Probing Questions

Teacher: Brad Kruse

Interview

Overview

Principles of Learning

Information Processing

Content Standards

Tenets of Democracy

Questions

Interview: Previewing Questions

1.      Based on what you know, what are your opinions on block scheduling?  How do you think it impacts student learning?

2.      Now do an Internet search on block scheduling in schools.  Summarize the information that you found.  What do research and experts state about block scheduling in schools? Do you agree or disagree? State your reasons.

3.      Name several methods that a teacher could use to assess their high school students on their knowledge of computer applications and use of technological equipment.  Give possible advantages and disadvantages of each.

Interview: Post-viewing Questions

1.      Kruse states that a goal of the activity was “to incorporate everything into one project so we would not have to switch in and out of the units.”  What does he mean by this?  How could this tactic improve student learning?

2.      Describe how Kruse assessed his student’s learning throughout the project.  Is this a fair and valid method?  Why or why not?

3.      This project focuses on how to learn to use technological tools.  Do you feel this is important for high school students to learn?  Why or why not?  What other skills do the students gain through completing this project?

4.      How is the block scheduling used in Kruse’s school an advantage for carrying out this project?

Overview: Previewing Questions

1.      What are various methods for high school students to use in order to research their community and its history?

2.      What issues must a high school teacher keep in mind when doing projects with students that requires going out into the community to research?

3.      How can teachers instill in their students a sense of pride for their work?

Overview: Post-viewing Questions

1.      What do you think is the best aspect of this project? The worst? Explain.

2.      List all the technological resources you see the students using in the video.  What else could have been included, and how could the teacher have incorporated this tool?

3.      This project involves various activities and responsibilities that the students must carry out. Name some methods that the teacher could use to group the students in order to accomplish each task well and efficiently.  Which method of grouping do you think is best? Why?

Principles of  Learning: Previewing Questions

1.      How might teacher feedback in a classroom differ according to Teacher Knowledge and Teacher Behavior? 

2.      Imagine you are teaching a lesson to high school students on weather patterns.  How could you encourage your students to be actively involved in the lesson?  How might this improve student learning?

3.      Read the description of Informal Learning in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  Describe a time in your own education that you learned something informally.  How did this affect your thinking as a learner and as an educator?

Principles of  Learning: Post-viewing Questions

1.      Look at the checklist of observable behaviors for Active Involvement.  Explain how you see the students involved in these behaviors throughout the video.  How could the teacher have encouraged the students to be more actively involved?  Give specific examples.

2.      Even though it is not mentioned in the video, do you see elements of a Compelling Situation in this project?  Explain.

3.      In the video, do you see Kruse performing the behaviors listed in the checklist of observable behaviors for Frequent Feedback?  Give specific examples of how he provides feedback to his students.  In what other ways could he have provided his students with feedback?  How might this improve student learning?

Information Processing: Previewing Questions

1.      Which methods used in the Presearch and Search stages of Information Processing allow students to be actively involved and to gain direct experience (two of the Principles of Learning)?  Do you think these are the best research methods to encourage students to use?  Why or why not?

2.      Read the description of the Communication stage of Information Processing, and summarize it in your own words.  Do you feel this stage could improve student learning?  Why or why not?

3.      Give two specific examples of how you could engage high school students in the Appreciation stage of Information Processing before doing research on South African society.

Information Processing: Post-viewing Questions

1.      Which activities did you see the students engaging in that demonstrates the Communication stage of Information Processing?  How do these activities improve their learning of technological tools?

2.      In the video, how did you see the students demonstrating the Search stage of Information Processing?  If you were the teacher, what other activities would you have included for the students to research the town?

3.      If you were the teacher and supervising this project, how could you engage these students in the Evaluation stage of Information Processing?  Do you think the use of these methods would improve student learning?  Why or why not?

Content  Standards: Previewing Questions

1.      Read the description of English Language Arts Standard Number 8, and describe this standard in your own words.  Do you think it is important for students to have a vast knowledge of this standard before they graduate from high school?  Why or why not?

2.      Read each of the 12 English Language Arts Standards as described on-line.  How could the use of technological resources complement the implementation of these standards into a classroom?

3.      The Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model states that one of the primary goals of content standards is to “give students and teachers a clear and challenging target.”  Do you think that the 12 English Language Arts Standards accomplish this goal?  Why or why not?

Content  Standards: Post-viewing Questions

1.      How does this project address English Language Arts Standards 4 and 7?  What else could the teacher have done to integrate these two standards?

2.      How could the teacher of this project have encouraged the fulfillment of English Language Arts Standards 1 and 12?  Give specific examples.

3.      How does this project integrate Technology Standards Performance Indicators 5, 8, and 10?  Do you think Kruse did all he could have to integrate these three standards?  Explain.

