Michael Vitale, 4-24-13 v026
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edTPA INTERDISCIPLINARY MODULE SERIES
Teaching for Learning (Module 1)
Overview/Purpose
The purpose of the edTPA Interdisciplinary Module Series is to help undergraduateteachereducation students to prepare for and successfully pass the edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment) that is required for licensure. The rationale for themodule seriesis that gaining informal perspectives and skills based on interdisciplinary research that complements traditional teacher education programs will facilitate student edTPA performance. The module seriesis based on consensus approaches to instructional development thatreflect the combination of instructional systems design (ISD), cognitive science research, and applied learning theory principles that are well-established and directly applicable to the edTPA task. In doing so,the module series identifies perspectives and strategies that are directly relevant to the design, implementation, and reflective evaluation of the 3-5-lesson edTPA instructional sequence students must plan and implement in authentic K-12 classrooms.
This module focuses on “Teaching for Learning”.The objective of this module is to guide the identification, sequencing, and teaching of instructional components to be used over a 3-5-lesson unit. The other modules in the series (see Table 1) are designed to address (a) formative and summative assessment oflearning outcomes, (b) propositional concept mapping as atechnique for representing curricular knowledge, (c) concept introduction strategies,(d) verbal formats for motivating and recognizing student learning outcomes, and (e) an overall web-based guide for the lesson development/implementation process for edTPA learning sequences.
Table 1. Overview of the Interdisciplinary Module Series
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ModuleFocusApplication
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1. Teaching for Learning aLearning sequence identificationDetermining what to teach
2.Mastery AssessmentAssessment of learning outcomesDistinguishing student mastery
from non-mastery
3.Propositional Concept Mapping bRepresentation of curricularknowledgeInsuring instructional coherence
4.Concept Introduction Strategies bStrategies for introducing concepts/skillsConcept-focused instruction
5.Motivating Student LearningStrategies for recognizing learningClassroom instructional engagement
6. Web-Based TPA Support Tool cISD guide for TPA lesson Development
6.1Small Group edTPA PracticeSmall group lesson development
6.2Individual edTPA PracticeIndividual lesson development
6.3edTPA TaskedTPA learning sequence
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a Web-based support tools for this module are presently under development
b Module under development
c Presently implemented in prototype form as a general web-based ISD guide for edTPA learning sequences
Module Outcome Focus
The ISD strategies addressed in this module areas follows:
- Planning instruction for a specifiedlearning mastery outcomes for concept understanding or performance skills.
- Implementing instruction as planned to engender targeted student achievementoutcomes.
- Enhancing student achievement outcomes with”language of instruction” activities
Although the focus of all of the modules in the series is on support of the edTPA instructional development task, module content is presented in a manner that is extensible for subsequent use by teachers in K-12 classroom settings.
Exploring Module Content and Rationale
This section overviews the module components and rationale considered as a suggested instructional development strategy.
Module Overview
This module consists of strategies that emphasize three elements: (a) lesson planning, (b) lesson design, and (c) lesson implementation. The planning element addresses the question of how to identify what should be taught to obtaina specified learning outcome. The design element addresses the question of how to refine the preliminary sequence of what is to be taught. The implementation element addresses the question of how to incorporate key features of effective teaching of a multi-day lesson. All of these elements must be addressed effectively if desired achievement outcomes will result from a 3-5-lesson edTPA instructional sequence or longer unitsof instruction related to the required subject area central focus. Specifically, Module 1components supports and strengthens teacher candidates preparation of edTPA Planning Commentary prompts 1, 3, & 5 (Planning for Instruction, Using Knowledge of Students to Inform Instruction, and Planning Assessments to Monitor and Support Student Learning).
Module Components
This section explains the strategies in this module for facilitating effective teaching of a targeted instructional outcome.
