EDUC 616 –CURRICULUM DESIGN AND INSTRUCTION

1. EDUC 616 –CURRICULUM DESIGN AND INSTRUCTION Week 2 Benedictine University

2. Web Source: Unless otherwise indicated, the material in the following slides is attributed to this site: Foundation for Critical Thinking www.criticalthinking.org THE QUALITY OF OUR THINKING IS GIVEN IN THE QUALITY OF OUR QUESTIONS Benedictine University

3. The Art of Questioning • It is not possible to be both a good thinkerand a poor questioner • Questions define tasks, express problems, and delineate issues • A mind with no questions is a mind that is not intellectually alive • Not asking questions equals a lack of understanding Benedictine University

4. The Art of Questioning • Most researchers and educators agree with the assentation that: • “…to question well is to teach well” (DeGarmo, C. Interest and Education. New York: Macmillan, 1911.) • For over 120 years, much advice has been offered concerning questioning techniques for teachers • If teachers or students were polled to identify the factors they considered essential to good teaching, the common thread would be communication • Since communication is an essential part of teaching, and questioning is an integral part of classroom verbal interaction… • To a great degree teacher effectiveness is directly affected by questioning skills (Wilen, W. W. (1982). Questioning skills, for teachers. What research says to the teacher. CT: National Education Association Professional Library.) Benedictine University

5. Questioning Techniques Techniques for effective questioning: 1. Plan key questions to provide lesson structure and direction. Write them into lesson plans, at least one for each objective – especially higher-level questions. Ask some spontaneous questions based on student responses. 2. Phrase questions clearly and specifically. Avoid vague or ambiguous questions such as “What did we learn yesterday?” or “What about the heroine of the story?” Ask single, specific questions; avoid run-on questions that lead to student frustration and confusion. Clarity increases probability of accurate responses. 3. Adapt questions to student ability level. This enhances understanding and reduces anxiety. For heterogeneous classes, phrase questions in natural, simple language, adjusting vocabulary and sentence structure to students’ language and conceptual abilities. (Wilen, W. W. (1982). Questioning skills, for teachers. What research says to the teacher. CT: National Education Association Professional Library.) Benedictine University

6. Questioning Techniques 4. Ask questions logically and sequentially. Avoid random questions lacking clear focus and intent. Consider students’ intellectual ability, prior understanding of content, topic, and lesson objective(s). Asking questions in a planned sequence enhances student thinking and learning. Techniques for effective questioning: [Cont.] 5. Ask questions at a variety of levels. Use knowledge-level questions to determine basic understanding and to serve as a basis for higher-level thinking. Higher-level questions provide students with opportunities to practice higher forms of thought. 6. Follow up student responses. Develop a response repertoire that encourages students to clarify initial responses, lift thought to higher levels, and support a point of view or opinion. For example, “Can you restate that?” “Could you clarify that further?” “What are some alternatives?” “How can you defend your position?” Encourage students to clarify, expand, or support initial responses to higher-level questions. (Wilen, W. W. (1982). Questioning skills, for teachers. What research says to the teacher. CT: National Education Association Professional Library.) Benedictine University

7. Questioning Techniques Techniques for effective questioning: [Cont.] 7. Give students time to think when responding. Insisting upon instantaneous responses significantly decreases probability of meaningful interaction with and among students. Increase wait time after asking a question to three to five seconds to increase number and length of student responses and to encourage higher-level thinking. Allow sufficient wait time before repeating or rephrasing questions to ensure student understanding. 8. Use questions that encourage wide student participation. Distribute questions to involve a majority of students in learning activities. For example, call on non-volunteers, using discretion for difficulty level of questions. Be alert for students’ verbal and nonverbal clues such as a perplexed look or partially raised hand. Encourage student-to-student interaction. Use circular or semicircular seating to create an environment conducive to increased student involvement. (Wilen, W. W. (1982). Questioning skills, for teachers. What research says to the teacher. CT: National Education Association Professional Library.) Benedictine University

8. The Art of Questioning Techniques for effective questioning: [Cont.] 9. Encourage student questions. This encourages active participation. Student questions at higher cognitive levels stimulate higher level of thought, essential for inquiry approach. Give students opportunities to formulate questions and carry out follow-up investigations of interest. Facilitate group and independent inquiry with a supportive social-emotional climate using praise and encouragement, accepting and applying student ideas, responding to student feelings, and activity promoting student involvement in all phases of learning. A copy of Questioning Skills, for Teachers. What Research Says to the Teacher. PDF text can be found in Session 3 Student Resource Folder. (Wilen, W. W. (1982). Questioning skills, for teachers. What research says to the teacher. CT: National Education Association Professional Library.) Benedictine University

