Chapter 15 Learning Log

What?

This week we studied Chapter 15 which talked about assessment. The book talked about different ways to assess and different types of assessments, such as formal and informal, formative and summative, etc. It also talked about the reasons why we need to assess student learning and how to be effective in doing so. The type of assessment that I found to be most useful was performance assessment. In this type of assessment, students are able to take what they have learned in class and apply that in a real-life situation. The students will gain a lot of knowledge and understanding in completing a performance assessment.

In class we discussed R.S.V.P. which stands for reliability, standardization, validity, and practicality. The reality is that it is impossible to be perfect in every one of these categories, but we do need to make sure our assessments fulfill as much of the R.S.V.P. as possible. Another thing that we talked about in class is how exercise can have a direct impact on our brain and on our learning. It can help students to be able to focus and be more engaged in what they are learning.

So What? 

Assessment is extremely important. If we don't know how to assess where our students are in the learning process within our class, it will be impossible to know what or how we need to teach. We need to know what our students have learned in order to further their education and also so we, as teachers, know what we need to do to improve our instruction. It is helpful to know what we need to look for in an assessment and what will give us the most appropriate information regarding what our students are learning.

Now What?

Through this semester, we are going to focus on assessment and we will be continually learning new and better ways to assess our students. I am really excited about this because it will definitely help me to become a more effective teacher. I am also really interested in learning more about the physical activity and how it impacts our learning. I think if you can help kids to understand how exercise can help them in many different aspects of their lives, they will be more likely to try it out. Another thing that I look forward to learning more about is how to apply the assessments to our teaching. How do we make it all fit in and how do we take the data that we've collected and apply it to our students? If we are going to assess our students' learning, we must take that information and make it useful for us.

WebQuest Final Reflection

What?

Before studying the chapter and completing the WebQuest on educational research, I really hadn't put much thought into how and why it was done. I found the WebQuest extremely helpful in assisting me through the process of learning and applying the different types of research. There are four different types that were introduced in the chapter. The first type is descriptive research. Descriptive research gives a description that is based on observation of an event (or study) from which theories can be developed to explain the observations. Another type of research is correlational research. This type of research explores the possible relationships among different things. It can determine how or if characteristics are associated with one another or whether they are correlated. Experimental research allows the researchers to manipulate aspects of the environment of the study and then measures the effects on something else. The final type of study discussed is action research. Action research is conducted by educators or administrators to address issues and problems in their own schools or classrooms. 

So What?

It is definitely important to understands the different types of research. As educators, we should understand how studies are conducted, and how theories are created. By having knowledge about the research that is being done, we will be able to further our own education because we will be able use and study the most applicable research. If we know how the research is conducted, we can determine whether or not the findings are reliable.

Now What?

I still don't feel extremely confident in deciding which type of research is being used in different scenarios. I can see similarities in all of them so it is hard for me to pick out the details that may be different. I also would like to know more about action research. It would be interesting to find out what kind of studies have been done locally and I would also like to know how to get involved with that type of research. I think it would be very beneficial to understand how to perform different types of research so when you come across something that you find interesting during your career, you would have the tools and knowledge to do something about it. I will also use the knowledge that I now have to determine whether or not the outcomes of any research that I come across is reliable. This will come in handy when I have my own students and I can use research to help assist them in their learning.

Intro to the Brain - Learning Log

What?
This week in class we studied the parts of the brain, what they do, and how they interact with each other. I learned that there isn't a single part of the brain that "does" anything by itself, which means that all of the parts work together. During the Jig Saw activity, everyone went around and talked about the specific part of the brain that they had researched and I was amazed at how much overlapping there is between all of the different parts and their functions. Me and my partner researched the temporal lobe and discovered some interesting facts. The temporal lobe is located on both sides of our brain and it assists in the perception and recognition of auditory stimuli, memory, and speech. As well as many other parts of the brain, the temporal lobe also plays a role in our emotional responses due to its close relation with the hippocampus. As the other members of my group presented on their parts of the brain, I discovered many functions and similarities between their researched area of the brain and the temporal lobe. It really made me think about how the entire brain and it's pieces all work together. Another interesting thing that I learned about the brain is how the neurons communicate with each other and how that results in what we are able to learn and remember. As the neurons and synapse work together, they are continually building connections and this is how we learn.

So What?
I believe that understanding the brain and how it functions is extremely important to know as an educator. If we can understand the human brain, and especially the adolescent brain, this will not only help us to develop our curriculum, but it will help us understand our students on a different level. Although it is impossible to know what they are thinking, we can have a better understanding of how and why our students think and learn the way that they do. We already know that each of our students learn at different levels and different ways, but it is critical that we understand WHY this is and how we can best adapt to it. If we can do this, we will be able to connect with our students and assist them throughout their learning process.

