LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 1

Learning Targets: Helping Students Aim for Understanding

0

Presenter: Connie M. Moss

July 17, 2012

A GPS Informs Your Decision Making

 Guidesyoueverymileandturn.

 Useslanguageyouunderstandtogetyoutoexactlywhereyouneedtogo.

 Knowsexactlywhereyouare.

 Alertsyoutothechallengesaheadandprovidesstrategiestohelpyoudealwiththem.

 Doesn’t“grade”yourdriving—it“recalculates”.1

Forges a Learning Partnership

 Cannotdothedrivingforyou,butitmonitorsyourprogressandfeedsyouforward.

 Onlyworkswhenyouareactuallydoingsomething—usingitsinsightsandinformaTontodrivemoreeffecTvelytowardyourdesTnaTon.

 Youhavetocon,nuallyself‐assess—monitoryourdrivingagainstthecriteriaprovidedtomakesureyouareontherighttrack.

2

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 2

What Information Does it Need To Work Effectively?

3

Characteristics of a Learning Target

  Describesexactlywhatstudentswilllearnintoday’slesson.

  Indevelopmentallyappropriatelanguagestudentscanunderstand.

  Fromthepointofviewofstudentswhohaveyettomasterthecontent,skillorprocessthatmakesupthetarget.

  Isconnectedtotheperformanceofunderstandingfortoday’slesson.

  ContainsLOOKFORSstudentscanusetojudgehowclosetheyaretothetargetinlanguagethatdescribesmasteryofthetarget,ratherthaningradingorscoringlanguage(le\ers,points,numbers,percentageright,numbercorrect,etc.).

4

Trip = Today’s Lesson

 LearningtargetshaveanexpiraTondate—theyareonlygoodforonelesson.

 Today’sLesson.

 Then,wecreateanewlearningtargetforthenextday’slessonbasedontheevidencewegatherwithstudentstoimproveourteaching...

 …andraisestudentachievement.

5

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 3

What do we mean by “Achievement”?

 Teachersandstudentsshouldknowexactlywhatthat“something”isfortoday’slesson.

 And,together,theyshouldgathercompellingevidenceduringtoday’slessontodetermineifstudentsachievedit.

 Achievementmeansthatyouarelookingforevidenceof“something”.

6

How Many Students Are Flying Blind?

  InstrucTonalobjecTvesandcurriculumstandardshavethe“rightstuff”forframingalessonorseriesoflessonsfromtheteachers’‐eye‐view.

 Theydoli\le,fromthestudents’‐eye‐view.

7

A Learning Target

 Describesexactlywhatstudentswilllearnorbeabletodobytheendoftoday’slesson.

 Youcan’tgatherevidenceofstudentlearningunlessyouandyourstudentsare100%clearonexactlywhatyouaresupposedtolearnandachieve!

8

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 4

Misconception Alert

98%

score

+25

number

B+

grade

9

Describing A “Lesson-Sized” Chunk of Learning

 Todaywearelearningtoexamineaneverydayac6vity,likemakingcookies,tono6cehowourunplannedac6ons,whatwecall“chance”,canmakeithardertopredictexactlyhowthingswillturnout.

 Asyoumakeyour10same‐sizedcookies,watcheachotherlikedetec6ves—reallyno6cewhathappensandrecordit.

 Whenwegetbacktogetherwewillusethatinforma6onandyourchocolatechipbargraphstolearnmoreaboutwhyitissodifficulttopredicthowmanychocolatechipswillbeineachcookie. 10

Today’s Lesson Must Have A Reason To Live!

 Whyareyouaskingyourstudentstolearn:

 ThischunkofinformaTon?

 Onthisday?

 Inthisway?

11

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 5

Potential Learning Trajectory   Whydoestoday’slessonexistbetween

yesterday’slessonandtomorrow’s?

  Howdoesitbuildonwhatcamebefore?

  Howdoesitpreparestudentsforwhatcomesnext?

  Wherearestudentsconfused?

  Whatshouldbere‐taught?

  Wherearestudentsstrong?

  Whathavetheymasteredthatwecanbuildontoincreasetheirunderstandingandskill?

Yesterday

Tomorrow

Today’s Lesson

12

It Isn’t a Learning Target Unless Students Use it to Aim for Understanding

 Today’slessonshouldmakethetargetvisible.

 Helplearnersaimforunderstanding.

 Placethebowandarrowintotheirhands.

 Andrequirethemtofire!

13

Ready, Aim, Fire

  ItISN’Talearningtargetunlessstudentsareaimingforit—usingittoproduceworkandassessthequalityofthatworkagainstspecificcriteria—look‐fors.

 Today’slessonneedsaperformanceofunderstanding.

14

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 6

15

16

17

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 7

A Strong Performance of Understanding

 Embodiesthelearningtarget.

 EngagesstudentswithessenTalcontent.

 RequiresstudentstousespecificreasoningprocessestoincreasetheirunderstandingandstrengthenessenTalskills.

 Preparesstudentsforthelearningchallengesintomorrow’slesson.

18

19

11th Grade English

• LessononShakespeare’sJuliusCaesar.

• TargetsonBoard: ThestudentswillbeabletolearnwhoJuliusCaesarwasandhissignificancetohistory.

