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
Reflection
The artifacts I used to show higher order thinking skills were both my Online Teacher Portfolio and my Webquest. The Online Teacher Portfolio shows a fully functional online course with discussion blogs requiring students to think outside the box, as well as student driven learning assignments to show learning. The Webquest has the students research on their own the various political issues and find their beliefs. Then they research each party and candidates to find who represents their personal values as well. It then works into a mock election, in which the students collaboratively work together to build a comprehensive campaign over the issues. Finally they learn what the Electoral College is and through their research decide whether they should keep it and what other solutions they could do to solve the problem.
I was able to model and facilitate the digital tools and resources through the use of chromebooks in the school and having the students use both my webquest and Government online course. Students were given the opportunity to use the chromebooks in the class and before and after school as well as encouraged to use resources at home or in the community to complete the assignments. Using both of these assignments encourages the facilitation of various tools like blogs, moviemaker, timeglider, google slides and google forms allowing me to model them to my students and fellow teachers. The Online Teaching Portfolio and Webquest promote higher order thinking skills, processes and mental habits of mind as many of the assignments are designed to have the students not only obtain knowledge but use the information to form an idea of a project. Such as the webquest has students use the information they learn about the issues to process their own beliefs and derive what candidates they would vote for. Then has them create their own platform and campaign designed to get students to vote for them and shows a true understanding of the issues. The online teaching portfolio there are multiple assignments and blogs that have students provide proof of understanding but specifically discuss how they could use the material and make changes.
Through both of these assignments I was able to learn first how to create an on-line website that can create higher order thinking amongst my students. Specifically I was able to learn how to create an online course using the Canvas LMS provided by Hall County Schools. For the webquest I learned how to create a site that promotes student directed learning and helps guide them through the learning process. Some changes I would be to make my online course more user friendly as well as make it look better. Many of the students found the course difficult to browse and boring, I think using canvas tools would help create a better online atmosphere for the students.
The work I created using the Online Teaching Portfolio as well as the Webquest had a direct impact on student learning as it provided a rigorous learning environment that encouraged the students to use the information they learned to create a product. By doing this students’ scores on my test have improved and their scores on the topics covered on the SLO’s also improved. These score improvements as well as use of rigorous teaching and engaging teaching are directly applicable to the School Improvement Plan and aspects the administration would like us to address. Using the knowledge I have taught my fellow teachers how to create a flipped classroom as well as Webquest in their own classrooms through teacher professional learning and have had great feedback from those teachers.
The artifacts I used to show higher order thinking skills were both my Online Teacher Portfolio and my Webquest. The Online Teacher Portfolio shows a fully functional online course with discussion blogs requiring students to think outside the box, as well as student driven learning assignments to show learning. The Webquest has the students research on their own the various political issues and find their beliefs. Then they research each party and candidates to find who represents their personal values as well. It then works into a mock election, in which the students collaboratively work together to build a comprehensive campaign over the issues. Finally they learn what the Electoral College is and through their research decide whether they should keep it and what other solutions they could do to solve the problem.
I was able to model and facilitate the digital tools and resources through the use of chromebooks in the school and having the students use both my webquest and Government online course. Students were given the opportunity to use the chromebooks in the class and before and after school as well as encouraged to use resources at home or in the community to complete the assignments. Using both of these assignments encourages the facilitation of various tools like blogs, moviemaker, timeglider, google slides and google forms allowing me to model them to my students and fellow teachers. The Online Teaching Portfolio and Webquest promote higher order thinking skills, processes and mental habits of mind as many of the assignments are designed to have the students not only obtain knowledge but use the information to form an idea of a project. Such as the webquest has students use the information they learn about the issues to process their own beliefs and derive what candidates they would vote for. Then has them create their own platform and campaign designed to get students to vote for them and shows a true understanding of the issues. The online teaching portfolio there are multiple assignments and blogs that have students provide proof of understanding but specifically discuss how they could use the material and make changes.
Through both of these assignments I was able to learn first how to create an on-line website that can create higher order thinking amongst my students. Specifically I was able to learn how to create an online course using the Canvas LMS provided by Hall County Schools. For the webquest I learned how to create a site that promotes student directed learning and helps guide them through the learning process. Some changes I would be to make my online course more user friendly as well as make it look better. Many of the students found the course difficult to browse and boring, I think using canvas tools would help create a better online atmosphere for the students.
The work I created using the Online Teaching Portfolio as well as the Webquest had a direct impact on student learning as it provided a rigorous learning environment that encouraged the students to use the information they learned to create a product. By doing this students’ scores on my test have improved and their scores on the topics covered on the SLO’s also improved. These score improvements as well as use of rigorous teaching and engaging teaching are directly applicable to the School Improvement Plan and aspects the administration would like us to address. Using the knowledge I have taught my fellow teachers how to create a flipped classroom as well as Webquest in their own classrooms through teacher professional learning and have had great feedback from those teachers.
Rich Online Teaching Portfolio Link