The 5 E model is an education model from BSCS (Bybee, 1997). The organization works to use research to transform science education. This method has been peer reviewed and well researched.
Very simply put - this model works!
As a licensed secondary science teacher, I have used the 5E model for many years. There are even versions of it out there, like the 7E model from Authur Eisenkraft in 2003.
As a new science teacher, I rallied against the typical Madeline Hunter-style lesson plan used in education at the time. The lesson plan style felt old and didn't reflect my philosophy of education. I believe that active learning, blended learning and social constructivism help people learn and a lesson plan needed to reflect that.
The 5E model was a fresh and intuitive approach. It was easy to integrate other educational methods and models like scaffolding, spiral curriculum, blended learning and personalization. That might be too much jargon for the entrepreneur but for education geeks like me, the 5E model was a siren to my Ulysses.
So let's get down to the basics of the 5E model.
The steps of the model are
Engage
Explore
Explain
Expand
Evaluate
In eLearning, this model has some wide reaching benefits, like
giving the learner a "hook" - something that pulls them into the lesson and relates back to what they already know or have experienced
pulling out previous knowledge or expertise (super important in adult learning)
adding new information
immediate application to the "real world" (another important piece in adult learning)
applying the new learning to job performance - adults need tactics that actually work
An example of how this might look in a business setting, marketing on social media course:
Engage
The “hook”.
Might include a story to introduce characters, a current event, a comic or joke.
Must be able to answer this question - "Why should the learner care care about this topic?"
Links to previous knowledge.
Might ask questions or give tasks to explore previous knowledge.
Marketing Example: Are you on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram? Other social media? What strategies do you use to get people to read your posts?
Explore
Provides some common experiences so everyone starts at the same place.
Addresses misconceptions, processes and skills needed for the lesson.
Might include interactive elements like surveys, quizzes, simulations, labs, scenarios, discussions.
Generate new ideas here but students may not have names or definitions figured out yet.
Marketing Example: Examine these sample social media accounts. What about them is "good"? What are the best practices we see here? What about them could improve?
Explain
The new content is here.
This step takes the experiences from the Engage step and puts names and definitions to the concepts.
This section might include videos, audio, lectures, slides or readings.
Learners must be able to explain their learning in this step.
Marketing Example: The instructor provides a series of tutorial videos for the students to watch.
Expand
Expands on the new learning.
Challenge students to come up with new and different ideas that make sense in their business.
Students seek out new information and apply that information in new situations.
This section might include discussions, problem solving, scenarios and students building their own materials.
Marketing Example: Which of the examples below shows the best use of engagement? Explain your reasoning. What would you do differently? Find three examples of excellent social media engagement and post to the discussion forum. Explain how we can use these examples to increase engagement in our own social media accounts.
Evaluate
Assess the learning in this step.
This section might include discussions, quizzes, surveys and students creating their own materials. Evaluate materials using a rubric.
Marketing Example: Write a marketing strategy for a social media platform of your choice. Include a sample post in the form of a screenshot. Post your strategy and screenshot in our group discussion board.
To help you with your lesson planning, I have created a super helpful template. You will need to print one for each lesson you have in your course.
How might you be able to use the 5E model in your course creation process? Join the eLearning Revolution Facebook Group and tell us!
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