Introduction
Ms. Aisha Mohammed Abu Khattab is a Civil Engineer from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, currently residing in the city of Jeddah. She has experience in engineering design and the academic field, and she is interested in presenting science in a simplified and practical way for learners. She experienced FIRSTedu-ADLX Framework during one of the learning journeys organized by SeGa Group, and she found in it what aligns with her beliefs about the importance of making the Learner eXperience vibrant and alive. Her first application of this framework was in one of her classes, where she facilitated a session to five eighth-grade students. The session was facilitated in a learning environment with limited technological resources, yet rich in curiosity and participation.
Ms. Aisha noticed that the abstract concepts in the unit “Calculating the Volume and Surface Area of a Cylinder” posed an obstacle to students’ deep learning, as they often appeared hesitant when dealing with mathematical formulas and faced challenges in linking them to real life. This challenge was reflected in their engagement during learning sessions and their interaction with classroom activities, which called for a different design and facilitation approach to transform abstract concepts into Active Deep Learner eXperiences connected to the learners’ reality and daily lives.
The number of learners was limited to five eighth-grade students, all males, ranging in age from 13 to 14 years. They interacted in a traditional classroom environment that lacked modern technological tools, yet they were provided with multiple opportunities to apply realistic activities using tools from everyday life, which made the eXperience impactful.
Overview of the Design
The FIRSTedu-ADLX Framework was chosen because it transforms abstract concepts into tangible and realistic experiences. Aisha believed that the strength of this framework lies in its ability to create live interaction within the learning space, stimulating thinking and keeping learners at the heart of the Learner eXperience, which makes it distinct from traditional methods that often lack spirit and active participation.
Learning Outcomes:
- Attitude:
- To feel that mathematics is connected to real life
- To feel motivated to solve problems using tools from their daily environment
- Skills:
- To design a realistic problem related to the cylinder
- To correct a peer’s answer and provide feedback
- To calculate the surface area and volume of a cylinder accurately
- Knowledge:
- To share how to calculate the surface area and volume of a cylinder accurately
- To link the geometric shape with real objects around them
The learning journey included one face-to-face session, lasting approximately one hour, and consisted of three main activities: a pre-opener, a main learning activity, and an interactive physical activity. The activities were sequenced in a way that considered energy level, session time, and learner readiness.
The Main Activity Using the RAR Model: Applying Cylinder Concepts Practically
Readiness Increase:
Before the session, students were invited to bring any cylindrical object from their homes that they use in their daily lives. This preparation stimulated their thinking about linking what they would learn with their real environment. The facilitator provided learners with instructions and invited them to share what they brought from home. Each student shared the object they brought, such as a toothpaste tube or a water bottle. They were then guided to calculate the surface area or volume of that object using the formulas written on the board.
Activity Facilitation:
Each learner calculated the surface area individually and then shared it with their peers to exchange positive and constructive feedback.
Reviewing Actively:
Each learner shared what they had done, as well as the feedback they received. Afterwards, the facilitator drew out the lessons learned from the activity and ways to benefit from them in the future.
The Five Domains of the FIRSTedu-ADLX Framework
Focusing on the Learner
Aisha applied the principle of individualization effectively by using students’ names in dialogue and calling them with encouraging titles that stimulated a sense of belonging and appreciation. Probing and assessing appeared in her careful follow-up of each student’s performance, correcting written problems, and observing their level of understanding. She also trusted the learners by giving them the opportunity to explain some parts to their peers, which deepened their learning and contributed to building a supportive and motivating environment.
Interacting within Positive Group Dynamics
The social event was evident in the cooperative atmosphere that dominated the classroom, where students shared materials, asked each other questions, and collaborated in correction. The positive spirit was enhanced by Ms. Aisha through using a light and cheerful approach in moving between learners and distributing responsibilities with ease, making the class appear as a friendly working group. Motivation and attention were activated through diversity in tools, from household items to physical activities, which maintained students’ attention until the end of the session.
Reviewing Activities within RAR
The three stages of the RAR model were applied accurately, starting with Readiness Increase, passing through the Activity Facilitation of the practical activity which was the core activity of the session, and reaching Reviewing Actively through reflective questions that helped learning occur and deepened it, which contributed to consolidating concepts and reproducing them independently by students (sustainability of impact).
Sequencing within Learner eXperience
Ms. Aisha designed the learning journey with a flexible arrangement that began with a pre-activity (bringing a cylindrical object), followed by a conceptual applied activity, and ended with a physical activity that renewed students’ energy. She also considered energy distribution throughout the session, starting by stimulating curiosity, then progressing to mental activity and then physical activity. Concepts were repeated without boredom through a variety of methods (explanation – application – creating a problem – correction). Linking and summarizing were achieved by connecting concepts with one another from time to time.
Transforming Learning into Performance
The entire lesson revolved around projecting abstract concepts onto reality. Students were guided to link what they learn with what they use daily. Application was achieved through writing problems and correcting them, which helped them practice the concept themselves. As for continuity, it appeared in their reactions at the end of the session, where they confirmed their desire to repeat what they had done and indicated that they understood mathematics better when it was connected to their daily tools.
Conclusion and Reflection
Impact of the Journey on Learners
After the session, students expressed their enjoyment and admiration for the method of explaining the concept using objects from their reality. They indicated that what solidified the concept in their minds was that they touched it themselves and lived it through the problems they created. This framework rebuilt their confidence in understanding mathematics.
Impact of the Journey on the Facilitator
Ms. Aisha felt that she had brought life back to a rigid subject. She became certain that applying the FIRST Framework is not merely organizing a lesson, but rather a deep educational philosophy that believes the learner is the center, and that real learning happens when the learner lives the idea. She gained conviction in the necessity of continuing to use this framework and plans to develop other learning journeys based on it.