findings scholarly pathways june 3

7/28/2019 Findings Scholarly Pathways June 3

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/findings-scholarly-pathways-june-3 1/11

Kathleen BloughFINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

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Findings

Part5:Self-ReflectionandScholarlyPathwayCheck-InsasStudent-Led Assessment

Incorporatingdialoguejournalsandcriticalfriendworkhelpedwithstudent-led

assessment.Studentsnotonlyreceivedfeedbackfromtheteacher,theyreceived

feedbackfromtheirpeers.Theseexchangeshelpedstudentsunderstand

expectations,actonfeedbackfromtheirCFs,andsetlearninggoalsforthemselves.Givingstudentstimetoreflectontheirownworkhelpedthemtothinkaboutwhat

theylearnedandassesstheirowneffortandsuccess.Reflections,Self-Evaluations,andScholarlyPathwayswereexamplesofstudent-ledassessmentthatIusedfrom

thebeginningoftheyear.Thesetoolsfosteredcriticalthinking.Studentslearned

howtoevaluateandassesstheirownlearningandIcouldseethroughthestudent’sreflectionswhetherornottheytrulyunderstoodaconcept,notonlybywhatthey

hadwritten,butalsobythegoalsornextstepstheysetforthemselves.Whenastudentcouldcriticallyanalyzetheirownworkandsetgoalsforthemselvesfornext

time,Iinferredthatstudentsweredevelopingthestrategiesforcontinuouslife-long

learning.Studentslearnednotjustthecontent,butalsoacquiredtransferrableskills;thecapabilitiesandattributesofaself-directedlearnersuchasself-

monitoring,self-managing,andself-modifyingasCostaandKallickstated(2000).

TheScholar’sPathway

StudentsatPhoenixfollowthetraitsofascholardevelopedbyDr.SandraKaplan

(2007).Inmyexperience,teachinganddevelopingthesetraitshelpedstudents

focusonbehaviorsassociatedwithdisciplinariansinanyfield.StudentswereintroducedtothesetraitsearlyonintheiryearsatPhoenixandeachgradelevel

addressedthemdifferently.Intheuppergrades,studentsspenttimelookingat

biographiesofwell-known,famouspeoplesuchasSteveJobs,AbrahamLincoln,andMotherTeresa.Studentsidentifiedevidence/examplestosupporthowtheirfamous

personexhibitedthetraitsofascholar.Studentsmadeconnectionsandsawreallifeexamplesofthesebehaviors.Thesetraitsgavestudentstheexpectationsand

criteriatheyneededinordertodevelopintolifelonglearners(AppendixB).




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Inthebeginningoftheyear,the6thand

8thgradestudentsstartedtheirpathwaysbyfirstcompletingaself-

evaluationforIntellectualTraits(AppendixN).Init,studentswereasked

tothinkaboutthedetailsinthedescriptionsofintellectualresponsibilities,andthencirclethe

numberthatbestmatchedhowthey

ratedthemselvesineachcategory.After

circlingtheirrating,studentswere

askedtowritethegoalsandactionplan

thatshowedhowtheywouldwork

towarddemonstratingthetraits

regularly.Belowisalistofthetraitsand

theirdescriptors:

IntellectualLeadership

• Leadbybeingarole

modelforothers

• Taketheinitiative

• Beprepared

• Helpotherswithlearning

IntellectualCourage

• Takerisks

• Respectfullychallengeothers

• Activelyparticipate

• Think“outsidethebox”

IntellectualHumility

• Practicescholarlybehaviorswithoutshowingoff

• Donotstealothers’opportunitiestolearnorthink

IntellectualAggressiveness

• Useevidencetosupportyourideas

• Defendyourthoughts

• Usemultipleresources

Ofthe22sixthgraderswhofilledouttheself-evaluation,underIntellectual

Leadershiponlyfouroutof22felttheydemonstratedleadershipalways.Tensaid

thatsometimestheyfelttheydemonstratedintellectualleadership.Ifoundthisnot

toosurprising,asthewholepointofmystudywastofocusontakinginitiative,

beingprepared,andhelpingothers.Thesetraitsseemedtoalignwithself-




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modifying,self-managing,andself-monitoringbehaviorsthatCostaandKallick

foundinself-directedlearners.

