Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Module 5b

This module has helped me think about self-directed learners and the role of differentiation in the following ways…
                In teaching students to become self-directed learners I feel it is important to make the directions for any project clear and concise.  They must also be able to see an example.  I feel that having a checklist of how to get started and maintaining clear deadlines is very important so that the student understands exactly what is expected and when it is expected.  Self-directed learners also need to be able to meet with the teacher in conferences so that any question they may have can be answered so they do not get stuck in a problem and give up.  I like the website wiggio.com because group based projects can add the teacher to their group, and he or she can check in and address any questions that come up in group discussions.  Another option is having students write in blogs about the chosen topic.  I feel that through free writing teachers can assess whether students understand the subject matter and the project at hand.  A survey mid-project is also helpful in assessing any questions the students may have.  Self-directed learners thrive when they feel they are working in the right direction.
                This module really made me realized the different learners I may have in my classroom.  In my early years in the classroom, I had to focus on special-needs students.  I wrote lesson plans for my regular students and then looked for ways I could break down the subject matter to make it easier to understand.  Sometimes I would do this in terms of a checklist or creating diagrams.  We would start with a sentence and then develop a paragraph.  We would move from simple to more complex concepts.  Because I had some experience in this area, I felt more confident in working with my unit plan when it comes to special needs.  With gifted students, the module suggests that students can handle more complex material.  In my latter years teaching, I had advanced students.  Some of these students were gifted; some were not.  In group based projects I would put gifted students with those that were not.  I would make the project challenging and break the project down into manageable steps so that all students could succeed.  The students were graded on their portion of the project and then given an overall grade.  I monitored the groups so that the gifted students were not taking over the final product.  Overall, I feel this was successful. 

                I felt in this module the most help to me came in terms of recognizing that in Montgomery the population is becoming more diverse.  I need to focus on how I can reach those learners in which English is a second language. The module gave me some ideas such as speaking slowly and providing a translation of The Great Gatsby in their native language.  I will also need to explain literary terms in a way that they can understand.  I hope I am able to meet this need after careful consideration.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Module 5a

This module helped me think about student-centered assessment in the following ways…

                As I was working through the Module Five online, I went in order of the pages so I worked with Rubistar before I read the material in the Intel E-Reader.  I realized after reading the material I would definitely need to tweak the rubric I had created.  I had neglected to include in the rubric a standard that directly addressed my Curriculum Framing Questions and a standard that gave students credit for following instructions and including characters from their novel in their news story.

                When I was teaching, I would take my objectives for a unit and create a test or assessment based on my objectives I wished to accomplish.  This would be my first step.  Since the test or assessment was done at the beginning of creating my unit, I would know exactly what I would need to include in my lesson plans to meet my objectives.  As I was creating my student sample, I had an idea of what would be in my rubric but I wished I had created the rubric first.  If I had created the rubric first, I would have asked my students to include a picture or graphic in the student sample.  I feel this would have met 21st century skills component in my project.

                In my student sample, I wanted for them to include references for their news articles.  I know that this is not typical in a newspaper but for an English teacher, it is extremely important that students learn to cite sources.  I should also include this in my rubric.  As I was reading through the module, I did become concerned that I may have too many traits in my rubric.  When doing student-centered assessment, it is important to really determine the goal for the product.  What do you want the students to know after creating their project?  A rubric should ultimately determine their success in meeting that goal.  For me, I would need to know that they can answer my Curriculum Framing Questions, cite sources, and be able to do research either using a primary or secondary source.  I feel also it is important to be specific about each trait so that it is easy to assign a score.  Through this module, I really felt strongly that I wished I had worked backwards and designed the rubric before producing my student sample.  I think I would have felt more confident about my student sample being judged in my unit.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Reflection on Module Four

                Using technology is extremely important in the 21st century.  Technology allows teachers to enable students to become active participants in the learning process rather than passively observing.  In education, we have moved past students simply regurgitating facts.  Technology allows us to ask students to synthesize and analyze material which allows them to use higher-order thinking skills. Students learn how to research for themselves rather than the material being handed to them. I believe that by having teachers use technology in the classroom it will enable students to become more excited about the subjects we teach.  They have to come to class ready to learn so they can interact with the technology.  Use of technology allows the student a certain amount of freedom, but they have to learn to manage their time effectively.  Students are no longer asked to take notes but to actively engage in the class via technology.  These are skills they will take with them to the workplace.

                When we ask students to use technology to demonstrate knowledge, they can not simply list the facts.  They have to take the information they do know, analyze it, and decide on the best format to present their knowledge.  When we ask them to do presentations, they have to synthesize what they know and produce a product.  Project-based Learning allows the learner to develop those higher-order thinking skills that are critical in the workplace.  A boss will not sit and spoon feed you information. You will need to process information and present your data in a tangible way.  I feel that technology has allowed us to better prepare students for the workplace.

