STAR legacy model

I have heard of this model before but I have never had the opportunity to really study it closely. After watching the presentations and reading some of the articles about it, one thing I have come to appreciate about it is (in comparison to some of the other models at which we have looked) is it's simplicity. Not only does it's simplicity make it easier to understand but to implement as well. Simplicity of a model can give the user much more flexibility and room for creativity, which I feel can be a very positive aspect of any instructional method/model. I also like the cyclical nature of that model, which is a feature not-seen as often in the other models we have studied.

Another good feature of this model is that it explicitly states that time should be devoted to initial thoughts as well as reflection. I have always felt that this is an important step in any learning model. Although the other models we have looked at may allow for these two components, I do not feel they were stressed as much as in this model. This could be in the form of a pre-assessment and post-assessment as suggested by the article but I do not feel it is limited to that. First asking the students about their initial thoughts and asking some informal preliminary questions gives the students expectations about what is about to be learned as well as what aspects of the content will be important. This is something I have always tried to do with any lesson. Whether it comes in the form of a pretest, simply stating the objectives, or making a list of questions the students should ask themselves as the content is presented. The reflection (wrap-up) should not be limited to a post assessment either, but perhaps just allowing the students to look back and think about what they have actually learned during the lesson. I feel this is an important step which can often be left out of a model. In any learning experience, there should be some sort of reflection on what has been learned.

Some other good aspects of this model are common to the other models as well. This model is problem or scenario based and allows the students to use the content by applying it to a real-world situation. Just as with the other models, the content is more meaningful and more likely to be retained because it is presented in a way that makes it less abstract and it is utilized by the student rather than simply memorized.

 The STAR legacy model also shares the same problems and boundaries with the other models as well. Time and preparation of the model can be demanding or tedious and the model seems to sacrifice breadth of knowledge for depth of knowledge. However, this model does not demand that the students work in groups. The article mentions student groups but I do not feel that it was explicitly stated as a requirement for the activity. I also feel that the questions and problems presented (in the examples at least), are tasks that could be completed by a single student; eliminating the barriers that come with group-work and troubles over group dynamics.