2.2 Research-Based Learner-Centered Strategies
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Candidates model and facilitate the use of research-based, learner-centered strategies addressing the diversity of all students. (PSC 2.2/ISTE 2b)
The Internet Lesson Plan (ITEC 7430) that directly aligns with the ISTE-S standards for students using technology is the artifact I am using for this standard of teaching, learning, and assessment.
The ISTE internet lesson plan called for eighth grade students who will research the impact of World War II on Georgia’s development economically, socially, and politically (SS8H9). They gathered relevant information from multiple forms of print and digital sources (text, videos, and interviews if possible) and report on their clear and coherent findings as an informational research paper while supporting their claims in their Google Apps for Education account. They will be required to cite textual evidence, analyze connections made from multiple sources, and evaluate decisions made by Georgians during WWII. Students will also present their findings on one specific event from their research during classroom discussions, and then make a final (short) presentation to classmates. Teacher guidance, modeling, and facilitation will be required.
To get this project in motion, I let the students know they were about to become published writers. I will continue to elaborate and inform them that the teacher will not be the intended audience, rather the Internet and all of its users will be. Every student wants to have their voice heard, and now they can and will be heard, or rather seen. They will be told that they will be working with other students to collaborate throughout the writing process (students like to work together – at least talk together!) which will make it easier on them throughout this writing process. Their prior learning within the writing process provided the student with the skills needed to complete this writing assignment. Still, not every student is a fluent writer. Some students will continue to have difficulties with the writing process and some may have difficulty using the technology needed for this research paper to be completed. Of the two, the writing process will remain the more of the difficult and will need the most hands on approach for the teacher to assist the student. The types of foundations needed can easily be assessed through observation by any qualified teacher through writing lessons and computer lab work.
I managed the students through online check-ins, classroom discussions, and individualized work sessions. The students will work independently and collaboratively in the online and offline environments while writing and researching. The laptop cart and iPad cart will be utilized during the research and writing process and each student will have equitable access (within the classroom and school hours) to the digital tools needed while completing this lesson. Internet access will not be a requirement as students can write in Google Drive in an offline setting.
Throughout the research unit, there are multiple strategies in place that have proved to be successful learning tools and are researched based. At the beginning of the lesson, students are to create goals for writing and understand the objectives for the writing and research process. As students begin to write, they will share their Google Doc with at least one other student so that immediate feedback can be provided in a peer-review type / cooperative learning strategy to improve student learning and understanding. Through the editing phases of the research process, students will compare and contrast their own research and writing with a peer from the same classroom. Each student, and teacher, will be required to provide targeted feedback to the student, not just correct any errors found through editing. Since this process takes between two to three weeks, students will also have time to practice summarizing the found research and improve their note taking strategies, also through the use of graphic organizers, to help them save time. The entire process will conclude with a research paper and presentation either from a multi-media effort or speech.
As this is a research paper on an eighth grade social studies standard (SS8H9) and as it is implemented by eighth grade English teachers, English standards are also important to note: ELAGSE8W1: RI1, RI3, RI8, RI9, W1, W2, W4, W5, W6, W7, W8, W9, SL1, and SL4. For a more in-depth look at the English/Language Arts standards and the Literacy Standards for Reading in History/Social Studies, please see the following website:
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Frameworks/ELA-Grade-8-Standards.pdf
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Documents/CCGPS_6-8_SS-Science-Tech-Literacy_Guidance.pdf
The learning environment allows for Marzano’s researched-based instructional strategies to occur in both the online and offline setting, which offers multiple forms of researched-based strategies as well.
Identifying Similarities & Differences –
Students can use Venn diagrams to compare and contrast WWI and WWII to show alliances and how they changed from war to war. Also, buy locating information from different sources, students will be able to create analogies, with their own words, on the how and why of the SS8H9 standard.
Summarizing & Note Taking –
During the Georgia Studies lessons, students will take notes on the essential information which will allow them to take their knowledge gathered from lesson to paper. Each student will be responsible for gathering the information on their own and use it as needed.
Reinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition -
Through the Google Drive communication section of the Document, the teacher can recognize effort for those that typically struggle throughout the writing process. The student can see these comments each time they open their document and be reminded of their hard work. And, believe it or not, passing out stickers to eighth graders works just as well! Stickers have been known to be applied to a student’s forehead and remain there the entire day – as a badge of work honor. This is easy to do in both online and offline settings.
Homework & Practice -
Students will ask if they can work on this at home, well, at least mine did. If we examine this a little bit further, the students were asking if they could have homework! I of course said it would be great if they worked on it at home as this is why we are all working online. Many students worked on it at home as they were starting to take pride in their work of the timeframe of this project. Allow them to explore online at home throughout this paper as practice makes prepared!
Nonlinguistic Representations -
Stickers. They really still work, even at the eighth grade level. Students will feel a sense of pride that they earned a sticker. Even the more challenging student who produces a limited quality and quantity of work. Get them now.
Cooperative Learning –
Students are required to share their research paper (at the very beginning) with three other students who will have access to the paper to offer insight and peer review throughout the entire research process. Through this online collaborative and cooperative learning, students are now not only responsible for their own paper, but to assist their peers with the writing process as well. Everyone is working towards the same goal and each student needs the other students to make it all work!
Setting Objectives & Providing Feedback -
This is where the passing out of the rubrics come into play. The student will know exactly what is expected of them and thus has specific tasks to complete to achieve their goal. The teacher and students will be providing feedback throughout the process in class discussions and online in the Google Document.
Generating & Testing Hypotheses -
The teacher should ask questions about what the world might be like if a major event in history didn’t happen, or the opposite result occurred, what would come of it. Students can then predict what would or would not happen and what the results from that would be.
Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers -
To promote student inquiry, ask ‘How & Why’ questions so that they can think about their thinking. Before the lessons even begin, do a ‘KWL’ chart which allows students to share what they know, what they want to learn and then, eventually, what they actually did learn. Better yet, have the students ask the questions about the Georgia Studies standards and/or the writing process itself using Google Drive.
In regards to this lesson being an effective learner-centered activity, again, there are multiple strategies in place to ensure that the lesson focuses on the student. This entire research process is collaborative through data driven groupings from a previous data team process so that learners have the best chance for success within the writing process. Students will use the Google Docs for online communication and collaboration to help each other out, for the teacher to provide targeted information within the writing process, and for students to evaluate their own learning and the learning of their peers throughout the entire writing and research process.
Differentiated instruction is vital to meet the needs of the diversity of all students and to ensure that each student can learn at his or her level. Sometimes the concepts need to be altered, sometimes the language needs to be easier to understand, and sometimes it can even be a facial expression or another type of motivating gesture to help the student get back on track to help that student learn and achieve at his or her greatest potential.
Content & Process: Some students work may need to be altered so that they can complete the assignment due to time restraints within the classroom and so they are not overwhelmed and give up before it even begins. Each student learns differently and at a different pace. Knowing the students is also a key component to differentiated instruction. Some will need not only altered assignments, but altered content. The end results may be different as well, however, the overall learning objectives and goals will remain the same. The students will be asked to work independently and collaboratively and some will need direct instruction throughout all aspects of the lessons.
Students in the Gifted & Advanced programs will be asked to go deeper into the lesson by seeking out people for interviews to get a firsthand account if possible. If not possible, an interview with a secondhand person (person who knows a person) will suffice.
I learned that this cross-curricular project works very well with a teacher that teaches both subjects during the same day. I also learned, conversely, that it is difficult to connect two departments (English and Social Studies) to sync the curriculum maps so that each subject hits the same timeframe, in this instance, WWII, so that this type of lesson can occur. Over time, and through me sharing the results of this project with both departments, we will eventually get our calendars together to make this happen for all 8th grade students at the school.
One of the major changes would be to start smaller, and work into this lesson slowly. I was very ambitious and believed it all could happen, and for the most part it did. This is even truer with other teachers who have never done this before and will be learning this process for the first time while they implement the cross-curricular project.
The work that went into the creation of this plan was time consuming and difficult, but I am glad it happened. Now, we can improve, or fine tune, the process year after year so student learning and achievements become the focus of not just the lesson plan, but each decision of the lesson plan. The student’s final product, graded based on a rubric, along with the student survey at the end, help teachers to assess the overall effectiveness of this lesson plan, and make more of an impact on student learning the following year.
