As I wrap up my final week of CEP 811: Adapting Innovative Technologies to Education, I've reflected on the work and tasks I've been assigned: exploring the 'maker culture'; repurposing & creativity; learning theories; instructional design; experience design; universal design for learning; scholarship of teaching and learning; design evaluation. While I did engage and experiences some of the newer technologies, I found this course was more about making use of existing technologies and materials as well taking into consideration past and current 'best practices' to create a true 21st Century learning environment.
Professional Assessment & Evaluation
My favorite part of my experience has been playing with my chosen Maker Kit, the littleBits Starter Kit, and seeing how the science of electricity and creative technology melded together. It was so much fun to sit down with this product and experience it for the first time and even better to see the delight of my five year old's face when he created his first circuit. I cannot wait to bring my littleBits into my classroom next year. I have already shared these little treasures with my grade level team. We have hacked out a plan to share my kit and some of the extensions I have purchased amongst the six of us for our electricity unit. The scientific inquiry experiences that this Maker Kit will bring to my classroom and my students will be priceless.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the littleBits will be largely based on student self-assessment and their synthesis of the littleBit components work, connect, and operate as units. The biggest part of the effectiveness evaluation will be formative assessment, which will allow me to adjust how the Maker Kit is being used and implemented within my curriculum. In the grade scheme of my electricity unit and the standards I am responsible to teach, circuitry is only a small chunk of it. However, I can, and will, align these experience learning projects with the CCSS in the area of ELA, since I plan on incorporating student blog posts as one form of self-assessment and reflection.
Personal Assessment & Evaluation
"As adult learners, we are most interested in your growth -- and you will be evaluated on the basis of how far you go, not on the basis of where you started." -MAET statement on evaluation
I feel that I have grown significantly as both a professional educator and as a student through this course. Many of my personal educational philosophies were justified and expanded upon through the research and assignments I completed these last eight weeks. As a 'younger' teacher, technology has been a major part of my life from a very early age and I have always been one of the 'techies' on my school staff. My comfort level and desire to learn more about educational technology was the main reason I chose to pursue a degree in the MAET program through MSU. So while my technology foundation may not have grown through this course, I definitely feel as though I have built several structurally-sound columns that enable me to be a more effective 21st Century educator.
Two areas that I enjoyed exploring and learning about the most were Instructional Design and Experience Design. Both of these topics fit right in with the Responsive Classroom model that I adopted in my classroom a few years ago to create and foster a positive learning environment for my students. The research and knowledge gained from these two topics have changed the way I view my classroom and pushed me to change the format and function of my classroom space. I plan on redesigning my classroom to be a more flexible and dynamic space to allow for more movement and flow during the learning process.
Although my graduate experiences with educational technology have just begun, I am very excited with where I will go professionally and personally. I hope to continue to be a educational technology leader within my PLN and school district. The confidence I now have with digger deeper into technology integration will enable me to be a more effective and engaging teacher for my students.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Choose Your Own "SoTL" Adventure
I laughed a bit when I saw the title of this week's blog post assignment for my CEP 811 graduate class through Michigan State University. "Choose Your Own 'SoTL' Adventure." Remember back in grade school, there were these choose-your-own-adventure books? You could choose to turn right or turn left, help an enemy or move on. Kinda like a book version of Oregon Trail. I found this funny because I had discovered a series of historical fiction books that did just that...and my students loved them! Here is a link to one that I read aloud during our history unit: http://www.amazon.com/The-Civil-War-Interactive-Adventure/dp/1429639105 They are worth checking out!
Back to reality and graduate class assignments. This week, since I am a Master's student and therefore am already partaking in 'Scholarship of Teaching and Learning,' I was asked to 'consume' information about a research topic I am interested in and push my scholarly ways a bit further and share my findings with my PLN (professional learning network). A classmate and I developed a conference proposal about designing and creating a 21st Century classroom, so it made sense to direct my efforts in this direction. Here are brief annotations of the scholarly articles I read on my research topic.
Annotated Biography
Christen, Amy. "Transforming the Classroom for Collaborative Learning in the 21st Century." Techniques: Connecting Education and Careers 84.1 (2009): 28-31. ProQuest. Web. 24 June 2013. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/PDFS/EJ829507.pdf
I truly enjoyed the many points made in this article. It states how technology hasn't fully penetrated into modern classrooms and learning environments, mainly due to the fact that schools are not taking advantage of public and private sector partnerships that could make technology more meaningful and accessible to students and teachers. The article goes a step further, offering suggestions for schools and educators to begin to correct this situation.