9. Answers vs. Questions • Answers signal a full stop in thought • Only when an answer generates further questions does thought continue as inquiry • Thinking within disciplines is driven not by answers, but by essential questions Benedictine University

10. The Value of Questioning • The “act of questioning…” • In search of clarifying or requesting information on a subject is the cornerstone of new knowledge • Is a critical element of natural curiosity and innovation • Without the act of questioning, stagnationand nonew growth is our future! Benedictine University

11. The Value of Questioning • Scholars throughout history have used basic or essential questions to inquire into the “why(s)” of topics • The reflections or responses to essential questions have served as the foundation for new fields of study • Every intellectual field of study: • Is born out of a cluster of essential questions that drive the mind to pursue particular facts and understanding • Stays alive only to the extent that fresh questions are generated and taken seriously as the driving force in thinking • To think through or rethink anything, one must ask the questions necessary to challenge the logic, while focusing and expanding on the content, clarity and integrity of the subject being studied Benedictine University

12. The Birth of Science Through Questioning For Example: • Biology was born when someone asked: • What are the characteristics of living systems? • What structures exist within them? • What functions do these structures serve? • Biochemistry was born by asking: • What chemical processes make up living things? • How and why do chemical processes within living things interact and change? Benedictine University

13. Web Source: Unless otherwise indicated, the material in the following slides is attributed to this site: Foundation for Critical Thinking www.criticalthinking.org Critical Thinking Benedictine University

14. What is Critical Thinking? • Critical thinking…: • Is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it • Is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective • Entails effective communication and problem solving abilities Benedictine University

15. Characteristics of a Critical Thinker • Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely • Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively • Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards • Thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought • These elements of critical thinking make communication more effective in discovering solutions to complex problems Benedictine University

16. Characteristics of a Critical Thinker • Because we cannot be skilled at thinkingunlesswe are skilled at questioning… • We strive for a state of mind in which essential questions become second nature • They are the keys to productive thinking, deep learning, and effective living Benedictine University

17. Web Source: Unless otherwise indicated, the material in the following slides is attributed to this site: Foundation for Critical Thinking www.criticalthinking.org Essential Knowledge Benedictine University

18. The Debate about Essential Knowledge • Teachers must distinguish between what is essential to the discipline and what would be nice to know if there were time to do so (Erickson, Tomlinson, Wiggins & McTighe) • Curriculum mapping begins with ‘essential questions’ and lays the framework for distinguishing what students must understand in order to move horizontally or vertically in the mapping process Benedictine University

19. Refining the Map Through Essential Questions • By employing essential questions, curriculum designers upgrade the quality of their plans • Essential questions are valuable for refining and organizing the curriculum in the individual classroom and throughout the school - Jacobs, 25 Benedictine University

20. CRITERIA FOR WRITING ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS ???? Benedictine University

21. The Role of Essential Questions Based on the article by Karen Brown, Questions for the 221st Century Learner, essential questions: • Encourage multiple perspectives • Connect learning with personal experience • Address overarching themes • Foster lifelong learning Brown, K. Questions for the 221st Century Learner. Knowledge Quest. Benedictine University

22. What is an Essential Question? • An essential questionis the heart of a curriculum • It is the essence of what you believe the students should examine and know in the short time they have with you - Jacobs, 26 • In this section we will examine 8 criteria for writing essential questions Hayes Jacobs, H. (1997). Mapping the Big Picture. Alexandria: ASCD. Benedictine University

23. Criteria for Writing Essential Questions #1 • Each child should be able to understand the question being asked • For example: “What were the intellectual underpinnings of sectionalism?” is not a question an average middle school student can understand • If students’ cannot understand the question, they cannot answer it! Hayes Jacobs, H. (1997). Mapping the Big Picture. Alexandria: ASCD. Benedictine University

24. Criteria for Writing Essential Questions #2 • The language of the questions should be written in broad, organizational terms • Questions are umbrella-like organizers and should represent a ‘heading’ for the focus of a set of activities • For Example: “What were the major contributions of the Ancient Greeks?” is an example of a question written in broad, organizational terms Hayes Jacobs, H. (1997). Mapping the Big Picture. Alexandria: ASCD. Benedictine University

