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: Multimedia Design Project
Reflection:
The purpose of the multimedia design project was to create a WebQuest for students that was engaging, easy to navigate, and standards-focused; the WebQuest was used to promote independent learning for students and to encourage them to be life-long learners. The assignment was created as an individual effort, which addresses science and social studies content standards in grades third, fourth, and fifth and teaches them how to demonstrate their knowledge through using both multimedia and non-multimedia applications. I designed the website through Weebly by choosing the color scheme, pictures, and layouts as well as found and created video tutorials, typed all of the information on the different pages, and added information to help teachers use the site in their classroom.
Because the site I created during this project guides students to use multimedia and non-multimedia applications independently to demonstrate their knowledge in a standard, higher-order thinking skills are used throughout the process. Through the site, students were directed to create their projects individually; however, they also worked in collaborative pairs for the purpose of analyzing and evaluating each other’s work. From the very beginning of the project, students were expected to demonstrate their decision-making skills by first choosing their topic and devising a plan. The next step was to take the pre-assessment so students and I could evaluate their current knowledge together in the technology tools for both multimedia and non-multimedia applications. Students were then directed to follow a timeline and go by a checklist to complete for guidance throughout their projects; these tools were used to help students adopt mental habits of mind that encouraged creative and critical thinking, metacognition, self-regulation, and reflection in a meaningful way throughout the project.
In alignment with the timeline and checklist, students were expected to choose a tool to use to demonstrate their knowledge in the content standard they chose. It was my job to check with students continually throughout the duration of the project and offer support to students when needed. Students then created their projects. I encouraged them throughout the process to use the tutorials given to them on the site. In addition, students were encouraged to re-watch the videos or find ones specific to their needs when troubleshooting had to occur; this allowed students the opportunity to gain new and/or polish their current problem-solving skills.
When students were complete with the project, their partners gave feedback for editing and revising to take place. This encouraged a time to reflect and evaluate each other’s work as well as their own work. Once the projects were finalized, students took a posttest; again, we evaluated and analyzed the findings and compared them to the pre-assessment results as well.
Overall, this project initiated students to become independent in their learning and for my role to shift to facilitator. I learned that students can be self-sufficient in the classroom when given the right tools to do so. This activity can be used throughout the school year for any project. If I were to change anything about this project, I would add more information about how to create other types of projects and not just zone in on the multimedia and non-multimedia applications. The Weebly website can be viewed at http://designyourproject.weebly.com.
Once I implemented the project in my classroom, I shared it with other teachers throughout the school and showed them ways they could use it in their classrooms. Teachers learned how to use technology as a tool to show learning and to differentiate through student choice as well. They modified the directions as needed and told me different ways they used the site in their classrooms. Student learning was assessed through the projects create and the difference in their pre and post assessments.
The purpose of the multimedia design project was to create a WebQuest for students that was engaging, easy to navigate, and standards-focused; the WebQuest was used to promote independent learning for students and to encourage them to be life-long learners. The assignment was created as an individual effort, which addresses science and social studies content standards in grades third, fourth, and fifth and teaches them how to demonstrate their knowledge through using both multimedia and non-multimedia applications. I designed the website through Weebly by choosing the color scheme, pictures, and layouts as well as found and created video tutorials, typed all of the information on the different pages, and added information to help teachers use the site in their classroom.
Because the site I created during this project guides students to use multimedia and non-multimedia applications independently to demonstrate their knowledge in a standard, higher-order thinking skills are used throughout the process. Through the site, students were directed to create their projects individually; however, they also worked in collaborative pairs for the purpose of analyzing and evaluating each other’s work. From the very beginning of the project, students were expected to demonstrate their decision-making skills by first choosing their topic and devising a plan. The next step was to take the pre-assessment so students and I could evaluate their current knowledge together in the technology tools for both multimedia and non-multimedia applications. Students were then directed to follow a timeline and go by a checklist to complete for guidance throughout their projects; these tools were used to help students adopt mental habits of mind that encouraged creative and critical thinking, metacognition, self-regulation, and reflection in a meaningful way throughout the project.
In alignment with the timeline and checklist, students were expected to choose a tool to use to demonstrate their knowledge in the content standard they chose. It was my job to check with students continually throughout the duration of the project and offer support to students when needed. Students then created their projects. I encouraged them throughout the process to use the tutorials given to them on the site. In addition, students were encouraged to re-watch the videos or find ones specific to their needs when troubleshooting had to occur; this allowed students the opportunity to gain new and/or polish their current problem-solving skills.
When students were complete with the project, their partners gave feedback for editing and revising to take place. This encouraged a time to reflect and evaluate each other’s work as well as their own work. Once the projects were finalized, students took a posttest; again, we evaluated and analyzed the findings and compared them to the pre-assessment results as well.
Overall, this project initiated students to become independent in their learning and for my role to shift to facilitator. I learned that students can be self-sufficient in the classroom when given the right tools to do so. This activity can be used throughout the school year for any project. If I were to change anything about this project, I would add more information about how to create other types of projects and not just zone in on the multimedia and non-multimedia applications. The Weebly website can be viewed at http://designyourproject.weebly.com.
Once I implemented the project in my classroom, I shared it with other teachers throughout the school and showed them ways they could use it in their classrooms. Teachers learned how to use technology as a tool to show learning and to differentiate through student choice as well. They modified the directions as needed and told me different ways they used the site in their classrooms. Student learning was assessed through the projects create and the difference in their pre and post assessments.