Kwek, S.H. (2011). Innovation in the Classroom: Design Thinking for 21st Century Learning. (Master's thesis). Retrieved from http://www.stanford.edu/group/redlab/cgi-bin/publications_resources.php
In this Master's thesis, Kwek summarizes a qualitative study of a San Francisco Bay Area school explored and adopted design thinking as a model of learning. The data collected from observations and interviews of school administrators and educators supports the need for changes in classroom learning environments and curriculum/lesson design.
Theisens, Henno, Francisco Benavides, and Hanna Dumont. "OECD Work on Future Educational Environments." PEB Exchange (2008): 11. ProQuest. Web. 24 June 2013. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/docview/189838044/fulltextPDF/13EDC10DAE118E44AED/117?accountid=12598
This was a very enlightening article. It focuses on the challenges schools face when designing and planning for future learning environments. Social demographics, such as falling birth rates, economic globalization, and rising numbers of single-parent families, play heavily into this concept. The authors also go beyond talking about the physical structures of the building and how these buildings need to facilitate, motivate, and enable creative learning within students.
Wambach, Catherine. "From Revolutionary to Evolutionary: 10 Years of 1-to-1 Computing." T.H.E.Journal 33.14 (2006): 58-9. ProQuest. Web. 24 June 2013. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/docview/214818737/13EDC10DAE118E44AED/93?accountid=12598
I found this article to be interesting, especially since my school district's county is petitioning for a 1-to-1 Technology Initiative to be put on the ballot in September. It outlines the slow but successful progression of schools that have implemented 1-to-1 computing and how it has created a more equalized learning environment/opportunities for students. In the progression over the course of the past ten years, these schools have gone from classroom computers, to mini-labs, to wireless laptop carts, to tablets.
Williams, Kevan. "WHAT'S UP IN NEW DEVELOPMENT." Flagpole Apr 25 2012: 7. ProQuest. Web. 24 June 2013 . Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/docview/1019782459/13EDC10DAE118E44AED/58?accountid=12598
This article examines the changes one school district is making while planning and building new schools while taking into account the needs for a 21st Century classroom and 21st Century learners. The district's administrators and planners have designed learning environments that allow for dynamic collaboration, flexible spaces, and furnishings that meet the needs of both educators and learners.
Back to reality and graduate class assignments. This week, since I am a Master's student and therefore am already partaking in 'Scholarship of Teaching and Learning,' I was asked to 'consume' information about a research topic I am interested in and push my scholarly ways a bit further and share my findings with my PLN (professional learning network). A classmate and I developed a conference proposal about designing and creating a 21st Century classroom, so it made sense to direct my efforts in this direction. Here are brief annotations of the scholarly articles I read on my research topic.
Annotated Biography
Christen, Amy. "Transforming the Classroom for Collaborative Learning in the 21st Century." Techniques: Connecting Education and Careers 84.1 (2009): 28-31. ProQuest. Web. 24 June 2013. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/PDFS/EJ829507.pdf
I truly enjoyed the many points made in this article. It states how technology hasn't fully penetrated into modern classrooms and learning environments, mainly due to the fact that schools are not taking advantage of public and private sector partnerships that could make technology more meaningful and accessible to students and teachers. The article goes a step further, offering suggestions for schools and educators to begin to correct this situation.
Kwek, S.H. (2011). Innovation in the Classroom: Design Thinking for 21st Century Learning. (Master's thesis). Retrieved from http://www.stanford.edu/group/redlab/cgi-bin/publications_resources.php
In this Master's thesis, Kwek summarizes a qualitative study of a San Francisco Bay Area school explored and adopted design thinking as a model of learning. The data collected from observations and interviews of school administrators and educators supports the need for changes in classroom learning environments and curriculum/lesson design.
Theisens, Henno, Francisco Benavides, and Hanna Dumont. "OECD Work on Future Educational Environments." PEB Exchange (2008): 11. ProQuest. Web. 24 June 2013. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/docview/189838044/fulltextPDF/13EDC10DAE118E44AED/117?accountid=12598
This was a very enlightening article. It focuses on the challenges schools face when designing and planning for future learning environments. Social demographics, such as falling birth rates, economic globalization, and rising numbers of single-parent families, play heavily into this concept. The authors also go beyond talking about the physical structures of the building and how these buildings need to facilitate, motivate, and enable creative learning within students.
