First thoughts:
I really liked the Cancer Medication and Mitosis module. The graph and medication activities were well thought out.
I chose to attempt a re-design of the Grade 8 Genetic Inheritance module, but the WISE authoring tool was intimidating. I chose to instead do a fast authoring through Articulate Rise and have realized how the default interface/options of a medium impact teaching and learning. Rise uses pre-set blocks and the in-house options for activities and, at first glance, support a more behaviourist and cognitivist approach. If you use Rise in more depth and think about the affordances you want to leverage, you might incorporate constructivist approaches with a Google Form, Padlet, or H5P. In contrast, WISE offers much more choice with free response assessments. This open ended questioning is more helpful in leveraging constructivism. Overall, I’m starting to see how the medium influences the user in what affordances can be used. With more exploration and critical thought, the barriers to other affordances and pedagogy can be broken.
In contrast to the Cancer Medication and Mitosis module, I found the Genetic Inheritance module to have some out of place assessments and missing some of the key ideas about genetics (e.g., DNA and inheritance, genes and alleles, phenotypes, factors impacting phenotypes, types of inheritance). I chose to re-design/modify the section on pedigrees. Specifically, I thought it would be useful for students to explore phenotypes and emphasize the idea that multiple genes can impact phenotype.
It was intended that the students go through the module within the original WISE module. I attempted to have students address:
a) misconceptions about phenotype – it is often thought that a genotype always dictates phenotype, but there are other factors that can impact phenotype (e.g., multiple gene interaction, environmental factors, incomplete penetrance).
b) constructivism – building on WISE’s ideas of making learning visible and collaboration, I wanted students to work with each other as the teacher facilitates.
c) PCK – a little more difficult for me since I’m not a Biology teacher, but I do remember some of the big ideas of genetics. I want students to leave this segment of the module realizing that genetics is complex and what may be unexpected can actually happen and can be explained in multiple ways.
d) inquiry – I wanted students to go through gradual cycles of disequilibrium where they think they know what they are doing, but then get a specific task that challenges those conceptions.
e) instructional feedback – This wasn’t as prevalent in this module. However, it’s intended that students would engage in conversations in the class and the teacher would check in and chat with the students as needed.