Secondary Science Annual Checklist for Culturally Responsive Personalized Learning

Introduction

Resulting from social isolation due to the pandemic Fall 2020 presents teachers with more challenges to teach students and achieve Federal Common Core and State standards than any year in the Third Millennium. Meeting the needs of each individual student, accepting their diversity, cultural capital, multiple intelligence, and style of learning, students are further challenged with health and safety risks, lowered socioeconomic standards (SES), increased poverty, and increased changes to the ways that lessons are being taught. Teaching methods induced by the pandemic have now given birth to online learning worldwide. USA education without notice, in response to dire circumstances, instantly responded by crossing the threshold into online learning as the platform for Pre-K-12, and tertiary education.

Are teachers prepared for the school year 2020 - 2021 in the area of personalized learning for students with regard to the four Leading Effective Academic Practice (LEAP) framework components based on relevant research in the field of Personalized Learning or Differentiated Learning? The objective of this survey is to determine just that.

This survey will guide teachers through the process of thinking about their student population, and considering their demographics, begin to anticipate the cultural capital they will bring into the classroom (either online, face to face, or a hybrid program of both). This survey will guide teachers through the process of thinking about their student population and consider their family structure, what it was like if their parents have jobs, are they on school lunch programs, how will the teacher provide for differentiated instruction that maximizes student’s choices to express themselves using their cultural capital, and how will differentiated instruction look in the classroom to guarantee success for every learner?

Discussion of Implementation of Personalized Learning Components

Essay: Based on your survey results, what will you continue to do and/or change about your current practice?

1) Create teaching methods that remove the barriers to learning,

2) Create Differentiated learning programs that optimize each student's cultural capital (i.e. their abilities, strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, culture, religion, sexual orientation, geographic area and type of intelligence) that achieve transfer and mastery for each individual student.

3) Give students choices in their learning materials, methods and classroom ecosystem that maximize cultural capital ("student-directed" i.e. "Progressive, Existential").

4) Create assignments that allow multiple ways of engaging students according to their type of intelligence (Gardner, H. 2013).

5) Create multiple methods of Representing the Learning Target(LT) or Objective (the "what is being taught") which appeal to the multiple intelligences (Gardner, H., 2013),

6) Create multiple ways of Action and Expression as Formative Assessments integrating technology with varied approaches (collaborative and independent learning) to acquire mastery and transfer.

7) Offer standards-based, rubric supported projects with student goals clearly described (Student Goal Tracker, SGT). My students are given a choice as to how they are assessed for their learning: formative assessment (project) or a summative assessment (objective test).

Conclusion

Educators have the responsibility to be educated in Cultural Diversity and understand the history of the coexistence of the vast number of ethnicities in civilization throughout time. Considering ethnicity is based on continent, language, religion, family of origin, sometimes the color of skin, choice of gender and cult practices, United States educators have a lot to learn about teaching methods in culturally diverse ways. USA is really new at embracing diversity. Planet earth is far behind USA in embracing diversity and coexisting. USA is to be applauded for her embracing civil liberties and equal opportunities, especially in education in comparison with the rest of planet earth.

Teaching coexistence (embracing Cultural Diversity in the context of the vast numbers of ethnicities) requires teaching methods that maximize the students' cultural capital and embrace the constructivist, progressive, existential practices of Universal Design for Learning (Rose, D. 2015), Understanding by Design (McTigh & Wiggins, 2009), 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013), Positive Growth Mindset, (Carol Dweck, 2009), Visible Learning (Hattie, et. al., 2016). These (*) philosophies and methods establish a classroom climate (classroom ecosystem), where students feel safe and are able to take risks in their learning (Maslow, A.,1943) and not be afraid to be vulnerable and struggle with their learning to find their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), (Vygotsky, L., 1896-1934). These* educational philosophies remove the barriers to learning by optimizing each student's cultural capital using a differentiated curriculum that serves diverse needs and multiple intelligences (Gardner, H. 2013). These* philosophies remove the barriers to learning, regardless of ethnicity, and optimize each student's cultural capital in an active, student-centered, collaborative, project-based classroom. To enhance and engage cultural capital, always teach "Maslow before Bloom!"