Afterstudentscompletedtheself-evaluation,IintroducedthemtotheScholar’sPathway.Iintroducedthepathwaythroughalesson.Ishowedscholarsaninterstate

highwaymapofCaliforniaasshownbelow.

Iaskedstudentstodefinearouteorpathway.ThenIexplainedtostudentsthateveryonecouldtakedifferentroutestogettotheirdestinations.Howonereaches

one’sdestinations,dependsonthedriver.IproceededtoshowthestudentsmyHTH

ScholarlyPathway.

ItoldstudentsthatIhada

destination,agoalformyself

asalearnerandIhadto

identifymyorigin,whereI

wasstartinginmy

educationaljourney.ThenI

proceededtoaskeach

studenttothinkabouthisor

hergoals/theirdestinationandjotthemdownintheir

DiscoveryJournals.ThenIaskedthemtolistthesegoals

onanothersheetofpaperandonestudentsaid,“Canwelistthemcreatively?”I

said,“Ofcourse,thisisyourdestinationandthestarttoyourjourney!”Itoldthestudentsthattheyweregoingtokeepanongoingcheckinwiththeirpathway

MY SCHOLARLY PATHWAY

Destination – AR question,

In progress

Origin

to become a better educator

and teacher leader

–




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throughouttheschoolyear.AsIlookedoverthestudentgoals,

theyseemedprettyvagueanddefinitelyinneedofin-depththinking.

ScholarlyPathwayCheck-Ins

Iwantedmystudentstoreflectontheirlearningjourneythroughtheyear,soIdecidedtohaveScholarlyPathwayCheck-

inseachmonth.Ihadthescholarsthinkabouthowtheirpaths

lookedatthatmomentinOctoberintermsoftheirlearningand

thegoalstheyhadsetforthemselvesatthebeginningofthe

schoolyear.Oneofmy6thgradestudentsgotsuperexcitedaboutreflectingonher

journeyanddrawingwhatherpathlookedlikeatthatmomentinOctober.Sheeven

suggestedtotheclassthateachcheck-inshouldbeabouttwoinchesinlength

becauseifwewantedaboutafootlongpathwaybytheendoftheschoolyear,we’d

havetobecarefulonhowlongthepathwaywasforeachmonth.Thissamestudent

suggestedwedoscholarlycheck-insonourweeklyScholarlyReflections(wherestudentsreflecteachweekonwhattheydid,learned,connection,bigideas,etc.).Hereisacoupleofscholarlypathwaycheck-insfor10/9/12:

Thisscholar

recognizedhewasn’t

turninginwork

consistentlywith

quality,whichwasdemonstrated,inhisstair-like

representation.Ashis

pathwayprogressed,hebegantoaddgoals

forhimself.




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“I’llbeDoingGood,thenBad.Good,Bad,GoodBad”

AsIlookedovereachscholarlypathwaycheckininOctoberand

November,studentshadageneral

ideaonhowtheywereprogressing

academicallytowardtheirendof

theyeargoals.However,whatthey

werewritingintheirreflection

wasveryvagueandgeneral,as

evidencedinthischeckinexamplefrom11/15/12byJulie:

“I’mreallystrugglinginmath,soeverythingfeelslikeitisspinning

andmakingmefeelsick.Inothersubjects,I’llbedoinggood,then

bad.Good,bad,good,bad.It’s

frustrating!..Andalittle

embarrassing.”

Thisscholarchoseto

createthreedifferent

pathwaysforthreedifferentsubjectareas.

Theswirlsrepresented

howhewaspondering

aboutintegersinMath,butthenstartedtoget

it.




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Eventhoughthiscommentseemedvagueintermsofactualevidencetosupport

howshewasdoing,itgavemesomepowerfulinformationabouthowtohelpJuliefeelsupportedandhowIhadtocreatelessonsandopportunitiesforlearningand

successforher.Theactualitywasthatsheknewshewasstrugglingandcouldidentifyhowshewasdoing,butshedidn’tclearlyidentifyspecificworkexamplesor

setproactivegoalsforherselforshedidn’tidentifywhatsheneededtodotoovercometheseshortcomingsforherself.Iwantedhertospecificallyidentifyanareainmathshewasstrugglingwithonherpathway,sothatshecouldfocusher

attentiononwhatsheneededtoworkonacademically.