The ISTE internet lesson plan called for eighth grade students who will research the impact of World War II on Georgia’s development economically, socially, and politically (SS8H9). They gathered relevant information from multiple forms of print and digital sources (text, videos, and interviews if possible) and report on their clear and coherent findings as an informational research paper while supporting their claims in their Google Apps for Education account. They will be required to cite textual evidence, analyze connections made from multiple sources, and evaluate decisions made by Georgians during WWII. Students will also present their findings on one specific event from their research during classroom discussions, and then make a final (short) presentation to classmates. Teacher guidance, modeling, and facilitation will be required.
To get this project in motion, I let the students know they were about to become published writers. I will continue to elaborate and inform them that the teacher will not be the intended audience, rather the Internet and all of its users will be. Every student wants to have their voice heard, and now they can and will be heard, or rather seen. They will be told that they will be working with other students to collaborate throughout the writing process (students like to work together – at least talk together!) which will make it easier on them throughout this writing process. Their prior learning within the writing process provided the student with the skills needed to complete this writing assignment. Still, not every student is a fluent writer. Some students will continue to have difficulties with the writing process and some may have difficulty using the technology needed for this research paper to be completed. Of the two, the writing process will remain the more of the difficult and will need the most hands on approach for the teacher to assist the student. The types of foundations needed can easily be assessed through observation by any qualified teacher through writing lessons and computer lab work.
I managed the students through online check-ins, classroom discussions, and individualized work sessions. The students will work independently and collaboratively in the online and offline environments while writing and researching. The laptop cart and iPad cart will be utilized during the research and writing process and each student will have equitable access (within the classroom and school hours) to the digital tools needed while completing this lesson. Internet access will not be a requirement as students can write in Google Drive in an offline setting.
Throughout the research unit, there are multiple strategies in place that have proved to be successful learning tools and are researched based. At the beginning of the lesson, students are to create goals for writing and understand the objectives for the writing and research process. As students begin to write, they will share their Google Doc with at least one other student so that immediate feedback can be provided in a peer-review type / cooperative learning strategy to improve student learning and understanding. Through the editing phases of the research process, students will compare and contrast their own research and writing with a peer from the same classroom. Each student, and teacher, will be required to provide targeted feedback to the student, not just correct any errors found through editing. Since this process takes between two to three weeks, students will also have time to practice summarizing the found research and improve their note taking strategies, also through the use of graphic organizers, to help them save time. The entire process will conclude with a research paper and presentation either from a multi-media effort or speech.
As this is a research paper on an eighth grade social studies standard (SS8H9) and as it is implemented by eighth grade English teachers, English standards are also important to note: ELAGSE8W1: RI1, RI3, RI8, RI9, W1, W2, W4, W5, W6, W7, W8, W9, SL1, and SL4. For a more in-depth look at the English/Language Arts standards and the Literacy Standards for Reading in History/Social Studies, please see the following website:
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Frameworks/ELA-Grade-8-Standards.pdf
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Documents/CCGPS_6-8_SS-Science-Tech-Literacy_Guidance.pdf
The learning environment allows for Marzano’s researched-based instructional strategies to occur in both the online and offline setting, which offers multiple forms of researched-based strategies as well.
Identifying Similarities & Differences –
Students can use Venn diagrams to compare and contrast WWI and WWII to show alliances and how they changed from war to war. Also, buy locating information from different sources, students will be able to create analogies, with their own words, on the how and why of the SS8H9 standard.
Summarizing & Note Taking –
During the Georgia Studies lessons, students will take notes on the essential information which will allow them to take their knowledge gathered from lesson to paper. Each student will be responsible for gathering the information on their own and use it as needed.
Reinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition -
Through the Google Drive communication section of the Document, the teacher can recognize effort for those that typically struggle throughout the writing process. The student can see these comments each time they open their document and be reminded of their hard work. And, believe it or not, passing out stickers to eighth graders works just as well! Stickers have been known to be applied to a student’s forehead and remain there the entire day – as a badge of work honor. This is easy to do in both online and offline settings.