Now What?
One thing that I would like to study further is how the adolescent brain differs from a fully developed brain. The extra credit assignment that was given in class seems like a great opportunity for me to research and gain more knowledge on how understanding the brain and applying it to my adolescent students can help me as a teacher. If I can apply what I know about the brain and how it works to my lessons, I will be a much more effective teacher. I think it is very important that we understand HOW our students learn in order to teach them.

Motivation

Why am I here?

After many different majors and classes at UVU, I find myself in my senior year of the English Education program. It would take many words and pages to describe HOW I got here, but what I did discover was WHY I am here. I have an intense passion for English. I love literature and, surprisingly, I really enjoy grammar. I want to attempt to instill my love for reading into my students. I want to show them that reading and English can be enjoyable, and even fun! I know this may sound like a typical education major, but I really do like being around kids. I think they are quite clever and I could be entertained by them for hours. As cliche as it is, in order to be a great teacher, you must have a love for your students. I am excited to finally be at this point in my education where what I am doing feels so right.

What motivates me?

Like so many of us, I am ashamed to say that I am extremely motivated by grades. I have this skewed vision of what the expectations are for me as a future teacher, which includes straight A's. I love learning and sometimes I have to take a step back from all of the homework and busy work and remember why I am doing what I am doing. 

This may go without saying, but I am also motivated by my passions. If I love doing something or I am passionate about what I am doing, I am much more motivated to succeed. For instance, I am very excited about becoming a teacher and about studying English, so I find that I am much more invested in my classes now than I was when I was taking GE courses.

Why do I succeed?

I am an extremely self-motivated human, so this is my number one quality that helps me to be successful. I consider myself a very driven person and when I set my mind to something, I can achieve it. There have been moments in my life when I have lacked this motivation and it was very evident. Now that I have made some huge strides and have seen myself take control of my life, I am able to see successful results.

Why do I fail?

In my weakest moments, I find myself forgetting my long-term goals and this is when I struggle with failure. Like I said, I am self-motivated. In those moments when I don't feel any motivation to accomplish anything, it has a huge impact on me. I not only fail in what I am doing, but the feeling of failure makes me crazy. I definitely have learned from my many mistakes and will keep learning throughout my ups and downs.

Motivation and Ed Psych

At this point in my education, I feel extremely motivated to do well in all of my English and Education courses. The main thing that I will have to remember in this course is that I want to really soak up all of the knowledge that I can in order to help me become a great teacher. I don't just want the "A" but I want to walk away from this course knowing that I have tools and skills that will help me on my way to becoming that kind of teacher. I need to continue to have that self-motivation throughout the entire semester and I need to be motivated for the right reasons. I am excited about this class and what it can offer me as a future educator and if I need a reminder, I will refer back to this post. :)

Course Contract

Goals:

1. In completing this course, I hope to gain a better understanding of the different types of learners, so I can adapt my lessons and assignments to the needs of my students.

2. I would like be able to take the things that I learn in this class and apply them to my own classroom. In order to accomplish this, I will need to grasp the concepts that we cover in class but also have a deeper understanding in order for me to determine when they would be appropriately used in a classroom.

3. Throughout this semester and my career as a teacher, I want to continue to learn and discover new things that can help me become a great teacher. I want to get as much out of this class as I can because it will be extremely beneficial to me in the long run.

Weekly Preparation:

To meet my goals, it will be vital for me to keep up with the work and assignments in this class. Here is a layout of my weekly plan to help me stay on top of the course.

Tuesday - Attend class from 8-11, write all upcoming assignments in my planner, and post learning log on my blog.

Wednesday -  Read the assigned chapter and begin working on the study guide.

Friday - Complete study guide and any other assignments as needed.

Monday - Review study guide in preparation for class on Tuesday and follow-up on any assignments that are due.

Study Strategies:

The following are a few of the study strategies that I have found most effective for me and that I will use to assist me with succeeding in this class: using and referring to my planner each day, completing the study guides to help me understand the main points of the reading, reviewing the study guide the day before class so the information is fresh in my mind, working and communicating with fellow classmates to make sure we are all on the same page.

Still Confused?:

If at some point during the course I find myself confused or lost after class, here are the steps I will take in order to gain understanding and clarification:

1. Review my notes and try to figure it out from what information I have.

2. Talk to my peers and find out if they have a better understanding of the concept.

3. If still confused, I will contact Dr. Cox for clarification.

Final Statement:

I will reach my goals in this course by following my weekly plan for studying, using and applying my study strategies, and following the above steps to gain understanding and clarification.