Iwasonamissiontodomoreworkinthedialoguejournalsbetweenthe8thgrade

and6thgradeCFs.Ineededmodelsformy6thgradersintermsofhowtospecifically

addressstudent-ledassessment.Students

neededmorepracticeinusingfeedbackand

seeingconstructivefeedback.

Havingthescholarscheckinwasavaluabletoolforme,astheteacher,butalsoforthestudents.ThiswasvaluableformebecauseI

wasabletoobtainsomefeedbackfromstudentsabouthowtheywerefeelingabout

theirlearningatthatmoment.Icouldadjust

mylessonsordiscussionsbasedontheirfeedback.ForJulie,sinceIdidn’tteachmath,I

suggestedthatshemightwanttoattendtheafterschooltutoringsessionthatsomeofour6th-8thgradestudentschosefortheir

communityactionprojectatPLC.NextthingIknewwasJuliesigneduptogetsome

extrasupportformath.ThiswasexcitingnewsandIwaspleasedthatsheteamedupwithan8thgradestudentwhowasstronginmath.

Givingstudentstimetoreflecton

themselveshelpedthemseewherethey

wereasalearnerandwheretheyneededto

goorwheretheywouldliketogo.Itstarted

tobecomeclearerformethataself-directed

learnerwassomeonewho: Usedthefeedbackofothers(multiple

perspectives)

Soughtchallengesormetchallengesheadon(persevere)

Valuedcontinuouslearning(curious)




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UsingScholarlyPathwayCheck-Inwasa

valuabletoolthatgavestudentstimetoreflectontheirlearning,andthesymbolic

representationofthepathhelpedthemvisualizetheirjourney.Studentswere

beginningtoarticulatehowtheywerefeeling,howtheyweredoingacademically,andwhattheyneededtodotosteertheirpathtoward

thedestination/goalstheysetforthinthe

beginningoftheyear.Onestudentstatedon

hispathway,“IhitalittledipwhereIcouldnotfocus.Andgotabadscoreonamath

test.”Herecognizedsomethingheneededtoworkonandunderstoodtheresultof

hisactions.Intheotherpathwaythestudentstated,“Iamreallyhappywithmy

progressrightnow.Withmy

AncientEgyptI.S,Igota140/140!

Iputsomucheffortintothat

project.Ican’twaittostudymoreaboutJudaism.”Althoughthestudentfocusedonthegrade,she

waseagertomoveontoanothertopicofinteresttoherandshe

washappythathereffortmatched

hergrade.Bothoftheseexamplessupportedthatthestudents

valuedcontinuouslearningandwerethinkingabouthowthey

wouldmeetchallengesheadon!

Self-ReflectionsandSelf-Evaluations

Anotherimportantelementofstudent-ledassessmentwasaddingself-reflections

andself-evaluationsafterprojectsstudentscreated.Thiskeypiecethatshowedthe

studentsthattheirvoicereallymatteredinhowtheylearned.Aftereveryproject

studentswereaskedtoevaluatetheirworkbasedonthecriterialistedforthat

project.Thiskindofself-evaluationwasextremelyimportanttome,aswellasthestudent.Firstofall,thestudentshadtounderstandtheexpectationsofthe

assignmentandhadtoclearlyconveywhattheylearnedaboutthecontent,aswell

asthinkcriticallyaboutit.Studentshadtodeterminewhetherornottheyhadevidencetosupportthescoretheygavethemselves.Notonlycouldstudentsassess

theirknowledgeandeffort,theywouldsetgoalsforthemselves,identifyingareasforimprovement.Allofthesewereexamplesofself-directionorself-regulated

learningbehaviors.Theotherbenefitofhavingstudentsself-assessandreflectwas

theteacherhadevidenceofwhethertheyunderstoodtheconceptornotthrough

theirreflections.




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Afterstudentscompletedprojects,theywouldcompleteeitheraself-evaluationor

self-reflectionabouttheproduct.Ontheexitslipforself-reflection,Iaskedstudentsfourdirectquestionstohelpthemreflectontheirwork:Whereinyourworkreflects

yourdeepestunderstanding?Explain.Whatstrategiesdidyouusetocompleteyourworkwithquality?Didyouhitanyroadblocksandwhatdidyoudotoovercomethe

issue(s)?Howdoyoufeelaboutyourendproduct? BelowwereexamplesofstudentreflectionsonaTuckEverlastingdifferentiated

bookjacketproject:

Whereinyourworkreflectsyourdeepestunderstanding?Explain

Andrew:

“ProbablymyresponsebecauseIworkedalongtimeonitandtalksalot

aboutthebook.”

