Unit 2: Learning Differences (InTASC Standard 2)

Project Description

Overview

Candidates often report that Clinical Practice is the most valuable component of their teacher education preparation. The feedback you receive from your mentor and your instructor is intended to improve your practice. In order to experience what giving feedback is like, you will be working with videos submitted by former Moreland University candidates. You will annotate two lesson videos and evaluate them using the Clinical Practice Rubric for Standards 1 and 2.  You will write a reflection on the process of evaluating and being evaluated.  

By completing this activity, you will gain a deeper understanding of the process of evaluating using a rubric. Be certain that your positively-stated critical feedback clearly demonstrates how the lesson can be improved. When you offer suggestions and recommendations, give specific examples of how they might be carried out. 

Performance Outcomes

• Candidates will analyze the importance of using a rubric to evaluate teaching lesson videos and demonstrate how to provide meaningful feedback.

What will you do?

1. Watch and annotate the two of the four teaching lesson videos on the Submission tab using Standards 1 and 2 of the Clinical Practice Rubric. *Note: Each video you observe and reflect upon throughout the program is part of your field experience hours. In your annotations, include the following: 

   • Identification of teaching strategies 

   • Connections with the rubric elements of Standards 1 & 2 

   • Connections with your current or future teaching practice 

   • Reflections on the effectiveness of the strategies 

2. Identify strengths and offer suggestions for growth for both lesson videos. 

3. Evaluate the two lesson videos using the Clinical Practice Rubric on the Submission page and provide justifications for your ratings. 

4. Write or record (audio or video) a reflection on the process and benefits of evaluating and being evaluated utilizing a rubric.

  Report Requirements

• Lesson video annotations, rubric evaluations, and overall feedback summary

• Written or recorded reflection on the process of evaluating 

Project Description

Overview 

Collecting and analyzing student data is a cornerstone of effective teaching, enabling educators to tailor their instruction to meet the diverse needs of their students. As you begin your Clinical Practice, you will embark on a journey of data-driven instruction, beginning with a baseline assessment to gauge students' initial abilities and proficiency levels. This foundational step is crucial for designing targeted instructional strategies that aim to enhance student achievement. Throughout the 12-week period, you will systematically collect and reflect on data at various points to track and demonstrate student learning and growth.

The validity of your assessments is paramount to ensure that the data collected accurately reflects student performance and learning outcomes. By analyzing this data, you will be equipped to make informed instructional decisions that address the specific needs of your students. This process not only highlights areas of strength and areas needing improvement but also fosters a responsive teaching approach that adapts to the evolving needs of your student. Through these activities, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of how to effectively use data to drive instruction, ultimately leading to improved student outcomes and a more personalized learning experience.

In this series of activities, you will collect diagnostic, mid-point, and final formative assessment data in three areas, according to the requirements of your Methods course. 

Performance outcomes

• Candidates will prepare and implement formative assessments aligned with unit or semester-long learning objectives.

• Candidates will collect and report student learning and achievement data as a diagnostic assessment. 

• Candidates will reflect upon the data to plan for data driven instruction in future lessons.

What will you do?

1. Download a copy of the Clinical Data Collection Template 1 and a copy of the Student Achievement Data Spreadsheet.

2. On the Clinical Data Collection Template, follow the instructions for establishing goals for your students according to the requirements of your content-area Methods course (follow the link within the document). You will assess your students three times - a diagnostic or baseline assessment in M8U2, a mid-point assessment in M8U6, and a final assessment in M8U9.

3. Fill in Step 3 of the Template, providing links to, photos of, or descriptive examples of the three formative assessments you will perform.

4. Administer your assessments to your class and record the data on the Google Sheet. 

5. Return to the Clinical Data Collection Template and complete Step 4, providing an example of assessment data from three students - one meeting the standard/expectations, one who is approaching the standard/expectations, and one who is still developing. You may use examples from your Area 1 or Area 2 assessments.

6. Describe how you will use the data collected to drive instruction in upcoming lessons.

7. Respond to the reflection prompts on the template, being mindful of any additional requirements your Methods course may stipulate. 

8. On the platform, enter the assessment data for each area. In the submission box, add a link to your Google Sheet and to your Clinical Data Collection Template, with Steps 1-5 completed (student performance goals, links to or photos of your assessments, examples of student work, and reflection).

Remember:

• The purpose of this activity is to formatively track student learning and progress toward meeting three instructional goals. You will track your student achievement data against the goals you and your mentor set for the students.

• These are formative assessments and should be simple, easy to implement, and provide you with valid and reliable data you can use to make instructional decisions.

• Use the data and your reflection to plan for data-driven instruction based on the areas of student learning gaps that you have identified through the data you have collected and analyzed. Consider how you will meet the needs of your struggling learners and/or challenge your excelling learners in your next lesson. When you prepare your next lesson plan, you will show evidence of data driven instruction through your differentiation, plans for grouping, and interventions in future lesson plans and teaching videos. 

Collaborative Problem Solving: Utilize the following rubric to record a 1, 2, 3, or 4 for each student:

• Insufficient (1 point): Student does not collaborate with peers or demonstrate problem solving skills. 

• Basic (2 points): Student minimally collaborates with peers or demonstrates minimal problem-solving skills.

• Proficient (3 points): Student collaborates effectively with peers and engages in active problem solving. 

• Outstanding (4 points): Student actively seeks opportunities to collaborate with a variety of peers to find effective solutions to problems. 

Candidate Assignment(s):

• Clinical Data Collection Template 1 with Steps 1-5 completed

• Google Sheet with student data recorded in all three areas of assessment

• Student achievement data for Area 1, Area 2, and Area 3 entered on the platform.

Notes

You will be collecting data on the same three areas throughout Clinical Practice. Using this data to drive your instruction will enable your teaching to be more focused on student learning and will maximize the potential for each student to show growth and proficiency.

Refer to your Methods rubric found M8U9 to see how you will be evaluated on your completion of these three data collection activities and the final presentation on assessment and data driven instruction.

Content specific methods requirements

Method Subject: English as a Second Language

As per your certification area, while completing your template for this activity, ensure you address the following in the reflection:  

• Explain your process for choosing the goals you set for your students, using diagnostic data and other information to justify your choices.  

• Describe and illustrate measures you took to scaffold the English language and content assessments you performed for this activity.