Essential Question: What assessment will I use in my UBD Unit, and what is the purpose of these assessments? With five challenge question integrated throughout.
Many of my formative assessments will consist of self-graded activities to assess for areas lacking in understanding, self-reflection for processing, independent activities demonstrating the working process, group challenges through games such as Kahoot, and active collaborative discussion. Most my assessments tools focus on formative student evaluations allowing for opportunity for completion of an assignment, receive feedback and then be allowed to improve on identified challenges with opportunity to revisit the topic demonstrating further learning. This is followed by demonstration of expertise in synthesizing a larger summative performance assignment. This assignment is the completion of a Nursing Care Map/Plan and Medication sheet to direct care for client, review outcomes revise plan and implement once again. A standard formative test will be issued to ensure student knows specific language for safety measures in care. I believe that when we are able to tap into a student’s strengths and creativity they are able to expand in a more comfortable environment. This also encourages students to think deeply on the topics as hand and how to morph the ideas into a creative tool of learning. Often rubrics are rigid and do not allow for creativity as part of grading. As nurses, we are challenged on daily basis to be creative and problem solve. Young created a rubric tool that takes creativity into account and allows a tool for effective assessment (2009). I was greatly challenged to think bigger than traditional quiz and test assessments by the article provided “Who’s Cheating Whom?” by Kohn (2008). Shores & Chester call it the “gottcha” tool idea that constant assignments with “punishments” aka points/grade associated and no room to revisit and revise made an “Ah Ha” moment in my mind (2009). I reflected that I have a significant challenge with staying engaged with learning when numbers continue to build negatively toward my grade with every step I take. My goal is to encourage students to learn, revise and revisit without penalty to encourage students to maintain desire to learn in a safe supportive process working toward a summative assessment. Open assessments can allow students to synthesize thoughts in own words however it can also be challenging to know what direction the teacher is leading. Many of my assessments are open response with exception of the detail oriented scientific language that must be identified to allow for understanding of medical documentation and orders. I believe that open response allows students to see things from different perspectives. I often follow open ended responses with peer to peer discussion allowing different viewpoints to be explored. Grading criteria is transparent through pre-created rubric for summative project of Nursing Care Map/Plan and medication sheet. Further I will be creating a rubric for clinical daily experience which will allow for student ability to know expectations for daily clinical expectations and allow development of clinical decision making (White, 2014). This allows students to strive toward success in patient care. Expectations of the rubric will help to create a continued learning environment in the clinical setting. Students will also be asked to self-evaluate in regards to rubric. My assessments lean heavily on the low-stakes side of the continuum with intention to allow students -to explore all parts of the final high-stakes assignments and client care. Intentional low stakes assignments are for gaining confidence through trial and error. Goal is for students to find decreased anxiety and confidence in completing final summative assessment. Overall I have gained a new view of our educational system and some strong linear learning processes that cause discouragement to both teachers and students (Wheatley, 2015). Also, enlightenment related to the assessment process and new ways for assessing students learning. These new processes can help to decrease anxiety and improve confidence in student outcomes. Although the basis of all learning starts with a student’s desire to learn decreasing anxiety that can diminish students desire can promote a new love of learning new things. References Wheatley, K. F. (2015). Factors that perpetuate test-driven, factory-style schooling: implications for policy and practice. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational research, 10(2). Retreived from http://ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/261 Kohn, A. (2008). Who’s cheating whom? Phi Delta Kappan. Retrieved from http://www.alfiekohn.org/article/whos-cheating/ Shores, C., & Chester, K. (2009). Using RTI for school improvement: Raising every student’s achievement scores. Chapter Two: Selecting and Implementing Ongoing Assessment. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin. Retrieved from http://egandb.uas.alaska.edu:2095/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook?sid=80d94a97-e145-4944-b4a5-ad4f43ac5848%40sessionmgr104&ppid=pp_34&hid=114&vid=0&format=EB White, K. A. (2011). The development and validation of a tool to measure self-confidence and anxiety in nursing students while making clinical decisions (Order No. 3475462). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (900451675). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/docview/900451675?accountid=14473 Young, L., P. (2009). Imagine creating rubrics that develop creativity. The English Journal. 99(2). National Council of Teachers of English URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40503364
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In reflection of this week I had the opportunity to incorporate this weeks topics in various aspects. The week did not go as planned due to unexpected demands on my life and emotional shifting of an unexpected last minute (3 day warning) move of my three year old grandson moving back to Anchorage with his mom and living in a poor situation. The challenges of the week caused poverty, brain based learning to be very real and concerning for the future of my grandson. The brain based learning idea this week was also shared and discussed with some of my nursing friends in regards to a foster daughter and comparing some of the challenges they have faced and the traumas of their foster daughters background. This learning has greatly affected those around me for improving understanding of the brain and differentiating interventions for learning to encourage growth.
