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: Internet Lesson Plan
Reflection:
During the spring of 2015, I designed and implemented a project focusing on the ecosystem of Mill Creek as a project for ITEC 7430: Internet Tools in the Classroom. The lesson plan is one I designed in hopes of connecting field research work I was conducting with my students to enhanced learning using higher order thinking skills, processes, and mental habits of the mind through the use of technology. Throughout the school year my students worked hard to collect data about the fish population in our nearby creek by conducting monthly experiments where fish were trapped and tagged for identification purposes. This lesson was created as a culminating project for the end of the year to connect the research data with the larger picture of the local ecosystem which is one of the main 7th grade life science standards. The students used research skills and Creative Commons to create their own digital food webs of the Mill Creek ecosystem and then worked with a partner to communicate and collaborate in the creation of a digital presentations that included the use of a voice recording tool such as Voki. My contribution for this artifact was the sole design and creation of the lesson as well as the implementation in my classroom and assisting my coworkers in implementing the lesson in their classrooms as well.
The seventh grade science department has been striving to create experiments and experiences that connect the content standards to real-world authentic learning. The research the students have been conducting has met those needs of authentic learning, but they needed something else to push them into higher-order thinking skills above application. This lesson plan models a way for students to think beyond just the facts to analyze the data, evaluate how the different organisms connected in the ecosystem, and then asked them to create a visual model of the ecosystem using digital tools. These higher-order thinking skills required them to take their previous knowledge and expand on it so that full connections were being made. The lesson was designed so that students would discover there are more organisms living in the ecosystem than we mentioned in class. They had to use processes and habits of the mind like problem-solving and critical thinking to go through and reveal what other organisms could realistically be living there and then use their knowledge of food webs and the energy pyramid to integrate them appropriately. Facilitating the students in using digital tools to achieve these higher-order thinking skills, processes, and habits of mind created a much richer lesson and the students were able to internalize and connect with the authentic learning taking place. The reflection piece at the conclusion of the lesson was also pivotal in enhancing the learning as the students were forced to use meta-cognition to identify what they felt they had done well on in this project and what they should improve upon for the next project.
In working to complete this artifact I focused on integrating technology that would push my students to enhance their learning. As I worked through the process of designing the lesson I spent a good amount of time deciding which digital tools would help my students to reach the higher-order thinking skills I was desiring and not just fill time as a fun tool for them to try. I learned that there are many digital tools available to someone who is willing to look, but it is key to use those that will truly enhance the lesson and not just add fluff to make it look nice. In the future, I would like to expand the digital tools I offered the students to create their visual representation of the ecosystem. While Paint worked well for many students, I would like to include Google Draw so that the students can collaborate and share their product more easily.
The impact that this artifact has had on school improvement and faculty development comes from my integration of strong digital tools to enhance the learning for students. This is something that has been strengthened in me and I am continuing to share it with my colleagues on an individual and small group basis. The work I am doing with my seventh grade science department specifically has felt an impact from the design and implementation of this lesson as we work to integrate stronger technology within our daily lessons and projects. This impact can be assessed more directly in the work we are asking our students to complete. By requiring the use of higher-order thinking skills, processes, and habits of mind through the use of appropriate digital tools, the impact on teacher design and student achievement will show.
During the spring of 2015, I designed and implemented a project focusing on the ecosystem of Mill Creek as a project for ITEC 7430: Internet Tools in the Classroom. The lesson plan is one I designed in hopes of connecting field research work I was conducting with my students to enhanced learning using higher order thinking skills, processes, and mental habits of the mind through the use of technology. Throughout the school year my students worked hard to collect data about the fish population in our nearby creek by conducting monthly experiments where fish were trapped and tagged for identification purposes. This lesson was created as a culminating project for the end of the year to connect the research data with the larger picture of the local ecosystem which is one of the main 7th grade life science standards. The students used research skills and Creative Commons to create their own digital food webs of the Mill Creek ecosystem and then worked with a partner to communicate and collaborate in the creation of a digital presentations that included the use of a voice recording tool such as Voki. My contribution for this artifact was the sole design and creation of the lesson as well as the implementation in my classroom and assisting my coworkers in implementing the lesson in their classrooms as well.
The seventh grade science department has been striving to create experiments and experiences that connect the content standards to real-world authentic learning. The research the students have been conducting has met those needs of authentic learning, but they needed something else to push them into higher-order thinking skills above application. This lesson plan models a way for students to think beyond just the facts to analyze the data, evaluate how the different organisms connected in the ecosystem, and then asked them to create a visual model of the ecosystem using digital tools. These higher-order thinking skills required them to take their previous knowledge and expand on it so that full connections were being made. The lesson was designed so that students would discover there are more organisms living in the ecosystem than we mentioned in class. They had to use processes and habits of the mind like problem-solving and critical thinking to go through and reveal what other organisms could realistically be living there and then use their knowledge of food webs and the energy pyramid to integrate them appropriately. Facilitating the students in using digital tools to achieve these higher-order thinking skills, processes, and habits of mind created a much richer lesson and the students were able to internalize and connect with the authentic learning taking place. The reflection piece at the conclusion of the lesson was also pivotal in enhancing the learning as the students were forced to use meta-cognition to identify what they felt they had done well on in this project and what they should improve upon for the next project.
In working to complete this artifact I focused on integrating technology that would push my students to enhance their learning. As I worked through the process of designing the lesson I spent a good amount of time deciding which digital tools would help my students to reach the higher-order thinking skills I was desiring and not just fill time as a fun tool for them to try. I learned that there are many digital tools available to someone who is willing to look, but it is key to use those that will truly enhance the lesson and not just add fluff to make it look nice. In the future, I would like to expand the digital tools I offered the students to create their visual representation of the ecosystem. While Paint worked well for many students, I would like to include Google Draw so that the students can collaborate and share their product more easily.
The impact that this artifact has had on school improvement and faculty development comes from my integration of strong digital tools to enhance the learning for students. This is something that has been strengthened in me and I am continuing to share it with my colleagues on an individual and small group basis. The work I am doing with my seventh grade science department specifically has felt an impact from the design and implementation of this lesson as we work to integrate stronger technology within our daily lessons and projects. This impact can be assessed more directly in the work we are asking our students to complete. By requiring the use of higher-order thinking skills, processes, and habits of mind through the use of appropriate digital tools, the impact on teacher design and student achievement will show.