Instructions:

PART A: (Post your responses to PART A in your own blogs.)

• Identify a focus area for your observation based on the CATL lesson we just completed on Learning Outcomes.
  • Choose one or two  things from this lesson to use as a guide for your next observation.
• Decide on a potential way you can incorporate something you learned in this CATL lesson in your teaching practicum.
  • During your practicum (both the design and the teaching) implement one or two things you learned in this lesson.

My response:

For my next observation, I am going to focus on the relationship between the LOs and the activities/assessments, and also see how those relationships vary depending on the specificity of the LO, the order of the verb(s) used, if it is more open or close ended, etc. Basically, I plan on using the frameworks given in the last CATL session to assess the cohesiveness of the different components of the class!

Fortunately, I had my first practicum right after the last CATL session, so I was already able to implement some of what I learned. I made sure that I used a range of types of LOs (low and high order, closed and open-ended and match them with my activities and assessments) and tested them accordingly. Additionally, I got some great feedback on my LOs during our session that I also implemented!

For my next practicum (Nov 16th), I will incorporate the same things as discussed above, and take what I learn from observing to try to establish a strong relationship between my activities and LOs, and also to apply the Learner Knowledge Agency Model to evaluate the order of the activities and LOs I provide. I will also keep in mind the Learning Outcomes Priorities and use that framework to modify what I have already planned (I am just starting to refine my lesson :). Additionally, I surveyed some members of the class to whom I am lecturing, and from that was able to derive some student-driven LOs to accompany the LOs I have set for them. This is particularly important in this situation because I am giving a class on almost the exact topic of my thesis, and, as one would suspect, have major expert syndrome!

More to come…