EDU 630 Spring 2016. Week 1: the Beginning

Welcome to The Adult Learner, a graduate course exploring how adults learn. Here you’ll find background on the course, the class guidelines, and the planner.  And soon, writing from the students themselves…

Instructional Design Mash-up

When working with the instructional design models, there were a couple that I liked elements of but did not like the entire model.  I felt that neither of them would completely meet my instructional design needs so I have created my own design model. 

I really liked parts of the ADDIE Model as well as the Universal Design for Learning.  However, I felt that the ADDIE focused more on the logistics of design rather than actually designing a learning plan. The Universal Design for Learning Guidelines were student centered but lacked direction.  The ADDIE Model seemed to have what the UDL lacked.  I used parts of each of these learning designs to create my own, personalized design.

As I consider trying to design or make a plan for something, I feel like it has to flow much like the lyrics of a song. In every song, there is always direction and during the course of the song there are a few basic questions that always seemed to be answered.

Here’s a fun way to illustrate my point.  As you see in this you tube video with lyrics, she answers a few basic questions.  By answering these questions she adequately conveys how her future husband can keep her happy.  

These basic questions are: Who, What, How, When, and Evaluation. 

In this fun video, the who is obviously her future husband.  The what is that he must know how to treat her like a lady.  To answer how, she gives some ideas for him to succeed.  The when is after they get married and the Evaluation is that if he does his job properly, there will be rewards.  

My Instructional Design is the Lyrical Learning Plan. During the course of this plan, we will answer five basic questions.

1)      Who – Analysis of Learners – Determine the skill level of students and how they are best motivated

2)      What – Analysis of Goals – Determine resources, performance goals, and learning goals.

3)      How – Determine how to Convey Information – Determine goals, tools, and assignments.

4)      When – Determine a time line for learning activities – Dates for assignments and learning goal completion.

5)      Evaluation – Determine methods of testing and feedback tools – Use testing to see if goals have been met and student feedback to see how successful learning tools were.

Lyrical Learning Plan

My new “Lyrical Learning Plan” is really easy for me to follow and incorporates parts of the ADDIE Model and the Universal Design of Learning.  As I start to use the model, I know I will discover changes that need to be made or parts that need to be added.  That’s the beauty of creating an individualized learning model.  It gives me the option to change in order to meet my instructional design needs and to meet my student’s needs. 

References

Forest, E. (2014, January 29). The ADDIE model: instructional design | educational technology. Retrieved from http://educationaltechnology.net/the-addie-model-instructional-design/

Meghan Trainor - Dear Future Husband Lyrics [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://youtu.be/j9zj3FYdskk

National Center for Universal Design of Learning. (2015, June 14). About UDL | national center on universal design for learning. Retrieved from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl

Diversity and Culture in Learning

I enjoyed reading Jenny Michaels thoughts regarding the differences in learning in Eastern verses Western cultures.  I would like to add that in Eastern thought, the entire being is engaged in learning; this concept is not as common in western cultures and and western thought.  However, because many students come to us from different backgrounds and social construct, it is critical that we incorporate these elements into our classroom instruction.  As educators we must model for students what it looks like to have genuine respect for culture and different ways of thinking.  One way we can accomplish this task is to celebrate customs, traditions and cultures in a way that fosters appreciation and understanding.

In the video below, the message to instructors doing what it takes to  "mind the gap" is broached.  There are many gaps that may be present in our students' learning and understanding their culture is a way of helping to bridge any "gaps" that may exist in the learning process.  There are multiple methods that instructors can use to integrate cultural perspective into their courses.  A few of those include: using multicultural literature, honoring cultural celebrations and giving students an opportunity to share information about their cultures.   As the video points out, as educators we must ask ourselves, how are we minding the gap?

A Resource for Standards Based Grading: Challenges in Changing our Gradiang Culture

 

 

 

 

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Jennifer's post regarding the implementation of standards based grading truly resonated with me this week.  You see, standards based grading is the new grading approach sweeping the nation and prompting an educational culture overhaul. The implementation of standards based grading does not come without challenges. My daughter and I personally experienced the challenges of changing the grading culture to standards based.  Therefore, I would like to share our experience with you and provide a resource which considers the challenges of changing the grading culture within our school systems. 

While my daughter was taking Math II during her Freshman year, the Math department decided to implement standards based grading.  The idea was that each student would be evaluated on their ability to master state Math II standards using a rubric as an evaluation tool.  Questions on the math test were associated with a specific standard.  The idea was that students would be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses as it relates to a particular concept.  Additionally, teachers are able to provide more accurate and personable feedback about their mastery level. 