 StudentswilllearnwhoWilliamShakespearewasandhissignificancetoliterature.

•  Studentsareusingtheirbooktocompletea100ques,onstudyguide.

20

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 8

Sample Study Guide Questions Shakespeare1.  Hewasbornhere________________andbapTzedin____________.2.  Hisfather’snamewas_____________andhemadehislivingasa____________.3.  IngrammarschoolShakespearelearned____________.4.  HowmanyplaysdidShakespearewritebeforehereTred?_________

ThePlay:TheResultsofViolence1.  FromwheredidShakespearedrawhismaterial?_____________2.  2,000yearsagoRomangeneralshadhuge________________________.3.  PompeymarriedCaesar’s_________byhisfirst_________.4.  For8yearsCaesarandhisarmiesroamedEuropeconquering_________and_____.5.  CaesarmarchedonRome,tookcontrol,andchasedPompeyallthewayto_______.

ReadingSkillsandStrategies1.  Archaicwordsarewordsthatwerarelyusetoday.Definethefollowing:

•  Alarum•  BeTmes•  Hie•  Prithee•  Smatch

21

A Strong Performance of Understanding

IsaperfectfitforthelearningtargetandtranslatesitintoacTonforthestudents.

22

A Strong Performance of Understanding

MakesthelearningtargetcrystalcleartoEVERYONEintheclassroom!

23

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 9

The Performance of Understanding is NOT the learning target for today’s lesson

24

Engaged in a Strong Performance of Understanding

 Theteachershouldbeabletoconclude:

 Ifmystudentscandothis,thenIwillhavestrongevidencethattheyhavereachedourlearningtargetfortoday’slesson.

25

Engaged in a Strong Performance of Understanding

 Studentsshouldbeabletoconclude:

 IfIcandothis,thenIwillhavestrongevidencethatIhavereachedourlearningtargetfortoday’slesson.

26

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 10

Learning Targets are the “means” NOT the ends!

 Theintended“ends”areassessmentcapablelearners.

 Thesestudentsputonandusetheirthinkingcaps.

 TheycanmonitorthequalityoftheirworkAStheyareworkingbycomparingittostudentlookfors(successcriteria).

 UsethatinformaTontoself‐regulatetomeetthegoalstheysetforthemselvesduringtoday’slesson. 27

To Become Assessment Capable

 Studentsneedtoknowwhatsuccesscriteriato“LOOKFOR”sotheycangaugethequalityoftheirworkandtakestepstoimproveit.

28

Look Fors

 HelpstudentsanswerquesTonsliketheseforthemselves:

  HowcloseamItothelearningtarget?

  AmIproducingqualitywork?

  Aremylearningstrategieseffec6ve?

 WhatshouldIkeepondoing?

 WhatshouldIdodifferently?

 Whatques6onsshouldIgetanswersto?

 WhatshouldIdonext?29

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 11

Learning Targets

30

 AnswerfourquesTonsfromthestudent’seye‐view.

1.  WhatwillIbeabletodoattheendoftoday’slesson?

2.  WhatwillIhavetolearnandunderstandsothatIcanusethisinformaTontodoit?

3.  HowwillIbeaskedtoshowthatIcandoit?

4.  HowwellwillIhavetodoit?

WhatwillIbeabletodowhenIfinishtoday’slesson?

WhatisimportantformetolearnandunderstandsothatIcanuse

thisinforma,ontodoit?

HowwillIbeaskedtoshowthatIcando

this?(Performance

ofUnderstanding)

HowwellwillIhavetodoit?

(StudentLookFors)

Yesterday,welearnedabouttheques6onmark,whatitlookslikeandthatitcomesattheendofanaskingsentence.

Todaywearelearningtowriteanaskingsentencethathasaques6onmarkattheend.

Tobeabletodothiswemustlearnandunderstandthatsomeaskingsentencesbeginwitha“ques6on”wordlike:Who,what,where,when,whyorhow.

Youwillshowthatyoucandothisbyrewri6ngalistoftellingsentencesasaskingsentencesandendingeachonewithaques6onmark.

Youwillknowthatyouhavehitthelearningtargetwhenyouareabletosay: Icanuseoneoftheaskingwordstochangemytellingsentenceintoaques6on. Icanplaceaques6onmarkattheendofmyaskingsentence. Icananswermynewaskingsentencebyusingmy“telling”sentence.

31

32

LearningTarget

PerformanceofUnderstandingStudentLookFors(SuccessCriteria)

Forma,veLearningCycle

LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandinginToday'sLessonASCD2012

7/17/2012

ConnieM.Moss:moss@castl.duq.edu 12

33Moss&Brookhart,2012,ASCD

Learning Targets

 HowtoDesignLearningTargets

 WaysToShareThemWithStudents

 UsingThemtoFeedLearningForward

 DevelopingAssessment‐CapableStudents

 DifferenTaTngInstrucTon

 FosteringHigher‐OrderThinking

 GuidingSummaTveAssessmentandGrading

 BuildingaSchoolCultureofEvidence‐BasedDecision‐Making.

34

ConnieMossmaybereachedat:

moss@castl.duq.edu

35