Talk:Amanda DuBois
This is looking good!
You're in! -- Dbyrne (talk) 11:39, 1 September 2014 (EDT)
You're on your way!
Learning Objectives and other feedback -- Dbyrne (talk) 20:51, 29 October 2014 (EDT)
Hi Amanda,
I've included your portfolio piece here, with my comments highlighted - I hope that this format is helpful to you. I think you have a lot of good material here that will be relevant IN your mini-course, but the portfolio is intended to demonstrate your research-based rationale for your PBL topic, and the instructional design elements (the plan) for your mini-course. I recommended revisiting p. 119 in the ID text for a structure for building learning objectives, but you will really need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of PBL via research on the topic in order to effectively build these and understand/imagine what the desired learning outcomes for your students. You can also revisit the study guides for each module for Modules 5-7.
Sources of our inspiration could be:
[The learners that you are targeting within your portfolio and needs assessment are the intended participants of your course. The audience of this portfolio--this information-- is intended for the students and instructor of ETAP 623 to understand the rationale for your study, and your analysis of the educational gap or benefit (based upon research on PBL), followed by a breakdown that includes your overarching learning goals/objectives which are then concretized through specific learning objectives for your participants. If you follow the “ABCD” design format for learning objectives in the ID text, p. 119, you will see that each objective (which is based upon intended educational outcomes) is it’s own "plan" for learning in your course. The text in your Needs Assessment may be appropriate for the introduction in your portfolio, but primarily it seems that it could well be content in the course itself. I’ve noted a few exceptions that you can explore and research further to build your needs assessment.]
Instructional Problem: A the teaching profession becomes more difficult certain trends need to be looked at. [Needs assessment – the trends referenced here should relate to the broader educational trends and how PBL will be a solution to a gap noted in the research.] The trends for this purpose [these are learning activities in your PBL lesson] will be the behavior of students at different times during the month. Is there an influence at certain times of the month that create good or bad behavior. [This can be an analysis/observation activity used by your students to understand the phases of the moon and the effects on humans and other parts of our environment. ]
Building Culture Problem: In many schools the building culture can be the main determinate of how well or how poorly a school runs. Does this determinate have an exterior influences that we may seek a trend and follow over a long period of time. In following this trend the learner may see times when the building culture will require more supervision vs other times where a minimal amount of supervision is okay. [same as above – a learning activity for your students]
Gathering Information: Gathering of information will be made of a period of several months. The data included will indicate the date of the infraction, type of infraction and outcome. As we gather this information we will cross reference the phase of the moon we are in. In gathering this data over a longer period of time in the range of six months we should be able to find trends and act proactively rather than reactively. [learning activity, not needs assessment]
What types of content area's can use this type of learning? This data can be collected and used at any grade level. All schools have ebbs and flows of removals, fights and general referrals. Through the use of this data upon analysis possibly school activities could be planned to minimize negative interaction among students. Whether it be a dance or a movie or a walk outside. [same as above – learning activity or overarching objectives]
Learners would be our teachers, administration and outside community. If trends are indeed found within the school then we could possibly extend the information out to the neighborhoods in which our students live. Many people have watched the news at the winter turns to spring and to summer. At that time, we generally see an uptick in violence. Is it the seasonal change in which people are able to finally go outside or is it again the outside force of the moon and its relationship to earth. [same as above]
Students will be the primary information gatherers. They will need to work in groups of 3-4 and be responsible to meet with administration and find out the results of the day's school climate. They may choose to do this by grade level or a schol as a whole. Currently, I recommend speaking to the administration and gathering information by grade level. Breaking down trends may be easier when it is done in a smaller context. [part of tasks/activities]
Target audience: Our target audience upon gathering and analying our data will be the students and the administration. In looking at the data over a period of months and seeing trends students could be empowered to follow the moon, follow the trends and help to create an action plan to cut down on the number of classroom removals or suspensions. [the target audience for the needs assessment of your mini-course are the participants in ETAP 623; the target audience for your mini-course are your students. If I understand your intended lesson correctly, the administrators will be tools in the learning activity, because they will be interviewed by your students?]
Analysis of the Learner and Context[edit]
[This section should examine the pre-requisite skills of your learners, and the elements of the learning environment that exist or that need to be established. It will also include the sequence of activities in the units/lessons of your mini-course.]
Students or teacher need to come up with a driving question. A driving question can help guide students work.
For my purposes my driving question was does the full moon have any effect on people, animals or the environment?
Allows for scaffolding of a project yet allowing an openeded outcome.
Performance Objectives[edit]
[Again, please refer to the ID text, p.119 for building performance objectives. They should be able to implemented with certain tools/materials; they define specific activities, contexts and learning outcomes; they are measurable/can be assessed by you, the teacher.] You will be able to define the difference between PBL and just doing projects
Helps to provide students opportunitites to practice 21st century learning along with gaining knowledge into significant content
In this area we will develop a project idea
For my purpose I am going to: Investigate whether people, animals or the environment act differently during a full moon.