Module 2 Reflection

This module has helped me think about using standards, CFQs, or formative assessment in the following ways: standards will help create objectives for students to learn over the course of a unit plan, curriculum-framing questions will help teachers take a broad idea and turn it into a curriculum, and formative assessments are required to gauge students needs.

I have been learning about standards in one of my other classes, and I know that there are certain standards required by the Alabama Board of Education. However, this module also says to keep in mind 21st century skills and higher-order thinking as well as standards I am hoping to teach. From these standards, I should create objectives that will lead up to the standard I am trying to teach.

While I have been learning about standards, this is the first time that I have heard about curriculum-framing questions or CFQs. There are three levels of questions that work a bit like standards and objectives. A teacher starts with a broad essential question. Then comes the unit questions, which are still broad but are meant demonstrate students' knowledge of a subject. Lastly there are content questions that are fact-based and support unit questions and essential questions. Each of these CFQs are crucial into creating a well-developed unit plan.

Lastly, formative assessments are incredibly important because they assess the needs of students. What would be the point of teaching if students do not understand the lessons? As a teacher, I need to know what my students already know, if they are understanding my lesson, and what areas they need help in. Being able to properly assess them will help my students progress further with my lesson.

The second module covers standards, CQFs, and formative assessments. All of these teaching tools are required to creative an effective unit plan, and I will be implementing these techniques in my future teaching plans.

Module 1 Reflection

After I finished reading Module 1 from the Intel Education eReader, I felt a bit overwhelmed. There is a great deal of information that will help me become a better teacher, or as the eReader like to put it, a facilitator. The module covered many topics including project-based learning, planning projects, instructions on writing a publication for explaining projects, and a quick summary about blogging reflections. Thus, here I am writing a reflection based on my reading. The module has given a specific statement to complete for this reflection, and I hope to answer that statement in the following blog post.

This module has made me think about my role as an instructional designer in many ways. I want to create a classroom with a fun and engaging environment, and I believe that including project-based learning is a good step into reaching that goal. The module asked me what topics I would be interested as well as topics that I would find challenging in this course. Of course, the topics that interest me include plans that will help create an engaging environment like project-based learning. One topic that I may have a little trouble with is the LiveText Portfolio. I have never worked with this type of technology before, which I find a little unsettling, but I am willing to learn. 

The module then asked me to come up with goals for the course. The goals that I have for the course should lead me to being a better teacher. One of my main goals is to improve my planning skills and to be able to come up with creative learning situations for my students. 

The text made a point of saying that organization is key. This seemed a bit obvious to me, but it mentioned having specific folders and subfolders so that everyone will have the information in the same place. To me, that means one of my roles as a teacher needs to be an organization leader. I need to make sure that my students are organized.

The module gave me specific guides for when I am designing my unit. I need to make sure that I provide in-depth coverage over superficial coverage. Students will be able to understand in-depth coverage of a subject better than an overall view on a subject. I should provide big ideas to organize understanding. These ideas should be long-lasting for students. I should design my unit in a way so that I am proving an ongoing assessment. By doing so, I can "see" how my students are thinking and how they are progressing. I should also plan meaningful tasks. Students learn better when they feel that what their learning can make a difference. 

These guidelines led to an explanation of project-based learning. Project-based learning takes all of these guidelines into account and creates a learning experience that will not only have students involved in engaging learning activities but also help them develop their 21st century skills. Skills such as working cooperatively, making decisions, and communicating effectively are considered some of the skills needed to work in a 21st century job market. 

Lastly the module gives some instructions for the publication that is due next week. It is a bit like a personal project-based learning experience. 

With all of this information in mind, I find myself going back to the statement given by the module. My role as an instructional designer includes being an organizer, a creative instructor, a reviewer and a facilitator. I need to be organized, come up with creative projects, review and revise teaching plans, and let my students have some say in how projects develop.