Heather:

“Myresponsetoliteratureshowsmybestunderstandingbymystrongpiecesofevidence,andmyconnectionsandmystrongmessage:Livingforevercanbeacurse.”

Julie:

“MyunansweredquestionsbecauseItookmoretimetothinkaboutit,plusI

addedpagenumbers.”

Paul:“IreflectontheinsideofmytuckbookjacketIspentalotoftime.”

Whatstrategiesdidyouusetocompleteyourworkwithquality?Didyouhitanyroadblocksandwhatdidyoudotoovercometheissue(s)?

Andrew:

“IhitaroadblockwhenIrealizedIhadleftmyresponseatschoolsoIhadto

finishthatthroughouttheweekitwasdue.”

Heather:

“Imademyjackethighqualitybyaddingacolorskeem,andlotsofwriting.”

Julie:

“Icompletedmyworkwithsomequality.AroadblockIhitwasthecover,andIsolveitjustbyaddingshading.”

Paul:

“Ihitmanyroadblockssuchasmydog,tv,yawning,andvideogames.Iover

camethatbythinkinghowgoodIllfeelwhenthehomeworkisdone.”

Howdoyoufeelaboutyourendproduct?




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Andrew:“IthinkIdidokonmyfinalproduct,butIgotitinlate.”

Heather:

“Ifeelokaboutthisproject.IwishIcouldtypeallofmypiecesinstead.Icouldhavesupportedmybigideawithevidencefromthetext.”

Julie:

“Ifeelokayabouttheendproduct.Notmybest,andIcouldaddmore.Ijust

neededtotakemytimeonitandnotrush.”

Paul:

“Ifeelgreat.IfeellikemyworkisimprovingalotandIknowI’llgetagood

grade.”

Theselittlereflectionsgavethestudentstheopportunitytosharewhatwasreallyimportanttothemintheirwork,aswellthinkabouttheirworkandwhattheycoulddonexttime.Mostofthe6thgradescholarswerebeginningtoidentifyspecific

examplesofwhattheylikedabouttheirwork,aswellashowtheyhandledissuesintheirproject.Iwonderedifthespecificfeedbackgivenbytheircross-agecritical

friendsaidedtheminthedevelopmentofself-directedlearningcapabilities.Iused

theseexit-typeslipsformostprojectsandIalwayslearnedsomethingimportantaboutthestudentsthathelpeddrivemyinstruction.

Afteralmostall

largerprojects,Ihad

studentscompleteaself-evaluation

(Appendix0)for

projectsasshownto

theright:

Name:

Date:

Eva luat i on fo r Anc ient Egypt Pro ject

Teacher Comments Self Evaluation/CommentsProduct Includes:

• a deep understanding of your chosen topic.

• all elements stated onproduct description sheet

(50 points)Your presentat ion of informat ion

shows your deeper understandingof the top ic studied.

Big Idea is proven and explained

(20 points)

Illustrations/graphics/visualrepresentations(10 points)Bibliography3 resources used(10 points) Research Notes(50 points)

Overall Presentation

Did you shoot for the

stars and do professionalwork? Total points: (140 points)




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Theself-evaluationsprovidedanopportunityforstudentstoreflectontheirwork

basedoncriteria.Studentslookedovertheirworkandanalyzeditforcontentandprocess.Studentslearnedhowtogivespecificexamplestosupportwhattheydid

andwhattheylearned.Theyalsowereencouragedtoincludeareasforimprovement.Bydoingtheseself-evaluations,studentsgottobeapartofthe

processofgradingandevaluating.One8thgraderstatedonanexitslip,“Ithinkevaluating/reflectingonyourworkisimportantbecausebyreviewingyourworkyouareabletoconcludehowwellyoudidontheassignment.”Thisstatement

showedmethatthestudentwasdevelopingskillsofaself-directedlearner.A6th

graderstated,“Ithinkthatreflectingonworkhasavaluebecausethenyouseewhat

youdidandhowyoudid.Youcanalsoseewhatyouneedtoimproveon.”These

statementswerevaluabletomebecauseitmeantthattheywererecognizingthe

importanceofstudent-ledassessment.Thismeantstudentsweredevelopingasself-

directedlearnerswhocouldmodify,manage,andmonitorwhattheyweredoing.

