I came into this course with an intensive two week training in PBl (project based learning) as well as a full school year of experience teaching a PBL class, Principles of Biomedical Science. However, I did not have to go through the process of designing a PBL unit. This was a new experience for me, and it so far has helped me encourage buy-in from my students during a time when enthusiasm is extremely low. I still do see many issues, when reading through the PBL rubrics for this class, with being able to fully implement PBL. The biggest logistical challenge is integrating group work. At my site, the technology just does not allow for break-out rooms, and a fully online, or even fully distanced classroom make group work difficult if not impossible. They may be able to share documents, and I could try to get permission for Zoom, but those approaches pale in comparison to true in-person group work. The other challenge that I face is that my unit is on evolution, for a freshman biology class. This topic is notoriously difficult to create laboratory lessons for, even during the best of times. It is also difficult to come up with a “real world” problem for. The best I could come up with individualized projects that are highly inquiry-based and somewhat collaborative at key points. I would say on reflection, that this course was more generous towards the need for occasional direct instruction or “front loading.” I appreciate that, since as a student direct instruction has always been far and away my favorite mode of learning, and I do think that it gets a worse reputation in education circles then it really deserves, but that is just my opinion. As was evidenced in the course itself and in my experience with online teaching, direct instruction is the most online-friendly mode of instruction, for better or worse. I have decided that I simply have to accept that, and try to fit in PBL and UDL in assignments as much as possible. I can, and have, also opted to flip the classroom by making use of pre-recorded videos. Flipping the classroom wastes less time on class lectures, and gives students more time for questions and answers, collaboration, and time for me to front load and help them through their project. My question with PBL, is how with some topics, and some subjects, can one really create a “real world” “job-like” scenario that can be used? I had to conclude that a “Nature” documentary type or report was the best I could create. Weather it works out well for learning outcomes remains to be seen.
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I graduated not that long ago, and in that short period of time the technology has advanced rapidly. Cell phones for example were barely in use, and their capabilities were extremely limited. Online components of classes were non-existent, and no one had their own laptop. The situation now has changed considerably. Now google classroom, even pre-pandemic, is a given in any class by the time you get to high school. Most schools have ready access to chrome books and it is a constant battle to keep students off of their phones.
Going through the recommended reading, I was struck by how it is assumed that the students have smartphones. While it’s all well and good to allow them to use them if they do have them, I think it reflects the place of privilege that the writer was coming from to make such an assumption. For many students, and teachers including myself, a smartphone is an expensive luxury that one is obliged to live without. The same article starts with introducing the terms “digital native” and “digital immigrants,” terms that until now I was not familiar with. Now that I am, I think that we as teachers need to be more sensitive to the diverse needs and limitations of the students we are serving. In my current district for example, many of my students did not even have access to the internet at home prior to this year. It's important not to make the assumption that all students of this generation are “digital natives.” Many of mine are clearly not. To prepare my students for the future, it will be necessary to help them adapt to the current technological demands. It will also be necessary to facilitate the social and emotional development needed for them to use the available technology efficiently and responsibly. Many of my students see their phones as a distraction and a toy rather than as a tool. The four Cs are a good list to keep in mind when designing PBL lesson plans and deciding on which technological tools to use. Communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity are all vital aspects of becoming a successful adult in todays increasingly globalized world. Based on the course readings, I will now keep the four C’s in mind when designing my Project based lessons. I have learned form the readings that PBL and the four C’s are the future and an essential part of 21st century teaching. I will change my teaching practice to integrate more collaboration, by requesting that my site allow me to use zoom on occasion to make use of the breakout rooms. I will also create more interactive projects for the students, such as a project based around a murder myster that will be used to teach the scientific method, as well as the research skills and critical thinking that I have learned are so vital to 21st century teaching. The knowledge that I gained was the new integration or collaborative problems solving that has been added to the list of measured competencies by the PISA. I learned about the meaning of the term “four C’s” and that blogs are now being used more in the classroom. I learned that often the technology available in classes is being under-utilized or only being used to replace routine tasks. My biggest question about the framework of 21st century learning would have to be simply what exactly the framework looks like beyond just reference to the four C’s in lesson planning. The article I read most closely indicates that there are multiple versions of a 21s century framework, but it doesn't really elaborate. I feel that the model that best achieves the goals of the four C’s would be PBL, but I am curious if there is a more fully fleshed out curriculum based on the 4 C’s pedagogy available, and if so if it is compatible with NGSS and the curriculum used at my current site. On a more technical level, I wonder how feasible it would be to fully implement such a framework in a fully online classroom that is severely limited in technological capability due to the current budget situation. What were your biggest takeaways from “Working Inside the Black Box”? Reflect upon how formative assessment and student achievement relate. How will this information impact your teaching practice? What changes will you make, if any?
Yet again I find myself reading a re-hash of concepts that have already been introduced all the way back in pre-service. As the article itself says it is simply re-visiting an article published in 1998. Formative assessments are as the name implies, formative. Good feedback helps, as does constructive criticism and the ability to fix previous mistakes. To form is to create and mold and build upon, in this case previous knowledge. Consistent formative assessment coupled with feed back works, as any first year teacher, or lay person, could easily tell you. I find it difficult to say anything about how this information will change my teaching practices, for the simple reason that it won't because the information is not new, it was already incorporated in prior to the reading of this review article. Especially now in the age of virtual learning, written answers and feed back are far superior because of the obvious temptation to cheat using google search. Assignment one.
The article was largely the same as the vast majority of articles under the topic of education. Here is the gist of the numerous repetitive and pedantic conclusions that were put forward. Memory is important and is constructed rather then copied in a persons mind. Learning depends on the prior knowledge, culture, experiences, motivations, interests, linguistic and cognitive skills, of both the student and the teacher and the interplay of all those factors. Learning outcomes are improved when educator used feedback, input and assessments to allow students to take a meta-cognitive and proactive role in their own learning. Outcomes improve when techniques and approaches that support all learning are used. Lessons should use approaches and language that is specific to their respective subject. Technology can improve learning outcomes, but the choice of what technology to use is dependent on the goals and background factors s.a. prior knowledge and environment. |
AuthorMaura Purcell Archives
October 2020
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