101. The Transformative Power of AI

-
Image
Folks, let’s face it. Our classrooms are going to look a little different this year. AI, specifically ChatGPT, is going to change the way we design learning experiences and assess student mastery. I’ll be honest, when I first explored the ChatGPT platform I was terrified. As I have dug deeper into the technology and its capabilities, I realized that while it does pose significant challenges — it also presents us with some pretty amazing opportunities. In this series, we will explore what AI is capable of, its implications in the classroom, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. Let’s start by examining where we have been, where we are currently, and looking forward to where we are going. Whether this is a trip you wanted to go on or not, the AI train has left the station and it is time for all of us to jump on board. From Card Catalogs to Artificial Intelligence I belong to the micro-generation called Xennial. Xennials are considered to be a “bridge” between Generation X a...
Post a Comment

#32. A Road Map to Online Lesson Design

-

There has been a lot of change in my neck of the woods!  After preparing for a hybrid model, our school ended up starting fully online.  As part of this change, we also moved from a 45-minute daily class period to a 75-minute alternating day block schedule.  I had already started moving my content online using a flipped classroom model in preparation for the hybrid schedule. I simply assumed it would be easy to translate these lessons into a fully online, block format. I was so wrong.

 When I started redesigning my lessons I realized that it was not as simple as combining two 45-minute lessons. The flow and pacing of my block lesson was very different.  I needed some help.  Enter Jennifer Gonzalez of The Cult of Pedagogy and Catlin Tucker of Balance with Blended Learning.  Both are my "go-to" educators when I am confronted with a new challenge.  

 I began my research with The Cult of Pedagogy's podcast "Making the Most of a 90-Minute Block".  Gonzalez shared five different structures for block scheduling; the Classic, the Workshop, the Lab, the Performance and the Variety Pack. The Classic structure most closely mirrored my natural class structure.  It incorporates the following elements into the lesson design: anticipatory set, direct instruction, application, assessment and reflection.  For the first time since the announcement that we would be teaching in a block schedule I felt like I had a roadmap to guide the development of my lessons in this new format.  Then, in the podcast, she references the work of one of my other favorite educators, Catlin Tucker.  
In the Spring of 2020, Tucker shared how to adapt the 5E structure of lesson design for online or remote delivery in her post, "Tips for Designing an Online Learning Experience Using the 5 Es Instructional Model."  Both models share a number of similarities and their differences allow for variety and flexibility in lesson design.  Here's a brief comparison of both models.  You can read more about each model in the links posted above. Here is a link to a great description of each of the 5 E's.

I ended up using a version of the 5E's model to design my lessons for AP Psychology.  Here is a sample of what one of my lessons now looks like.  

Science of Learning: Retrieval Practice & Spaced Rehearsal
Learning Targets:
  • Identify and implement techniques that make learning easier and faster
  • Explore the psychology of how memory work
  • Explain the importance of rehearsal, distributed practice and the forgetting curve.
A. Engage
Study Habit Quiz

B. Explore

C. Explain
Direct Instruction using Pear Deck
-How Memory Works
-Memory Hacks: Retrieval Practice & Spaced Rehearsal

D. Elaborate
Students create a FlipGrid Post answering the following questions:
  • How do you currently study?
  • Does it work? How do you know?
  • What are some research-based changes can you make to make your studying more effective?
E. Evaluate
Formative quiz on Canvas

I like this model because it combines all of the previous components of my previous lessons, but simplifies the flow and limits the number of transitions for the students. Simple is definitely better during online learning! 
Thanks for taking the time to read this post! Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Cori

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#23. Tackling Testing and Individual Differences Using Station-Rotation

-
Image
This past November, I had the honor of presenting about blended learning at the National Council for the Social Studies Conference in Austin, Texas.  I was happy to see that there was a great deal of interest in this model of teaching! In my presentation, I differentiated between different models of blended learning and shared how I use the Station-Rotation model in my own classroom. I have found the Station-Rotation model to be my "go-to" model for blended lesson design.  The essence of the Station-Rotation model is that students rotate between different stations within the classroom walls.  However, as you will see in my example, they can also use flex time to complete some of their learning tasks.  The key to a well-designed, station-rotation lesson is balance.  One of the most helpful resources that I have found in my blended learning journey are a book and blog by Catlin Tucker.  According to Tucker, a strong lesson balances teacher-led stations...
Read more

#30. Modern Classrooms - A Practical Guide

-
Image
I am excited to share a new professional development opportunity with you! I have spent the summer scouring the internet for an easy to implement framework that works in F2F and remote learning environments. I think I have found it in a free online training offered by the educators at The Modern Classrooms Project! According to their mission statement, The Modern Classrooms Project "equips and empowers educators to create blended, self-paced, mastery-based classrooms in which all students truly learn". ( https://modernclassrooms.org/who-we-are ) The project originated at a Title I school in Washington DC. The teachers who founded the program, Kareem Farah @Kareemfarah23 and Robert Barnett @barnett_tweets, were faced with numerous challenges, including chronic absenteeism and differing skill levels in the same classroom. They developed The Modern Classroom Project to meet the needs of every student. Here is a sneak peek at their approach: https://modernclassroo...
Read more

#78 Student Well-Being: Universal Design for Learning

-
Image
This is PART 8 in a series on student well-being. Throughout this series, I will explore what recent research has revealed about ways to create an environment in which all students can thrive. I began my blended learning journey during the 2018-2019 school year. Since then my journey has carried me down many different paths and to many different places. During my journey, I have learned about more than just blended learning. I have learned about student motivation and self-paced instruction. I have learned about culturally responsive teaching and SEL. Most recently, I have learned about how the principles of universal design can help me build an accessible learning environment for all students. I am excited to share what I learned about accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity through the lens of universal design and blended learning. This 2 part miniseries is designed to answer the following questions: 1. What is Universal Design (UD)? 2. How can the principles of UD be applied to t...
Read more