What I've Learned About Distance Learning Through Taking Online Classes

Do's:

• Be specific about requirements, instructions, assignments, etc.
• Have due dates in one spot and be clear about them.
• Remind students about assignments that are due.
• Resend Zoom links the day of the meeting.
• Have a bell ringer question ready.
• Include a To-Do list for the week.
• Embed questions throughout the Zoom meeting.
• Give feedback on assignments.
• Give time for questions.
• Start on time and end on time. Ask students to put questions in the chatbox that you will address in a Google Doc FAQ.
• Keep all resources in one place.
• Include opportunities for reflection. This will help the information solidify as well as allow for accountability.
• Have a backup plan.
• Have "rules" for discussion. (Mute, we will be recorded, etc.)
• If you are going to require students to do something such as a Zoom chat outside of the regularly scheduled time, let them know with plenty of time in advance. (Ok, doing any live instruction outside of the regularly scheduled time should be a don't, but if it's unavoidable, such as a guest speaker, let students know, record it, and give them an alternative such as a reflection question if they can't make it.)

Don'ts:

• Don't assume that students can reference an email from two weeks ago.
• Don't give students an assignment due a certain day (because you're going to discuss it in class) and then decide not to do the discussion and give extra time to do the assignment. You are going to lose the trust of students who did the assignment and are ready to discuss.
• Don't talk without having a slide in the background. I tended to zone out if I was just looking at someone's face without other visual stimuli.
• Don't turn off the chat. Many students are not willing to speak out loud and prefer to use the chat. Students can also answer each others' questions in the chatbox.
• Don't plan every minute. Leave extra time for technical difficulties or additional discussion. 
• Don't use too many platforms, apps, programs, etc. Stick to what works well to avoid confusion.
• Don't overload your students. One reading and assignment a week is perfectly acceptable, as long as it provides plenty of opportunity for discussion in between. You can really get into a great deal of detail doing it this way, and it isn't too much to keep track of. Students have other classes to deal with too

Revamping My NHD Materials

I understand that this year will be very different due to our current pandemic situation, but my National History Day materials have needed revamping for some time now, and I know that we will use these resources in the future regardless.

I wanted to change up a lot of my materials to simplify the process for my students. My earlier materials were wordy and students didn't bother to read it all. My new materials still include guidance and information to read, but I feel like the information included is more relevant and straightforward. I will also be supplementing these materials with videos of myself explaining and working through the various processes. Hopefully, modeling this will help both students and guardians/teachers/paraprofessionals who are trying to help students work through these processes.

The first activity that I revised was my "Writing Research Questions" handout. The setup of my original one was just confusing and too broad, so I made this one more specific. It seems long as well, but this is something that we will work on for multiple days as we discuss and practice writing research questions in class, whether in-person or online.

I have also been trying to figure out how to best help students organize their research. In the past, students have made a copy of a "Source Analysis Sheet" where they kept track of information, citations, and annotations from individual sources. These were nice and easy to grade, though students often viewed them as one and done. Students would also simply write down facts that they found and many didn't look at or consider their research questions as soon as they were turned in. Much of the information that students recorded was also the same information they found in previous sources, which was not helpful to them at all in the end.

I have considered using Google Keep or notecards to help students organize research, but these are not easily shareable. Google Keep notes can be shared on a note-by-note basis, but this would mean that I would receive hundreds and hundreds of notes in my inbox every time I collected their research. (The research must be collected and feedback must be given by me, otherwise many students will wait until the last minute or will not know what to do next due to lack of guidance.)

I am currently considering whether Google Sheets can be used for the purpose of collecting research efficiently. It is a tool that many students are unfamiliar with, so it would entail a learning curve, but learning how to use the tool would be beneficial in its own right. I could show students how to sort a sheet by certain columns so they can search their research by research question or search by source, for example.

Regardless of the method I choose, students must be able to record the following while analyzing a source:

• information from the source
• which research question(s) the information applies to (this may be multiple)
• student reactions to or analysis of the information
• a citation for the source
• an annotation for the source

I also need to remind students to make it clear when they are recording a direct quote or when they are recording their own thoughts. An easy way to make this distinction is for students to place quotation marks around any direct quote and provide a page number (if applicable), as they will need this to cite the particular quote later on in the process.

I created a Google Slides document for students to keep track of image sources (Image Analysis Document), but Google Slides did not work well on the iPads. I will be recreating this in Google Docs (which works just fine on iPads), though the process will remain much the same.

