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)
(PSC 2.3/ISTE 2c)
Artifact: Engaged Learning Project
Reflection:
The Engaged Learning Project was created for ITEC 7400 21st Century Teaching and Learning in the summer of 2019. As I created the Engaged Learning Project, I focused on the Levels of Technology Implementation (LoTI) and the Engaged Learning Indicators to ensure higher-order thinking, collaboration, student roles, teacher roles, authenticity, differentiation, and culturally-responsible pedagogy. I completed the Engaged Learning Project individually, although the previous project (being revised) had initially been a collaborative effort among 3 AMDM teachers. My goal for the Engaged Learning Project was to revise a budgeting project designed to coincide with the Finance units for AMDM. While the previous Budget Project utilized pre-designed scenarios and costs, and could be completed almost entirely on paper, I wanted the student experience to be more relevant, authentic, and technology infused. For the Engaged Learning Project, I worked to create an online experience, linking forms and resources for students to research and study to complete their project.
Standard 2.3, Authentic Learning, establishes expectations to model and facilitate the use of digital tools and resources to engage students in authentic learning experiences. I created the technology-infused Budget Project to model and facilitate authentic learning for my students and peer math teachers. My 12th grade students took on adult roles of career choice and financial stability, as they learned the mathematics of finance and budgeting. The students would assume the roles of adults after high school, entering the career world, having to find housing, transportation, pay common expenses, and budget appropriately. For the students, certain aspects of the project were designed to be completed individually, and some as collaborative. For them, this learning experience was authentic, relevant, and engaging. They were required to use digital tools and resources as they researched their career, chose banking solutions and invested into savings, decided on transportations options, calculated insurance and fuel expenses, found housing solutions, and budgeted their salary for utilities and common expenses.
The Engaged Learning project was one of the first artifacts that I created for this program. As I completed it, I learned how creating authentic learning experiences enhances and engages students. Students (during the next semester) showed immediate interest as I introduced the first aspects of the project. By hooking them with their own personal interests (career choice), I was then able to expand upon the expectations for the remainder of the project. Students were excited about the experience, but worried about pacing and not becoming overwhelmed. If I were to change something about the project, it would be to create an engaging website with each task, rather than a document. I would also like to create an online form for the application for employment, rather than using a fillable pdf. Because the AMDM units take 6-8 weeks to complete, the project- although approximately 10 days of work- could actually be completed over several weeks, allowing students additional time as available/needed.
The creation of the Engaged Learning project impacted student learning the most. When students become engaged in the learning process, they tend to be more positive about the experience and retain a better understanding of the concepts. The authenticity of the Budget Project, enhanced with the technology tools and resources, seemed to become a powerful engaged learning experience. This impact is assessed through the level of engagement and achievement during the experience in class, in comparison to previous years with the original project we used.
The Engaged Learning Project was created for ITEC 7400 21st Century Teaching and Learning in the summer of 2019. As I created the Engaged Learning Project, I focused on the Levels of Technology Implementation (LoTI) and the Engaged Learning Indicators to ensure higher-order thinking, collaboration, student roles, teacher roles, authenticity, differentiation, and culturally-responsible pedagogy. I completed the Engaged Learning Project individually, although the previous project (being revised) had initially been a collaborative effort among 3 AMDM teachers. My goal for the Engaged Learning Project was to revise a budgeting project designed to coincide with the Finance units for AMDM. While the previous Budget Project utilized pre-designed scenarios and costs, and could be completed almost entirely on paper, I wanted the student experience to be more relevant, authentic, and technology infused. For the Engaged Learning Project, I worked to create an online experience, linking forms and resources for students to research and study to complete their project.
Standard 2.3, Authentic Learning, establishes expectations to model and facilitate the use of digital tools and resources to engage students in authentic learning experiences. I created the technology-infused Budget Project to model and facilitate authentic learning for my students and peer math teachers. My 12th grade students took on adult roles of career choice and financial stability, as they learned the mathematics of finance and budgeting. The students would assume the roles of adults after high school, entering the career world, having to find housing, transportation, pay common expenses, and budget appropriately. For the students, certain aspects of the project were designed to be completed individually, and some as collaborative. For them, this learning experience was authentic, relevant, and engaging. They were required to use digital tools and resources as they researched their career, chose banking solutions and invested into savings, decided on transportations options, calculated insurance and fuel expenses, found housing solutions, and budgeted their salary for utilities and common expenses.
The Engaged Learning project was one of the first artifacts that I created for this program. As I completed it, I learned how creating authentic learning experiences enhances and engages students. Students (during the next semester) showed immediate interest as I introduced the first aspects of the project. By hooking them with their own personal interests (career choice), I was then able to expand upon the expectations for the remainder of the project. Students were excited about the experience, but worried about pacing and not becoming overwhelmed. If I were to change something about the project, it would be to create an engaging website with each task, rather than a document. I would also like to create an online form for the application for employment, rather than using a fillable pdf. Because the AMDM units take 6-8 weeks to complete, the project- although approximately 10 days of work- could actually be completed over several weeks, allowing students additional time as available/needed.
The creation of the Engaged Learning project impacted student learning the most. When students become engaged in the learning process, they tend to be more positive about the experience and retain a better understanding of the concepts. The authenticity of the Budget Project, enhanced with the technology tools and resources, seemed to become a powerful engaged learning experience. This impact is assessed through the level of engagement and achievement during the experience in class, in comparison to previous years with the original project we used.