While I completely understood the advantages of utilizing this grading method, very little thought about the implementation of standards based grading had occurred.  When my daughter received her first test back, I was troubled by the MATH II grading rubric.  There was no concise description of what constituted a four, three, two, or one.  Furthermore, the school used a percentage grading system rather than standards based.  Therefore all grades had to be converted into a percentage grade.  This was not a simple task due to the considerable amount of subjectivity and inequalities among how teachers graded.  We discovered that my daughter's teacher graded the tests more strictly than the other math teachers.  Where was the equity in the evaluation tool?

Jasmine Kullar (2015) blogged about the implementation challenges in standards based grading.  She identifies difficulties in converting a standards based grade to the traditional percentage scale and separating behavior from academics as significant challenges.  She suggests that to effectively implement standards based grading one must abolish the traditional percentage grading system and determine how to report life skills.  Based upon my experience, I would agree with her.  But is the educational community ready for that?

Implementing a standards based grading system while the traditional percentage system is in place is not practical since college acceptance is determined by GPA's and life skills.  Furthermore, one should consider the basic grading assumptions of students and parents before implementing this grading cultural change.  As educators we must consider the impact of such cultural changes prior to implementing a standards based grading system to ensure equity is preserved in education.

References:
Kullar, J., (2015). BLOG POST: Implementation challenges of Standards Based Grading.  Retrieved from http://www.solution-tree.com/blog/implementation-challenges-of-standards-based-grading/

Action vs Theory

http://www.apisanet.com/nnh-content/uploads/an/an-ounce-of-action-is-worth-a-ton-of-theory.jpg

          

 A theory is a representation of observed or experienced phenomena. Good theory fulfills the purpose of explaining the phenomenon that is experienced but unexplained in our world. 

http://izquotes.com/quotes-pictures/quote-in-theory-there-is-no-difference-between-theory-and-practice-in-practice-there-is-yogi-berra-16840.jpg

 This famous line by Yogi Berra contends that under pressure, practical knowledge is more valuable than theory. Practical knowledge is considered our theories we actually use versus theories we just say. Brookfield’s three conditions that turn practical decisions into practical theories are as follows:

•               Theories go beyond individual experience and allow us to compare experiences
•               Theories are predictions; if you do this, then that will occur
•               Theories allow us to classify events

              Cervero contents that there is a great difference between theory and practice. He offers four viewpoints about this relationship.

1.               The first is Adult Education Without Theory in which educators developed theory by direct experience of a set of ideals and practical knowledge
2.               The second is Theory as the Foundation of Practice and it contends that practical knowledge is not a sufficient basis for practice and that theory is developed to improve practice.
3.               The third, Theory in Practice believes that work is based on theory and theory is derived from work.
4.               The fourth, Theory and Practice for Emancipation suggests theory and practice are united and make up a single, connected reality.

              Even with all of these, Cervero believes that the problem between theory and practice is not one to be solved.  It just needs to be viewed as highly conflicted.  Disagreements between theory and practice  are social and political process handled by real people working with real problems. 

http://www.guydownes.com/2011/05/cartooning-for-a-global-pr-report/more-theory_guy-downes-2011/

References

Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice. San Fransico, CA: Jossey-Bass.

What Can Teachers Learn from Eastern Culture?

I think that one of the biggest things that jumped out at me when I was reading the chapter about culture and context was the difference between Eastern and Western attitudes toward education. I read a wonderful article called “Struggle For Smarts? How Eastern And Western Cultures Tackle Learning” which talks about the differences in attitude toward struggle. While the article is talking about kids in the classroom, I think that to a certain degree, the concepts being discussed can be applied to all ages. Here in America we tend to have the most respect for people who seem to succeed without really trying. The picture below illustrates this quite nicely.

I think that in Eastern cultures, they see a lot more of the iceberg, and they are ok with that. I love the example in the article about how the Japanese teacher sent the student who was having the most problems to the board to practice in front of the class and that while everyone got to see him struggle, he was rewarded for his perseverance and ultimate success by the applause of his classmates. In an American classroom, I think most teachers avoid calling out students who are struggling because they don’t want to embarrass them or make them feel bad about their struggles. We all tend to forget what a wonderful feeling that succeeding after a struggle can be.

