Sunday, May 3, 2009

Clarifying H.E.A.T.

The H.E.A.T. rubric was created to help gauge the level of student output in the learning process. Whereas LoTi (Level of Teaching Innovation) represents teacher input (i.e., how a teacher plans, executes, and evaluates a learning experience), H.E.A.T. represents the net effect of the output as measured by Higher order thinking, Engaged learning, Authentic connections, and Technology use.  Each of the categories comprising H.E.A.T. constitute separate and unique dimensions of digital-age learning. This post helps to demonstrate the unique characteristics of all four categories.

Higher order thinking refers to a student's level of cognitive processing (e.g., analyzing, synthesizing) within the learning experience; Engaged learning refers to the purposefulness of the learning experience. Authentic connections represent the level of real world application while Technology use illustrates the seamless integration of digital assets. To illustrate this difference, I have included three sample activities involving the novel, Of Mice and Men. Each sample has the same student level of cognitive processing, but varying levels of student engagement, authenticity, and technology use in the learning process.

Sample 1 - Literature: Of Mice and Men

Task: At the end of the story, George kills his only friend and companion and all of his dreams die with him. Do you think that George was right in his actions? Think carefully about the events in the story and then put together evidence for your decision using Inspiration.

Higher-order Thinking: 

Student learning/questioning at analysis level 

Student learning/questioning at synthesis/evaluation levels 

Engaged Learning: 

Students report what they have learned only 

Authenticity: 

The learning experience represents a group of connected activities, but provides no real world application

Technology Use:

Technology use is directly connected to task completion involving one or more applications 

Sample 2 - Literature: Of Mice and Men

Task: You and your partner are the co-casting directors for the movie adaptation of the novel, Of Mice and Men. The studio executives have invested heavily in this movie production and it is critical that your team select the "best" actors to assume the role of George and Lenny. Submit a proposal to the studio as to the two actors your team would recommend for the upcoming movie and provide justification for your selection. You are also advised to include your team's rubric that outlines the criteria used in your decision-making process.

 Higher-order Thinking: 

Student learning/questioning at analysis level 

Student learning/questioning at synthesis/evaluation levels 

Engaged Learning:

Students given options to solve a problem; collaborate with others 

Authenticity: 

The learning experience provides limited real world relevance, but does not apply the learning to a real world situation 

Technology Use: 

Technology use is directly connected to task completion involving one or more applications 

Sample 3 - Literature: Of Mice and Men

Task: One of the main themes in Of Mice and Men focuses on violence. The number of reported cases of acts of violence in the United States has risen by 10% from 2007 to 2008. Are reported acts of violence in your community higher or lower than the national average?  How aware is your community about these acts of violence?  Is there a particular profile for an individual susceptible to acts of violence? Did either main character from Of Mice and Men fit this profile? Your task is to conduct an information search about acts of violence in your community and then take action (if any action is needed) relating to this topic for your community. In other words, you decide what action is needed in your community, justify your decision, and then take action!

Higher-order Thinking:

Student learning/questioning at analysis level 

Student learning/questioning at synthesis/evaluation levels 

Engaged Learning:

Students help define the task, the process, and the solution; collaboration extends beyond the classroom

Authenticity: 

The learning experience is directly relevant to students and involves creating a product that has a purpose beyond the classroom that directly impacts the students 

Technology Use: 

Technology use is directly connected and needed for task completion and students determine which application(s) would best address their needs 

The above examples illustrate the symbiotic relationship among each of the four constructs comprising the H.E.A.T. rubric. They also show that the level of one construct does not necessarily dictate the level of another (e.g., Higher order thinking and Engaged learning).

Defining Teach 2.0

Teach 2.0 refers to a set of instructional methodologies (e.g., collaborative problem-solving, cooperative learning, issues- based instruction) that have demonstrated the greatest success among today’s digital natives when used in conjunction with Web 2.0 resources. Unfortunately, many classrooms are still encased in Teach 1.0 methodologies (e.g., didactic instruction, sequential and uniform teaching materials, traditional forms of assessment) which tend to minimize the potential impact of today’s Web 2.0 collaborative technologies (e.g., GoogleDocs, Blogger, Wikispaces) on student learning.

Many of the Teach 2.0 methodologies have their genesis in the Social and the Information-Processing family of teaching strategies popularized by Joyce and Weil’s book, Models of Teaching. The Social family refers to specific teaching methodologies that generate a collective energy through learning communities called synergy. These strategies which also align with 21st Century Skills (e.g., critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration) include: cooperative learning, group investigation, and role-playing.

All three strategies involve students working collaboratively and cooperatively to solve real-world problems while improving their ability to interact successfully among diverse groups. Consistent with these methodologies is problem-based learning which is a student-centered strategy that requires both collaboration and personal reflection to solve a personal or social problem. The Experiential-based Action Model (EBAM) with its focus on student awareness about a problem leading to students taking authentic action is an excellent representative of problem-based learning.

The Information-Processing family of teaching strategies represent instructional models that address the individual’s innate nature to make sense of his/her world. These strategies include: inquiry-based instruction, synectics, and the scientific method. A by-product of these methodologies is students’ heightened ability to ask questions, develop hypotheses, generate creativity thinking, and seek solutions

Teach 2.0 is not a new instructional methodology, but an organic blend of proven methodologies that have proven most successful and pervasive in governmental “think tanks,” business and industry, and within the scientific community. Applied to public education, they represent the key to public schooling’s successful transition into digital-age learning using Web 2.0 technologies that ultimately equip students for the challenges in the 21st Century workforce.