The HyperDoc Handbook (Takeaways)

I just finished reading The HyperDoc Handbook: Digital Lesson Design Using Google Apps by Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton, and Sarah Landis in preparation for the possibility of online learning this year. Of course, these strategies could be used whether I am teaching in person or online, but I wanted to prepare for the possibility that virtual learning will be my reality this year. Here are my takeaways. (All quotes come straight from the book.) You can also follow along with the book using their study guide.

The Why

The book starts out with a foreword by a high school senior, Jordan Moldenhauer. She speaks about how school, in her experience, has been where she and her fellow classmates have been told what to do and how to think. "...school is a place where I am told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it--down to a T... If we have to ask a teacher if something is okay, we have forgotten how to be creative and are afraid to be creative because we are afraid of being wrong." This has to change!

Jordan also said, "I don't want to be told what to think; I want to be given facts that can help me think for myself." This sentiment is a huge reason why I am changing my method of teaching to be more standards-based (AKA, focus on the skills to help students think critically) as well as more inquiry-based (to give students a compelling question that does not have a "correct" answer and give them resources and the skills necessary in order to find evidence to answer the question). HyperDocs will be a great way to package my inquiry units. After all, I agree with Jordan when she says, "...freethinking shouldn't start in college."

Supporting Curiosity

I love the fact that HyperDocs allow students to explore a topic with any level of guidance without becoming confused as to which resources to use. For example, the teacher can include videos, links to websites, etc. in the "explore" section of the HyperDoc for students to explore with guidance. The teacher can also prompt students to search a keyword and find their own resources, all depending on the skill level of the student. "Students are curious by nature; we just need to provide opportunities for them to be curious." HyperDocs allow students to explore and be curious with guidance, as well as to return to the list of resources at any point in the future.

Applications in Distance Learning

HyperDocs are quite versatile in their application. I realize that I had been using a form of HyperDoc when we moved to distance learning (AKA, emergency learning) during fourth quarter of the 2019-2020 school year. I created a document that packaged all activities for the week so students could refer to the document (in the form of a Google Slide Deck) and clearly see what they needed to complete that week.

My Economics Learning Plan (Just an image - no working links due to copyright reasons.)

"HyperDocs can help us stay connected with students through homework, sub plans, independent study, homeschooling, and other alternative education scenarios. Distance learning allows us to answer students' questions, provide immediate feedback on work, and maintain communication."

I did have certain assignments each week for my Economics class, but I also put together the Learning Plan for the entire 4th Quarter and sent it out at the beginning of the quarter. I allowed students to work ahead as desired, as long as they received feedback from me to ensure that they understood the concepts before moving onto the next concepts. I tried my best to give clear, specific feedback as quickly as possible. Some students took advantage of this opportunity and worked ahead, and others completed the work week by week. Regardless of their choice, they completed the work and were able to use the Learning Plan document to see what tasks needed to be done. This organization also helped parents, administration, and myself to see at a glance what was planned for the week.

I will continue to use this in the future, especially if I have a substitute. If we make the use of a learning plan an everyday protocol, students will know where to go every day. Students will own their learning and a substitute can take on the role of a facilitator instead of leading the class.

Differentiation

HyperDocs are also quite versatile in the fact that they can be easily differentiated. Google Classroom allows teachers to assign classwork to the whole class, groups of students, or individual students. I could create a different HyperDoc for students with IEPs or 504 Plans to meet their needs, or I could provide the differentiation within the HyperDoc itself, such as resources in various reading levels or videos, or even possibly sources that provide an audio recording (read aloud) as my students have iPads and cannot utilize Chrome extensions that read words aloud. (Just a thought here, there have to be accessibility applications for this on the iPad... any suggestions?) HyperDocs can also help students with organization. "Even creating and filling a table with instructions, links, and spaces for students to provide answers in a HyperDoc can make all the difference for students who lack focus or organization."

Creating a HyperDoc

For my own reference, I am listing the steps to create a HyperDoc here. (This comes straight from The HyperDoc Handbook.)

1. Determine your objectives.
2. Select which learning cycle you will use.
3. Select your packaging.
4. Build the workflow.
5. Design your HyperDoc.

Hack Your HyperDoc

Various levels of learning can be facilitated by the use of HyperDocs, including:

• Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK)
• "1) Recall, 2) Skill/Concept, 3) Strategic Thinking, and 4) Extended Thinking"
• Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition (SAMR)
• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards

These are covered on pages 41-45 in The HyperDoc Handbook.

