Applying Standards Based Constructivism:
A Two-Step Guide for Motivating Students
Marzano's Dimensions of Thinking/Learning

We see the two-step model as including the best of Marzano’s work and as streamlined and simplified for teacher use.

Over several iterations, Robert J. Marzano and his associates developed a framework to help educators think more effectively about the impact of their pedagogical decisions on the thinking experiences and the cognitive demands being put on students. While the direct comparisons being made here are drawn from a text that he wrote for ASCD by himself (Marzano, l992), other works on Dimensions (from the McRel group) do exist, are noteworthy, and are very similar to this one.

DESCRIPTION

There is an internal debate within the text Marzano wrote for ASCD about whether or not “dimensions” provides a model for teachers to follow OR simply a framework for thinking about instructional planning. In actuality, the last chapter provides three different unit planning models, based on three types of outcomes (AND, interestingly, two types of lessons). By looking at the five dimensions briefly AND highlighting the various models, we will offer both great praise for this approach and show how it connects to the “two-step” model.

While it is clear that (a) the five dimensions do not exist in “isolation” from each other and (b) do not show a progressive linear pattern of accomplishment, they do describe different cognitive processes, each valuable in its own right and each worthy of teacher attention during a unit of study. (Thus, the following are NOT the five steps of a lesson/unit).

Two dimensions (attitudes and habits) are centered in the affective domain and recognize the importance of social and emotional factors in learning. Taken together, they suggest that teachers utilize issues of “sense of belonging” and “students interests” (Glasser, l986) and they urge teachers to help students persist in their intentional efforts to learn. Taken literally, teacher planning will focus on specific mental habits and will structure lessons and activities in ways to arouse and sustain student motivation.

The other three dimensions deal with various levels of cognitive engagement, from the initial acquisition (and exposure) of content to the undertaking of an authentic task in dimension four, which is clearly seen as the most powerful learning event and referred to as the “heart (p130)” of the “Dimensions model”.
Teachers are expected to plan according to these expectations and their planning is either focused on a transmission approach, called the “presentation class” or on an interactive, student directed session called the “workshop class.”

Classroom instructional interactions are sparked by reflective questions that teachers use in planning, like the following (one for each dimension):

l. What will the teacher do to help students perceive tasks as valuable?
2. How ill students experience information?
3. What activities will help students refine knowledge?
4. What products will be created?
5. How will mental habits be reinforced?

Moreover, the book is full of suggested learning activities that teachers could use to help learners think deeply and construct their own knowledge, including graphic organizers, KWL, advanced organizers, and concept formation. Although now a decade old, these strategies are still theoretically sound, practical and effective. (This text can also be seen in a historical context: it is a transitional narrative, linking behavioral practices with constructivist ones. In many ways, this book signals the stepping away from simple transmission model like Hunter’s to the far more complex, thinking-centered modern constructivist models like Flynn. This was recognized by Marzano, who subtitled the first chapter “an idea whose time has come.”)

COMPARISON

Undoubtedly, Marzano has provided teachers with many good ideas for making their classes more thoughtful and has created a useful framework to think about the impact of their efforts. As shown above, the Marzano book is also full of strategies, many of which would serve as wonderful “planned interventions” during the discovery phase of the two-step model ? those places in the two-step model where the teacher stops the students from working on their tasks to provide relevant information the teacher feels confident most students need in order to complete their task. (Page 69 lists eight of these, titled by the cognitive processes inherent in each: comparing, classifying, inducing, deducing, error analysis, building support, building abstractions and analyzing perspectives). Marzano does recognize that particular strategies may be used to promote thinking in more than one dimension and can be used that way to spiral important content, again forcing teacher intentionality and reflection.

However, the choice of three types of outcomes (Dimensions 2, 3 and 4) means that the authentic task process envisioned as a staple of the Flynn model, becomes just 1 of 3 possible directions that can be taken for a unit. To us, “acquisition (2) and extension (3) of knowledge/understanding” are by-products of the thinking used in completing the authentic task during the discovery Phase in two-step and should be treated that way. Marzano’s recognition of that kind of work as an [equal] option and/or as an extension of lower level engagements is indeed, different.

In general, then, the call for the use of planned activities is quite consistent with the two-step’s planned interventions and suggests that teachers carefully structure and reflect upon their use. Moreover, Marzano’s conceptualization of Dimension 4 is also quite consistent with the notion of the DISCOVERY phase of the two-step: He describes several types of projects that provide options to teachers: experimental inquiry, investigations, problem-solving, and invention. (The reader can see these categories reflected in the sample lessons sprinkled throughout this text.)These are all valid, student-directed, long-term and applicative and likely to develop in the student centered classroom we envision. Teachers familiar with Marzano’s work and these distinctions will likely attempt to shape their Discovery phase tasks along these lines.

Secondly, there is a general call FOR but no direction about how and when to create the affective components that are distinctly demanded by the exploratory phase of the two-step. Because teachers do not do a very good job of building curiosity, comfort and commitment as part of regular practice now, we think is it essential and important enough to warrant its own phases: Marzano expects it but doesn’t help teachers do it.

We applaud loudly for the rationale presented by Marzano for the importance of affective dimensions and view it as a strong defense of the affective consequences of our exploratory phase. Especially telling is his discussion of “student control”: “learners who lack a perceived sense of control will naturally hold back (p13)”. Also, he recognizes that school work is usually artificial and totally unlike real-world work. It is only in long- term projects [under direct student individual control] that meaningful gain can happen: hence the need for authentic task engagement. Such work requires a comfortable, secure and emotionally satisfying reality for every student.

In short, we see the two-step model as including the best of Marzano’s work and as streamlined and simplified for teacher use. As was said, those familiar with Dimensions will easily recognize the more flexible and more easily used planning reality offered by the two-step. We hope that they also heed carefully the suggestions offered by the exploratory phase: it is easy to overlook the affective power of a preparation period and jump into the cognitive tasks (such as described in Dimensions 2, 3 and 4 here): getting students ready to be challenged without being threatened is critically important in getting them to comfortably and willingly take ownership of their own learning.