Week 10 Reflection
This week’s readings from Morrison, Ross, and Kemp (2007) were so helpful and packed with new insights and information. As I read, I focused on how the text related to our design project…my plans and conceptualization of this project and how it would look from the student perspective.
I was especially interested in the information presented in chapter five, featuring the various methods of determining objectives. I have continued to process how this fits into the way we incorporate objectives at Cameron, by correlating the appropriate standards from governing professional organizations along with our own goals for courses. This weekend I will be revisiting the chart I created for the online course I am developing to assess whether I can make improvements to the course objectives as they relate to the professional standards. Specifically, I would like to examine each piece and its relationship to Bloom’s Taxonomy.
As I read the task analysis information, I considered how specific course assignments will need to be to ensure the outcomes I desire. As I’ve seen in the past, sometimes I am surprised by the assignments students turn in and how they differ from my expectations, but after examining the assignment instructions, I find that they were not clear enough. Another piece that helps with the sometimes “fuzzy” nature of expectations vs. results is a grading rubric. When my students have access to a rubric prior to the assignment due date, it guides their work and results in a better match between expectations and results.
Finally, in chapter six, I was reminded of the importance of student-centered curricula with elements of controlled choice to allow students to pursue individual interests. Choice is a powerful motivator at all ages and is an essential component in online learning as it will keep students engaged in course content as it applies to their own interests and goals. Now, the challenge is how to offer student choice while also meeting my own objectives for the course…
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I agree with you about the rubrics - It is interesting to see how many of the students follow that guideline closely when it is given to them. I give one to our students prior to clinical rotation and also when I introduce their research papers and many of them have gone down the list checking off things as they have done them - and those are the ones who get better grades.
ReplyDeleteI, too have struggled with the grading rubrics, especially for our clinical concept map/care plan. We added critical thinking just this year as graded criteria, but lacks the particular components of measurement. I believe we all have a different prospective of evaluating if the student uses critical components in their plans and could use a guiding too to assess this further.
ReplyDeleteI also think the grading rubrics is a must for all assignments. As faculty, it helps to have a grading rubrics so we all can grade fairly and similar. Without one, it becomes so subjective. Great Post! thanks
ReplyDeleteRubrics are nice, when the instructor or the developer of the rubric has clearly defined the learning objectives. The student can only be as clear as the instructor is.
ReplyDeleteGreat point about student choice. We did not offer any choices with certain assignments in one of my classes this semester and have had several complaints. Maybe allowing some type of choice would help, but I agree that deciding what type of choice will be difficult when trying to meet certain objectives. Definitely something to think about. Thanks, Tomi
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