EDUC 5313 - Week 2 Blog Post
Authentic Intellectual Work
There are so many skills that we were taught growing up from elementary to high school that fell flat because we just did not know how we were going to utilize them when we grew up. The basis of the Authentic Intellectual Work approaches education on three fronts: Construction of Knowledge, Disciplined Inquiry, and Value Beyond School(Newmann, King, & Carmichael, 2007, p. 5). This approach supports the meaning behind the tasks we are set to do. Students are required to learn addition and subtraction. They are required to learn the foundations of personal finance. What our traditional educational settings exist as is pushing kids to show low level mastery of a set of standards to be able to use for the next assessment. This leads to students absorbing information on a surface level and never really utilizing in it’s practical sense. Instead of the traditional sit and get approach in education cramming definitions and DOK1 recall, what if we made it meaningful to the students in a way that they will see the impact of budgeting poorly?
Component: Value Beyond School
This component of the AIW resonates with how I approached lessons in my classrooms. Even if it was a foundational skill that was going to grow into a much greater application, I wanted the end result shown to my students. This principle emphasizes that the learning and work students do should have relevance and application outside the confines of the classroom. When students see the practical application of what they're learning, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged. They understand that their efforts can lead to tangible outcomes that matter in the real world. Successfully completing tasks that have real-world value boosts students' confidence in their abilities. When students work on projects that matter to them and their community, they are more likely to develop intrinsic motivation. They engage in learning for the sake of learning, driven by their own interests and passions.
Authentic Intellectual Work - Math Setting
One of the most real world experiences a student can participate in during their schooling is budget and finance. It would be incredible if students each year had a cross-curricular project that intertwined grade level standards with maintaining a budget. An example of this could be having students budget and plan school events. They would need to set their budgets, outline processes to acquire the needed funds and ultimately present their proposals to school faculty that would assist in the implementation of the plan.
2024 National Education Technology Plan Update
The 2024 National Education Technology Plan (NETP) from the U.S. Department of Education addresses three distinct issues that education faces. The Digital Use Divide focuses on how students use technology to engage in learning. The goal is to make technology a means for deeper learning and creativity, rather than just a supplementary tool. Utilizing the AIW and UDL students will naturally use the technology in a meaningful way while applying their knowledge as a value beyond school.
In the above stated project, students would use their technology to research how to throw a successful event, to identify prices of spaces and materials, and to calculate totals to remain within budget.
Triple E Framework Connection
There are clear ties between the AIW and Triple E Framework. Both ideas strive to have students increase engagement to enhance their learning experience by connecting it to life beyond the classroom. Students working on the event planning project would actively engage due to the nature of it being for students bringing their unique influence and personal likes that may be spread to the entire population of school during a memorable occasion.
References
Korb, L. (2020). Triple E Framework. https://www.tripleeframework.com/
Newmann, F. M., King, M. B., & Carmichael, D. L. (2007). Authentic instruction and assessment: Common standards for rigor and relevance in teaching academic subjects. State of Iowa Department of Education.
U.S. Department of Education. (2024). A call to action for closing the digital access, design, and use divides: 2024 National Educational Technology Plan. Retrieved from https://tech.ed.gov/files/2024/01/NETP24.pdf
Meg,
ReplyDeleteI love the emphasis you've placed on AIW and engaging students to learn simply for the sake of learning. Learning does not have to always be a "sit and get" situation and allowing students opportunities to become problem solvers within their community, as you've suggested, is an experience that they can attach to their learning that they won't soon forget. That will lead to students who become excited about problem solving which will equip students for life beyond the k-12 classroom.
-Michaela
I teach a finance math course at my school and I love the idea of having students be hands on with the budgeting of event! I could even do cross curriculum with the computer courses and have them make spread sheets to outline their thought process. You've got my wheels spinning in my head for next year just thinking about it! Thanks for the great idea!!!
ReplyDeleteMeg, I enjoyed that you focused on the AIW pillar value beyond the classroom. I also found this to be the component that resonated with most because I try to always help my students understand and make connection to the real world for the purpose for what we learn within the classroom. I also love connecting a math lesson to budgeting at all levels within the classroom. This is such an important skill that many students miss in school and then adults struggle with being able to live within budget. I also have a budgeting activity in my third grade classroom with students and my students find it so engaging to do the research and realize the cost of things today.
ReplyDeleteHi Meg!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, your post is written really well! I really enjoyed reading through all of the points that you bring up. I agree with your point about how so much of our traditional focus is on answering low depth of knowledge questions. I like the budgeting focus as it definitely will draw in our students by using real world concepts that they have an interest in. Nice post, keep up the good work!
Yes Meg, I agree that when student can actually learn and then apply the lesson immediately to their life, they are more likely to remember it. This is extremely important for students. I know growing up, most of the time I heard kids say that they did not understand why they were learning what they were learning because they were never going to use it and unfortunately, they did not always remember the material. Because of this their grades suffered and they did not like school. However, when we make the lessons relevant to the students lives it brings out a love of learning within them and they remember the lessons as well as are able to enjoy and pass the class.
ReplyDeleteYour blog post effectively highlights the importance of connecting classroom learning to real-world applications through Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW). I appreciate your focus on making education relevant by integrating practical projects, like budgeting for school events, which demonstrate the real-life value of skills. Your link between AIW, the 2024 National Education Technology Plan, and the Triple E Framework is insightful, showing how technology can enhance learning by making it more engaging and applicable. Your approach makes a compelling case for transforming traditional education methods to better prepare students for real-world challenges. Great insights!
ReplyDelete