The 4 Cs of Transformation

It's important to remember to include at least one of the 4 Cs in lesson plans. The HyperDoc Handbook gives some suggestions as to how to do this as well as why it is important.

1. Create: "When students create, they are first required to process and synthesize, then present their interpretation of the information."
2. Collaborate: "...have conversations, listen, respond appropriately, discuss topics, build on ideas or comments, ask questions, and work together toward a shared goal."
3. Connect: "...students will learn to have a local and global view of the world. Imagine exploring maps, commenting on and/or creating blogs, sharing student-prodced videos, practicing speaking and listening skills through video conferencing, and using social media to connect and collaborate with classrooms around the world."
4. Critical Thinking: Include "high-level questioning and open-ended tasks."

Build Your Own HyperDoc

Chapter 3 of The HyperDoc Handbook covers how to build your own HyperDoc. There are so many great ideas about how to engage, explore, explain, apply, share, reflect, and extend learning!

HyperDoc Checklist

In order to be sure that the HyperDocs that you create include multiple levels of learning, use the HyperDoc Checklist.

Click here to learn more about HyperDocs and download digital lessons!

The website includes HyperDoc templates, courses, downloadable lessons, and more!

The EduProtocol Field Guide: 16 Student-Centered Lesson Frames for Infinite Learning Possibilities (Reflection)

I recently read The EduProtocol Field Guide: 16 Student-Centered Lesson Frames for Infinite Learning Possibilities by Marlena Hebern and Jon Corippo. (All quotes in this post come straight from the book.) In order to obtain all of the information about the protocols that I summarize below, you'll need to read the book, but I have included my takeaways here for my own reference.

EduProtocols are "workflows which can be repeated with changing content." I love the idea of helping students master certain workflows so they can focus on the content instead of learning and relearning tasks or online platforms every day. As Hebern and Corippo state, "It takes about ten repetitions for students to become masters at [a] task." In Social Studies, the very skills that we teach are protocols. Analyzing primary sources by sourcing and close reading, using evidence in an argument, and skills such as causation and comparison lend themselves nicely to repeated practice (basically, protocols). The more students practice these, the better they get at it.

While using EduProtocols, it is recommended to "Keep in mind the SPIRIT to which EduProtocols are designed..."

• Serious Commitment - These aren't one and done! Continually utilize the same protocols throughout the entire year to get the most out of the strategy.
• Progression - Start with a low cognitive load and up the ante once students master the protocol. In addition, start with one protocol and gradually introduce more. If you start week one with 5 new protocols, students (and you!) will be overwhelmed.
• Immediate Feedback - Let students know immediately how they have performed, or have them assess themselves.
• Reps - Practice, practice, practice!
• Interest - Up the pace, as this keeps students on their toes.
• Tech Balance - Use tools that help meet your goals (Quizizz for vocabulary, for example), but don't overwhelm students with too many tools. Stick with what works!

On the same vein, protocols can be used for everyday procedures. For example, explicitly teach students how to transition between activities, turn in classwork, how to find materials they can use in the classroom, etc.

You can learn more about EduProtocols here and view some EduProtocol templates here.

Presenting in Front of the Class

While reading about the "Worst Preso Ever" activity, I was inspired by the Pechaflickr variation. Basically. Pechaflickr is a website where you search a term and a slideshow will be randomly generated that includes pictures that relate to the term. (Be careful to check the terms before doing this in front of a class!) This would be fun to incorporate as a sort of "impromptu" presentation activity where students have to present on the topic based only on the pictures. In order to start with low stakes, I would likely have the class working on one activity and then move around to groups. Within each group, each person would take turns individually presenting to their small group while I was looking on. Then we could have a small group conversation about what we liked about the presentation. Later, students would be presenting in front of the class. Presentations were something that I didn't do a lot in my classes, as I didn't want to make students uncomfortable. They have to get used to it though, so I'll work on creating a welcoming class culture at the beginning of the year and then presenting in front of the class shouldn't be as daunting. Also, the more students practice presenting, the more confident they will get, and the easier it will be.

I also like the idea of students anonymously creating a slide and a different student presenting their slide. This sees to be less nerve-wracking for students, as they don't feel ownership over the slide and will not be so nervous about being judged for the content on the slide. We would certainly have to have a conversation about not putting down what is written on the slide, but this could be another way to make presentation practice less painful.

There was another idea where "students will create five slides that advance every ten seconds" and they have to present that. I love this idea, as it will encourage students to be concise and focus on the main ideas.

