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.

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 21^st 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.

Reflection on Module Four

                Using technology is extremely important in the 21^st 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.