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: ITEC 7481 Online Learning Experience
The artifact I am using to model and facilitate effective use of digital tools and resources to support and enhance higher order thinking skills, processes, and mental habits of mind, is a summary of the online learning experience I developed in ITEC 7481. The purpose of this assignment is to summarize by providing an overview, context, module outline, assessment practice, accommodations and differentiation and universal design and accessibility. My contribution for this assignment was adding module readings, assessments and discussion posts to Blackboard, an online learning management system.
This artifact supports the modeling and effective use of digital tools and resources through the activities in the digital tool and learning platform, Blackboard. Each module uses collaborative and discussion based assignments, as well as learning activities that promote higher order thinking skills. An example of these skills occurs through the assessment component of this online learning experience. Each module begins with a learning objective. Students meet this learning objective through providing written and creative projects that display new knowledge and collaborative learning activities. Such activities include written expression of new content knowledge and skills, creative reflections and peer feedback through discussion based strategies to build process that develops writing reflections and continuous feedback to peers. Students must reflect, evaluate and create unique discussion posted in response to their peers and content knowledge. The processes such as decision-making in discussion forms and project completion requires students to think at a higher level to model their learning and key takeaways from the course objectives. Students learn to preserve and challenge their peers in their discussions. There is also an advanced level of creativity encouraged throughout the design of these modules. Students must place themselves in this time and determine how they would utilize their problem-solving and creativity skills based on the objective. These habits of mind ensure students go out into the world utilizing these skills to overcome life’s obstacles and engage in real world problem solving.
After completing this artifact, I gained the skills in creating an online learning experience for students. Designing tasks that are engaging and promote higher order thinking takes time and commitment to researching best practices in online learning environments. According to Vai and Sosulski (2016) suggest, “Self-assessment is an excellent reflective tool” (p. 155). Throughout this course, students reflect on their learning through discussion-based activities. This is a powerful tool used to support learning objectives, higher order thinking and habit of mind skills.
This artifact influences faculty development and school improvement by the sharing of strategies to support discussion based activities. These skills enable students to think on a deeper level, encourage self-reflection, and peer collaboration that centers on learning objectives and building new knowledge. When teachers engage in collaborative talk to discuss instructional practices they are using to support higher order thinking and mental habits of mind such as perseverance and strategic reasoning when confronted with a challenge.
References
Vai, M., & Sosulski, K. (2016). Essentials of online course design: A standards-based guide (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
This artifact supports the modeling and effective use of digital tools and resources through the activities in the digital tool and learning platform, Blackboard. Each module uses collaborative and discussion based assignments, as well as learning activities that promote higher order thinking skills. An example of these skills occurs through the assessment component of this online learning experience. Each module begins with a learning objective. Students meet this learning objective through providing written and creative projects that display new knowledge and collaborative learning activities. Such activities include written expression of new content knowledge and skills, creative reflections and peer feedback through discussion based strategies to build process that develops writing reflections and continuous feedback to peers. Students must reflect, evaluate and create unique discussion posted in response to their peers and content knowledge. The processes such as decision-making in discussion forms and project completion requires students to think at a higher level to model their learning and key takeaways from the course objectives. Students learn to preserve and challenge their peers in their discussions. There is also an advanced level of creativity encouraged throughout the design of these modules. Students must place themselves in this time and determine how they would utilize their problem-solving and creativity skills based on the objective. These habits of mind ensure students go out into the world utilizing these skills to overcome life’s obstacles and engage in real world problem solving.
After completing this artifact, I gained the skills in creating an online learning experience for students. Designing tasks that are engaging and promote higher order thinking takes time and commitment to researching best practices in online learning environments. According to Vai and Sosulski (2016) suggest, “Self-assessment is an excellent reflective tool” (p. 155). Throughout this course, students reflect on their learning through discussion-based activities. This is a powerful tool used to support learning objectives, higher order thinking and habit of mind skills.
This artifact influences faculty development and school improvement by the sharing of strategies to support discussion based activities. These skills enable students to think on a deeper level, encourage self-reflection, and peer collaboration that centers on learning objectives and building new knowledge. When teachers engage in collaborative talk to discuss instructional practices they are using to support higher order thinking and mental habits of mind such as perseverance and strategic reasoning when confronted with a challenge.
References
Vai, M., & Sosulski, K. (2016). Essentials of online course design: A standards-based guide (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.