2.4 Higher Order Thinking Skills
Candidates model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to support and enhance higher order thinking skills (e.g., analyze, evaluate, and create); processes (e.g., problem-solving, decision-making); and mental habits of mind (e.g., critical thinking, creative thinking, metacognition, self-regulation, and reflection). (PSC 2.4/ISTE 2d)
Artifact: Multimedia Design Project
Reflection:
A multimedia design project/WebQuest was created in ITEC 7445 for standard 2.4, higher order thinking skills. Cobb County School District uses Microsoft Office 365 and all students have accounts. Instead of using the suggested Weebly to create my WebQuest, I got permission to transform my WebQuest into a OneNote activity. This afforded me the opportunity to instantly see and respond to student work and for students to learn how to utilize a tool that will follow them through high school. The students were given the task of creating a seven-day family vacation. Students were to research places on all seven continents and eventually decide where they wanted to take their family. Once they decided on the location, they had to research travel, lodging, food and excursions. Then students had to use Excel to create a budget and evaluate expenses. To incorporate the use of other digital tools, students had a variety of challenges to choose from. For example, students could use Canva to create a vacation brochure; use Adobe Spark to create a vacation commercial; use PowerPoint or Sway to create a report of current events in decided destination; use Google Tour Builder to map out family vacation visually; or they could come up with a project of their choice. This project encouraged students to self-regulate while using problem-solving and decision-making skills. My contribution to this project was the sole designer, facilitator and implementer of the project.
To model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to support and enhance higher order thinking skills, I chose the multimedia design project/WebQuest artifact. The artifact demonstrates mastery of standard 2.4 in several ways. First, I modeled the use of Office 365 and OneNote to students live and in a video. Next, I facilitated the use of a variety of digital tools and resources students could evaluate and decide to use the best fit for themselves. Finally, the WebQuest required students to use a plethora of higher order thinking skills to demonstrate their mastery of content and technology standards throughout the project. Some of the higher order thinking skills students encountered while performing tasks were, analyzing, evaluating and creating. They also had to problem-solve, use decision making-skills, critical thinking, creative thinking, self-regulation and reflection.
From completing this artifact, I learned the value of requiring students to use higher order thinking skills. Students applied skills rather than memorizing information and because they were required to self-regulate, they took ownership in their learning. I also learned that student engagement increases when they are solving or creating authentic, real-world applications. When I do this lesson again, I want to have professional travel agents come in and talk to students about travel options. Then at the culmination of the project, students would present a created artifact to the travel agents.
The artifact impacted student learning. Students were challenged to use higher order thinking skills to create and solve a real-world problem. As a result, the students became more responsible digital citizens being able to effectively use digital tools and resources. The school was also impacted. Students learned how to use Office 365, which they will use through high school. Using this tool will allow teachers to more efficiently give student feedback, students can easily collaborate, and we can reduce Brumby’s carbon footprint while turning in assignments electronically.
A multimedia design project/WebQuest was created in ITEC 7445 for standard 2.4, higher order thinking skills. Cobb County School District uses Microsoft Office 365 and all students have accounts. Instead of using the suggested Weebly to create my WebQuest, I got permission to transform my WebQuest into a OneNote activity. This afforded me the opportunity to instantly see and respond to student work and for students to learn how to utilize a tool that will follow them through high school. The students were given the task of creating a seven-day family vacation. Students were to research places on all seven continents and eventually decide where they wanted to take their family. Once they decided on the location, they had to research travel, lodging, food and excursions. Then students had to use Excel to create a budget and evaluate expenses. To incorporate the use of other digital tools, students had a variety of challenges to choose from. For example, students could use Canva to create a vacation brochure; use Adobe Spark to create a vacation commercial; use PowerPoint or Sway to create a report of current events in decided destination; use Google Tour Builder to map out family vacation visually; or they could come up with a project of their choice. This project encouraged students to self-regulate while using problem-solving and decision-making skills. My contribution to this project was the sole designer, facilitator and implementer of the project.
To model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to support and enhance higher order thinking skills, I chose the multimedia design project/WebQuest artifact. The artifact demonstrates mastery of standard 2.4 in several ways. First, I modeled the use of Office 365 and OneNote to students live and in a video. Next, I facilitated the use of a variety of digital tools and resources students could evaluate and decide to use the best fit for themselves. Finally, the WebQuest required students to use a plethora of higher order thinking skills to demonstrate their mastery of content and technology standards throughout the project. Some of the higher order thinking skills students encountered while performing tasks were, analyzing, evaluating and creating. They also had to problem-solve, use decision making-skills, critical thinking, creative thinking, self-regulation and reflection.
From completing this artifact, I learned the value of requiring students to use higher order thinking skills. Students applied skills rather than memorizing information and because they were required to self-regulate, they took ownership in their learning. I also learned that student engagement increases when they are solving or creating authentic, real-world applications. When I do this lesson again, I want to have professional travel agents come in and talk to students about travel options. Then at the culmination of the project, students would present a created artifact to the travel agents.
The artifact impacted student learning. Students were challenged to use higher order thinking skills to create and solve a real-world problem. As a result, the students became more responsible digital citizens being able to effectively use digital tools and resources. The school was also impacted. Students learned how to use Office 365, which they will use through high school. Using this tool will allow teachers to more efficiently give student feedback, students can easily collaborate, and we can reduce Brumby’s carbon footprint while turning in assignments electronically.