On the other hand, I could have students present a slideshow that automatically advances after 20 seconds. In this scenario, students would have to talk in order to fill the time, so this could help students practice elaboration on their ideas. (This was mentioned in Chapter 17: BookaKucha EduProtocol.)

Your Opinion Is Important

One thing that I would like to incorporate more throughout the school year is discussion. Socratic Seminars are a great way to do this. One obstacle that I have noticed is that many students feel as if they will say something incorrect, think they will be ridiculed, or think that their opinion does not matter. Fixing this issue starts with establishing a culture starting at the beginning of the school year, but it continues throughout the year.

One way to remind students that their opinions matter is to do an activity such as "Things that Rock." You'd have to check out the EduProtocol Field Guide to read all about the activity, but basically, students align themselves on a continuum based on their personal opinions about a topic. For example, cats. Students will then stand along the continuum to illustrate how much they like or dislike the topic. Then they turn to the student next to them and discuss. We could also have the students that are farthest on each end give their opinions and try to convince the other side. If this activity is prefaced with a discussion about how to actively listen and wait your turn to respond, this could be very valuable. I would also teach students sentence stems related to how you can respectfully disagree. For example, "I understand your point, but..." or "I see what you are saying, but I have another way of looking at it..."

The 4 C's

The 4 C's (critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity) should be incorporated as much as possible, as they are skills for college, career, and life as well as during K-12 schooling. I am simply making note of this to remind myself to intentionally include the 4 C's as much as possible!

Frayer Model / Marzano's 6 Step Process for Vocabulary

One protocol that I have used a few times is the Frayer Model. I love the idea of using this as a protocol when discussing vocabulary or important concepts, but I tend to gravitate toward Marzano's model (the 6 steps include playing vocabulary games and repetition, so the 6 steps are not all shown in the graphic organizer). The Frayer Model focuses on the definition of a term, examples, non-examples, and characteristics. Marzano focuses on the description of the term (in the student's own words) and a drawing of the term. Over time and repetition of learning the term, students can note their understanding on a 4-point scale and can add more ideas. Regardless, both models are excellent protocols for learning new vocabulary.

Frayer Model

Marzano Example

BookaKucha

I think this idea is interesting, though I'm not sure how often I'd use this. Basically, students read for a certain amount of time (10 minutes or so) and then they are told to stop and create a "four-slide book report at the same time, regardless of the page number" that they are on. I like this as an activity that can provide a bit of accountability, but I wonder how this would impact students who are not fast readers. I might have students stop every 5 minutes or so and write down two things that they have learned and why these things are important (big picture). This will reinforce the importance of paying close attention to the reading as well as keep students reading in order to find new information, but it is also very low-stakes and attainable for all students. Of course, reading materials could be chosen to accommodate for students with varying reading levels as well.

Great American Race

I love the idea of this activity, where "students anonymously contribute a slide to a class deck... in the second half of the activity, teams race to identify each slide." This could be a really fun short activity to help introduce or review a topic!

Cyber Sandwich

This would be an interesting way to introduce "communication in history," which is this year's National History Day theme. Each student can research a different topic concerning communication. I've been keeping a list of possible topics already, though the list is very broad:

• Printing press, telephone, internet, cell phones, postal service, television, radio, print media, world’s fairs - communicating achievements, conventions and conferences, language (including computer language, sign language, braille), hieroglyphs and cuneiform, how communication has changed (television news over time), broadcast of Nixon/Kennedy debate, yellow journalism, muckrakers, cartographic communication (maps), protests, posters, art, photography, books, social media? (probably too soon), YouTube, postcards, telegraph, music, Hello Girls, nickelodeons, diplomacy, speeches, Fireside Chats, testimony, oral history, wampum belts, franking, wood engraving to photographs in pictorial newspapers

Primary Source Document EduProtocol

I realize that I do this already in my classes. Every time we look at a new source (most secondary sources included), we discuss the source. I use the HIPP analysis (historical context, intended audience, purpose, and point of view), as that was the language that I used in my APUSH class, and it is the language in our brand new Social Studies Standards. Students practice this all year and get very good at this analysis, though I think we need to focus more intentionally on how the parts of the HIPP analysis impact the content of the source.

Mini-Reports

I like the idea of mini-reports, as this provides students with repeated practice with writing thesis statements and choosing evidence that supports their thesis. This skill is one that needs reps, and eventually, they will use this skill to fully argue a point whether it is in a presentation, paper, etc.

