2.3 Authentic Learning
Candidates model and facilitate the use of digital tools and resources to engage students in authentic learning experiences. (PSC 2.3/ISTE 2c)
Artifact:
Students Cultivate Online Writing Skills in Protected Environment
Reflection:
Students Cultivate Online Writing Skills in Protected Environment was an online article published by itsLearning in November 2013. It spotlighted creative writing projects completed by a fourth grade classroom at Shiloh Point Elementary. This unit was an outcome of collaboration and co-teaching with the homeroom teacher and integrated Social Studies, English Language Arts, and National Educational Technology Standards for students.
This artifact was chosen as an example of an authentic learning experience for students because it allowed them to be creative while interpreting newly-learned knowledge, evaluating information and developing personalized explications of it, and connecting with real-world audience via online blogs. Instead of simply studying Native American tribes and their life styles from textbooks and/or websites, students were engaged in a more authentic task: they chose one tribe in which they would love or hate to live. With either choice, students were required to develop a writing piece and support their opinions with solid facts obtained through online research. Furthermore, students were challenged to add creativity to their expository writing style by telling the story as if they were currently living in the tribe. Adding this creative aspect to the task turned a tell-me-about-a-tribe lesson into an authentic exploration, evaluation, and interpretation of the topic. Connecting history to personal lives of students made this learning experience very different from a traditional history lesson, and teaching students about online blogging as a place to communicate own learning to audience beyond classroom walls made this authentic learning meaningful to them. The blogs were noticed by an itsLearning specialist from Norway who connected with the class to learn more and spotlight student work in the online article presented as the artifact. During a Skype session with the specialist, one student made the most powerful and rewarding statement: "This lesson made me feel like my writing finally matters, and people are interested to read what I think." This statement was a confirmation of this learning experience being authentic.
Trying out blogging with the class was a new strategy for the classroom teacher. Modeling how the introduction, implementation, and monitoring could be done in action was an important element in the co-teaching process. The connective writing concept about blogging was explained to the class and a few exemplary blogs published and maintained by elementary students were shown. The class was introduced to the ABC format of commenting (Acknowledge, Build on, Critique) and taken through the process to practice the skill. As students started their research on Native American tribes, I facilitated their learning and provided support as needed. Students were assisted in locating appropriate resources online, guided through comprehension, and encouraged to be creative in their thinking. In addition, multiple individual writing conferences were facilitated to help young writers develop a strong voice in their expository pieces.
Modeling and facilitating the technical parts of the process were necessary to support the co-teaching process. Students were guided through setting up a new blog entry, inserting pictures, linking resources, and embedding videos. The teacher set up a showcase of student blogs after they were published and invited parents to come in, read the posts, and comment. Multiple pictures, thoughts, and ideas were twitted out as students worked through each step of the lesson. After one of the tweets was picked up by itsLearning, the class connected with a Norway academic consultant who later used Skype to connect with the students to learn details of this learning experience. I facilitated the online communication between the two parties and assisted itsLearning with gathering artifacts that were necessary for publishing the online article.
The lesson integration was very successful, and the learning outcomes were strong and meaningful. Students were given an opportunity to show what they learned in creative ways and share it with people beyond their classroom. To take this lesson a step further, it would be powerful to allow students to create writing and commenting rubrics with the teacher. Their active participation would help develop their ownership of learning and make the learning experience even more authentic.
This artifact was chosen as an example of an authentic learning experience for students because it allowed them to be creative while interpreting newly-learned knowledge, evaluating information and developing personalized explications of it, and connecting with real-world audience via online blogs. Instead of simply studying Native American tribes and their life styles from textbooks and/or websites, students were engaged in a more authentic task: they chose one tribe in which they would love or hate to live. With either choice, students were required to develop a writing piece and support their opinions with solid facts obtained through online research. Furthermore, students were challenged to add creativity to their expository writing style by telling the story as if they were currently living in the tribe. Adding this creative aspect to the task turned a tell-me-about-a-tribe lesson into an authentic exploration, evaluation, and interpretation of the topic. Connecting history to personal lives of students made this learning experience very different from a traditional history lesson, and teaching students about online blogging as a place to communicate own learning to audience beyond classroom walls made this authentic learning meaningful to them. The blogs were noticed by an itsLearning specialist from Norway who connected with the class to learn more and spotlight student work in the online article presented as the artifact. During a Skype session with the specialist, one student made the most powerful and rewarding statement: "This lesson made me feel like my writing finally matters, and people are interested to read what I think." This statement was a confirmation of this learning experience being authentic.
Trying out blogging with the class was a new strategy for the classroom teacher. Modeling how the introduction, implementation, and monitoring could be done in action was an important element in the co-teaching process. The connective writing concept about blogging was explained to the class and a few exemplary blogs published and maintained by elementary students were shown. The class was introduced to the ABC format of commenting (Acknowledge, Build on, Critique) and taken through the process to practice the skill. As students started their research on Native American tribes, I facilitated their learning and provided support as needed. Students were assisted in locating appropriate resources online, guided through comprehension, and encouraged to be creative in their thinking. In addition, multiple individual writing conferences were facilitated to help young writers develop a strong voice in their expository pieces.
Modeling and facilitating the technical parts of the process were necessary to support the co-teaching process. Students were guided through setting up a new blog entry, inserting pictures, linking resources, and embedding videos. The teacher set up a showcase of student blogs after they were published and invited parents to come in, read the posts, and comment. Multiple pictures, thoughts, and ideas were twitted out as students worked through each step of the lesson. After one of the tweets was picked up by itsLearning, the class connected with a Norway academic consultant who later used Skype to connect with the students to learn details of this learning experience. I facilitated the online communication between the two parties and assisted itsLearning with gathering artifacts that were necessary for publishing the online article.
The lesson integration was very successful, and the learning outcomes were strong and meaningful. Students were given an opportunity to show what they learned in creative ways and share it with people beyond their classroom. To take this lesson a step further, it would be powerful to allow students to create writing and commenting rubrics with the teacher. Their active participation would help develop their ownership of learning and make the learning experience even more authentic.