EndoftheGradingPeriodReflections

Attheendofthegradingperiod,IaskedthestudentstotakesometimetoreflectontheiryearsofarinHistoryandLanguageArts,thetwosubjectareasIteach.Ihad

themreadthroughthestandardswehadaddressedsofarandthinkabouttheresearchtheyhaddone,thereading,theprojects,thewriting,andthelessons.Here

wasthecoversheetforscholars:

EndoftheReportingPeriodReflection

Directions:TakethistimetoreflectonyouryearsofarinHistoryand

LanguageArts.Readthroughthestandardsaddressedsofarandthinkabout

theresearchyou’vedone,thereading,theprojects,thewritingandthelessons.Attachanothersheetofpapertothisdocumenttowriteyour

reflection.ORmaybeyouwanttodemonstrateyourunderstandinginamorecreativeway,justletmeknowwhatyourpresentationofknowledgewillbe

beforeyoustart.Makesureyourparentsreadyourreflectionandsignit

beforeturningitin.

SummarizeandreflectonwhatyouhavelearnedsofarthisyearinHistoryandLanguageArts.Includeexamplesthatdemonstrateyour

understandingandlearning.Includewhatideasor“things”struckyou.

Includeanyproblemsorroadblocksyouencountered.Includeoverall,

howyoufeelaboutwhatyou’velearnedandhowyouparticipatedinyourlearning.

Lastly,Drawyourscholarlypathwaysofarthisyear.




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AsurprisingresultofthisreflectioncamefromAndrew,myreflectionroad-blocker.

Hewroteatwo-pagereflectionabouthimself!Thiswasshockingtomebecauseatthebeginningoftheyear,Andrewleftquestionsblankabouthislearningandhow

hefeltabouthimselfasalearnerontheinitialsurvey.Herewashisessay:

“So far this year I have done lots of projects. I have chosen 4projects from Language Arts and history to reflect on.My firstexampleismyhistoryaccordionbook.Ihad4-5factsabouteach

hominidgroup,and agoodagoodunderstanding ofearlyman.

One cool fact I learned was that homo habilis used fire, while

homoerectuslearnedtomakeit.Thenotestookalongtime,andI

feel I deserve a proficient. My second piece of evidence is my

responsetoliterature.Wehadtodescribehowaquoterelatesto

thestoryandabigidea.Inoticedthe1quoteinfluencestheentire

story,andisakeyquote.Iwasa littlebehindonmyroughdraft

and when we were working on the final, I was not in the

classroom.IfeelthatIcouldhavedoneabetterjobandIrushedalot.Myfinalpieceofevidenceismysciencecurrentevent.WhendoingtheseIlearnalotofscientificfactsandnewideas.Iusually

focusonastronomy,becausethereisalotofresearchinthatfield.Itcanbedifficultwhenthearticledoesn’thavealotoffacts,and

thereareoftenlongtitlesandwebsiteaddresses.Itcanbeeasyat

timesandhardatothertimes,andarticlescanbeinterestingandboring.Overall,IfeelIcoulddobetteratmanagingtimewelland

finishingworkbutIamstilldoingqualitywork.”~Andrew

Firstofall,Andrewhadlearnedhowtoreflectonhislearningbyevaluatinghimself

andsettinggoalsforhimself.“Thenotestookalongtime,andIfeelIdeserveaproficient,”andyethestatedinanotherproject,“IcouldhavedoneabetterjobandI

rushedalot.”TheseexamplesshowedhowAndrewcriticallyanalyzedhisown

learning.Heevenshowedhowhesoughtachallengebystating,“Icoulddobetterat

managingtimewellandfinishingwork.”Allofthesestatementsshowedhisability

toselfassessandhowhehadanunderstandingofthosecapabilitiesthatleadhimto

self-direction,life-longlearning.

I’mnotsureifthedialoguejournalsorthecontinualuseofreflectioninclasshadcontributedtothisdevelopmentwithAndrew.Isensethatitwasacombinationof

allelementsasIstatedinthebeginningofmyactionresearch-clearexpectations,

timeforreflection,timeforpeerfeedbackallmakeupandcreatewhatIcallstudent-ledassessment.Allofthesetogetherledtoself-directedlearning.

findings scholarly pathways june 3

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