The Reflective Process
UOI reflection is not a one-period, check-box to say we did it. It is a process over a couple days, maybe more for students and teachers to look back at what they learned and accomplished during the UOI. The units stay in the program of inquiry forever and the goal is to make them better each year.
Goals:
· Students are reflecting about themselves as learners and how they exhibited the attributes of a lifelong learner (Learner Profile during UOI) and ATL Skills
o What did I learn about myself and how I learn?
o What examples can I give about being a (risk-taker, communicator, well-balanced, etc) during the unit?
o When did I have to use ATL skills (self-management, communication, social, thinking)?
o How did the central idea connect to all my subjects? What are some examples?
o What was fun, difficult, easy, challenging…..?
Students make reflections and goals for the next unit in this form. Student's reflection form
The teacher shows the Key concepts and ATLs Skills, students will tell or chat in the chatbox about the meaning and how they apply it in their learner process. Pictures of students' refletions writing
Teachers are reflecting on the effectiveness of the activities to create the attributes of the learner profile and the ATL skills. They first need to look back at the UOI in terms of agency and inquiry and then use it for feedforward into the future:
What activities effectively empowered the students to critically think and make decisions either individually or as a group?
The students were quite good at debating the pros and cons of hydroelectric dams; they were pushed to think a bit more critically about current issues and learned how to organize and structure their thoughts and ideas in a coherent way. It was quite challenging at first to get them to work in groups, but once they got the hang of it, things went quite smoothly. Going forward it would be good to encourage them to continue developing their research, planning, and communication skills in a way that requires them to address their audience rather than just reading out their paragraphs.
ICT projects
Presentations
Writing assignments
What strategies provided the students with the best opportunity to drive instruction and learning through inquiry? Why?
KWL, See-Think-Wonder are good strategies to give students chances to share their prior-knowledgeable and raise the question to drive an inquiry.
How effective was the monitoring, documenting and measuring of learning?
The monitoring, documenting and measuring of learning went better thanks to specific criteria. Most students understood the part of the speech and had a good structure in their presentation. They reflected how they have shown their communication skills, self-management skills and research skills.
What evidence did we gather about students' knowledge, conceptual understandings and skills?
Students can use and apply their Science, Social Studies knowledge, writing skills, and data from Maths lessons in their summative assessment presentation. They used research skills during learning progress and developing communication skills in discussing and presenting. They also have good self-management skill to arrange times, put priorities and complete their task on time.
How can we further strengthen transdisciplinary connections?
HRT and specialists will all continue to co-plan all the lessons pertaining to the unit in a way that allows the students to understand the connections between all individual subjects and the UOI. For instance, the HRT, EAL, UOI, and science teachers might collaborate to plan out lessons that overlap in terms of content and assignments.
Where can we innovate for future learning and teaching?
Students really like TinkerCad, 3D design. We need to do more projects on this software and improve ICT skills in this area. Gaming is a good resource.
Students should have one reflection form at the end of the unit and all teachers can join in that time. Teachers give students regular opportunities to reflect on progress.