Somebody Wanted But So Then Slide Deck

This protocol would be great for giving students practice with elaborating on the significance of a topic. The cause and effect (this, then) model is also great for helping students to explain the impacts of a choice or event in history. (Instead of quoting a large portion of the book here explaining how this activity works, I will instead urge you to read the EduProtocol Field Guide, specifically Chapter 33: Mastery and Assessment to learn about this protocol.)

Overall

Overall, I need to remember to "give students six to eight reps on a protocol before using it as an assessment..." this will help make sure that they understand the steps of the protocol, and students can focus on the content instead of the process. I'm excited to choose two or three of these EduProtocols to focus on this year. In the future I may add more, but I am in the process of switching my classes to standards-based grading and I don't want to overwhelm my students with too much that is brand new!

What We Know About Grading (Reflections)

I just finished reading What We Know About Grading: What Works, What Doesn't, and What's Next by Thomas R. Guskey and Susan M. Brookhart. The book was mostly about the research that has been done considering grading practices and it culminates in a discussion about standards-based grading. There is a great deal of useful information in the book that is all backed by copious amounts of research, but this reflection is mainly for my reference and therefore only includes information that is new to me or especially resonates with me. Any sentences or phrases in quotations come directly from What We Know About Grading. Here are my thoughts and reflections:

Using a 4-Point Scale:

I will be using a 4-point scale when grading formative and summative assessments in my classes. I will not grade everything, but the things that are will be based on 4-point rubrics (Minimal, Approaching, Proficient, and Mastery).

Apparently, using a 4-point scale instead of a 0-100 scale will allow me to be more accurate in assigning grades and giving feedback. "Teachers were much more consistent when using grading scales with fewer categories, especially those with five categories or fewer." (18)

"The three most important [suggestions concerning grading] relate to criteria, consistency, and categories in grading." (26)

"(1) clearly define the criteria, (2) clearly specify the weight or relative emphasis each criterion should contribute to the grade for the piece of student work, and (3) apply the criteria and weights consistently." (27) To apply criteria and weights consistently, "use scales that don't require finer distinctions than you can reliably make." (30)

I will be using 4-point rubrics that will be readily available for students so the criteria and the points that can be earned are clear, and points will be awarded consistently. 

"When well constructed, grading scales with fewer categories that describe clearly distinct levels of student mastery or proficiency are not only more reliable, but also offer students better information to guide improvements." (220)

Grading for Mastery, not Behavior

"Teachers must also make sure these criteria describe students' learning and not simply how well they followed directions." (27) "...grades should be readily interpretable indicators of knowledge and skills in a content area." (63) "SBG practices are not easily standardized. Teachers may continue 'hodgepodge grading...' teachers clearly struggle with separating academic achievement from behaviors that support learning." (127)

It's very important that behavior and achievement are not reflected in the grade book together, as the grade should reflect student mastery of the standards. For example, taking late points off would be punishing a behavior, which has nothing to do with what the students have learned.

"One critique of using grades to assess conative factors [e.g. interest, volition, and self-regulation (p. 39)] is that teachers may award grades based on students appearing engaged but just going through the motions (procedural engagement) rather than on legitimate effort and participation that leads to increase learning (substantive engagement)." (41)

I have a real issue with giving "participation" grades. I will award points according to a 4-point rubric during a discussion, but I will not give participation points anymore. The rubric (in progress) will require students to show mastery of a skill, such as argumentation or use of evidence.

Objectivity

Grading can never truly be objective as a human being will be assigning points, but teachers can strive to be as objective as possible by making grading as anonymous as possible. "For constructed-response assessments, grade all students' responses to one question before moving onto the next question." (28) I tend to do this a lot, mostly because it is quicker, but I realize how this can also help protect the anonymity of my students. This is important because no matter how much I try to not be biased, bias is always there. Google forms allows teachers to grade quizzes one question at a time. Doing this digitally can also stop teachers from recognizing handwriting as well.

SBG Practices to Consider

"Using the same achievement-level indicators that appear on state or provincial assessments"

"Organizing gradebooks by standard instead of by content area"

"Involving students in grading" (125)

The three practices listed above are repeated here to help remind me to implement them. I want to look into our state assessments as well as the ACT and look at the reading standards (Social Studies standards are rarely assessed on their own) so I can see how well they match up to our standards by grade level. I also plan to set up my gradebook according to my power standards (such as use of evidence). Once my rubrics are created, I can also require students to self-assess.