Core Teaching Strategy.The Core Teaching Strategy provides an implementation framework for classroom instruction. As shown in Figure 1, this framework consists of the sequence of (a)modeling the task to be learned,followed by (b) guided practice, followed by (c) independent learner practice with feedback, and, then, (d)testing for mastery. While in most cases, these tasks are best implemented directly by teachers, the same characteristics also apply to learning through collaborative groups or to independent learning settings by individual students. As Figure 1 shows, review of prior knowledge should be the initial component of any lesson taught using the core teaching strategy (i.e., all lessons should beginby reviewing relevant prior learning to ensure continuity of instruction.) In addition, cumulative review should be planned to ensure stability of learning outcomes.
STEP ONE
Self-Model Strategy- Teaching. This strategy (see Figure 2) is used to help identify what should be taughtto accomplish a targeted achievementoutcome (or outcomes). This strategy is applied by teacher candidatesas follows:
- Teacher candidate identifies the targeted learning outcome
- Teacher candidate, if possible, observe themselves while performing the targeted learning outcome.
While observing themselves or pre-planning without observation, the teacher candidate informally ask and answer the following reflective questions:
- What steps did I or what steps will I need to follow to do the targeted learning outcome successfully?Each step should be listed.
Note- Sometimes only a single step is required and, if so,the targeted outcome can be “taught as a whole”.
- What prior-knowledge did I need or will needto do the identified steps?Required prior knowledge should be listed.
- Once the above steps and associated prior knowledge are identified, teacher candidateinformally ask and answer the following questions:
- Can the steps (and associated prior knowledge) be ordered to form a sequence of student “learning steps” for successful instruction?If so, the collection of steps should be arranged into a preliminary teaching sequence.
NOTE: FIGURE 2 WILL NEED TO BE REVISED TO INCLUDE NEW LANGUAGE ABOVE
STEP TWO
Self-Model Strategy- Assessment. This strategy(see Figure 3) is an informal process for constructing measures of student achievement mastery for a targeted learning outcome or outcomes. Thisstrategy is applied by teachers as follows:
- Teachers observe themselves successfully performing the targeted learning outcome or outcomes.
While doing so, teachers informally ask and answer the following reflective questions:
- How would I describe my own (successful) performance?
- Would my description distinguish between students with learning mastery from those that do not?
- Based on the answers to these reflective questions, teachers specify the following for use in testing for student mastery:
- Descriptions of successful performance outcomes (including any conditions) for use in assessment.
- Assurance that use of the descriptionsin testing would distinguish between students who have understanding from those who do not (thisestablishes test validity).
Step Three
Teaching Schedule Strategy. This strategy (see Figure 4)estimates the time allocated for instruction across a series of lessons for the sequence of“learning steps” to be taught and tested. While these time-estimates are approximate, they are important to do to ensure that the targeted learning outcome can be taught within the total amount of time allocated for instruction. The Teaching Schedule Strategy is applied by teachers to the preliminary sequence of “learning steps” previously been identified in the Self-Model Strategy- Teaching as follows:
- Developinga plan to teach each of the “learning steps” using the Core Teaching Strategyin a coherent but preliminary instructional sequence that initially ignores prior knowledge requirements.
- Augmenting the plan to ensure that all necessary prior knowledgeassumed known by students will be confirmed through testing prior to instruction or will be taught to students using the Core Teaching Strategy as prerequisites for all “learning steps”in the preliminary instructional sequence.
- Estimating the amount of instructional time necessary for each “learning step” and prior knowledge assessment in order to develop a tentative schedule of instruction across a series of lessons.
Application of the preceding four strategies results in a well-structured framework for an instructional sequence for teaching the targeted learning outcome(s) to students. From this point, the following Sequence Refinement Strategy provides a finalpre-implementationcurricular refinement of the “learning step” sequence developed in the TeachingSchedule Strategy.
STEP Four
Sequence Refinement Strategy.In the Sequence Refinement Strategy (see Figure 5), teacher candidates ask the following reflective questions for all “learning steps” as a guide for the refinement of the instructional sequence. The specific questions asked by teachers are as follows:
- Is each “learning step” simple enough to be “taught as a whole” to students using the Core Teaching Strategy?
