2.3 Authentic Learning
Candidates model and facilitate the use of digital tools and resources to engage students in authentic learning experiences.
Artifact: Engaged Learner Project
Reflection:
The engaged learner project artifact was created to engage students in an extended learning project through the use of technology and posed authentic task for the students to be drawn into real world application of science standards. This artifact demonstrates mastery of authentic learning because it this project requires students to tackle a real world problem, create their own solution, and present it in a professional manner, all while implementing technology throughout the entire project. While students create working models of houses for Habitat for Humanity, they are actively engaged with science standards, technology, and a social cause.
Through the completion of this artifact, I learned a great deal about how to create an engaging project that challenges students to learn and progress with the standards while simultaneously creating an environment where the students feel like they are doing the project for a great reason than getting a grade. Having the ability to create an authentic learning environment where technology supports the students' needs is not an easy thing to do but now I can say that I understand the process and can effectively create different projects that create powerful, authentic environments where students learn and grow. The thing I would change about my experience creating this artifact would be how I blended science and language arts standards. At the time, I had discussed this project with language arts teachers who said that the plan sounded plausible. However, now that I am looking back at it and with the stress of a fast-paced curriculum, language arts teachers do not have time to read and grade essays at the end of the school year. To change this artifact, I would incorporate math standards more than language arts. There would be less intensive grading involved for math components of the project, so more math standards and help from the math teachers would be more realistic than help from the language arts teachers. Student learning and a sense of community outreach were impacted by this artifact by having students develop a plan, see it to fruition, and solve a real world need. This can be assessed through the student created presentations and debriefing after the creation of the group projects to see if the students learned both science and a sense of compassion for those who need help.
The engaged learner project artifact was created to engage students in an extended learning project through the use of technology and posed authentic task for the students to be drawn into real world application of science standards. This artifact demonstrates mastery of authentic learning because it this project requires students to tackle a real world problem, create their own solution, and present it in a professional manner, all while implementing technology throughout the entire project. While students create working models of houses for Habitat for Humanity, they are actively engaged with science standards, technology, and a social cause.
Through the completion of this artifact, I learned a great deal about how to create an engaging project that challenges students to learn and progress with the standards while simultaneously creating an environment where the students feel like they are doing the project for a great reason than getting a grade. Having the ability to create an authentic learning environment where technology supports the students' needs is not an easy thing to do but now I can say that I understand the process and can effectively create different projects that create powerful, authentic environments where students learn and grow. The thing I would change about my experience creating this artifact would be how I blended science and language arts standards. At the time, I had discussed this project with language arts teachers who said that the plan sounded plausible. However, now that I am looking back at it and with the stress of a fast-paced curriculum, language arts teachers do not have time to read and grade essays at the end of the school year. To change this artifact, I would incorporate math standards more than language arts. There would be less intensive grading involved for math components of the project, so more math standards and help from the math teachers would be more realistic than help from the language arts teachers. Student learning and a sense of community outreach were impacted by this artifact by having students develop a plan, see it to fruition, and solve a real world need. This can be assessed through the student created presentations and debriefing after the creation of the group projects to see if the students learned both science and a sense of compassion for those who need help.