Implementation of Personalized Learning Components - Leading Effective Academic Practice Survey Format

Leading Effective Academic Practice - the Four Main categories of survey questions

1. Learner connected

2. Learner focused

3. Learner demonstrated

4. Learner led.

I. Learner connected.

1. Teacher: student (Classroom/School)

2. Student: Student (Classroom)

3. Student: Family and Community (Homelife and Social Interconnectedness)

II. Learner focused.

1. Teacher: student (Classroom/School)

2. Student: Student (Classroom)

3. Student: Family and Community (Homelife and Social Interconnectedness)

III. Learner demonstrated.

1. Teacher: student (Classroom/School)

2. Student: Student (Classroom)

3. Student: Family and Community (Homelife and Social Interconnectedness)

IV. Learner led.

1. Teacher: student (Classroom/School)

2. Student: Student (Classroom)

3. Student: Family and Community (Homelife and Social Interconnectedness)

Implementation of Personalized Learning Components - Leading Effective Academic Practice Survey

Creating teaching methods that remove the barriers to learning, “Personalized Learning” in a Differentiated Classroom.

Learner Led.

1. Teacher: student (Classroom/School) Have I written a pre-assessment for the course based on the anticipated final exam, to use to assess baseline understanding for each student?

2. Have I strategically written a course syllabus with a calendar of anticipated assignments, due dates and assessments, that equips students with an opportunity to plan and set goals to achieve their full potential based on their cultural capital and their interests?

3. Have I listed recommended types of assessments correlated with each assignment for each learning style and type of intelligence so students can discuss their activity choices with their parents and include aspects to express their cultural capital?

Student: Student (Classroom)

1. Have I planned rubric guided collaborative formative assessments for my students' use in writing and tracking achievement of their personalized learning goals using a Student Goal Tracker SGT including a monthly review of their progress toward their learning goals?

2. Have I grouped my students for the first two weeks of collaborative activities in mixed achievement levels groups?

Student: Family and Community (Homelife and Social Interconnectedness)

1. To foster a sense of connection, have I written a letter to my student’s families and invited them to collaboratively review the course syllabus and calendar and offered learning methods and encouraged them to work with their students to choose their positive peer collaboration assessment and learning group partners?

2. Have I prompted my students and their families to disclose their interests, strengths and needs for my consideration with regard to any of the listed curriculum on the syllabus?

Have I communicated to my students and their families that I am preparing standards-based choices and I am trusting them with the type and style of learning and assessment they choose to co-design their learning experience based on their cultural capital and their interests?

1. Have I invited my students and their families to recognize when obstacles are identified and help is needed to achieve their goals to request extra support from me, the teacher, from their families, their peers, and from the schools learning resources such as the IT support?

II. Learner focused.

Teacher: student (Classroom/School)

1. Have I unpacked my content-area Standards and written standards-based essential questions to focus on essential ideas and skills and create a classroom experience where the learning is relevant, contextualized and gives my students and their families choices in designing effective learning programs according to their individual needs, interests, and strengths? Do the learning choices eliminate ancillary tasks?

2. Have I created Differentiated learning programs that optimize each student's cultural capital (i.e. their abilities, strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, culture, religion, sexual orientation, level of engagement, geographic area, and type of intelligence) that achieve transfer and mastery for each individual student?

3. Do I offer standards-based, rubric supported projects with student goals clearly described (Student Goal Tracker, SGT)?

4. Do I seek progress not perfection? Do I ongoingly assess, reflect, and adjust content, process, and product for each student’s personalized differentiated learning (pg. 80 UDL)?

Student: Student (Classroom)

1. Do I offer flexible collaborative partnering by shared interest, topic or ability? (For example: using JigSaw active collaborative learning methods?

2. Have I planned meaningful standards-based collaborative small group activities where students and their families can choose the learning method of most interest to them according to their strengths?

Student: Family and Community (Homelife and Social Interconnectedness)

1. Are my students and their families given a choice as to how they are assessed for their learning: formative assessment (project) or a summative assessment (objective test)?

III. Learner demonstrated.

Teacher: student (Classroom/School)

1. Do I seek evidence of both Affective and Effective measures of a positive growth mindset?

2. Do I develop a deep understanding of needs, interests and strengths around academics, health and wellness, social emotional development, culture and language, living situation, and cognitive skills? (CSU Global OTL565, 2020.)

