The impact of the transformative technology integration will be measured in a few ways. Throughout the process, I will have previous year’s students to compare results with, and they will serve as my control group.
To understand students’ levels of critical thinking skills and knowledge of credible and not credible information before the unit, students will be given multiple printed sources of information from the web, newsprint, or from a blog or social media. Students will be asked to read through the information they are given, and then rate the sources from most credible to least credible. They will also be given sticky notes to write a brief explanation of why they think that source is reliable, or why they do not think it is reliable. Class discussion of results will help me get an understanding of students’ critical thinking and source credibility knowledge prior to the unit.
Also before the lesson, students will be give a survey via Google Forms on where they get their information currently. Students will be asked if they get their information mostly from television, radio, the web, social media, magazines, newspapers, or even word of mouth, and how often they use these sources for information. Students will also be asked to rate what information source is the most reliable, and what source of information does not seem the most reliable.
After the lesson on conducting effective searches and how to identify credible information versus non credible information, students will be observed researching their topic of how humans affect the environment. If students are using search techniques that produce quality results, and they are using their critical thinking skills to not use information that is unreliable, the lesson will have been successful. Also, if students are able to design a website or blog that effectively communicates their findings of information in a clear, concise and well supported manner, the lesson will have been successful.
When students have communicated their findings on their topic, the sources of information survey will be given again. Although students may still get their information from the same places, are their opinions now different on what is most reliable? Students will also be given a set of multiple different sources of information again, just as they were the first time (but different sources). They will evaluate, and then discuss in a small group their reasoning, and then report out to the whole group. As a teacher, it will be my job to assess whether or not they have gained the critical thinking skills necessary to become critical evaluators of information.
Throughout the school year, long after the unit is over, I will know that students have achieved understanding if they can apply these critical thinking skills to new situations. When they come across new information in any form of the media, are they taking this information as it is, or are they questioning and assessing it to evaluate its true credibility? This will be the most valid form of assessment I can make.
To understand students’ levels of critical thinking skills and knowledge of credible and not credible information before the unit, students will be given multiple printed sources of information from the web, newsprint, or from a blog or social media. Students will be asked to read through the information they are given, and then rate the sources from most credible to least credible. They will also be given sticky notes to write a brief explanation of why they think that source is reliable, or why they do not think it is reliable. Class discussion of results will help me get an understanding of students’ critical thinking and source credibility knowledge prior to the unit.
Also before the lesson, students will be give a survey via Google Forms on where they get their information currently. Students will be asked if they get their information mostly from television, radio, the web, social media, magazines, newspapers, or even word of mouth, and how often they use these sources for information. Students will also be asked to rate what information source is the most reliable, and what source of information does not seem the most reliable.
After the lesson on conducting effective searches and how to identify credible information versus non credible information, students will be observed researching their topic of how humans affect the environment. If students are using search techniques that produce quality results, and they are using their critical thinking skills to not use information that is unreliable, the lesson will have been successful. Also, if students are able to design a website or blog that effectively communicates their findings of information in a clear, concise and well supported manner, the lesson will have been successful.
When students have communicated their findings on their topic, the sources of information survey will be given again. Although students may still get their information from the same places, are their opinions now different on what is most reliable? Students will also be given a set of multiple different sources of information again, just as they were the first time (but different sources). They will evaluate, and then discuss in a small group their reasoning, and then report out to the whole group. As a teacher, it will be my job to assess whether or not they have gained the critical thinking skills necessary to become critical evaluators of information.
Throughout the school year, long after the unit is over, I will know that students have achieved understanding if they can apply these critical thinking skills to new situations. When they come across new information in any form of the media, are they taking this information as it is, or are they questioning and assessing it to evaluate its true credibility? This will be the most valid form of assessment I can make.