Since the majority of the day was spent "LoTizing" video clips and related learning activities, I wanted to provide you with some additional suggestions when conducting classroom walkthroughs or reviewing student products.
1.Having students apply what they have learned to a new authentic situation involves more than just depositing the information into a webpage, blog, wiki, or multimedia presentation; it requires students applying the pertinent concepts or skills to a situation that directly impacts the learner, his/her immediate surroundings, and/or the larger community. If this is not the case, then you most likely have either a LoTi 2 or 3 learning experience.
2. The easiest way to discriminate between LoTi 2 and 3 is the presence of (1) Higher Order Thinking Skills (Bloom's Taxonomy) or (2) one or more Complex Thinking Strategies. If a learning experience is teacher-directed and engages students exclusively at the Knowledge/Comprehension levels, then it is almost assuredly a LoTi 2 lesson. Conversely, if a learning experience is teacher-directed and engages students at the Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and/or Evaluation level or enables students to exercise one or more complex thinking strategies (i.e., Problem-solving, Creative Problem-solving, Decision-making, Investigation, Experimental Inquiry, Reasoning, Personal Reflection), then it is almost assuredly a LoTi 3 lesson.
3. Whenever possible, use pages 75/76 from your LoTi Mentor Certification manual to help approximate the LoTi of any lesson plan, web-project, or instructional unit.
4. A convenient and easy way to approximate the LoTi of a lesson plan, video clip, or web project is to conduct a LoTi "sniff" test. This sniff test involves the following progression:
What was the...
* Thinking Skill Level (Bloom's Taxonomy)? If above Comprehension, then POTENTIALLY LoTi 3 or above
* Instructional Focus (Teacher- or Student-Centered)? If Student-Centered, then POTENTIALLY LoTi 4A or above
Were there...
* Applied Learning Opportunities? If YES, then POTENTIALLY LoTi 4A or above
* Real World Connections?: If YES, then POTENTIALY LoTi 4A or above
* Collaborations Beyond the Classroom? If YES, then POTENTIALLY LoTi 5 or above
* Unlimited Uses of Technology? If YES, then POTENTIALLY LoTi 6
5. A truly differentiated classroom has LoTi 0-4 occurring on a daily basis.
6. The appropriate or target LoTi should always be commensurate with the TEKS being addresssed and at the desired level of student cognition.
Also, think about LoTi as Levels of Teaching Innovation rather than Levels of Technology Implementation. It will prove most beneficial as you begin to implement LoTi in your school building.
I look forward to your comments.
Chris
