Get Your Students Hired
I liked the rubric with employability skills. Some teachers view these 21st century skills as things that are taught in passing or in discretionary spaces in the classroom, however this module suggests that teachers should teach them explicilty with goals, objectives, outcomes, a rubric with criteria for success, and a method for assessment.
This material reinforces the concept that know is 40% and Doing is 40%, Yes I said 40% each because the student also needs to know how to corrolate one with the other, for example. One student excels at the hands on but cannot grasp the technical concept of what he is doing and another student dominates the technical concept but doesn't see how to take the data learned and use it to complete a task. Student a can see the task in thier mind and how to manipulate it and student B understands the concept but can't manipulate the task.
I have never really paid much attention to the Bloom's taxonomy, but will now. I agree that it is important to have the lessons planned out. I know I have been guilty of "winging" it and relying on my experience and knowledge to present information. While the information I present was accurate, it maybe was not presented in the most logical order to facilitate the student's learning to the maximum efficiency.
Very important module on lesson plans and employability skills. I plan to re-evaluate my lesson plans and add employability skills to there grade.
I learned about the three domains and how each are important. A student's soft skills are just as important as being able to learn and apply content, the cognitive domain. I had also never seen Bloom's Taxonomy and the pyramid, since my degree is not in teaching. The Bloom pyramid really made me think about how students are able to progress in their learning level of a given concept. I learned that students can be involved in the process of setting objectives. I plan to take the following action steps for my classroom: 1. Assigning 1 pt per class for attendance and being on time. 2. For a given concept, try to include as many levels of the Bloom's Taxonomy pyramid as I can, knowing that remembering and understanding have to be established first. 3. In group work, include the soft skills in their evaluation.
I enjoyed the statement, "Students need to see the value...". I also was grateful to have a refresher on Bloom's Taxonomy and how to write objectives.
I have a greater understanding of how to plan and assess objectives and outcomes within my course and each lesson plan. The “Bloom’s Taxonomy Action Verbs” is a resource I will use often from now on. :)
I learned that the plan in just that a plan. We do not have to strictly adhere to it but it is worthwhile to make. I will start making lesson plans.
I learned to coordinate standards, programs, objectives, instruction, and assessments within not only the broad course as a whole, but also each lesson.
The students are why we are here, why we do what we do and teach what we teach. Students get out of our courses what they put into it and that holds just as true for the instructor, because we in a sense are students ourselves, we are constantly evolving because the student is constantly evolving.
We can look at the traditional student what about the non-traditional student, the one that hasn't been in class for 20 years, non-traditional students must learn how to learn, all over again, how to study, how to digest and retain the materials that are put in front of them. We as the instructors, teachers, professors must never forget and become complacent we must be ever evolving with the student.
Like Matthew my lecture and labs are separated. but I believe that lesson planning is important. We want our students to be prepared so we should be prepared. We need to be accountable for our part in thier education. We need to hold them accountable for their acts just as well as they should hold us accountable. How can not not be ready to teach them WHEN/IF the show up. I believe that happiness is contagious, so I go in class ready to talk and I will talk all day until they start talking back.
What I have learned from module EC102 and how I will us it
To effectively educate a student for success in their chosen profession, a teacher must use instruction that emphasizes the highest standards of the profession in each course of study that makes up the program of study for that profession. Some of the industries' standard levels may change based on recent technology, changed rules and regulations, etc. Other standard levels will remain the same such as ethical considerations and fiduciary responsibilities to clients. Each course comprising the curriculum should be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure all course material remains up to date and relevant to the profession. Once the instruction standards are defined, identify for each course a set of objectives that align with the skills required of someone in the profession. Choose teaching and learning activities that require the student to use multiple cognitive levels. Continuously review required assignments to make sure each is a direct assessment that demonstrates the students' knowledge and skills regarding the objectives the assignments are meant to assess. Teaching and learning activities should be designed in a way that effectively replicates real world scenarios of the profession where the knowledge and skill being taught is needed to produce a successful outcome. Information for how each assignment is measured and graded should be kept to the ensure accuracy, consistency, and integrity. As a post-secondary program instructor, I could make efforts to work with secondary program instructors to identify dual credit offering possibilities.
The horizontal alignment vs. vertical alignment gave me some ideas about how to cover more ground in my introducgtory classes. There is quite a bit of similar content in two courses. I have been locked into this idea that I had to cover the same material in both, but I think this gave me "permission" to think more about how to lighten up in the overlapping material so we can explore the dissimilar content in more depth.
Also, I have been trying more this year to think about where we want to end - the objectives - than where we want to start. It is like a roadmap (if you remember those) when you are planning a vacation. You need to figure out where you want to end and then figure out how to get there.
One of the things I am considering using in my courses is the employability assessment with an emphasis on their communication skills to help them think about what they need to work on to be successful in interviews and on the job. I can tie that back into a journal assignment asking them to reflect on the results of the assessment.
A plan will help and guide us in class as well as in the program. The curriculum will align with the program outcomes
I started this years class by telling the students they are in a very technical field and that their name means everything . I've told them that they have to look and act professional for what ever job they are going to be doing and that no matter what job it is they want to be on time and do it to the best of their knowledge. I have found out that if you don't keep pushing them they won't get their assignments done on time. Each student learns at different paces , some you have to tell others you have to tell and show the proper procedure and then you have some that don't want to learn at all.
I love the employability skills rubrics. I'm going to use those in several of my classes going forward.
A plan that incorporates the varied learning styles and objectives of all learners is critical. Not just an ABC's to the Framework.