2.4 Higher Order Thinking Skills
Candidates model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to support and enhance higher order thinking skills (e.g., analyze, evaluate, and create); processes (e.g., problem-solving, decision-making); and mental habits of mind (e.g., critical thinking, creative thinking, metacognition, self-regulation, and reflection). (PSC 2.4/ISTE 2d)
Artifact: Multimedia Design Project/Webquest
Reflection:
During the Summer of 2019, I created the Multimedia Design Project as part of the ITEC 7445 Multimedia and Web Design in Education course. The MDP was a Webquest designed for my 12th grade Advanced Mathematical Decision Making course. I chose to create a webquest for the first unit of AMDM, that also covered the standards that my students typically have the most trouble mastering during that unit. The artifact required me to follow the steps of the ADDIE Instructional Design Model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). I was tasked with creating a Webquest with an authentic and engaging context, task, objectives and evaluation. This assignment was completed individually, but during the next school year expanded to encompass the AMDM team for the creation of additional webquest for AMDM units.
Standard 2.4, Higher Order Thinking establishes the expectation to model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to enhance higher order thinking skills, processes, and mental habits of mind. The MDP/Webquest provides opportunities for students to engage in higher order thinking skills and processes as it guides students through the learning experience and then into a performance task that requires students to create their own Fermi question, analyze methods for solving that question, and to calculate an answer through their methodology. Learners were tasked with making decisions and problem-solving as they explored estimation processes and dimensional analysis. Students were also tasked with evaluating their work using a rubric, reflecting on the activities, and presenting their findings, which support mental habits of mind. The MDP activity was created as a Webquest, requiring students to use web resources and tools, which models and facilitates the use of digital tools and resources to support student learning and higher order thinking skills.
In creating the multimedia project, I learned to create a Google Site and embed web resources and links to create an engaging learning experience for students. I organized the learning and assessment process to promote higher order thinking skills and processes so that students would have an engaging and challenging experience. Prior to creating this webquest, I had only attempted to use Google Sites or create a webquest activity one other time. Because of this artifact, I became more confident in building websites with Google Sites and implementing webquests in the classroom. I believe I did a good job of facilitating effective use of digital tools to promote higher order thinking skills with this artifact. If I were to change anything about the webquest, it would be to embed the documents as images, rather than links, and to include accessibility options such as audio and more visual images.
The creation of this artifact impacted faculty development and student learning. I was able to use my artifact to model an engaging product and facilitate further development of technology-enhanced student activities with the AMDM curriculum team. As a result, our team created 4 additional webquests for AMDM, one for each unit of study. The peer teachers that I worked with later also became more familiar and more confident with creating Google Sites to guide student learning. This activity also impacted student learning in providing students with an engaging, fun activity that promoted a positive, challenging learning experience. This impact could be measured through student surveys or pre/post assessments, although those aspects were not explored during the facilitation of the activity.
During the Summer of 2019, I created the Multimedia Design Project as part of the ITEC 7445 Multimedia and Web Design in Education course. The MDP was a Webquest designed for my 12th grade Advanced Mathematical Decision Making course. I chose to create a webquest for the first unit of AMDM, that also covered the standards that my students typically have the most trouble mastering during that unit. The artifact required me to follow the steps of the ADDIE Instructional Design Model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). I was tasked with creating a Webquest with an authentic and engaging context, task, objectives and evaluation. This assignment was completed individually, but during the next school year expanded to encompass the AMDM team for the creation of additional webquest for AMDM units.
Standard 2.4, Higher Order Thinking establishes the expectation to model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to enhance higher order thinking skills, processes, and mental habits of mind. The MDP/Webquest provides opportunities for students to engage in higher order thinking skills and processes as it guides students through the learning experience and then into a performance task that requires students to create their own Fermi question, analyze methods for solving that question, and to calculate an answer through their methodology. Learners were tasked with making decisions and problem-solving as they explored estimation processes and dimensional analysis. Students were also tasked with evaluating their work using a rubric, reflecting on the activities, and presenting their findings, which support mental habits of mind. The MDP activity was created as a Webquest, requiring students to use web resources and tools, which models and facilitates the use of digital tools and resources to support student learning and higher order thinking skills.
In creating the multimedia project, I learned to create a Google Site and embed web resources and links to create an engaging learning experience for students. I organized the learning and assessment process to promote higher order thinking skills and processes so that students would have an engaging and challenging experience. Prior to creating this webquest, I had only attempted to use Google Sites or create a webquest activity one other time. Because of this artifact, I became more confident in building websites with Google Sites and implementing webquests in the classroom. I believe I did a good job of facilitating effective use of digital tools to promote higher order thinking skills with this artifact. If I were to change anything about the webquest, it would be to embed the documents as images, rather than links, and to include accessibility options such as audio and more visual images.
The creation of this artifact impacted faculty development and student learning. I was able to use my artifact to model an engaging product and facilitate further development of technology-enhanced student activities with the AMDM curriculum team. As a result, our team created 4 additional webquests for AMDM, one for each unit of study. The peer teachers that I worked with later also became more familiar and more confident with creating Google Sites to guide student learning. This activity also impacted student learning in providing students with an engaging, fun activity that promoted a positive, challenging learning experience. This impact could be measured through student surveys or pre/post assessments, although those aspects were not explored during the facilitation of the activity.