25. Criteria for Writing Essential Questions #3 • The question should reflect your conceptual priorities • The essential question forces the teacher to choose the conceptual outcome for the students • Ask yourself: • What is the conceptual priority for them to write about, speak about, think about and develop? Benedictine University

26. Criteria for Writing Essential Questions #4 • Each question should be distinct and substantial • Questions should be written in a way that fosters a number of experiences and activities to engage the learner in inquiry and investigation Hayes Jacobs, H. (1997). Mapping the Big Picture. Alexandria: ASCD. Benedictine University

27. Criteria for Writing Essential Questions #5 • Questions should not be repetitious • Repetitious questions are the most common error in curriculum design • Each essential question should be written so that it can stand on its own without blurring into another question • Repetitious questions should be collapsed into one question with subheadings Hayes Jacobs, H. (1997). Mapping the Big Picture. Alexandria: ASCD. Benedictine University

28. Criteria for Writing Essential Questions #6 • Questions should be realistic given the amount of time allocated for the unit or course • The author suggests an average of 2-5 questions for a unit of study that ranges from 3 weeks to about 12 weeks • Too many questions overwhelm the learner and blur the essential points Hayes Jacobs, H. (1997). Mapping the Big Picture. Alexandria: ASCD. Benedictine University

29. Criteria for Writing Essential Questions #7 • There should be a logical sequence to a set of essential questions • Students should be able to understand the rationale for the sequence • Teachers can move through the questions in a cyclical manner • Questions should have a sense of focus and direction rather than an arbitrary order Hayes Jacobs, H. (1997). Mapping the Big Picture. Alexandria: ASCD. Benedictine University

30. Criteria for Writing Essential Questions #8 The questions should be posted in the classroom • Why post questions? • Questions provide a constant visual organizer and focus for the learner and teacher • They serve as points of reference • They allow for connections within and among units of study Hayes Jacobs, H. (1997). Mapping the Big Picture. Alexandria: ASCD. Benedictine University

31. Essential Questions • Provide the focus and framework for sound learning goals and objectives • Whether writing essential questions or learning objectives, Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy of Measureable Verbs help to describe and classify observable knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors and abilities • Creating learning objectives which are measureable indicate explicitly what the student must do in order to demonstrate learning • The Bloom’s Taxonomy of Measureable Verbs PDF can be found in Session 3 Student Resource Folder Benedictine University

32. CRITERIA FOR ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS • Questions should not be repetitious • The questions should be realistic based on the amount of time allocated for the unit • There should be a logical sequence to a set of essential questions • The questions should be posted in the classroom and frequently referenced • Each child should be able to understand the question(s) • The language of the questions should be written in broad, organizational terms • The question should reflect your conceptual priorities • Each question should be distinct and substantial ASCD: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Benedictine University

33. The Content Benedictine University

34. What is Content? • Content is a central element in curriculum design and can be organized within disciplines or through interdisciplinary designs • Content is defined as knowledge we wish to impart and to investigate within the time allotted Benedictine University

35. Examining the Disciplines • The thoughtful review of curriculum maps to actively replace and upgrade content is central to learning both on the individual classroom level and the institutional level • In determining the sequence of disciplines to review, there is no implicit order in terms of importance and power Curriculum Mapping Benedictine University

36. Review Questions Questions to guide the review process: • Within the discipline being reviewed, what content choices are outdated and/or non-essential? • What choices for topics, issues, problems, themes and case studies are timely and necessary for our learners within disciplines? • Are the interdisciplinary content choices rich, natural and rigorous? Benedictine University

37. Curriculum 21 Review Teams The ‘review model’ of curriculum mapping allows for school teams to regularly review maps vertically or horizontally to: • Solve a problem • Research potential places for revisions for the purposes of: • Gap analysis • Elimination of redundancies • Alignment with standards Benedictine University

38. Tenets for Upgrading • The possibilities for future career and work options are developed with an eye toward creative and imaginative directions (looking at future likelihood rather than only past facts) • The disciplines are viewed dynamically and rigorously as growing and integrating in real-world practice • Technology and the media are used to expand possible sources of content so that active as well as static materials are included Benedictine University

39. Tenets for Upgrading Maps are analyzed specifically to ensure that: • A global perspective is developed and presented in the content area • A personal and local perspective is cultivated so that each student can create relevant links to the content • The whole child’s academic, emotional, physical, and mental development is considered in content choices Benedictine University