Report Cards

"...teachers might reflect on the following questions before finalizing report cards: (1) What evidence have I collected with respect to this specific standard? (2) What are the strengths and limitations of the evidence? and (3) Based on the evidence I have, does this grade accurately reflect this student's performance?" (127)

"Teachers implementing SBG said that [SBG report cards] took longer to complete than traditional report cards, but that the additional time was worthwhile due to the improved quality of information." (129)

Educating All Stakeholders

We need to make sure that all people involved understand SBG, otherwise, the confusion can breed contempt. Once students and parents understand the process, they will be more likely to stand behind it.

"...successful implementation [of an SBG system] requires a multipronged approach, including (1) efforts to ensure that both parents and teachers understand the curriculum so they can accurately interpret report cards; (2) substantial district support for SBGs, including workshops and trainings for both parents and teachers; and (3) clear communication and marketing to parents." (130)

Concerning State Tests

"The evidence base that does exist reveals that while SBG and assessment results are related, they reflect different aspects of a skill and therefore should not be expected to perfectly match. This is because SBG reports at a different level of granularity than a state test. SBG also reflects the results of multiple assessments administered at different times and uses a variety of methods to gauge performance. Therefore, while some policymakers may hope that SBG implementation will increase the consistency of report card grades and assessment results, perfect consistency is not a realistic goal." (136)

State testing is continually problematic. Just because SBG doesn't correlate completely doesn't mean that it is bad practice.

The Bell Curve Isn't a Law

"With a standards-based grading approach, grades are not based on a student's relative standing among classmates, which positions students to compete with one another. Standards-based grading is success- rather than punishment-oriented." (171)

I have gotten some feedback from stakeholders asking why so many students in my classes receive A's. Many people think that if many students are getting A's, that means that the class is too easy, the teacher is grading too easily, etc. In fact, if students are mastering the content, A's will be earned! The bell curve is no longer accepted as a "law" in education.

Content and Process

"To separate 'content goals' from 'process goals' is not only a fool's errand-it's inaccurate and erroneous. Students must be able to do something with the content." (216)

The old WI State Social Studies standards were mostly focused on content instead of skills. They were written in the 1990s and were better suited for an education system that focused on memorization. I'm happy that changes have been made to reflect changes in pedagogy. The new WI State Social Studies standards focus more on skills than on content, but it would be impossible to teach content without including the skills and vice versa. Teachers are required to cover specific periods of time, but the content covered is mostly up to the discretion of the teacher. This is perfect for classes that allow a great deal of student choice, as possibilities are endless.

The Purpose of Grading

The purpose of grades is to serve as feedback for students. However, a score of 2 out of 4 means nothing on its own. Feedback must be specific and meaningful, so students know what they need to do in order to improve.

"...grades can serve to enhance both teaching and learning if we focus on their use as feedback (formative) rather than as evaluative judgments (summative)..." (217)

"When paired with individualized guidance and direction for improvement, [grades] also help direct learning progress." (217)

"...grades do not reflect who you are as a learner, but where you are in your learning journey--and where is always temporary. Knowing where you are is essential to improvement." (217)

"When combined with guidance to students and parents on how improvements can be made, grades can become a valuable tool in facilitating students' learning success." (218)

Standard Error of Measurement

"...over multiple administrations of the assessment, the same student might get one or two more items right or wrong, simply due to imprecision in the measurement instrument (i.e., the assessment)." (219)

Sometimes it is necessary to assess students' understanding of content-related vocabulary. I have created a 4-point rubric to assign a grade to a student's level of mastery of the vocabulary. In cases such as these, students often get angry that a score of 8-10 are both recorded as a 4. Students wonder why, if they earned a 10, they get the same score as someone who got a question wrong. The reason for this is the standard error of measurement. A student can take the same test multiple times and get questions wrong that they got right before, and vice versa. I've seen it when students retake assessments!

Here is the rubric on the test, though the questions/terms are not included:

Standard Addressed: SS.Hist1.a.h.G I can evaluate how different groups and individuals contribute to an event or cause
4 - Mastery	3 - Proficient	2 - Approaching	1 - Minimal	0 - Insufficient
Student can accurately describe how at least 8 of the following terms contributed to the Age of Exploration.	Student can accurately describe how at least 6 of the following terms contributed to the Age of Exploration.	Student can accurately describe how at least 4 of the following terms contributed to the Age of Exploration.	Student can accurately describe how at least 2 of the following terms contributed to the Age of Exploration.	Student cannot accurately describe how the following terms contributed to the Age of Exploration.

