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Talk:Melissa Connor's Portfolio Page for Spring 2015 Mini-Course

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-- Jz833665 (talk) 12:00, 23 February 2015 (EST)

Hi Melissa-

I like your topic of Using Visualizations to Teach Mathematics for Understanding, which will be very helpful for teacher learners. Please proceed to conduct the needs assessment and learning analysis to identify the gaps in teachers' practice and knowledge that you will specifically address through your mini-course.

Needs Assessment/Learner Analysis -- Jz833665 (talk) 10:08, 24 February 2015 (EST)

Professor Zhang,

When you have time, can you review my Needs Assessment/Learner Analysis section? While I orininally thought I would create a survey, I decided to go with a literature-based approach for this section of my mini-course. I do not know if I said too much... I am also wondering if there is an issue with the Problem vs. Exploring the Instructional Problem and Solution sections. If you think it would be a better idea to wait and work this out later in the project, or seek input from my classmates, I understand.

Thank You, Melissa

Needs Assessment/Learner Analysis -- Jz833665 (talk) 10:14, 24 February 2015 (EST)

Hi Melissa,

Your needs assessment based on literature review looks fine to me. It'd be helpful if you have information about what your target learners (teachers) typically know and do about various types of diagrams in math ed, so you can design your mini-course to address the gap focusing on ways of using diagrams that teachers do not typically know/do. This info may be from the literature (if there is such review), informal observation/experience, or formal survey. Do whatever is feasible for you.

Instructor comments on your objectives -- Jianwei Zhang (talk) 14:48, 5 March 2015 (EST)

Re. your objectives 

By the end of the course, learners will:

Conceptualize the idea of teaching and learning with understanding. [DO YOU MEAN EXPLAIN??] Identify what visualizations are. Identify characteristics of meaningful and effective visualizations. [EFFECTIVE FOR WHAT??] Develop skills to create visualizations. [BE ABLE TO CREATE VISUALIZATION USING... TO SHOW...] Explore tools and strategies for using visualizations in the classroom and how to transfer these skills to students for his/her own use. [DESIGN CLASSROOM LESSONS..... ORGANIZE STUDENT ACTIVITIES....]


Each of the objectives could be refined to be more specific using performance-based terms.

-- Melissa Connor (talk) 21:45, 11 March 2015 (EDT)

Professor Zhang,

I am not sure if I made the Performance Objectives better or worse. I think they are better but I am not sure if they are good yet.

I bracketed some things I am thinking about...

  • Participants will be able to explain the advantages of teaching and learning with understanding [using provided resources and/or outside resources]... is simply- Participants will be able to explain the advantages of teaching and learning with understanding.- enough?
  • Participants will compare and contrast traditional teaching methods and reform teaching methods [given a list of resources when working with peers or by writing a two paragraph reflection].
  • Participants will apply what they have learned to identify both good and bad examples of visualizations for mathematics using the internet.
  • Participants will identify characteristics of meaningful visualizations effective for supplementing mathematics instruction.
  • Participants will analyze a series of visualizations created with Geometers' Sketchpad to model strategies for designing classroom lessons and/or materials.
  • Participants will be able to construct a visualization for a given mathematical concept [given the following tools]...
  • Participants with reflect on ways to transfer skills for using visualizations in mathematics to students by collaborating in a peer discussion.


I reread Chapter 6 and used the charts to rewrite my objectives but I am not sure if this is what you meant... I also looked at the help area on this site.

Melissa

Comments on your refined objectives -- Jz833665 (talk) 10:12, 12 March 2015 (EDT)

  • Participants will be able to explain the advantages of teaching and learning with understanding [using provided resources and/or outside resources]... is simply- Participants will be able to explain the advantages of teaching and learning with understanding.- enough?

I think that the latter shorter objective statement looks OK, although you need to think about whether this objective is so necessary given that you have the following objective focusing on comparing teaching for understanding with traditional methods (in term of process and advantages). You will decide.

  • Participants will compare and contrast traditional teaching methods and reform teaching methods [given a list of resources when working with peers or by writing a two paragraph reflection].

You need to make "reform teaching methods" more specific: Do you mean the method of teaching for understanding?

I have a sense that you need an objective connecting visualization to teaching for understanding: identify advantages/importance of visualizations for teaching for understanding.


  • Participants will apply what they have learned to identify both good and bad examples of visualizations for mathematics using the internet.