Wambach, Catherine. "From Revolutionary to Evolutionary: 10 Years of 1-to-1 Computing." T.H.E.Journal 33.14 (2006): 58-9. ProQuest. Web. 24 June 2013. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/docview/214818737/13EDC10DAE118E44AED/93?accountid=12598
I found this article to be interesting, especially since my school district's county is petitioning for a 1-to-1 Technology Initiative to be put on the ballot in September. It outlines the slow but successful progression of schools that have implemented 1-to-1 computing and how it has created a more equalized learning environment/opportunities for students. In the progression over the course of the past ten years, these schools have gone from classroom computers, to mini-labs, to wireless laptop carts, to tablets.
Williams, Kevan. "WHAT'S UP IN NEW DEVELOPMENT." Flagpole Apr 25 2012: 7. ProQuest. Web. 24 June 2013 . Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/docview/1019782459/13EDC10DAE118E44AED/58?accountid=12598
This article examines the changes one school district is making while planning and building new schools while taking into account the needs for a 21st Century classroom and 21st Century learners. The district's administrators and planners have designed learning environments that allow for dynamic collaboration, flexible spaces, and furnishings that meet the needs of both educators and learners.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
UDL & Maker Activity #2
For my latest and greatest assignment in my graduate class CEP 811, I read about UDL (Universal Design for Learning). UDL is a research based educational framework that guides and promotes the development of flexible learning environments that meet and accommodate individual learning needs. In UDL, there are multiple means of 1) representation, 2) expression, 3) engagement, all intended to increase student motivation and learning. Part of my exploration of UDL included checking out this (FREE) UDL Tech Toolkit. It was amazing to spend the two hours I spent looking at these resources...and I plan on going back to go through and try out each one at some point this summer!
I also went back to my Maker Activity #1. After reflecting on my original lesson, I found a few tweaks that I could use to incorporate UDL and make this activity even better for all my learners in my classroom. Here is my revised activity:
REVISED: The Maker’s Kit Activity #1: (revisions are in red)
Since the Montessori Method primary focuses on the learner’s choice and mastery of the task, I thought that this exploration activity would be a unique way to incorporate my littleBits Starter kit into my classroom.
Instructional Goals:
This activity follows the constructivist approach seen in the Montessori Method as students will build their knowledge of circuits and machines through their explorations of the littleBits kit. Students have the choice of when and how often they can explore the kit. The formative assessment of the blog post is done only when the student feels they have a mastery of the activity.
Reflection
I was very happy that my original activity had a good foundation and already incorporated pieces of UDL. For example, I varied the methods for response and navigation by allowing students to work at their own pace and choose/make their own appointment times to work with the materials. I extended this UDL guideline to include alternatives for recording observations and thinking by including the three 'tools' from the UDL Tech Toolkit: Popplet; bubbl.us; CAST Science Writer. This activity also already gave learners optimized individual choice and autonomy as well as provided mastery-oriented feedback - the blog post is only done when the learner feels he/she has mastered the concept and teacher/peer also provides mastery feedback.
I also went back to my Maker Activity #1. After reflecting on my original lesson, I found a few tweaks that I could use to incorporate UDL and make this activity even better for all my learners in my classroom. Here is my revised activity:
REVISED: The Maker’s Kit Activity #1: (revisions are in red)
Since the Montessori Method primary focuses on the learner’s choice and mastery of the task, I thought that this exploration activity would be a unique way to incorporate my littleBits Starter kit into my classroom.
Instructional Goals:
- My instructional goals:
- Students will explore the littleBits kits and record their observations.
- Students will create at least one working machine/circuit.
- Students will demonstrate their acquired knowledge using technology.
- Science notebooks, Popplet, bubbl.us, or CAST Science Writer
- littleBits Starter kit
- computer/Internet access
- I will introduce the littleBits kit to the classroom and give a very brief explanation of the learning outcome of this activity: Students will be able to explore, create and demonstrate at least one working machine/circuit.
- Students sign up for time with the littleBits kit. They will be given 15 minute appointments when they can explore and play with the kit components while taking notes and sketches of their findings. Students will not be limited in the number of appointments for which they can sign up.
- Students will record their thinking and observations using a method of their choice: pencil/paper (aka Science Notebook), Popplet, bubbl.us, or the CAST Science Writer.