I think that one of the areas in education that really emphasizes the Western attitude toward success is our grading system. Everyone starts out perfect, then gets marked down for every mistake. Although this is the way that it has always been done, it doesn’t promote an atmosphere of learning for those who need more practice to master something. I have recently been investigating standards based grading and am planning to begin using it in my classroom starting this summer. In this approach to grading, the student submits an assignment, and can keep submitting it until they have mastered the material. I know that it will take more work and flexibility on my part, but I hope that it will have much better results. When you teach to a schedule, you have to move forward regardless of whether the material has been mastered or not. With standards based grading, students will not be allowed to move on until they have mastered the material. This video is a good basic introduction to Standards-Based Grading:

 

I feel that as a teacher, part of my job is to do my best to ensure the success of all of my students. I think in the long run, they will be better off having mastery of a small amount of material, than struggling with a whole lot of material, or worse yet, resorting to cheating because they can’t keep up and don’t understand what they are doing. A lot of the way grades are handled in today’s classroom sets students up for failure. I think that we should look to the East for some possible solutions to these problems.

References

Spiegel, A. (2012, November 12). Struggle For Smarts? How Eastern And Western Cultures Tackle Learning. Retrieved April 30, 2015, from http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/11/12/164793058/struggle-for-smarts-how-eastern-and-western-cultures-tackle-learning

[ActiveGrade]. (2012, December 26). Standards-Based Grading Overview  [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7m4762pjH8

Learning to Think Critically: My Resource for Critical Thinking & Perspectives

Learning to think critically is a task that seems rather easy, but thinking critically is a process which must be constantly activated. The methods and processes that encourages our critical thinking are mostly obtained in school or obtaining skills training within an occupational trade. Critical thinking is a process within itself that requires steps in order to be an effective thinker as possible. Which include, but are not limited to:



1. Must be able to plan, outline, & summarize information - as well as digest information in order to put in our own words.

2. Must have the need to seek knowledge. It is an innate human trait to be curious, but lacking the drive to seek answers does not encourage critical thinking. (Be Aware!)

3. Must be able to discern information. Being able to discriminate what is valid and reliable is necessary. (Be Curious & Discern!)



These methods can be applied to both academia and practical life. These steps allow us to consider all options and make us better decision makers about life and makes us, as adult learners, more holistic thinkers that considers all options and points of view before making decisions.



Reference:

Hoffman, Mark. 2009. Learning to Think Critically. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-NGhKc-pjE.

Critical Thinking, A Workplace Perspective

http://www.todayslearningworkplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/iStock_000008183124X-brain-colored-gears.jpg

     I looked at critical thinking form a different perspective.  When students complete their education and move into the workplace, critical thinking will be a valuable skill.  In all of our professions, we use critical thinking to make decisions, assumptions, and in employee relations.  Many people seem to have it as a natural skill but others have to struggle to use it. It is very important because without it, you may be busy but not accomplishing anything. (Jones, 2011)

     Chris Jones is an IT Strategy and Change Management consultant.  He has a passion for achieving new levels of engagement and learning in today’s business organizations. He has come up with 7 steps that can help us achieve critical thinking in the workplace. They are as follows:

• Use data to drive decisions – Add time in projects to gather facts and data. The data will provide the support that will help the decisions be easier to accomplish.
• Research and sharing – use sources of information to obtain pros/cons of a decision.
• Talk it out – share your ideas and get opinions.
• Use experts – find the experts in your organizations and get to know them and use them.
• Go deeper into the problem – Discover the root cause of the problem and address them
• Research and practice – have conversations, read, and explore other topics that will help build skills needed to make larger, more complex decisions.
• Prioritize your time – use the most time on bigger, more important problems rather than dwelling on smaller decisions.

Using these skills will help us not to make snap decisions and take the safe, default path.   It will give us the opportunity to explore problems and create more informed solutions. (Jones, 2011)

     Linda Elder proposed a critical thinking definition 2007. She stated that critical thinking is “self –guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in fair minded way. People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonable, and empathically” (Mayhew, 2015).

     According to Ruth Mahew, critical thinking is essential in human resources, marketing, and customer service.  In human resources, some of the decisions that must be made are concerning hiring or terminating employees, making suspensions and rewards, and dealing with multiple harassment issues. A marketing employee must make decisions concerning advertising, creating appeal for the company, or even product packaging choice. Customer Service employees must be able to make decisions to resolve conflicts while maintaining customer satisfaction. (Mahew, 2015)

     As you can see, critical thinking skills are also very important for students as the transition from the classroom to the workplace.  As educators, teaching critical thinking skills to students will help them to be successful in their education as well as their future careers. 