Reporting Multiple Grades in the Grade Book

"Combining disparate measures into a single, overall score or grade rarely yields anything useful or meaningful." (220)

"A more useful and meaningful description of students' performance includes multiple grades. At a minimum, it provides grades that distinguish product, process, and progress learning criteria." (221)

Right now I can make different categories in my grade book and decide how much (percentage-wise) they are weighted. I will choose 4 power standards and make them equal (25% each) and categorize my assessments within these categories.

Main Takeaway/Conclusion

"Starting with clear learning goals, focusing on the important feedback function of grades, limiting the number of grade categories, and providing multiple grades that reflect product, process, and progress criteria will greatly enhance the meaning and accuracy of that communication." (223)

Standards-Based Grading Update - July 2020

Since beginning my work on standards-based grading (SBG) practices, I have come a long way.

This reflection covers my first experiences with SBG, my efforts over the years, as well as my future plans.

I hope to have SBG fully implemented within the next couple of years. The process of implementation is one that cannot be rushed into, a lesson that took me a while to learn.

My Early Experiences with SBG

First of all, I have been interested in standards-based grading since I began teaching in 2014. As I was one of three middle-high school Social Studies teachers in a very small district, I had many different classes to prep for. This was my workload during my very first year of teaching: US History, World History, Government, AP US History, and AP Government. Talk about overwhelming. I made it through and I am a stronger teacher for it; the one regret that I have is that I wasn't able to dig deeply into standards-based grading right away.

I tend to be someone who dives in head first, gets overwhelmed, and then slowly backs away from my new initiatives a few months after they start. Standards-based grading is not one of those initiatives. I began to read about SBG in 2014 and I have reached out to my PLN on Twitter and within my school community to discuss grading practices.

I really got serious about SBG when I moved to a new district, as I was less involved in meetings and teams and had more opportunity to focus on grading practices, which really should have been my priority in the past. I also had a great PLN at my new school that was dedicated to SBG. I had a wonderful PLN at my last district whom I miss a ton, but they weren't as far on their SBG journey as my new colleagues are. The expertise of my new colleagues has greatly advanced my understanding of SBG and I am very glad to have them!

In addition, I began to reach out to my virtual PLN on Twitter more often asking for advice on SBG and my process. In 2018, the state of Wisconsin released the new Social Studies standards and my work could really begin. The 2018-2019 school year (my first in my new district) was dedicated to unpacking the new standards and really understanding what was required of my students. I also redesigned many units to fit the new curriculum, though I did not have the opportunity or time to complete them all. I have to remind myself that this is ok, as change takes time!

Since the 2019-2020 School Year

The 2019-2020 school year was focused on writing new assessments to match the standards and working to align learning activities to the standards. This is where I fell behind a bit. The assessments certainly assessed the standards, but daily learning activities were not always meaningful and many ended up being busywork. I greatly regret this, but again, change takes time.

During the last quarter of the 2019-2020 school year I worked with my student teacher on creating a full SBG unit, backward-designed and all. I discuss that unit in my post titled "Inquiry Mindset: Types of Student Inquiry (Including my "Global Interactions" unit)." Before creating the unit, we chose power standards. Then we decided which unit to create (Global Interactions) and walked through the standards that related to this unit, choosing which ones we could feasibly address within the time frame of the unit. We broke down the standards and created 4-point rubrics for them. (This is another development - the 2019-2020 school year was the first in which I switched my grading scale to a 4-point scale, though I still had to convert it to a 100-point scale. Formative assessments were graded this way, but summative assessments were graded based on the number of questions. In the most basic example, a 30-question test would be worth 30 points. This is not representative of SBG and is something that I am working on.)

I will be using the Global Interactions unit as a model for future units that I create. It will take a great deal of time to create brand-new units, so I am trying not to bite off more than I can chew. I will focus on World History first and create new units and assessments. Then I will find or modify learning activities that help students practice the skills that they need to master. After World History is completed, then I can move on to US History, then Economics, then Psychology, and finally, Sociology. This process will take a great deal of time, so I need to remember to be patient.