- Once students feel they have mastered at least one creation with notes and sketches, they will then write a post on the classroom Wikispace that summarizes their explorations and includes at least one picture of their creation.
- Each student will respond to two other blog posts with the intent to provide constructive feedback for their peers.
This activity follows the constructivist approach seen in the Montessori Method as students will build their knowledge of circuits and machines through their explorations of the littleBits kit. Students have the choice of when and how often they can explore the kit. The formative assessment of the blog post is done only when the student feels they have a mastery of the activity.
Reflection
I was very happy that my original activity had a good foundation and already incorporated pieces of UDL. For example, I varied the methods for response and navigation by allowing students to work at their own pace and choose/make their own appointment times to work with the materials. I extended this UDL guideline to include alternatives for recording observations and thinking by including the three 'tools' from the UDL Tech Toolkit: Popplet; bubbl.us; CAST Science Writer. This activity also already gave learners optimized individual choice and autonomy as well as provided mastery-oriented feedback - the blog post is only done when the learner feels he/she has mastered the concept and teacher/peer also provides mastery feedback.
References:
CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author.
CAST. UDL Guidelines- Educator Worksheet 2.0. Retrieived from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XoDbdf561xTP4Y_7v_BdEBqVSf07_yVxWuQ0y66IN0I/edit
Free Technology Tool Kit for UDL in All Classrooms. Retrieved from http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Design Experiment #1 (Experience Design)
What a week! It felt as though I were sprinting all week long! All the way to Thursday at 2:12 = officially summer vacation! Between finalizing report card, managing the mob...errr...students, and packing up my classroom, I also had to find time to work on my graduate assignments. Lucky me!
This week's assignment was to read up on Experience Design and use a program called SketchUp Make to redesign, or hack, a learning space so that it fits 21st Century Learning. So what is Experience Design?
According to Wikipedia, "Experience design (XD) is the practice of designing products, processes, services, events, and environments with a focus placed on the quality of the user experience and culturally relevant solutions. An emerging discipline, experience design draws from many other disciplines including cognitive psychology and perceptual psychology, linguistics, cognitive science, architecture and environmental design, haptics, hazard analysis, product design, theatre, information design, information architecture, ethnography, brand strategy, interaction design, service design, storytelling, heuristics, technical communication, and design thinking."
Last summer, I spent a lot of time thinking about how I wanted to change my classroom after completing my first year teaching fourth grade. Cooperative learning and responsive classroom were (and still are) two very important elements I used when teaching. My students and I spend an average of 5.5 hours every weekday in the classroom, so it needs to be a learning space that is 1) inviting, 2) flows, and 3) fits learner needs. Not to mention, it also had to house 28 bodies...and it was a smallish classroom! Looking forward to next year, there are some more tweaks in that will be coming, so this assignment has gotten me plotting a little earlier than last year. I want to make the most of the time with my students...and our learning environment
Current classroom set up:
Trapezoid tables grouped in two so four learners could work in heterogeneous groups. They are labeled by table numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6). Smart board is front and center of the west wall; two smaller whiteboards flank it. My computer cart is up toward the front of the classroom, primarily because it is tethered to the Smart Board. I decided to forgo my desk...not once did I use it the prior year...and space is a premium in the classroom. The classroom library/meeting area are in a corner at the front of the room where there is a 5x8ft area rug, some milk crate benches, and floor pillow. There are also two extra free-standing bookshelves to handle the ever-expanding classroom library, reader's notebooks, and the math RTI stations. This corner is where a bulk of my ELA whole-group instruction takes place (my building has completely adopted the workshop model for reading and writing). We also do our math calendar work here when we need to make observations or have a discussion. At the back of the room, student mailboxes occupy one counter top. The back wall is lined with one large whiteboard that is flanked by two bulletin boards on either side. There is also a large table with four chairs for the listening center/RTI small group table, two student desks and two more small tables for multi-use purposes. These tables are flex-spaces...the learning that goes on in these places varies throughout the day and year. I may have a science demonstration set up for small groups to complete. It could be a strategy group station during our literacy block. Sometimes students sit back in these areas when they feel they need a less distracting location.
What currently works:
I like how the classroom space is already set up for cooperative learning. When I arrange the seating chart, I keep tables mixed up with student ability levels. This makes small group work easy to transition to during math, social studies, and science. Having student tables grouped like this also allows for prearranged work spaces for our literacy block/station rotation. Our meeting area is large enough for everyone without allowing for huge spaces between partners or groups. The built-in bookshelves help create a visible area for our classroom library.