I provided encouragement to Marhia to be flexible as she pointed out she is more strict with her classroom. This week I had the opportunity to share insight I have gained through teaching experience and extensive work with youth in response to Mariah's post. I have implemented the communication and growth tool of journaling and self reflection for my students. In doing this I have learned more about their background which translated into an improved understanding and patience to adjust for personality traits or activities that would have otherwise frustrate or be misinterpreted as disrespect toward the learning situation. There will still always be the student that challenges every neuron in our brain however we must hold on to hope and being a presence in their lives. As this topic hits more to home my grandson has moved with his mother back to home with a strong use of alcohol, poverty and dysfunctional relationships. I am greatly concerned for his brain development and learning at this time. He has spent a great amount of time with my husband and I while living here in Bethel during which we recognized significant learning that was happening for him. This is greatly heartbreaking. In my original blog I concern myself that I have missed the point of the essential question and focused more on the states of being that can influence brain-based learning. I also feel that my learning was poorly relfelcted as the information was so rich like eating food for the soul that I just wanted to keep reading and reading it to retain it. I began to think of my own brain connections and see some connections to my actions and difficulties that I have had to overcome. My life was challenging as a child and especially as a teen however there always seem to be a person that was that concrete rock that taught me the keys of emotion and life. Without that I believe that I would be in a much different space. Thank you for what you have encouraged us and exposed us to this week. Essential question: What is brain-based learning and how can it inform differentiation?
Brain-based learning is understanding how the brain affects one's learning process. Student challenges with understanding, retaining and processing new information may be caused by various contributors including, yet not limited to poverty and adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s). The brain is the center of “emotions, cognitive and physical being” that elicits one’s state of being (Jensen, 2005 p 107). Ones’ state of being is the fluid movement of “sensations, feelings and thoughts that are combined and then recombined simultaneously” (Jensen, 2005, p 107). States of mind are always adapting to “internal and external environments” (Jensen 2005, p 107). As educators, it may seem hopeless with the student that challenges us at every turn however there is hope. We can make a difference as we provide brain-based differentiated instruction formats for our students that can assist to reshape the brain and enable learning where once there was not hope. Nature and genetics make up for “almost half of all student learning and intelligence” (Jensen, 2005, p 33). The brain begins to form in the embryonic stages of life. It can be affected by alcohol or other drugs both street and prescription that pass through the placenta barrier. Stress can also release large amounts of cortisol in the system also affecting growth and development. Once born the environment is the learning tool for continued brain development. Unfortunately in some instances a child environment is unsafe and can cause adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s) that further affect the brain and the child may have poor tools to cope and learn socially, emotionally and physically (Bick & Nelson, 2016 p192). The brightest hope in this type of situation is that with early intervention there is still the aspect of nurture that can be provided to encourage reshaping of the brain for improved outcomes. Nurturing Ways of being will contribute to the aspect of differentiated instruction. In any given class room one will have various levels of attention and engagement due to timing, Ultradian rhythms, and hormones (Jensen 2009). When a child is further challenged with abuse this causes insecurities, inability to express feelings appropriately (Hunt, Slack, & Berger, 2016). The nurturing way of being can bridge solid connections and provide students with securities that promote improved brain function and development (Bick & Nelson, 2016). Furthermore positive relationships will assist to provide motivation for learning (Jensen, 2005; Jensen, 2005). Our way of feeling, self reflection related to these children and even adults challenged by poor brain development. If our feelings and attitudes are poor this will be noted by the student which will only exacerbate the challenges they face. Positive understanding and projection of caring to the student will contribute to our ability to assess and develop, and implement various differentiated tools, methods and interventions. This professional and ethical attitude will further assist the brain development of the brain and ability to engage in learning. Our ways of being present related to a child who is challenged in learning reflects our attitude or feelings of hope for their success. When a child challenges us at every turn of our day we may lose our drive to see them succeed. Jensen talks about our brains as objects of prediction (2005). As we grow we begin to make decision on predictions. Children of challenging homes or those that suffer from ACE’s also predict that “no one really cares, I’m worthless” and many other negative thoughts that continue to contribute to poor learning and brain function. Implementation of differentiation, understanding of brain-based learning, challenges to brain based learning and the hope that we can make a difference can change the view of learning for a child or adult. Being present, providing a nurturing environment and being self-aware will assist in successful education. Keeping hope that we can make a difference with the tools that we gain through learning more about differentiated learning will further enhance consolidation for those with and without challenges related to brain formation. References Bick, J., & Nelson, C. A. (2016). Early adverse experiences and the developing brain. Neuropsychopharmacology, 41(1), 177-196. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ npp.2015. 252 Hunt, T. K. A., Slack, K. S., & Berger, L. M. (2016). Adverse childhood experiences and behavioral problems in middle childhood. Child Abuse & Neglect. http://dx.doi.org.proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.11.005 Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind (2nd ed.). Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (ASCD). Alexandria, VA, USA. ProQuest Retrieved from http://egandb.uas.alaska.edu:2051/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=141347&site =ehost-live Jensen, E. (2009). Teaching with poverty in mind: What being poor does to kids’ brains and what schools can do about it. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (ASCD). Alexandria, VA, USA. ProQuest retrieved from http://egandb.uas.alaska.edu:2051/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=301969&site=ehost-live This week was exciting to learn new tools however challenging in understanding the detail and the decrease communication back and forth about our experiences. First I have learned that if I get my post up sooner then more communication and responses are possible so this is a goal for me in the following weeks to post by Tuesday night. This is challenging as I am scheduled solid from Sunday morning to Wednesday night however plan to make this a priority. I see it as a priority because without the communication back and forth it really is not as beneficial of a learning tool with my peers and simply becomes redundant.