3. Do I give value-added recognition to students for all demonstrated competencies (regardless of where and when it happens)?

4. Am I supporting differentiated learning by supporting my students to progress at their own pace based on demonstrated competencies?

5. Do I create assignments that allow multiple ways of engaging students according to their type of intelligence (Gardner, H. 2013)?

6. Do I create multiple methods of Representing the Learning Target(LT) or Objective (the "what is being taught") which appeal to the multiple intelligences (Gardner, H., 2013)?

7. Do I create multiple ways of Action and Expression as Formative Assessments integrating technology with varied approaches (collaborative and independent learning) to acquire mastery and transfer?

Student: Student (Classroom)

1. Do I engage students in meaningful, standards-based learning using clearly stated objectives, and do I allow my student groups to struggle at their own pace, to find their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)? (Vygotsky, L., 1896-1934)

2. Are my students guided to demonstrate their understanding using alternate assessments? 3. Do my students support each other and assess each other’s work?

Student: Family and Community (Homelife and Social Interconnectedness)

1. Have I written a letter to my students and their families which indicates the student’s “Pre-assessment” score for the class and I have requested confirmation that the level that is indicated by the score is within an acceptable range of their understanding of their student’s understanding of the content?

2. Have I indicated to the student and their families that their students' level of prior knowledge and their learning needs will be used to determine the final personalized level of achievement?

IV. Learner connected.

Teacher: Student (Classroom/School)

1. Have I written standards-based meaningful formative assessments that will guide my differentiated students through Learning Activities outside of the classroom?

2. Have I designed engaging real-world experiences to develop academic knowledge, community engagement, workplace experience, and global citizenship?

Student: Student (Classroom)

1. Have I prepared my students for competent participation in an increasingly intercultural society? (CSU Global Critical Thinking, 2020).

Student: Family and Community (Homelife and Social Interconnectedness)

1. Are my students and their families aware of how to be a collaborative support system using a guided action plan? 2. Do my students and their families know our school has developed guidelines for all students and their families to actively participate in ending oppression of all types.

2. Are my students and their families aware that the goal of 2020-2021 education is to be more student-centered, constructivist, collaborative and inclusive of each student’s unique voices and experiences (cultural capital) in a personalized learning ecosystem?

3. Are my students and their family given opportunities to cultivate new and meaningful relationships in context of my course? (Huebner, 2010).

"To make all learners successful, we must move away from a system that teaches to the average and adopt an approach that is tailored to the needs and strengths of each individual learner."

Todd Rose, President, Center for the Individual Opportunity

Educators have the responsibility to be educated in Cultural Diversity and understand the history of the coexistence of the vast number of ethnicities in civilization throughout time.

Note: Survey questions are distinct and written as closed ended questions, so they may be answered with a “Yes” or “No” or choice of a numbered rating on a Scale.

Copyrighted by Maryellen Elizabeth Hart July 12, 2020 - Please use with written permission and appropriate citations from Maryellen Elizabeth Hart.

References

Colorado State University Global. (2020). Module 1 Interactive Lecture Student Learning Objectives Assessments. Canvas OTL 565.

Dweck, Carol, (2009). Fixed Mindset to Growth Mindset, The Adolescent Mind Retrieved from http://learningandtheadolescentmind.org/people_01.html

Gardner, Howard. (2013). "The Theory of Multiple Intelligences: As Psychology, As Education, As Social Science Howard Gardner" (PDF). Howardgardner01.files.wordpress.com.

Goodwin, Bryan & Ross-Hubbell, Elizabeth, (2013). The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching A Checklist for Staying Focused Every Day. McRel, Denver, CO, USA

Hattie, John, (2016). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. New York, NY: Routledge.

Maslow, Abraham, 1943. (Staff, Wikipedia 2020). Maslow's Hierarchy Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

Rose, David. (2015). Universal Design for Learning. CAST, Harvard, Wakefield, MA. 01880

Vygotsky, Lev, (1896-1934) Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) Moscow, Russia

Wiggins, Grant. & McTighe, Jay. (2005). Understanding by Design ASCD, Alexandria, VA.