References

Jones, C. (2011, April 11). 7 Steps: Critical Thinking in the Workplace - TalentCulture. Retrieved from http://www.talentculture.com/leadership/7-steps-critical-thinking-in-the-workplace/

Mayhew, R. (2015). Examples of using critical thinking to make decisions in the workplace. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-using-critical-thinking-make-decisions-workplace-12952.html

A Response to Critical Thinking and Critical Perspectives

As educators, we know the importance and benefits of critical thinking. The ability to assess new material and make decisions based on that information requires us to use critical thinking. However, we are not taught how to teach this skill to our students. “Without acting on our new knowledge, all we have is a collection of thoughts.” (Merriam & Bierema, 2014)  We don’t want our students to blindly assimilate our beliefs as their own. As educators, we strive for our students to become well-informed, open minded, critical thinkers, who are able to judge for themselves  the integrity of what they are learning.



https://youtu.be/6OLPL5p0fMg


I found this article online: Preparing Creative and Critical Thinkers. This article is a good resource for how to teach creative and critical thinkers. The table below is from the article. When you check out the article, they also go into more detail about the activities below and how you can incorporate them into your classroom. I think you will find many ideas that you can use in your classroom.

 1. The Creative Problem Solver's Basic Toolbox

Tools for Generating Possibilities (Creative Thinking)	Tools for Focusing Possibilities (Critical Thinking)
Brainstorming.Generating many, varied, or unusual options for an open-ended task or question.	Hits and Hot Spots. Selecting promising or intriguing possibilities (identifying hits) and clustering, categorizing, organizing, or compressing them in meaningful ways (finding hot spots).
Force-Fitting. Using two objects or words that seem unrelated to the task or problem, or to each other, to create new possibilities or connections.	ALoU: Refining and Developing. Using a deliberate, constructive approach to strengthening or improving options, by considering advantages,limitations (and ways to overcome them), and unique features.
Attribute Listing. Using the core elements or attributes of a task or challenge as a springboard for generating novel directions or improvements.	PCA: Paired Comparison Analysis. Setting priorities or ranking options through a systematic analysis of all possible combinations.
SCAMPER. Applying a checklist of action words or phrases (idea-spurring questions) to evoke or trigger new or varied possibilities.	Sequencing: SML. Organizing and focusing options by considering short, medium, or long-term actions.
Morphological Matrix. Identifying the key parameters of a task, generating possibilities for each parameter, and investigating possible combinations (mixing and matching).	Evaluation Matrix. Using specific criteria to systematically evaluate each of several options or possibilities to guide judgment and selection of options.

Source: Copyright 2008 by the Center for Creative Learning. Used with permission.

References

Merriam, S.B. & Bierema, L.L. (2014). Adult learning:  Linking theory and practice.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Treffinger, D. J. (2008). Membership. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/summer08/vol65/num09/Preparing-Creative-and-Critical-Thinkers.aspx

Q. (2009, December 24). Critical Thinking. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OLPL5p0fMg

A Response to Critical Thinking and Critical Perspectives

As a teacher in a college classroom, I struggle with trying to get my students to think critically. I know that this is a skill that they need to master to be successful in the real world, but many of them come from a public school background where they have been taught to the test. Now that they are in college, we have to encourage them to strengthen their critical thinking skills “muscle.” To do this it is important to understand what critical thinking is. I found this wonderful video that explains critical thinking very well – in fact he uses the Socratic method to generate his definition.

When I was reading the chapter in the book, what jumped out at me was the list of abilities that critical thinkers possess – these are certainly the types of skills that I would like to foster in my classroom. They include:

•   Assume a position or change it based on the evidence
•   Remain relevant to the point
•    Seek information and precision in the information sought
•    Exhibit open-mindedness
•   Consider the big picture
•    Focus on the original problem
•    Search for reason
•    Orderly consider complex components of problems
•    Seek a clear statement of the problem
•    Seek options
•    Show sensitivity to others’ feelings and knowledge
•    Use credible sources

(this list is directly from Adult Learning by Merriam and Bierema)

I encourage, to the extent possible, all of these in my classroom, but I especially try to work on helping them to “Seek information and precision in the information sought,” “Orderly consider complex components of problems,” and “Use credible sources.”