I was very excited for the opportunity to learn another tool for assessing my students learning. I had no idea that there were various tools in Google Drive other than simple drop box communicating which I just learned last year. I am thankful for the assistance of our UAA School of Nursing technology faculty who can assist to direct me in learning a tool of benefit within our system. Creating the tool was actually fun yet challenging as well making it conduct the format desired for the assessment. I am further going to learn how to embed this tool into our Blackboard site for my future understanding and lesson creation. The biggest challenge I found was gaining understanding of the technical part of the tool. I took a little lesson with my son who does computer programing to gain a better understanding. Although I am no professional I gained a low level of understanding regarding the various part of download, running speed, internet usage and so forth. It was interesting to gain this understanding as it is a vital topic in our home due to restricted usage of internet as it relates to our internet package. Overage of our internet cost an extensive amount of money. This is also an issue with my students who live in Bethel with limited internet and when they use the college internet it is much slower than the community internet. This has helped me to get a little more insight into what tools may difficult for my students to use with these internet restrictions. This week I responded to
Overall it was a good learning week related to new tools. Essential Question: What is the appropriateness of (the software you choose) to your students, your classroom and your unit? I chose to learn about the Google Drive platform Assessment tools for evaluating summative and formative learning process. This tool has proven to be appropriate to create simple formative reviews to evaluate student understanding of the scaffolding of the topic presented. Each topic presented in our nursing skills lab has detailed information on which future understanding will be built upon as is the process for the Adult Learning Theory by Knowles. The use of Google Forms--Assessment platform supports me to to create simple questions to quiz the students understanding before moving forward to a higher level of understanding. This tool provides the instructor the ability to assess each student independently while from the student perspective it provides a non threatening way to review the topics important points. The evaluation process began with finding a tool that I had not used before that I would be able to implement in my classroom of adult learners. I reached out to our Nursing technology support person and asked about various tools that may be available that I have not tried before that are commonly used for educational tools. She responded back to point out multiple tools on Google Drive. I had never realized that Google Drive was such an in-depth tool as I now see it through the eyes of my technology support technician. I had always thought it was a simple word document tool. I explored various readings on how others use the Google Drive tools for education. I have been desiring a tool for evaluating my students understanding of the key points for safety of patients and ensuring that the scaffolding of knowledge was being built with a firm foundation and structure. I choose Google Forms Assessment platform tool. To learn to use Google Forms--Assessment tool I used the google search engine with search terms "how to use Google Forms" which provided straight forward directions for support. I used these directions to create a formative assessment tool on Medication Administration. There were many times of trial and error as I would accidently erase the question or unsure how to implement the right answer platform. Assessment form was created with 8 questions and a total of 20 points possible. I implemented the assessment to myself via email platform. Upon refocusing my role from instructor to student I obtained the assessment from my google email and then completed the tool. Upon completion I was only awarded 6/20 points. I realized that long and short answer questions were not effective platforms for instant grade feedback. Feeling a bit discouraged I returned to the tool set up view and adjusted by removing point system from the short and long answers while providing rational feedback for students to review. This provides instant feedback for the students and review to provide direction of further teaching needed or establish a firm foundation on which to continue building new knowledge. Follow this link to complete the assessment for Medication Administration |
Rachelle White
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