Homework & Practice -
Students will ask if they can work on this at home, well, at least mine did. If we examine this a little bit further, the students were asking if they could have homework! I of course said it would be great if they worked on it at home as this is why we are all working online. Many students worked on it at home as they were starting to take pride in their work of the timeframe of this project. Allow them to explore online at home throughout this paper as practice makes prepared!
Nonlinguistic Representations -
Stickers. They really still work, even at the eighth grade level. Students will feel a sense of pride that they earned a sticker. Even the more challenging student who produces a limited quality and quantity of work. Get them now.
Cooperative Learning –
Students are required to share their research paper (at the very beginning) with three other students who will have access to the paper to offer insight and peer review throughout the entire research process. Through this online collaborative and cooperative learning, students are now not only responsible for their own paper, but to assist their peers with the writing process as well. Everyone is working towards the same goal and each student needs the other students to make it all work!
Setting Objectives & Providing Feedback -
This is where the passing out of the rubrics come into play. The student will know exactly what is expected of them and thus has specific tasks to complete to achieve their goal. The teacher and students will be providing feedback throughout the process in class discussions and online in the Google Document.
Generating & Testing Hypotheses -
The teacher should ask questions about what the world might be like if a major event in history didn’t happen, or the opposite result occurred, what would come of it. Students can then predict what would or would not happen and what the results from that would be.
Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers -
To promote student inquiry, ask ‘How & Why’ questions so that they can think about their thinking. Before the lessons even begin, do a ‘KWL’ chart which allows students to share what they know, what they want to learn and then, eventually, what they actually did learn. Better yet, have the students ask the questions about the Georgia Studies standards and/or the writing process itself using Google Drive.
In regards to this lesson being an effective learner-centered activity, again, there are multiple strategies in place to ensure that the lesson focuses on the student. This entire research process is collaborative through data driven groupings from a previous data team process so that learners have the best chance for success within the writing process. Students will use the Google Docs for online communication and collaboration to help each other out, for the teacher to provide targeted information within the writing process, and for students to evaluate their own learning and the learning of their peers throughout the entire writing and research process.
Differentiated instruction is vital to meet the needs of the diversity of all students and to ensure that each student can learn at his or her level. Sometimes the concepts need to be altered, sometimes the language needs to be easier to understand, and sometimes it can even be a facial expression or another type of motivating gesture to help the student get back on track to help that student learn and achieve at his or her greatest potential.
Content & Process: Some students work may need to be altered so that they can complete the assignment due to time restraints within the classroom and so they are not overwhelmed and give up before it even begins. Each student learns differently and at a different pace. Knowing the students is also a key component to differentiated instruction. Some will need not only altered assignments, but altered content. The end results may be different as well, however, the overall learning objectives and goals will remain the same. The students will be asked to work independently and collaboratively and some will need direct instruction throughout all aspects of the lessons.
Students in the Gifted & Advanced programs will be asked to go deeper into the lesson by seeking out people for interviews to get a firsthand account if possible. If not possible, an interview with a secondhand person (person who knows a person) will suffice.
I learned that this cross-curricular project works very well with a teacher that teaches both subjects during the same day. I also learned, conversely, that it is difficult to connect two departments (English and Social Studies) to sync the curriculum maps so that each subject hits the same timeframe, in this instance, WWII, so that this type of lesson can occur. Over time, and through me sharing the results of this project with both departments, we will eventually get our calendars together to make this happen for all 8th grade students at the school.
One of the major changes would be to start smaller, and work into this lesson slowly. I was very ambitious and believed it all could happen, and for the most part it did. This is even truer with other teachers who have never done this before and will be learning this process for the first time while they implement the cross-curricular project.
The work that went into the creation of this plan was time consuming and difficult, but I am glad it happened. Now, we can improve, or fine tune, the process year after year so student learning and achievements become the focus of not just the lesson plan, but each decision of the lesson plan. The student’s final product, graded based on a rubric, along with the student survey at the end, help teachers to assess the overall effectiveness of this lesson plan, and make more of an impact on student learning the following year.