Transcript LearningGoals

Goal setting and its role in
selecting and using webbased resources
T. Boyd and C. Manduca
What do you look for in a
resource?
You are searching for web resources to
supplement your introductory earth sciences
class. You've found the following resource –
Introduction to Geophysical Exploration
This resource includes ●
●
●
notes on a variety of geophysical
techniques
student exercises
example quizzes
Do you use it?
Considerations
Clearly, a wide variety of considerations will
influence your choice. These include ●
pragmatic considerations such as,
–
–
–
●
Is the resource complete?
Is the material well presented?
Is the resource written at the appropriate level?
pedagogical considerations such as,
–
–
–
Is the resource of the style I want? (i.e., laboratory
exercise, content resource, etc.)
Does the resource encourage the appropriate learning
style?
Will the resource fit into my classroom environment?
Pedagogical considerations as
teaching goals
Whether consciously or unconsciously, we
evaluate our pedagogical considerations on
the basis of our teaching goals.
●
●
Goals – broadly stated aims, no process, not
explicitly measurable.
Types –
–
–
Content – Directly related to subject content.
Noncontent – Related to behavioral, learning,
thinking, or societal practices that we emphasize
through teaching of specific content.
Why Bother?
All of us, at least subconsciously, evaluate
resources based on a set of goals, why
bother to define an explicit set of goals?
Enunciation of an explicit set of teaching goals will,
●
●
●
●
help you to clarify what you want students to accomplish.
help you to select methods, materials, and assignments that
are most appropriate.
help you communicate expectations to students more
effectively.
help you to communicate with colleagues who rely on your
course as a prerequisite more effectively.
Objectives – the practical end of
goals
A wide variety of web resources may satisfy a broadly
stated goal. By defining more specific Objectives,
you can help to limit what is appropriate.
Consider the following as an objective for a laboratory
exercise “Students will understand the rock cycle”
Examples of words use in Goals versus Objectives
Vague
(Goal)
understand
appreciate
recognize
know
More Specific (Objective)
describe
apply
evaluate
label
Refined objective – Example
Consider two versions of a project objective.
Write an essay describing plate tectonics.
The essay must demonstrate an understanding of plate
tectonics, the forces involved, and an appreciation of the
physical relationships between the various components.
The essay must describe in detail the physical manifestations
of plate tectonics that we observe, the nature of, size, and
role of each of the various forces involved in driving the
plates, and must present examples of the physical
relationships between the various components.
Noncontent Goals – Two types
Practical Skills – These include technical
and/or professional skills needed by
graduates.
Example: Introductory Chemistry for nurse practitioners and
medical technicians. Professionals in these fields need,
●attention to detail,
●to be able to work effectively in teams,
●to develop effective communication skills, and
●to develop habits of complete and precise documentation.
As a result, objects for each laboratory included specific
requirements aimed at demonstrating proficiency in meeting
these goals.
Noncontent Goals – Two Types
Higher Order Thinking Skills – By Bloom's
Taxonomy these are skills that involve,
●
●
●
Analysis – patterns, organization, recognition
Synthesis – generalization, prediction
Evaluation – value assessment, subjectivity
Objective keywords that might indicate higher-order thinking
is required include;
Analysis – categorize, classify, compare, contrast, differentiate, infer
Synthesis – compose, construct, design, formulate, predict, revise, visualize
Evaluation – appraise, choose, defend, justify, prioritize, rate, support
What are the important goals?
One thing is clear, we can not meet every
possible goal in every exercise, let alone in
every course.
Teaching Goals Inventory (Angelo and
Cross)
Purpose –
–
–
Help make instructors aware of what they want to
accomplish.
Help faculty find appropriate instructional and
assessment materials.
Provide a starting point for collegial discussions on
teaching and learning.
Web Resources – broad types
When looking at web resources, you find
material that can be classified into two broad
categories.
●
●
Traditional Resources – Resources that extend traditional
learning technologies (e.g., on-line notes, glossaries, image
archives, etc.).
Technology-Enabled Resources - Resources that
fundamentally alter how we teach (e.g., simulations,
groupware and collabortoriums, etc.).
Should we some how treat these resources
differently in how we evaluate them?
To web or not to web
No, from a goal perspective, web resources
are no different than any other resource we
would develop/adapt for use. A web resource
is just that – A Resource.
Regardless of how they are built, or whether or
not they use technologies that were not
known 5 years ago, a web resource must
undergo the same pedagogical scrutiny we
apply to every aspect of our teaching.