Identifying Similarities and Differences Strategy

I chose the category of Identifying Similarities and Differences for my lesson experiment because that is the most effective teaching tool I have used in my short teaching career. That is also the method by which I have been piloted through life.  Most researchers support this strategy as the most rewarding in outcomes for learners. The components of the strategy; comparison, classification, metaphor and analogy can be applied to any subject area.  This flexibility of application and the compatibility with the eight other major strategies in support give the similarities/differences strategy the top position, and it is no wonder that it produces the best results. Scanning the web led to a number of education sites that echoed the praises of the strategy.  The Ohio department of Education (http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ode/ims/rrt/research/Content/similarities_and_differences_what_we_know.asp), as in most learning institution cites referenced Marzano along with a varied entourage of his partner researchers who proved that identifying similarities and differences are the meat and potatoes of our learning processes. One interesting article from, written by a grad professor expound on the importance of note-taking in our technological age.  His technique for teaching effective note-taking skills came around full circle to the four components of the Similarities/Differences strategy; http://sites.google.com/site/mrsdavisprofessionalportfolio/grad-school-writing/summarizing-and-note-taking. So the number one and two percentile gain strategies are very close bed-fellows. Chapter 9 of our text, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that works, shows how modern technology is very compatible with implementing this strategy, from both the instructor's and students' abilities to generate tools for this learning method.