                  I know for me the classroom implications of technology will completely change the way I view units.  I will need to begin by determining what students know, what they can do, and how we can grow those higher-order thinking skills.  I will then need to determine projects that I can see them doing in the workplace or in higher education as a necessary part of the curriculum.  I will also need to start to release the control of the learning process to the students.  Instead of feeling I need to spoon feed them information, I will need to allow them opportunity to seek out that information via technology.  I can see I will be as much a learner in this process as my students will be, but I feel that we will both gain tremendously from the effort.

Friday, September 5, 2014

Reflection On Module 2

This module has helped me to think about Project Based Learning in a different way.  The PBL method would mean a close look at standards and developing a project based on those standards.  I would then create an essential statement that would be a theme for the entire year's curriculum, each unit would have unit questions relating to the subject matter in curriculum, and then content questions would be drawn from the state standards.  Overall, Project Based Learning would enable the student to see the worth in the curriculum.

When reviewing the state standards in eleventh grade English, I would need to look at projects that would connect standards with real-life application.  Some of the projects could be short-term; others could require an entire semester.  When looking at state standards, I could look for projects that cover several standards at once.  One project for an eleventh grade English class could be Creating a Novel.  For the first nine weeks, the students would study the characteristics of a great novel.  The next nine weeks the students could brainstorm ideas for novel and develop a plot line for the novel.  In this same nine week period, the students would then divide into groups and write one chapter of the novel.  The third nine weeks, they would edit each other's work.  The last nine weeks would be devoted to publishing their novel and creating smooth transitions from one chapter to the next.  Through this group exercise, we would be able to address many 21st century skills.

An excellent essential question for the above project would be "What makes a great novel?".  This project would definitely answer those questions.  The unit questions would involve "What are the components to a great novel?" and "What do readers appreciate in a great novel?".  During the above project, the questions would be addressed at each nine week period so that the students can process the necessary elements of a novel.  Content questions would address the essential terms related to a novel such as characters, setting, theme, plot, and genre.  This module has helped me to see how all the parts of a Project Based Learning project come together.
 
The formative assessment of the project would cover the entire year.  The students would have a timeline in which they would be required to submit their projects for a grade as well as taking a test on terms related to a novel.  At each step of the process, their project would be looked at and graded according to the given rubric.  Before the project began, the teacher would have determined what the objectives were according to the state standards and established tests and rubrics to match those standards.  The module was very detailed on exactly how assessment should be done in Project Based Learning.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Module 1 Reflection


The video stressed the importance of Project Based Learning versus conventional learning.  Project Based Learning involves more involvement in the beginning and then moves to student driven as the project progresses.  This method allows the student to explore and research using different forms of media, make real-world connections to state standards, and assess their own progress in meeting objectives.  This video totally changed how I look at state standards.  State standards are a guideline to teaching students real-life skills and not arbitrary knowledge.

In Project Based Learning, the student practices 21st learning skills by exploring and researching a topic proposed by the teacher.   The teacher begins by assessing state standards, determining objectives for project, and producing a project that the student will make their own. The student then decides what resources are appropriate and what method he or she will use to present results.  Most PBL is done collaboratively.  At this point, the teacher will observe and be available for questions but the project at this point has moved to the student.  Through self-assessment and using rubrics, the students are able to monitor their progress.  As an instructional designer, I need to relinquish control and allow the process to work.  If the project is well-designed with clear grading guidelines and appropriate deadlines, the students can monitor their own progress.

Project based learning allows the students to make real-life connections to state standards.  One of the examples in the video mentioned fractions.  In conventional learning, fractions are taught in the classroom without any real-life application.  In a PBL lesson from the video, the students are asked to experiment with fractions in baking.  As any good baker knows, a wrong fraction can produce disastrous results.  This is an excellent example of project based learning.  I know I need to allow the process to work instead of stepping in to soon.  Students learn just as much from their mistakes as they do from their successes.

One of the most important points of PBL involves self-assessment.  In the video, it mentioned Claire and a problem she encountered at work.  She was asked to research a problem and present her findings.  She was not graded at every interval.  She had to assess her own progress.  That is what students are asked to do in Project Based Learning.  Project Based Learning can involve long term investigations so the student must maintain focus to complete the assignment.  The students need to assess their own results and whether it answers the questions posed by the teacher.  The teacher should build moments in the project where the students reflect on their progress.   This is the scariest moment for a teacher.  Did the project accomplish the objectives set forth?  As I grow as a teacher, I will need to allow the students to manage their own success.  I do not need to micromanage high school students.  At some point, they will need to learn to manage their own time and projects to have success in life.  It should begin in the classroom.

After watching the video, I realized that I will need to look at state standards differently.  Accordingly, my lesson plans will change and develop over time.  I will need to look for ways to incorporate more real-life opportunities for writing into my English classroom.  I will need to look at ways we can incorporate writing in daily lives into the classroom.  Very few students will ever need to write essays on great literature in real-life but writing business ideas or proposals are probably a real possibility.  I will definitely start viewing things differently.