Currently, my biggest complaint about my classroom (other than size) is the lack of in-room technology for my students' use. I had one student computer the previous year, but that was taken away and never replaced. This was and continues to be a huge disappointment for me. Technology is vital in any 21st Century classroom and I am not able to incorporate this component into the classroom for my students. Sure, my building has two computer labs that will fit my entire class...but I also have to schedule time and fight for that time with 17 other classrooms.
Ideal Classroom in an Ideal World:
If I had the funding available, the biggest change I would make to my classroom would be to have four computers for student use at the back of my classroom. Students would use this area for research, blogging, math/reading practice and remediation, keyboarding, etc. I plan on using a virtual classroom next year for students to make reading responses and book recommendations through discussion posts. This would also be a platform for math tutorials and the extension of many problem-based learning projects. These computers would also enable students who do not have access to the internet or similar technology at home the opportunity to use it on a daily basis...not just weekly. I have dreams of 'flipping' social studies and science units next year, that student access to technology at home is a huge concern. Exercise ball chairs at the computer station allow for the 'wiggles' common for my grade level and promote the development of strong core muscles. Eventually I would love to have these exercise ball chairs for all my students. The cost of four computers, the licensing, networking, tech-support, etc would be at least a few thousand dollars. Four exercise ball chairs would be an additional couple of hundred dollars.
Here are a few examples of what my classroom would look like if I could get my hands on these 'ideal' materials! These were created using SketchUp:
Resources:
Experience Design. (n.d.) In Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Experience_design
This week's assignment was to read up on Experience Design and use a program called SketchUp Make to redesign, or hack, a learning space so that it fits 21st Century Learning. So what is Experience Design?
According to Wikipedia, "Experience design (XD) is the practice of designing products, processes, services, events, and environments with a focus placed on the quality of the user experience and culturally relevant solutions. An emerging discipline, experience design draws from many other disciplines including cognitive psychology and perceptual psychology, linguistics, cognitive science, architecture and environmental design, haptics, hazard analysis, product design, theatre, information design, information architecture, ethnography, brand strategy, interaction design, service design, storytelling, heuristics, technical communication, and design thinking."
Last summer, I spent a lot of time thinking about how I wanted to change my classroom after completing my first year teaching fourth grade. Cooperative learning and responsive classroom were (and still are) two very important elements I used when teaching. My students and I spend an average of 5.5 hours every weekday in the classroom, so it needs to be a learning space that is 1) inviting, 2) flows, and 3) fits learner needs. Not to mention, it also had to house 28 bodies...and it was a smallish classroom! Looking forward to next year, there are some more tweaks in that will be coming, so this assignment has gotten me plotting a little earlier than last year. I want to make the most of the time with my students...and our learning environment
Current classroom set up:
Trapezoid tables grouped in two so four learners could work in heterogeneous groups. They are labeled by table numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6). Smart board is front and center of the west wall; two smaller whiteboards flank it. My computer cart is up toward the front of the classroom, primarily because it is tethered to the Smart Board. I decided to forgo my desk...not once did I use it the prior year...and space is a premium in the classroom. The classroom library/meeting area are in a corner at the front of the room where there is a 5x8ft area rug, some milk crate benches, and floor pillow. There are also two extra free-standing bookshelves to handle the ever-expanding classroom library, reader's notebooks, and the math RTI stations. This corner is where a bulk of my ELA whole-group instruction takes place (my building has completely adopted the workshop model for reading and writing). We also do our math calendar work here when we need to make observations or have a discussion. At the back of the room, student mailboxes occupy one counter top. The back wall is lined with one large whiteboard that is flanked by two bulletin boards on either side. There is also a large table with four chairs for the listening center/RTI small group table, two student desks and two more small tables for multi-use purposes. These tables are flex-spaces...the learning that goes on in these places varies throughout the day and year. I may have a science demonstration set up for small groups to complete. It could be a strategy group station during our literacy block. Sometimes students sit back in these areas when they feel they need a less distracting location.
What currently works:
I like how the classroom space is already set up for cooperative learning. When I arrange the seating chart, I keep tables mixed up with student ability levels. This makes small group work easy to transition to during math, social studies, and science. Having student tables grouped like this also allows for prearranged work spaces for our literacy block/station rotation. Our meeting area is large enough for everyone without allowing for huge spaces between partners or groups. The built-in bookshelves help create a visible area for our classroom library.
