676 Artifact Reflection #2

The artifact created in Module 7, was a collaborative project on sustainable farming that I have used in my high school Earth Science class for the last several years. Before our school was 1:1, everything for this project was written out or done as a (boring) PowerPoint presentation. Since the introduction of student Chromebooks, my students have been able to collaboratively create and manage virtual farms that avoid the destructive pitfalls of weathering and erosion, employ sustainable practices for maintaining fertile soil, and encourage the use of alternative forms of energy.

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Not only do my students manage a "farm", but they also get to practice their digital skills using Padlet, Google Drawings and a screencast platform of their choice (Screencastomatic, Screencastify, or WeVideo usually) to organize and present their entire project. Each web tool has collaborative capabilities and is easy for students to learn and use. I have been pleased with the final products each student group has produced and have been grateful to use technology to make my students look and sound tech savvy. Once the project is complete, students are responsible for adding their project to their digital portfolios for all to see and enjoy!

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The task for Module 7 included a rubric that assesses a student's ability to work collaboratively. The project already included a grading rubric that detailed the project components. I liked how the addition of a student collaboration rubric came together using the resources provided in the module and was pleased with the overall product.

For those teachers new to creating rubrics - my advice is to ask an expert in your building. Don't feel afraid to ask for help generating a rubric for a performance task or project. They are not easy to create, but there are plenty of good resources you can access to help you along. One that was recommended in Module 7 came from the Buck Institute for Education, providing a number of rubrics for presentations, projects, project design, creativity, and innovation. It's definitely a good starting point with plenty of vetted rubrics.

I'm looking forward to using this new-and-improved project at the beginning of the second semester and will ask my students for feedback to improve the rubric if necessary.

679 Course Reflection

That’s a wrap for EEND 679!  There were many takeaways from this course and several great discussions that helped me get better at using and implementing technology. I’d like to thank the instructor and my classmates for an informative and beneficial course on assessment and improving student learning.

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At the midpoint of the course, module 5, I had the chance to dabble with Genius Hour/Passion Project. It’s definitely a concept I’ve heard and read about, but haven’t found a way or a reason to “fit it in” with my science courses. After being given time in class to learn something new and to learn new things from others, I’m thoughtfully reflecting on how I might start to incorporate this project with my students. I enjoyed being given the freedom to choose a topic to research more about, but I struggled to settle on a topic. Based on other classmate’s experiences and feedback, I feel more confident attempting to start a Genius Hour/Passion Project with my students and plan to do some more research to prepare for next school year. I like the idea of passion projects and hope to find success with it in the near future.

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In my artifact blog post, I made reference to the digital badge assignment and the formative assessment design assignment. I also found the infographic assignment and the student portfolio/self-assessment assignment to be useful for my students. After reviewing infographics of others in our class, I was blown away by how professional, clean, and informative they were. I had never used Piktochart or Canva before, and I certainly didn’t need much convincing to use it for myself and my students during the school year. It takes classes like these to introduce me to some really great ideas and I’m thankful to my colleagues for their infographic examples. Module 6’s student portfolio discussion and self-assessment assignment were also great learning experiences for me as I related to other’s background with student portfolios. I also found value in organizing several different student self-assessment forms. The practice of student self-assessment is an important piece in their education, no matter if they are a kindergartener or a 12th grader. I’ve been pushing my students to perform more self-assessments and reflections of their work. By the end of the school year, they really start to appreciate their achievement, progress, and growth. It’s easy for me to plot their progress over time, but there is more value when they can appreciate their journey over the course of a school year.

EEND 679 is my third course in the sequence of courses for the Teaching with Technology Endorsement. I've gotten a lot out of this course and intend to incorporate some of the new things I’ve learned from the instructor and my classmates/colleagues next school year.