Along my SBG journey, I have done a lot of reading and collaborating to better understand the process and implement SBG in my classes. (It is something our district is thinking about, but we are nowhere near being able to have all classes take part.) In the summer of 2019 I took part in a Book Club. Here are my updates from the book club:

Update on "#SBGBOOKCLUB 2019: Rethinking Grading"

I have included my key takeaways and my reflections on the takeaways:

• Unpack the new Social Studies standards that Wisconsin has recently approved
• Done for the most part. I have yet to include necessary vocabulary, but it's a work in progress! - View the unpacked standards here!
• Write student-friendly learning targets using the standards
• This is being done on a unit-by-unit basis, though learning targets are also outlined on the Standards Unpacking document linked above.
• Organize my grade book categories into learning targets
• I'm planning on determining how to do this before next school year. Depending on how school resumes, I might not put this into practice yet. If we are continuing remote learning, it could just get very confusing for students and parents with all of the other new things we'll probably be implementing for virtual learning.
• Focus on skills (easy with the new standards) and find ways to provide student choice in the content they study
• Working on it! New learning targets focus on the skills, but I have to be intentional in making sure that my everyday learning activities sync up to the standards as well. Student choice will be easier to allow once my inquiry units are set up. I have one completed, but others in progress. Each inquiry unit focuses on one compelling question. Students will choose which topics they want to research in order to answer the compelling question. More on this later as this process develops. This Civil Rights lesson plan is one example of how an inquiry could be set up.

Inquiry

To better prepare for SBG, I have also been delving into inquiry. The new WI State Social Studies standards include the following strands: Behavioral Sciences, Economics, Geography, History, and Political Science. The standards also include a strand titled Inquiry.

I have begun research into how I can incorporate more inquiry by taking part in MOOCs and by reading Inquiry Mindset by Trevor Mackenzie and Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt. To see my reflections on inquiry, please view the posts labeled with "Inquiry."

So Far This Summer and Next Steps

So far this summer (besides reading Inquiry Mindset) I have read What We Know About Grading: What Works, What Doesn't, and What's Next by Thomas R. Guskey and Susan M. Brookhart. I will be writing a blog post including my reflections from that book soon.

My next endeavor is to read Grading from the Inside Out: Bringing Accuracy to Student Assessment Through a Standards-Based Mindset by Tom Schimmer.

I have a lot planned for this summer, but I believe it is important to do as much reading as possible before trying to write more curriculum. I want to make sure that I am doing it correctly, as I often just forge ahead and then realize that I have to revise. Revision is a natural part of the process, but research should come first.

Inquiry Mindset: Making Inquiry Visible / Public Displays of Understanding

Courtesy of Trevor Mackenzie

These two chapters challenged me to reflect on how my students can showcase their work to (cliche alert, but I'm going to say it anyway) an authentic audience. My students have completed the National History Day project for 5 years now, and the Local Contest is an excellent way for students to showcase their work. Unfortunately, only judges can be around for the interview portion, but projects remain in the hallways for all to see for at least two weeks. Online projects (websites, documentaries, papers, and performances) are posted on my website and shared with the community as well.

As for future displays of understanding, I want to delve into blogging and/or portfolios.

I would like to use Google Sites, as it is an easy-to-use, yet robust, online platform. It won't work like a traditional blog, but students can create pages to showcase a variety of work. Unfortunately, our students have iPads, and Google has yet to make it easy to use all of the components of Google Sites on a mobile platform.

On Google Sites, students can post the following:

• Photographs
• Videos
• Text
• Finished projects in the form of Google Docs, Google Slides, etc.
• Adobe Spark or Canva graphics
• etc... endless possibilities!

Students can use their website to post their wonderings, reflect on their process, and display their final findings. As I am in a very small district and I teach students for multiple years (some for all four years of high school), they can build upon their website over the years and see their growth. I would love to collaborate with some other teachers on this, but I have to pilot this first.

The best part about Google Sites is that they can be kept private or shared with only a small audience. Most students already have permission from their parents to publish to the world, but a select few do not. These students could share their work with me and their parents and no one else has to see it. Of course, I would discuss the importance of an authentic audience with parents, but ultimately, it is up to parents to decide whether posting publicly is safe for their child.

If students' sites are public, we can showcase them via our school district's Twitter account as well. Having a real audience such as the community will motivate students to put their best effort into their work, as they know that other people besides their teacher will be viewing it.

I am also considering putting together a classroom blog where we can showcase one activity a week. When the Google Sites take off in the future, we can showcase student sites on the blog by linking to them as well. This will allow me to model digital citizenship to my students, which is incredibly important in our world full of increasing virtual communication.

Because implementing Google Sites portfolios would require a great deal of planning, unfortunately, I will have to wait until at least next school year to put them into practice. My focus this year is standards-based grading and creating inquiry-based units.