- Ifthe “learning step” being evaluated can be“taught as a whole”, then ask: Could this step be combined with another step and both taught together?(If YES, then combine the two “learning steps”. IfNO, then separate the “learning step” into two or more sub-parts). Then continue to applythe refinement strategyto the sequence of“learning steps”.
Across the series of strategiespresentedin this module, the Sequence Refinement Strategy is the final planning phase that outlines and addresses the sequence of student learning experiences. The following section overviews the overall process of planning and implementing a multi-day edTPAlesson sequence.
Overview and Application of the Module Strategies
Sequential Overview of Module Strategies
Figure 6 presents the overall order in which the series of ISD-based strategies presented in this module would be implemented as a guide for edTPA lesson development. Given a specified learning outcome(or outcomes) to be taught, teachers would first apply the Self-Model Strategy- Teaching to identify the learning steps to be taught and learned. This would result in “learning steps” that would form apreliminary instructional sequence which, if taught effectively, would lead to student mastery of the targeted learning outcome. Next, teachers would apply the Self-Model Strategy- Assessment to develop mastery tests for the targeted learning outcome. Note- this assessment strategy also could be applied for formative assessmentof student mastery of designated “learning steps” as students progress through the instructional sequence comprising the lesson.
Following Figure 6, once the “learning steps” and prior knowledge have been identified, then the next two strategies (Teaching Schedule Strategy, Sequence Refinement Strategy) are applied to make the instructional plan as precise and as coherent as possible prior to initial implementation.The Teaching Schedule Strategyresults in a composite scope and sequence framework of what is to be taught, including estimates of and allocation of teaching times for “learning steps” across instructional days.
Once the Teaching Schedule Strategy is completed, then the Sequence Refinement Strategy is applied as necessary toseparate learning steps that are too large into smaller steps or to combine small steps together to optimize instruction. The focus of the Sequence Refinement Strategy on the separationof or combiningof “learning steps”is typically the same type of lesson refinement that results from subsequent field-testing of the instructional sequence.
Once the overall plan is completed, then the Core Teaching Strategy can be applied to each specific “learning step”in the instructional sequence. Although not specified previously,at the end of the multi-day lesson, assessment of student learning mastery would evaluate teaching success.
Figure 7 shows the application of the module strategies for developing an instructional plan for teaching the concept of evaporation. In the plan, the targeted learning outcome is the identification of examples of evaporation (vs. non-examples). In developing an instructional plan, Figure 7 tracks the evolution of the different strategies from targeted learning outcome through learning mastery assessment.
Relevance of this Module to edTPA
This ISD development model provides informal guidance to teacher education students who are developing multi-day units of instruction for edTPA. These strategies also are extensible toplanning of regular classroom instruction.
Illustrating the Application of the ISD Model
Example - Word Problem Addition
Targeted Learning
Outcome:
Self-Model Strategy-
Teaching:
(Note- Once the
“learning steps” are
identified, a preliminary
instructional sequence
is constructed)
Self-Model Strategy-
Assessment:
(Note- Academic
language is introduced
by having students
describe what they
have learned)
Scheduling Strategy:
(Note- these 5 elements
would be allocated to
instructional days with
overlap among learning
steps 3-4-5) to form a
scope and sequence.
Each instructional day
should start with a brief
review of prior
knowledge and/or prior
learning.)
Illustrating the Application of the ISD Model
Example - Word Problem Addition (Continued)
Refinement Strategy:
Core Teaching
Strategy:
Teaching for Learning: Module Application Worksheet
Application Title: ______
Targeted Learning
Outcome:
Self-Model Strategy-
Teaching:
Self-Model Strategy-
Assessment:
Scheduling Strategy:
(Note- the PK and
LS elements would
allocated to
instructional days with
overlap among learning
steps to form a
scope and sequence.
Each instructional day
should start with a brief
review of prior
knowledge and/or prior
learning.)
Refinement Strategy:
Teaching for Learning: Module Application Worksheet
Core Teaching
Strategy:
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