Tenets of Democracy: Previewing Questions

1.      The description of the Tenets of Democracy states that they are “skills for living in our society.”  What skills do you think adolescents should learn before they graduate from high school?  Should they be learned at home or at school?

2.      Study the checklist of observable behaviors for Individual Responsibility and Civil Involvement With Others.  Could learning these behaviors in high school help the students in the future? How? Give specific examples.

3.      Read the list of inquiry skills used in critical thinking, as described under Critical Thinking and Decision Making in the Tenets of Democracy.  How could the use of these skills improve student learning?

Tenets of Democracy: Post-viewing Questions

1.      How does the teacher help the students with Critical Thinking and Decision Making, while still fostering a sense of Individual Responsibility on the part of the student?

2.      In the video, how do you see the teacher creating opportunities for Empowerment?  What other things could the teacher have done to empower the students? 

3.      Do you see the students in the video engaging in Individual Responsibility and Civil Involvement With Others?  If so, give specific examples.  How might this improve student learning?

Technology: Previewing Questions

1.      Browse the Preservice Teacher Technology Competencies in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  Do you think it is important for a high school teacher to be competent in each of these areas?  Why or why not?  Which is most important? Why?

2.      The model states that one advantage of the Preservice Teacher Technology Competencies is that they “provide guidance for the design of specific teacher education courses that incorporate technology.”  What are some other advantages and disadvantages of these competencies?

3.      Using the five-point scale defined under the “Levels of Proficiency” heading under the Technology section of the model, rate your own proficiency on each of the Preservice Teacher Technology Competencies.  Which competencies are you best at?  Which do you need to work on the most?

Technology: Post-viewing Questions

1.      Look at the NETS List of Performance Indicators for Technology-Literate Students, Grades 9-12.  Which of these standards do you see the students engaging in throughout the video?

2.      Explain the various Preservice Teacher Technology Competencies that Kruse displays in the video.  How does the teacher’s knowledge of these improve student learning?

3.      Kruse’s lesson plan describes both the hardware and software used by the students throughout the project.  Do Internet searches for this hardware and software, and explain approximately how much the project would cost to repeat, if a school had none of these resources previously.

Teacher Knowledge : Previewing Questions

1.      Describe how various student characteristics could impact the way teachers incorporate the Principles of Learning into a lesson.

2.      Read the description of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, available in the explanation of Knowledge of Student Characteristics.  Now think about your own learning.  Which of these intelligences are you strongest in?  What is your weakest area?  Explain how this has impacted your learning throughout life.

3.      Imagine you are teaching a lesson to high school students on American History and the Civil War.  Give examples of what you could do to address students’ verbal/linguistic intelligences and visual/spatial intelligences.  A description of these is available in the summary of Knowledge of Student Characteristics in the model.

Teacher Knowledge : Post-viewing Questions

1.      How does the teacher address his students’ interpersonal intelligences, as described in Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences?  How does this enhance student learning?

2.      Read Kruse’s description of student characteristics in his lesson plan.  How could a teacher deal with all these student differences, as he describes?  Do you think it is okay to let the outgoing students do the interviews, and the introverted students to do other things?  Should the teacher encourage students to do things they are not as comfortable with?  Explain your answers.

3.      How would the students in this classroom have been affected if Kruse had poor In-Depth Content Knowledge of the lesson?  How would they be affected if his content knowledge were excellent?

Teacher Behavior: Previewing Questions

1.      Read the five core propositions of accomplished teaching as stated under the Pedagogy summary in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  How does each of these propositions relate to you as a teacher or as a future teacher?  What are your personal thoughts on each of these?  Have you displayed each of these characteristics in your classes?  What are your strengths and your weaknesses?  What are you going to do to work on the areas that you are weak in?

2.      An element of pedagogy is providing students with opportunities to apply their newly acquired knowledge.  Brainstorm ways that you could do this with a class of high school students studying various technologies, such as computers, the Internet, and various multimedia tools. Give specific examples.  

3.      Do you think that allowing students to apply their new knowledge is a way to enhance student learning?  Why or why not?

Teacher Behavior: Post-viewing Questions

1.      How does the teacher in the video display Content Management?  How do these behaviors impact student learning?

2.      How does the teacher display Pedagogy in his classroom?  How does this impact student learning?

3.      The definition of Pedagogy in the model states that “effective teachers display a wide range of skills and abilities that lead to creating a learning environment where all students feel comfortable and are sure they can succeed both academically and personally.”  Does this statement relate to any of Kruse’s behaviors you saw in the video?  Explain why or why not.  What other behaviors would you see in an effective teacher, according to this definition?