of people, helps students to be more active and

also understand the content that is being taught to them. My classroom would consist of
various kinds of technology what I would have access to and work along with other
professional teachers who have worked previously with a diverse range of students, to
upgrade myself and also to reach my students. Diverse learners are not only benefited from
different technological tools but also from other learners as well, as it helps them to become
more attached to the resource that is being taught.
Teachers all around the world have debated whether to include technology as a part of
their classroom or not. There are certain educators who believe that the old traditional way of
teaching is the best and the only way. These educators assume that the learners in current
time are the same as used to be, however, this assumption might not be valid anymore as the
learners in today’s times are different than the learners in old times (Presnky, 2001). On the
other hand, there are certain educators who have realized the capability and the potential of
technology and what advantages it possesses. These educators are the ones who are able to
connect with the students. They are the ones who are able to integrate technology into their
classrooms and also engage, enhance and prepare the students into building them for their
future. Technology is a great invention in today’s time and can do wonderful things if used
properly. The students in recent times wishes to be captured and involved in everything that
they are taught. With the use of different methods of learning and using technology in the
classrooms, world learning can become more engaging and tempt the students to learn more.