2.6 Instructional Design
Candidates model and facilitate the effective use of reserach-based best practices in instructional design when designing and developing digital tools, resources, and technology-enchanced learning experiences.
Artifact:
Reflection:
The Online Curriculum Project was comprised of a 4-6 week mini-research unit about contemporary issues related to the reading of the classic Frankenstein. Students were charged with working independently on researching issues of Modern Science and how man continues to tamper with Mother Nature even today. Students were to choose a science topic from the list provided, research the topic thoroughly, and through a variety of digital tools and resources, like Weebly, Voicethread, Glogster, and Prezi, recap their findings in a creative way.
This artifact demonstrates mastery of the Standard 2.6 Instructional Design, because research-based best practices were used when designing this challenging activity for students. Students must think critically to align contemporary and frequently controversial issues of science to the themes elucidated in the novel Frankenstein. Students quickly realize that there is a common thread that runs between the research they are conducting and the themes in the novel, related to absolute power and the perception of man’s attempt to play God. The goal for students in this project is to learn as much basic information as they can about the topic, with the idea of becoming an “expert” in the field. Students are advised to evaluate both sides of the controversy to learn as much as they can. These are all best instructional practices for an interesting and engaging research project.
From this artifact, I have learned the importance of being thorough in my approach to how I plan lessons in my own classroom. I have also learned how important it is to make learning as authentic as I possibly can by building depth and complexity in everything the students are required to do. In preparing this artifact, I believe that even more technology could have been embedded to include communication with the outside world through ePals and perhaps online mentors as the research is conducted. This would create an authentic audience, thus increasing the LOTI levels ever higher.
The work I put into completing this artifact impacts student learning in a positive way, because the more I can engage students and keep them interested in the subject matter at hand, the more exposure I will give them to the content. Impact can be measured by the quality work that students produce and by their attitudes about learning in my classroom. I often have students tell me that I am their favorite teacher. I think they believe this because they know that they can always expect the unexpected in my classroom!
This artifact demonstrates mastery of the Standard 2.6 Instructional Design, because research-based best practices were used when designing this challenging activity for students. Students must think critically to align contemporary and frequently controversial issues of science to the themes elucidated in the novel Frankenstein. Students quickly realize that there is a common thread that runs between the research they are conducting and the themes in the novel, related to absolute power and the perception of man’s attempt to play God. The goal for students in this project is to learn as much basic information as they can about the topic, with the idea of becoming an “expert” in the field. Students are advised to evaluate both sides of the controversy to learn as much as they can. These are all best instructional practices for an interesting and engaging research project.
From this artifact, I have learned the importance of being thorough in my approach to how I plan lessons in my own classroom. I have also learned how important it is to make learning as authentic as I possibly can by building depth and complexity in everything the students are required to do. In preparing this artifact, I believe that even more technology could have been embedded to include communication with the outside world through ePals and perhaps online mentors as the research is conducted. This would create an authentic audience, thus increasing the LOTI levels ever higher.
The work I put into completing this artifact impacts student learning in a positive way, because the more I can engage students and keep them interested in the subject matter at hand, the more exposure I will give them to the content. Impact can be measured by the quality work that students produce and by their attitudes about learning in my classroom. I often have students tell me that I am their favorite teacher. I think they believe this because they know that they can always expect the unexpected in my classroom!