Currently, my biggest complaint about my classroom (other than size) is the lack of in-room technology for my students' use. I had one student computer the previous year, but that was taken away and never replaced. This was and continues to be a huge disappointment for me. Technology is vital in any 21st Century classroom and I am not able to incorporate this component into the classroom for my students. Sure, my building has two computer labs that will fit my entire class...but I also have to schedule time and fight for that time with 17 other classrooms.
Ideal Classroom in an Ideal World:
If I had the funding available, the biggest change I would make to my classroom would be to have four computers for student use at the back of my classroom. Students would use this area for research, blogging, math/reading practice and remediation, keyboarding, etc. I plan on using a virtual classroom next year for students to make reading responses and book recommendations through discussion posts. This would also be a platform for math tutorials and the extension of many problem-based learning projects. These computers would also enable students who do not have access to the internet or similar technology at home the opportunity to use it on a daily basis...not just weekly. I have dreams of 'flipping' social studies and science units next year, that student access to technology at home is a huge concern. Exercise ball chairs at the computer station allow for the 'wiggles' common for my grade level and promote the development of strong core muscles. Eventually I would love to have these exercise ball chairs for all my students. The cost of four computers, the licensing, networking, tech-support, etc would be at least a few thousand dollars. Four exercise ball chairs would be an additional couple of hundred dollars.
Here are a few examples of what my classroom would look like if I could get my hands on these 'ideal' materials! These were created using SketchUp:
Resources:
Experience Design. (n.d.) In Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Experience_design
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Ultra Micro MOOC - Fabulous Formative Assessment for Beginners
This week, my CEP 811 assignment was to explore the world of MOOCs. Yes, MOOCs. Massively Open Online Courses. A really fun acronym, huh? The actually MOOCs are even better. Check out P2PU - Peer 2 Peer University to check out a few MOOCs if you are interested. They are all free and the topics are far ranging, from bathroom remodeling to Python programming (seriously!). Or if you are really motivated, create your own MOOC. Which is ultimately what I was assigned to do this week. So here the the outline of my hypothetical P2PU course, Fabulous Formative Assessment for Beginners.
I chose to feature formative assessment as my course topic because I have been on my elementary's FAME (Formative Assessment for Michigan Educators) Team this past academic year. My time on in the professional learning team has taught me so much about F.A. The biggest surprise? I was already using F.A. strategies and techniques; I just needed to take what I was doing to the next level (analysis & student feedback) to make it truly meaningful to my instructional design and decision-making. So I thought, why not create a MOOC that would do the same for other educators who may not have such a great learning opportunity otherwise?
In my Fabulous Formative Assessment for Beginners course my peers will master formative assessment by creating a 'toolbox' of techniques and sharing/collaborating with peers about their implementation progress in their own classrooms.
Course Topic:
This course will provide a basis for the implementation of formative assessment in CCSS classrooms. Members will discover the intent behind formative assessment as well as how to easily implement it and give timely and meaningful feedback to their students.
Who:
This is an open space for educators (or anyone else who is curious) to explore formative assessment implementation and tools with other peers. With the full-implementation of the CCSS looming in the horizon, formative assessment is one of the many catch-phrases being thrown about but many educators haven't explore the instructional impact formative assessment can have on learning targets and goals. As a newer teacher who has spent the last year implementing formative assessments in my classroom, I have a few tried and true tools and techniques that helped me grasp this catch phrase and make it a meaningful part of my instructional decisions.
What:
At the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Why:
With the higher-level thinking skills required by the CCSS, it is imperative that educators are able to quickly and effectively make instructional decisions based on student progress. Formative assessments provide not only teachers, but also learners, with valuable insights into knowledge gained and learning progress. Many educators already use formative assessments in their classrooms everyday and either a) don't realize they do, or b) don't know what to do with the data collected. This course will correct both of these issues and provide a foundation for effective formative assessment implementation in classrooms.
