AEE 412 Weekly Writing #9: Inquiry-Based Instruction

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/training-the-brain-to-listen-donna-wilson

So, it's week nine already? Man, this semester is flying! Anyways, this week my peers and I were asked to explore the world of Inquiry-Based Instruction. My first thought when hearing these words was the science fair. This is somewhat true however this type of instruction is much more structured than simply making a board with different breeds of pigs on it.

The Inquiry-Based Method of learning relies on 5 important steps:

1. Question

2. Investigate

3. Describe, Explain, Predict

4. Make Connections 

5. Share Findings

These are the steps our students will be taking. So how do we facilitate this as an instructor? 

Here's the steps:

1. Inquisition

This is where we gain student interest. We must determine where we want the learning to go. What are we trying to accomplish with this learning experience? We need to plan "with the end in mind."

2. Acquisition

We must get the ball rolling. Through this we need to get students talking and discussing the question and possible solutions to the question. It is essential that we spark interest in our students.

3. Supposition

This is where students create their hypothesis. It is essential that we make sure students understand the importance of a good hypothesis. We may have to provide some examples so they can visualize what their hypothesis might look like.

4. Implementation

How will the students test their hypothesis? Is it a true test of their hypothesis? What other factors are there? This may be the first time our students use the scientific method. It is important they gain a clear understanding "right out of the gate."

5. Summation

What does the test say? Are students analyzing the information correctly? Are there any misconceptions leading to a faulty understanding? It is important that we stay engaged in the students' learning process and steer them in the right direction.

6. Exhibition

Share what you have found! Students must finish this experience with sharing their findings and conclusions. This could be in a lab write up, a class presentation, a poster, etc. 

http://www.ariadnewealth.com/what-we-know/scientific-method 

The best teachers know how to get students interested and motivated to find the answer. I think generating interest is very doable when students have a previous experience in the statements content. However, if students are having trouble connecting, I feel it could be extremely difficult. I feel after doing the reading and reflecting I have an understanding of how I will pull this off. I just need to figure out how to motivate the uninterested student.

AEE 412 Weekly Writing #8: Differentiated Instruction

http://edtheory.blogspot.com/2016/04/differentiated-instruction.html

This week's reading took us into the world of differentiated instruction. We have touched on this concept in class at different points throughout the semester but haven't gotten to take an up-close look at it until this point. First off I'll start by giving you the definition I have composed in my mind. Differentiated instruction occurs when teachers are mindful how each of their students learns best. The teacher teaches in the ways their students learn best. Saying that may seem all fine and dandy. However, the differences from student to student can make this quite difficult. Creating this type of learning environment takes planning.

So why Differentiate Instruction?

Students learn in different ways. One student may learn better by taking notes. One may learn better by creating a drawing. One may learn better by tearing apart an engine. We are all different, and we learn in very different ways. Trying different learning strategies will allow us to determine how our students learn best. We can then teach using the most effective strategies, which provides the most optimal growth for our students.

How do we Differentiate Instruction?

We as teachers can differentiate our instruction through the content we teach, the process we use to teach that content, the product of the learning, and the environment we create in the classroom. It is very important that we teach to student interests. Upon graduation, they are going to pursue careers in something they are interested in. Aligning the content being taught with student interests will generate interest now and help them greatly in the future. The product of the learning or type of assessment can also be different for students. This is where I would love to integrate projects as assessments. Students can generate their own take on what they would like to do and run with it.

When do we do it?

As professionals, we need to be proactive in responding to our students’ needs. After some time with each class we will be able to gauge what works best for them. When lesson planning, we must keep the different learner types in mind. We can create new techniques and note them. This will allow us to implement them on the fly if needed.

https://www.emaze.com/@AOCLFQTO/Differentiated-Instruction:-Learning-Equal-opportunity-for-all

We must always ask ourselves how each individual learner will learn best and try hard to make it happen. We as educators have a huge impact on the future of our students. It is important that we are always looking to maximize their growth.

AEE 412 Lab #4: The Problem Solving Approach

So last be we began to explore the world of teaching through real world problems, also known as the problem solving approach. In our lab session, I presented a problem where students were given a certain amount of land and money. It was their job to decide what to do with the land. My students seemed to be very interested in the activity. Many questions were asked and students seemed to be generally excited about the prompt.

https://www.orbussoftware.com/blog/improving-enterprise-architectures-return-on-investment/

Some areas for improvement:

Clarity
There was some confusion and fuzziness in the directions that I presented to the students. Posting short clear directions on the board could aid in my clarity of direction. Next time, I will post the directions on the board and explain them explicitly to the entire class. The small class size of our lab helps with clarity for sure. Once students were working on their research, I was able to travel the room and answer questions.

Classroom Management
I really need to apologize to Miranda after failing to defend her not once but twice! The other members of the class are also in our cohort, and it can be difficult to take them seriously. Something negative was said to Miranda. As a future educator I will nip that in the butt very quickly. If that were to happen in a real class I would have reacted totally different.

Providing Resources
I could have also done a better job of showing the students where they can begin. What are some trustworthy websites students can gather information? Who are some reliable contacts in the local community, that are in production agriculture?

