Rubric for "The Big Question"

Hi all,

I receive many questions about the "Big Question". I confess, this is a new concept to me.  I heard about this a few years ago when piloting our Innovations class.  I received a book called,

Essential Questions by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins

Though the "Big Question" does not receive a lot of marks in student projects,  it is what drives the project.

Here is a rubric that I use:

Essential Question Rubric

An essential question should be about the problem to be solved and the information needed to solve the problem.

Exceeds Expectation - achieves 5 characteristics I have thoroughly identified an essential question.

Meets Expectation - achieves 3-4 characteristics I have substantially identified an essential question.

Approaches Expectation - achieves 1-2 characteristics I have partially identified an essential question.

Does not meet Expectation - does not achieve any characteristics Your question is a topical question that can be answered with facts I have difficulty identifying an essential question.

Essential questions are:  (Five Characteristics)

1.       Open-ended with no right or wrong answer, cannot be answered with a list of facts but requires research.  Answers to essential questions cannot be found.  They must be invented.

2.        Thought-provoking or controversial requiring finding different points of view,

3.       May start with:  Which one? How? Should? Why?     

4.       Cast old ideas in a new light, lead to discovery, engender deeper interest in the subject, and are provocative.

5.       Involve higher-order thinking skills such as analyze, evaluate, create l
 

Examples of good essential questions:

1.       Was Napoleon a hero or a tyrant?

2.       How do the arts shape, as well as reflect, a culture?

3.       What makes objects move the way they do?

4.       How can I express myself when I don’t know the words?

5.       How does where you live influence how you live?

6.       Why did the Soviet Union collapse?

7.       What should we eat to prevent diseases?

If you are interested in project-based or inquiry-based learning, I highly recommend the book.  Thanks.

Oct 10: Personal Project Criteria

Personal Project presentations are happening in the next month.  Every project is out of 50 marks. What's the criteria?  Please see below:

Personal Projects:

1.  The Big Question          /05
2.  Research                       /10
3.  Presentation                  /15
4.  Bibliography                 /10
5.  Oral Presentation          /05

Total:                                 /50

If there are any questions, please ask me. I will add a separate post for the "Big Question".

Thanks,
Miss Harold

Blendkit 2014: Chapter 2 - notes & thoughts

Chapter 2: Blended Interactions

In my journey of blended learning, I'm in a stage where I'm creating a visual in my head of how I want the course to look like.  Reading articles such as this chapter helps define this visual.

Last week's DIY task was to create a mix map of my vision.  This is what I have so far:

Notes:  

2 Vantage points:   guidance from teacher/instructor and the opportunity for the student to be self-directed.

Personal self direction may be leveraged via blended learning.

Favourite Quote in Chapter: 

          Blended learning, in all its various representations, has as its fundamental premise a simple idea: link the best technological solutions for teaching and learning with the best human resources... encouraging the development of highly interactive and collaborative activities that can be accomplished only a faculty member in a mediated setting (Dziuban, Hartman, Mehaffy, 2014, p. 332).

Response made in text which is part of my own questioning: when students have minimal guidance in their learning, is there evidence of deep learning?  What I'm personally seeing is not deep unless the students pose "big questions" while they are researching.

I watch part of Mitra's "Hole in the Wall" video.  I would agree that individuals can teach themselves skills, whether it be a computer or tool.  My issue with "wayfinding" is that it is time consuming.  Why allow a child to spend 20 hours figuring out something when you can spend 30 minutes giving a brief overview and then allow the child to build from that.  Let them stand on our shoulders!

In our school there is an unspoken division between those who favor online and those who favor face to face.  I believe that most students (like the author) consider social contact a priority.  Is it a basic human need?  I think so.

What is the role of the educator in a networked world?  I think the suggested "roles are interesting.  I think my current role is a mix between a concierge and a curatorial teacher.  I spend a lot of time helping students tract down reliable information.  At the same time, because of class presents "unknown territory" to the students, I also create environments where students can explore without too much risk.