After reading the chapter, I did a little research for ideas on how to further encourage critical thinking by my students. I found a web site called “The Critical Thinking Community.” They had a lot of resources to help you encourage critical thinking. I especially liked this list of teaching tactics:

Resources

Merriam, S.B. & Bierema, L.L. (2014). Adult learning:  Linking theory and practice.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (n.d.). Teaching Tactics that Encourage Active Learning. Retrieved April 26, 2015, from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/tactics-that-encourage-active-learning/468

Stearns, P. [teachphilosophy]. (2012, December 26). What is critical thinking  [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oAf3g5_138

Critical Thinking and Critical Perspectives

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking describes the process by which students become aware of two sets of assumptions.  First, students investigate the assumptions held by scholars in a field of study regarding the way legitimate knowledge is created and advanced in that field.  Second, students investigate their own assumptions and the way these frame their own thinking and actions.  A person who thinks critically is much better placed to take informed actions; actions that are well grounded in evidence and that are more likely to achieve the results intended.

Critical thinking defined –the ability to assess your assumptions, beliefs, and actions-is imperative to survival; failure to engage in it makes you a target of those who may wish to harm or manipulate you (Brookfield, S.D., 2012b).

                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzV1pNQUX5s

Taking Critical Action in the Classroom

Thinking is an action and moving our thinking into mindful and timely intervention is key to critical matters (Hooks, 2010).  Critical thinking causes learners to begin questioning their assumptions, which in turn allows them to see injustice in the world.

To help learners take critical action, we can create micro opportunities during formal instruction to enact learners’ newfound ability to apply critical theory and thinking.  These type of activities include dialogical conversation, following democratic principles in the classroom, modeling critical approaches as the instructor, or addressing classroom dynamics that illustrate oppression or dominant ideology (Merriam & Bierema., 2014). 

http://www.stephenbrookfield.com/Dr._Stephen_D._Brookfield/Visuals.html 

References

Brookfield, S.D.  (2012b).  Teaching for critical thinking: Tools and techniques to help students question their assumptions.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Hooks, B. (2010).  Teaching critical thinking: Practical wisdom.  New York: Routledge.

Merriam, S.B. & Bierema, L.L. (2014). Adult learning:  Linking theory and practice.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Validity? Credibility? Safety?

http://churchm.ag/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/copy-off-the-internet.gif

There are many ways to search for information on the internet. However, these are three questions we must ask ourselves when using information found on the internet.  As educators, we also need to teach our students to ask these questions.  We live in a society today that has the belief that if they found it on the internet, it must be true.  I feel that we must work diligently to educate students how to verify the validity and credibility of information before they use it in their class work or in their lives.  I think we must also teach internet safety to our students, especially if we work with younger students.

Credibility and Validity 

According to the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, there are six ways to verify the credibility of a website.  They are as follows:

• Does it have an author?  The fact than an author is willing to stand behind the work is a good indication of a credible source.
• Is it dated?  A date allows the reader to decide if the information if the information is recent enough for their purposes.
• Does it have sources?  Credible websites will cite the source of presented information.
• What type of domain is it?  Domains such as .com, .org, and .net are can be used by anyone. Colleges and universities are usually .edu and government websites are .gov.
• How it the site designed?  A well designed site can be an indicator of reliable information.
• What is the writing style?  The writing should be grammatically correct with no spelling errors.  (Hartness Library CCV/Vermont Tech, n.d.)

Barbara Felman echoes the criteria above and adds the following:

• Look for an edition number.
• Use your instincts
• Check the sources against other available information.
• Visit the public library as they have ways to verify information.
• Check with a college professor on the topic.(Feldman, 2008)

https://youtu.be/AFEwwG7rq0E

Safety

Kidsmart.org is a valuable tool that teaches internet safety.  It is geared for educators of elementary children. The site is broken down into 2 stages. Stage one is ages 3-7 and Stage two is ages 8-11. It provides videos, lesson plans, and other activities to help teach children about internet safety.

Internet Safety for Teachers

It also have a parents section, that provides parents with information on how to keep their kids safe on various types of mobile devices. This website also provides instructions on how to use parental controls on Apple and Blackberry devices.

Internet Safety for Parents

I also found the following guide that is all inclusive four page guide that helps parents teach their children safe internet searching.

http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/

These are just a few simple tips that can help us verify the validity and credibility of sources we find on the internet. There are also many ideas on how to keep kids safe when searching on the internet.  The internet puts the world at our fingertips but we must know how control and verify the information in order to put the information we obtain to use. 

References

Feldman, B. (2008, July 5). Evaluating Online Information's Validity » Tech Tips » Surfnetkids. Retrieved from http://www.surfnetkids.com/tech/1402/evaluating-online-informations-validity/

Hartness Library CCV/Vermont Tech. (n.d.). Credible Websites? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFEwwG7rq0E

Kidsmart: Welcome. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/

University of Wisconsin Green Bay. (n.d.). How can I tell if a website is credible? Retrieved from https://uknowit.uwgb.edu/page.php?id=30276