Teaching for Understanding with Technology

Powerpoint Presentation

Key Features of Teaching for Understanding

(recreated from Wiske, M.S. (2005). Teaching for understanding with technology. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.)

Generative Topics

• are connected to multiple ideas within and across subject matters
• are authentic, accessible, and interesting to students
• are fascinating and compelling for the teacher
• can be approached through a variety of entry points and a range of available curriculum materials and technologies
• have a "bottomless" quality that generates and rewards continuing inquiry

Understanding Goals

• are clearly defined and publicly stated
• focus on big ideas, beyond memorizing facts and rehearsing routine skills
• address multiple learning dimensions: knowledge, methods of inquiry and reasoning, purposes for learning, and forms of expression
• are connected coherently so that lesson-level goals relate to long-term goals and to overarching goals, or throughlines

Performances of Understanding

• develop and demonstrate understanding of target goals
• require active learning and creative thinking to stretch learners' minds
• build understanding through sequenced activities from introductory "messing about" to guided inquiry to culminating performances
• engage a rich variety of entry points and multiple intelligences

Ongoing Assessment

• is based on explicit, public criteria directly related to understanding goals
• is conducted frequently and generates suggestions for improving performance
• includes informal, embedded assessments, as well as more formal structures and products
• uses multiple sources: self- and peer-assessments, as well as feedback from teachers, coaches, and others

Reflective, Collaborative Communities

• support dialogue and reflection based on shared goals and a common language
• take in account diverse perspectives
• promote respect, reciprocity, and collaboration among members of a community on communal accomplishments, as well as individual performances

Activity 1

Using one of curriculum maps from the site below (or from your own school system), develop three examples of how to incorporate each of the above features into your classroom.

Spotsylvania County Public School Curriculum Maps

Activity 2

Using the resources below (or those that you find yourself), develop three examples of how to integrate technology into the above framework.

Google Earth--Explore the world using satellite imagery
History Matters--GMU site supporting the teaching of U.S. History
National Archives--Over 1200 documents to explore
Rockingham County K-5 Technology Integration--Offers suggestions for integrating technology for different subjects at the elementary level
ReadWriteThink--Interactive tools to support literacy learning
WebQuest--Web-based lessons in a variety of subject areas
Blue Web'n Math--Online resources for math instruction
Edutopia Math and Science Resources--Resources for teaching math and science
HowStuffWorks "Physics Channel"--Learning guides for topics in physics