Techno-expression:

Some of the suggestions I found useful:  

-ask students to state their own expectations 

-give them opportunity to suggest ideas within the syllabus 

-give them opportunity to talk about themselves

-possible writing assignment:  "from where I am" - based on their descriptive paragraphs, figure out where they are when they are writing this.

A funny video that got me thinking about teaching:

What makes me sing?  Personally my faith, gardening, a great meal, but as a teacher, what makes me sing is watching my students sing!

Blendkit 2014 - Chapter 1 reading and response

Chapter 1: Understanding Blended Learning

What is blended learning?  It is a combination of pedagogical approaches in education integrating various technologies. These pedagogical approaches include face to face (f2f) and online.  I like to include the "at home" experience as many students are homeschooled or they are spending many hours "at home" either preparing or studying. Technologies range from mobile devices, tablets, laptops, desktop computers, recorders, to the standard HB pencil.

While I appreciate some of the suggestions mentioned in the chapter, such as best design practices,  once again I see that the bulk of the research is focused at the post secondary level.  During a "Inquiry Based Projects" course of UofA, , my focus topic was (and still remains) blended learning.  I spent several hours trying to find adequate research on blended learning at the elementary level and fell short of my own expectations.

Link to my "Blended Learning Live Binder": http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1050119

I would really like to see case studies and research on blended learning at the middle school level.  Ok, my rant is over. On with the notes...

Notes:

Question: what's the best mix of traditional. live teacher-led presentation and synchronous or asynchronous, technology-driven methods of teaching? (pg. 4)

My answer:  As I know and see my students and their needs, these percentages fluctuate.  We are just starting blended learning (online, f2f) so it's currently online 20%, f2f 50%, and home working the rest of the time (online could be higher).  My goal is to work towards a 50-50 or 60-40 as they come into the class 2 days a week.

Quote that I liked:  Content and learning activities that provide for ample practice must be introduced into the course if the student is to achieve course goals (pg. 4).

- some teachers perceive blended learning as taking the f2f content and sticking it online.
- consider the best format to address various components of the blended course
- look for elements in your outline that are conducive to self-directed online activities

Key Ingredients to blended learning (Carman, 2002):
1. Live events
2. Self paced learning
3. Collaboration
4. Assessment
5. Support Material

The emerging process for blended learning:

Though learning can be messy, I don't want my online content to be messy. As I'm new to this, I'm not comfortable with creating a non-linear, flexible approach. I think this needs a higher level of skill that I don't YET possess.

Design Process =  Four Tips:

1. Begin with relevant metaphors  (don't have one yet)
2. Focus on the learning, second on the technologies
3. Creating good online learning takes effort (would love a sample)
4. Context is king!  (I already knew this one - woo hoo!)

Case Studies:

These studies both pertained to post secondary courses. I found the second one relevant as the blended learning was a DL course.  My present school is a DL school so I saw some connections between the synchronous and asynchronous activities utilized.

On a scale of 1-100%, before reading this chapter my understanding of blended learning was about 20%. I'd say it rose to 25%.  Progress, however little, is a good thing!

Lori-Anne

BlendKit 2014 - the course begins

This is my first course through the Canvas Network. This particular course is "Blended Learning Desginer". I have made little steps to incorporating blended learning into my classroom but I feel a bit ill-prepared. My goal is taking this course is to better understand the content delivery and gain some practical skills with implementing it.

Tonight I started with the orientation webinar (asynchronistic) which lays out the course access, calendaring, consuming, contributing and completing the course.  Here's the Blendkit 2014 invitation via Youtube:

I just spent the past week camping with my class so I'm a couple weeks behind but I'm not concerned as I will work through this with my scheduled time. This information is valuable to me.  

Links to consider: https://groups.diigo.com/group/blendkit - I haven't shared my diigo links so this is new to me.

Twitter:  #blendkit2014 - sent my first tweet with this hashtag.

Part of my objectives for Week 1:

- better understand blended learning

- understand the options associated with blended learning

- begin mapping a plan for the class that I wish to "blend"

For now, I'm off to read chapter one from the blendkit.  I will post my response tomorrow or Wednesday.

Blessings,

LA