OK

  • Participants will identify characteristics of meaningful visualizations effective for supplementing mathematics instruction.

For developing mathematics understanding??

  • Participants will analyze a series of visualizations created with Geometers' Sketchpad to model strategies for designing classroom lessons and/or materials.
  • Participants will be able to construct a visualization for a given mathematical concept [given the following tools]...
  • Participants with reflect on ways to transfer skills for using visualizations in mathematics to students by collaborating in a peer discussion.

Participants will be able to create and discuss plans to integrate visualizations in mathematics....???

-- Melissa Connor (talk) 11:11, 13 March 2015 (EDT)

Yes, I think maybe some of them might be part of my task analysis rather than performance objectives. I will rework these.

Thank you.

Instructor comments on your task analysis and unit-level performance objectives -- Jz833665 (talk) 11:02, 23 March 2015 (EDT)

Hi Melissa,

Your task analysis give you a clear direction for the design the your units. The purpose of task analysis is to do backward analysis of your target learning objectives to clarify what enabling and supporting sub-objectives will be progressive addressed through your units leading to the targeting objectives of the whole course. You may also identify what activities will be used in each unit, but the primary focus is on identifying and sequencing unit-level objectives.

You may look at each item listed under your task analysis and make sure it describes the objective of learning, aligned with activity that will take place. Below are two examples that currently focus on activities:


  • Participants will analyze research on how students learn and how visualization supplement learning with understanding
  • Participants will review a case study by Edens and Potter to determine if visualizations are useful tools for students and discuss results in a class discussion.

Instructor comments on your refined task analysis and unit-level performance objectives -- Jz833665 (talk) 21:59, 29 March 2015 (EDT)

Hi Melissa,

I've looked at your refined course level target objectives and task analysis. I think now I have a better sense of why you felt it difficult to do task analysis (working backward to identify more specific (sub)objectives for your course-level target objectives. Part of the reason is that your course level objectives are already very detailed and specific. The course-level target objectives mean to be overarching, meaningful, and accessible to the learners even before the course when they do not know the specific terms/concepts. As I understand the following objectives, maybe 2, 4, 5, (and 7?) are target, overarching objectives. Other objectives support and elaborate these objectives: #2 is supported by #1; #4 builds on #3; # 6-8 are skills needed to create and implement lesson plans (#5). My suggestion is that you will keep fewer overarching, target objectives at the whole course level, and include the more specific supportive objectives in your unit-level objectives. Please email me if you need any additional clarification or guidance.


Course level Performance Objectives

1. Participants will compare and contrast reform teaching methods, methods that encourage teaching for understanding, and traditional teaching methods .

2. Participants will identify advantages of visualizations for teaching for understanding.

3. Participants will apply what they have learned to critique both good and bad examples of visualizations for mathematics using the internet. [is critique better than identify?]

4. Participants will identify characteristics of meaningful visualizations effective for supplementing instruction for mathematical understanding.

5. Participants will be able to create plans to integrate visualizations in mathematics lessons.

6. Participants will analyze a series of visualizations created with Geometers' Sketchpad to model strategies for designing classroom lessons and/or materials.

7. Participants will be able to construct a visualization for a given mathematical concept. 8. Participants with reflect on ways to transfer skills for using visualizations in mathematics to students by collaborating in a peer discussion.

-- Melissa Connor (talk) 22:39, 29 March 2015 (EDT)

I revised my performance objectives and task analysis a little bit.

I also added my curriculum map but I might have to tweek it a little bit.

Thanks, Melissa

Instructor comments on your refined task analysis and unit-level performance objectives -- Jz833665 (talk) 14:42, 7 April 2015 (EDT)

Hi Melissa,

Your refined course and unit level objectives work very well. Excellent work!

One thing I'm thinking about and I do not have a final answer: what is the best sequence for the following three objectives? Do you agree that being able to analyze and construct visualizations are needed for the participants to create plans to integrate?

5. Participants will be able to create plans to integrate visualizations in mathematics lessons.

6. Participants will analyze a series of visualizations created with Geometers' Sketchpad to model strategies for designing classroom lessons and/or materials.

7. Participants will be able to construct a visualization for a given mathematical concept.

My thoughts right now... -- Melissa Connor (talk) 16:38, 26 April 2015 (EDT)

I would say I agree. I am going to leave them while I am building the units and then revisit when I get to this unit to rethink the structure.

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