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Showing posts from September, 2020

101. The Transformative Power of AI

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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...
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#36. Back to Basics

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We are currently on track to return to modified in-person instruction in October.  My district is using a hybrid model in which the students will be alternating between in-person and online instruction.  In this blog post, I will share an easy way to start the planning process when your students are attending both in-person and online. Backwards Design I use the process of backwards design to guide my redesign.  I identify what the students need to know by the end of the unit  and determine how I can measure if they learned it or not.   Once I have determined what I need to teach, I can identify the most appropriate and engaging ways to share the content.  I use a tool called a "Mix Map" to help me visualize this process. It provides a snapshot of how the class or unit is currently balanced and it allows me to identify redesign opportunities. There are three steps to this process: 1. Classification: Classify the elements of each lesson element according t...
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#35. Feedback as Fuel for Connections

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This is the 3rd post in a series exploring how to build connections in the remote classroom.  I'll be honest, I've never given enough thought to how I utilize feedback in my classroom.  It just seemed to happen organically during class discussions, group work, or one-on-one meetings when a student was struggling.  I did not have a system in place to consistently provide specific feedback to every student in my class.  Teaching remotely has forced me to reevaluate my current practices because feedback is one of the few ways that I can make sure that I make consistent contact with every student. Feedback is routinely recognized as one of the most effective instructional strategies. John Hattie & Robert Marzano both agree that feedback that includes comments on the quality of the work and ways to improve on it are essential to learning. Recent research indicates that the type of feedback offered can lead to increases in: 1. Connections between teacher and st...
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