Formative Assessment Toolbox:
Peers will collect formative assessment 'tools' to put into a 'toolbox' of techniques to use in their own classrooms. Tools will be posted in the classroom and organized into the following categories:
Fitting the Pieces Together:
Mastery of the formative assessment strategies and tools as presented and shared throughout this course will provide the foundation and framework for the successful and effective implementation of formative assessment within participants' classrooms. This course will create a learning platform that encourages professional learning and sharing of resources as well as formative assessment successes and misses. Peer collaboration and evaluation will encourage self-paced skill mastery as each participant gradually implements F.A. as they move through the course. This MOOC combines the content knowledge of a FAME (Formative Assessment for Michigan Educators) team member, pedagogical knowledge of educational peers, and the opportunity to share and increase technological knowledge of all participants that incorporates the TPACK framework.
Peer Interaction:
Peers would help each other throughout this course by providing feedback to the tools and strategies implemented and developed. Most of the higher-level learning would take place during peer interactions and discussions, and peers would learn from others as far was what formative assessment strategies worked, how it worked, and what could be done to make it even better.
Resources:
(n.d.). Peer 2 Peer University. Retrieved from https://p2pu.org/en/
I chose to feature formative assessment as my course topic because I have been on my elementary's FAME (Formative Assessment for Michigan Educators) Team this past academic year. My time on in the professional learning team has taught me so much about F.A. The biggest surprise? I was already using F.A. strategies and techniques; I just needed to take what I was doing to the next level (analysis & student feedback) to make it truly meaningful to my instructional design and decision-making. So I thought, why not create a MOOC that would do the same for other educators who may not have such a great learning opportunity otherwise?
In my Fabulous Formative Assessment for Beginners course my peers will master formative assessment by creating a 'toolbox' of techniques and sharing/collaborating with peers about their implementation progress in their own classrooms.
Course Topic:
This course will provide a basis for the implementation of formative assessment in CCSS classrooms. Members will discover the intent behind formative assessment as well as how to easily implement it and give timely and meaningful feedback to their students.
Fabulous Formative Assessment for Beginners
This is an open space for educators (or anyone else who is curious) to explore formative assessment implementation and tools with other peers. With the full-implementation of the CCSS looming in the horizon, formative assessment is one of the many catch-phrases being thrown about but many educators haven't explore the instructional impact formative assessment can have on learning targets and goals. As a newer teacher who has spent the last year implementing formative assessments in my classroom, I have a few tried and true tools and techniques that helped me grasp this catch phrase and make it a meaningful part of my instructional decisions.
What:
At the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Recognize current uses of formative assessments strategies and tools
- Plan and target use of F.A. strategies and tools
- Analyze student evidence
- Provide timely and meaningful feedback to students
- Make instructional decisions based on student evidence
Why:
With the higher-level thinking skills required by the CCSS, it is imperative that educators are able to quickly and effectively make instructional decisions based on student progress. Formative assessments provide not only teachers, but also learners, with valuable insights into knowledge gained and learning progress. Many educators already use formative assessments in their classrooms everyday and either a) don't realize they do, or b) don't know what to do with the data collected. This course will correct both of these issues and provide a foundation for effective formative assessment implementation in classrooms.
Formative Assessment Toolbox:
Peers will collect formative assessment 'tools' to put into a 'toolbox' of techniques to use in their own classrooms. Tools will be posted in the classroom and organized into the following categories:
- Self-Assessment
- Activating Prior Knowledge
- Goal Setting
- Peer Assessment
- Feedback Use
Fitting the Pieces Together:
Mastery of the formative assessment strategies and tools as presented and shared throughout this course will provide the foundation and framework for the successful and effective implementation of formative assessment within participants' classrooms. This course will create a learning platform that encourages professional learning and sharing of resources as well as formative assessment successes and misses. Peer collaboration and evaluation will encourage self-paced skill mastery as each participant gradually implements F.A. as they move through the course. This MOOC combines the content knowledge of a FAME (Formative Assessment for Michigan Educators) team member, pedagogical knowledge of educational peers, and the opportunity to share and increase technological knowledge of all participants that incorporates the TPACK framework.
Peer Interaction:
Peers would help each other throughout this course by providing feedback to the tools and strategies implemented and developed. Most of the higher-level learning would take place during peer interactions and discussions, and peers would learn from others as far was what formative assessment strategies worked, how it worked, and what could be done to make it even better.
Resources:
(n.d.). Peer 2 Peer University. Retrieved from https://p2pu.org/en/
Dodge, J. (2009). 25
quick formative assessments for a differentiated classroom, easy,
low-prep assessments that help you pinpoint students\' needs and reach
all learne. (1 ed.). Scholastic Teaching Resources. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/what-are-formative-assessments-and-why-should-we-use-them
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