Reflection 3

Interactive Learning Object with H5P

Lesson Planing: Helping Adolescents Understand Anxiety

Big Idea	Learning Outcome(s	Evidence of Learning	Assessments	Learning Activities
This course will effectively teach students about various factors that contribute to anxiety and mental health challenges in today’s youth.	By the end of the course, learners will be able to..-Explain the key psychological processes that influence adolescent anxiety.-Identify common environmental contributors to anxiety in adolescents-Discuss effective intervention strategies.	Individuals’ learning outcomes will be evaluated by their ability to.. -Accurately describe psychological processes that may contribute to anxiety-Apply appropriate intervention strategies to hypothetical scenarios.	Learners will be assessed by..-Three Short Quizzes-One Critical Thinking Topic Assignment-One Test	Interactive Lecture: Presentation on adolescent psychological development and mental health challenges, followed by discussions and Q&A sessions. Group Discussions: Small groups will participate in discussions on misconceptions and real-life applications of intervention strategies.

Reflection

1. What authentic problem would you use to design a lesson using Merrill’s principles? What media or multimedia (interactive or not) would you create to support it?
In this lesson, I would present students with a hypothetical case study of an adolescent struggling with anxiety. The key problem would be:
“Given a case study, which psychological and environmental factors could be contributing to their condition, and what intervention strategies would you recommend?”

This is an authentic problem because it reflects real-world challenges that mental health professionals, educators, and caregivers face when helping adolescents with anxiety. The case study would provide students with a realistic scenario where they can practically apply their knowledge. This would help them refine their problem-solving and critical thinking skills to develop greater understanding of adolescent mental health.

Using Merrill’s principles, my lesson design would look similar to the following. 

• Activation:
  To begin, I would ask students to reflect on their previous knowledge or experiences with adolescent anxiety. To deepen this connection, I would show a short, interactive video that portrays a typical scenario of a teenager struggling with anxiety. The video would highlight psychological and environmental triggers, prompting students to consider how they might respond or intervene in such a situation. 
• Demonstration:
  Next, I would present a detailed explanation of the psychological processes (such as cognitive distortions, the fight-or-flight response, and attachment issues) and environmental factors (e.g., family stress, school pressure) that contribute to adolescent anxiety. During this part of the lesson, I would break down how these factors interact and manifest in observable behaviours such as social withdrawal or difficulty concentrating.
• Application:
  After the demonstration, students would apply what they’ve learned by working in small groups on a case study. Each group would receive a detailed adolescent case, including their family background, school life, and any personal history. The task would involve analyzing the psychological and environmental factors contributing to the adolescent’s anxiety and developing an intervention plan.
• Integration:
  Finally, students would share their findings and proposed intervention strategies with the class. This would be an opportunity for peer feedback, where classmates could ask questions, challenge assumptions, or offer alternative strategies. This collaborative feedback helps students apply their learning in a real-world context and deepen their understanding of the material.

2. Can you describe (step by step) an example of scaffolding in a learning experience that you’ve designed or experienced?

An example of scaffolding includes the time I wrote my first academic research paper. Writing a research paper can be a daunting task, especially when you’re unsure of what’s to be expected of you. In my experience, the whole process was broken down into manageable steps, and I got the support I needed at every stage to gradually build my skills. Here’s how the process unfolded:

Step One: Getting Started

At the beginning, the professor introduced the assignment, outlining everything we needed to know. The professor clearly outlined the structure, citation style, and expectations of the assignment. This instruction helped me get a clear understanding of what my final product should like like, and the steps I needed to take to get there.

Step 2: Picking a Topic

Choosing a focused, researchable topic was challenging for me. My first idea was to write about climate change, but I wasn’t sure how to focus this topic. I ended up narrowing my topic to “The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Cities,” which felt both manageable and interesting.

I drafted an early thesis and the professor provided feedback to help me refine and clarify my topic.

Step 3: Finding Resources

The professor taught us how to use library resources and evaluate sources. I learned advanced search techniques to find relevant, peer-reviewed articles, ensuring I used credible sources for my paper.

Step 4: Organizing the Paper and Writing the First Draft

Once I had my sources, it was time to figure out how to organize my research into a clear argument. I created my outline, highlighting the main points I’d discuss in each section and matching them to the sources I’d be using. My professor gave me feedback, suggesting that I clarify some transitions and add a counterargument to strengthen my paper.

Step 6: Peer Feedback 

Before submitting the full draft, we did a peer review. The professor gave us a detailed rubric to guide our feedback, focusing on clarity, organization, and the strength of our evidence. This clear instruction helped make the peer-review process both structured and useful.

Step 7: Final Revision and Submit

After receiving peer feedback, I revised my paper and met the professor individually to discuss any questions.

I submitted the paper, feeling much more confident than when I first started. When the professor gave feedback on my final submission, I was able to see how much I had improved the clarity and strength of my argument.

Conclusion

Looking back, this step-by-step scaffolding process helped me tackle what could have been an overwhelming task. Each stage of the assignment built on the last, and the feedback at every step gave me the guidance and confidence I needed to improve. By breaking the project into smaller, manageable chunks, I felt supported throughout the entire process and developed skills that I have kept with me to this day.

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