Stage 1
The world is currently experiencing various changes that are mainly brought about by globalization, diversity, and the influence of technological advancements. Learning has also evolved, and the changes must be embraced to enable students to adapt to the modern world and become competitive in the capital market. Therefore, the educational stakeholders have developed several approaches, including the ISTE standards for students and the other common core state standards, to ensure that these changes are significant. The ISTE standards were formerly known as The International Council for Competitors in Education (ICCE) or The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) but are currently referred to as The International Society for Technology in Education ( Iste.org, 2020) . This unit will focus on how ISTE, among other state core standards, prepares learners to embrace and adopt in the constantly evolving technological environment. The framework is designed to endow students’ voices and realize that learning is a student-driven initiative and the 21 st -century skills and core competencies.
The ISTE framework will help in achieving multiple independent long-term achievements that are desired among learners. For example, students will independently use their acquired and learned skills to become empowered learners. They will leverage technology and become effective in achieving, selecting, and implementing competency in their learning objectives as desired by their educators and society. Learners will become digital citizens as desired by the state and the federal government. The framework empowers students to appreciate the responsibilities, rights, and opportunities to learn, live and work in an interconnected digital world. Besides, they develop habits and cultures that are legal, safe, and ethical. The last long-term objective is that students will become computational thinkers. Learners will have the technical know-how to create and apply methods for understanding and managing problems through approaches that leverage technological abilities to invent and test solutions. Such accomplishments and large scale understandings will be advantageous to the country and the educational sector because it will help achieve a healthy and learned community.
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The application of the ISTE instructional approach is clear evidence of an immense transformation from traditional teaching approaches. There are various disparities between the old methods and the modern personalized methods that will emulate modern learning requirements. Students should specifically understand that learning has transformed significantly in recent years. The traditional methods of delivering education, such as recitation and memorization methods, have since shifted to modern techniques that involve interactive approaches, including the ISTE system. Students will understand the disparities in instructional techniques and appreciate their significance in impacting their daily lives. The old teaching methods mainly involved students keeping silent when learning and then memorizing and reciting the whole lesson to their instructor one after the other. This method is now inconvenient because it did not involve the practical application of what was learned and was time-consuming in classes with many students having to recite their lessons. However, the progressive modern teaching method will involve new ideas such as ISTE, which provide learning from an entirely different perspective. It entails focusing on every individual student minus the assumption that learners possess equal understanding abilities.
This instructional unit will equip students with various knowledge and skills that will impact their personal lives and professional careers. For example, empowered learners can articulate and determine individual learning goals, initiate technological strategies to realize them, and replicate the same learning process to develop learning outcomes. Becoming a digital citizen will also enable the students to adapt to safe, positive, ethical, and legal habits desirable to society.
Stage 2
Theoretical Framework
There are several theoretical frameworks such as constructivism and connectivism, suitable and applicable in the above discussion of the UbD template discussion. The theory of constructivism is based on the idea that learners construct knowledge instead of passively absorbing information ( Stephen Perse Foundation, 2020) . This way, they can reflect upon their life experiences, create individual perspectives on the same, and develop new ideas into their pre-existing knowledge. The process is best described as an assimilation and accommodation approach. Take an example of progressive modern teaching techniques such as the ISTE that involves space learning. This scenario involves encouraging students to quickly advance through different activities such as engaging in 25 minutes of learning and taking a 30-minute break or change to a different practical activity. The method effectively achieves better grades because it helps the brain cells develop by adjusting to these changes. Connectivism is a learning concept that is centered on learning processes and not observed habits. This method is associated with the internal processes and connections that are experienced during learning. The two approaches are significant in ensuring the success of this instructional unit.
Summary of the rationale for Desired Learning Outcomes
The selected methods for teaching students the ISTE standards are essential towards achieving good performance among learners. Constructivism and connectivism are suitable methods for developing the students’ schema, students’ ability level, and the instructor’s content standards. For example, students believe that friends always display desirable characters, and whenever they meet a pleasant individual, they refer to them as a ‘friend.’ The information stays assimilated and accommodated that way in their schema. Suppose the same student meets a rude person. In that case, they may choose to alter their schema to accommodate the person’s negative impression and conclude that not everyone is friendly, depending on their intentions. The student then weighs the possibilities of whether the first person who displayed nice intention still suits their friend schema. The concept benefits the student by enabling them to develop their schema and learning abilities. Different ideas can also be drawn from the example, such as that learners are more productive when involved in learning experiences than passive learning. The approach also benefits the instructor’s content standards because they can now understand that learning is a social process associated with learners and teachers' social context who collaborate to develop knowledge.
Expected Shift in Instructional Approaches
The implementation of progressive modern teaching influences various changes from a more traditional approach to a personalized approach. It involves doing things differently, including planning and modifying in-class and out-of-class activities to look different. The first difference is to switch from traditional methods of teaching and embrace modern ways. It will entail more focus on every student’s abilities in class without overlooking their differences. The instructional technique will have more learning activities that involve explaining, collaboration methods, opportunity to ask questions, and practical demonstrations where possible. The planning of teaching methods will improve from the old ways of memorizing and recitation of lessons to practical demonstrations and simple quiz exercises at the end of lessons. For example, after a class of ISTE standards, learners may be asked to demonstrate their knowledge of using computers to send emails. Another in-class change is to create a dialogue with students to allow them to develop personal knowledge. It will now be easy to apply knowledge and feedback because students will be encouraged to assess new ideas and improve existing ones ( Buffalo.edu, 2020) . The in-class and out-of-class activities will differ because students will have the opportunity to evaluate pre-existing schema and the current ones.
The Use of DuFour and Eaker’s Four Critical Questions
In response to DuFour and Eaker’s four critical learning questions, the desired learning information is determined as the ISTE approach. The best way to know if every student has acquired knowledge is to conduct practical random tests after each lesson to assess their progress. The response to those who have not grasped the learning concepts will be made to understand that it is normal since everyone has different learning abilities, and the process will be repeated. That will facilitate equal academic progress for all learners. Such a design framework will be supportive in developing personalized learning moving forward.
The backward design model of instructional planning is a unique process used by teachers to create learning experiences and instructional methods that suit exact learning objectives. The main idea behind the model is to focus on the end goal and not the beginning. It gives educators a foolproof guide to follow when developing a curriculum and the teaching process to ensure all students benefit from the program. The instructor creates a list of basic knowledge, concepts, and skills to help learners handle different academic experience modules. A demonstration of learning is then conducted by designing final tests and assessments to determine whether the students have acquired the expected knowledge and skills across the units. Teachers then develop several lessons and projects that progressively improve the students’ knowledge and skills until the course is complete.
Summary
The traditional learning methods that involve repetition and memorization of information are nowadays not sufficient, considering the world’s rapid globalization and diversity. Progressive modern teaching such as the ISTE standards should be embraced to allow learners to develop their problem solving, critical thinking, and decision-making skills. That way, they can compete in a fast-changing world. Instructors also have to understand the basic concepts of teaching and students’ different learning abilities to be educated using a better approach.
References
Buffalo.edu. (2020). Constructivism . Retrieved 29 October 2020, from http://www.buffalo.edu/ubcei/enhance/learning/constructivism.html.
Iste.org. (2020). ISTE Standards for Students | ISTE . Retrieved 29 October 2020, from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students .
Stephen Perse Foundation. (2020). Teaching Methods: Traditional Vs Modern . Retrieved 29 October 2020, from https://sixthform.stephenperse.com/blog/?pid=458&nid=45&storyid=4728 .
