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Reflection Point 3

Rachel Chadwick

George Mason University

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Reflection Point 3

When I first began this course, I felt comfortable in the area of assessment and lesson
design. I had even used the textbook Making Thinking Visible in a previous undergraduate class.
However, I gained more than just knowledge in implementing authentic learning experiences for
students. EDUC 614, Designing and Assessing Teaching and Learning, pushed me to consider
what teaching and learning means in the 21st century. All of the activities and assessments in this
course centered on how to integrate 21st century skills by analyzing our own instructional
practices and how they meet the needs of students. They also focused on assessment as the
starting place for all instruction. I was able to reflect on my own practices by considering “what
is assessment, and what is its place in my teaching?” Investigating technology in the classroom
also gave great opportunities for meaningful differentiation to take place. Overall, this course
strengthened my ability to enhance learning as I critically reflected on my own instruction and
how to adapt it according to student need.

All of the assessments for this course supported different Advanced Studies in Teaching
and Learning (ASTL) Learning Outcomes: that teachers “attend to the needs of culturally,
linguistically, and cognitively diverse learners”, and that they “use technology effectively to
facilitate student learning and their own professional development.” The technology “Try-It”
activity, as well as weekly module assignments allowed me to explore how to use technology to
support students’ learning in new ways. I evaluated the ways in which I currently incorporate
technology in my classroom, and considered how currently held beliefs play a role in my use of
it. Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, in their article about technology integration for 21st century
learners, suggested how to “facilitate meaningful learning, defined at that which enables students
to construct deep and connected knowledge, which can be applied to real situations” (2010). This
encapsulates the idea of adopting modified approaches to instruction in order to reflect diverse
learners. After reflecting on my technology “Try-It”, I discovered the meaningful experiences
my students were missing with technology. Designing purposeful technology interactions with a
real-world application is something I will continue to explore in my own professional
development.

The Video Analyses done, as well as Assessment Design and Analysis Task, also
addressed the ASTL Learning Outcome of teachers being “responsible for managing and
monitoring student learning.” Watching myself teach two different lessons was a valuable
opportunity, both to better reflect on my own practices, and to notice indicators (or deterrents) of
student learning. Most of what goes on during a whole-group lesson can easily be observed, but
the behind the scenes activity that occurs in small-group settings or in farther proximity from the
teacher is something that is not always monitored. Being able to observe my students from a
different angle brought to light specific limitations to student learning, and allowed me to
consider potential changes/improvements to strengthen this learning. For example, I realized that
often times my objectives are not clearly understood by students, and that more reflection is
needed to prevent concepts from becoming isolated skills rather than enduring understandings. In
looking from my formative to summative video analysis, certain areas were improved upon,
while others revealed a need for further improvement. This reminded me that engaging in critical
reflection is an ongoing process for teachers. The feedback from my critical friend regarding
these videos also gave new perspective and insight to my practice, and helped me to reflect at a
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more objective level. In addition, implementing an authentic assessment allowed me to use my

findings to improve student learning in math specifically. I analyzed the way my students
struggled with accountable talk using academic vocabulary, and determined why these deficits
were occurring. The reflective analysis that went along with this assessment was a direct
outcome of managing and monitoring student learning.

In conclusion, my experience in Designing and Assessing Teaching and Learning built

upon the foundation of creating meaningful learning opportunities for all students. Taking into
consideration how my current teaching practices were contributing to students’ learning, I was
challenged to unpack their thinking and ideas in new ways. Through the module activities,
weekly readings, and assessments, I analyzed my students’ work and explored how to take their
thinking further. Additional exploration into differentiation methods showed me how to ensure I
am leading my students in a direction that aligns with desired learning outcomes. One of the
main takeaways came from Making Thinking Visible and had to do with helping students become
confident in using thinking routines to guide their learning. Through these readings, I began to
consider ways to use my classroom space to make thinking visible. Just as a teacher continually
reflects, I plan to integrate practices that value students’ thinking and push them towards greater
metacognition. This includes giving them the opportunity to meaningfully reflect in a way that
consolidates their learning and leads them to a “regular rhythm” of reflection (Ritchhart, Church
& Morrison, 2011). Furthermore, embedding 21st century skills into lessons will assist students
in transferring their knowledge to other settings and contexts in the world. I am looking forward
to implementing more authentic assessments on my own, and using the tools I received in this
course to push me forward in analyzing my teaching and lead to deeper reflection.
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Resources

Ertmer, P. & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. (2010). Teacher technology change: How

knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and culture intersect. Journal of Research on Technology in

Education, 42(3), 255-284.

Ritchhart, R., Church, M., & Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible: How to

Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. San Francisco, CA:

Jossey-Bass.