Every week I feel that my classmates and I are growing through the lab session. I can see the improvement. Don't get frustrated. Be patient. This is not a sprint. Its a marathon full of real world obstacles.

AEE 412 Weekly Writing #7: Evaluating Student Performance

The theme of this upcoming week in AEE 412 is evaluating student performance. Exploring the provided references has given me clarity while sparking uncertainty in other areas. Assessing student knowledge is vital. Assessment can be an essential tool to determine previous knowledge. What do my students know already? I can build them up from there. Evaluating student knowledge doesn't need to be long our drawn out either. Many teachers perform this assessment verbally with the entire class. The teacher just has to ask the right questions. This relates back to my post two weeks ago on effective questioning. Experienced teachers ask the right questions, process what they hear from students, and build form their current level. 

http://www.teachhub.com/teaching-21st-century-skills

Why do it?
Besides assessing previous student knowledge, evaluations will allow you to determine whether or not your students are achieving the course objectives. This is the bottom line in the classroom. Are students learning the fundamental objectives? Formative assessments like individual tests will allow you to determine what the individual student needs. Do one or two students need help? Or if the whole class does bad, do I need to reteach this content?

How do I do it?
As aspiring educators, we hear about the importance of variability everyday. Before doing the reading, I had not thought about the importance of variability in evaluation. It really makes sense though. If we are going to teach different ways in order to reach all students, we must evaluate in different ways so students can showcase their knowledge to be best of their abilities. The tests we give our students should have a fair mix of true/false, multiple choice, matching, and open ended questions. Also, all of our assessments should not be "Tests." This usually is not a problem with the "hands-on" nature of Ag education. Students should be given projects as well. These projects usually expose students to more real life skills than exams.

https://education.uky.edu/evaluationcenter/

Some questions I have after reading:

How do we grade fairly when our classrooms have students of special populations?
What determines fair?
What do I do if other students think this is unfair?
What will the parents think?

AEE 412 Weekly Writing #6: Problem Based Learning (PBL)

This week we have dove into the world of educating students through the avenue of problem based learning. Facilitating problem based learning can be difficult at the teacher level, but when done right, contributes exponential growth in students. PBL is usually carried out in groups by students. The students carry out their own discussions and make their own decisions. The teacher serves the purpose of answering questions and making sure students are headed in the right direction.

http://www.siue.edu/facultycenter/services_resources/teaching/faculty_resources/pbl.shtml

Structure, Structure, Structure
In order for the experience to be carried out effectively, the project must be structured the same for each group, students must be informed of expectations, and teacher instruction must be crystal clear. Students must understand the "Driving Question" and see relevance in their own lives. Clarity and real world examples can help to extinguish comments like "When are we ever going to use this?"

21st Century Skills
Don't always ask the easy questions. Students will rise to the occasion when they are challenged. Ask them tough questions that don't have a specific answer. Problems in the real world have more than one answer. Usually their is a better answer, but not one answer. Make students think, have them share their thoughts, they will listen to the peers, and in the end provide a quality solution to the million dollar question.

http://zulama.com/education-trends/four-cs-21st-century-skills/#.V_Ga-ygrLIU

Student Inquiry

You will know you did your part if students are showing interest in their project. Maybe they want to take it a step forward. They develop new questions about the subject matter. They don't feel that they need to know. They want to know. Give them constructive feedback on the work they have done. How can they improve? Have students present what they have found in a public setting. Set up workshops where students can teach the public. Problem based learning unites content based knowledge with 21st century skills.

First Unit Plan Reflection

I won't lie. Before taking on the challenge of writing my first unit plan, I was a bit skeptical of their importance. However, upon completion, I can see their importance in creating an organized system of education. Unit plans are especially important for beginning teachers like myself. Some of my struggles in writing my unit plan consisted of determining how quickly students will learn, establishing challenging but fair goals, and writing clear measurable objectives.

http://www.industryweek.com/strategic-planning-execution/10-principles-organization-design

How much information can I fit into this unit?
When I began writing my first draft, I hard to really start thinking. What is most important for students to learn in these 3 short weeks? I had a lot of ideas, projects, and activities that would promote student growth, however 3 weeks is an extremely short time. I could not even think about covering this much material. The best material was kept and the rest was put aside for another time.

How do I make goals challenging but fair?
It is our job as educators to challenge our students, but when is it too much. Students have so much going on in their lives today. I want to stimulate growth in my students, but not overload them. I understand that not all my students will memorize the FFA Creed, but they will all attempt reciting it.

How do I write clear and measurable objectives? 
My cohort and I have just been instructed on writing lesson plans. This unit plan was the first time I have had to put these objective writing skills to use. When I looked back on my previous objectives, I realized they were assignments and not actually objectives. It is important that we make them easy to read and measure based on the correct criteria.

http://www.financialfreedominspiration.com/set-clear-measurable-goals/

Now what?
Everyone says unit plans and lesson plans get easier and easier to write as you gain experience. I hope this is the case because I have many more to write. Unit Plans are very beneficial to my organizational needs and will help me teach with the end goals in mind.