Probing Questions

Teacher: Lisa Carlon

Interview

Overview

Principles of Learning

Information Processing

Content Standards

Tenets of Democracy

Questions

Interview: Previewing Questions 

1.      The teacher in this video believes in the importance of teamwork and communication in the classroom.  When you were in middle school, how much interaction and group work did you experience?  Was communication and group work with your peers encouraged? 

2.      In the video, Lisa Carlon sends her students out to work without her supervision.  Assume the role of the teacher.  To what degree would you be comfortable sending students to work without supervision? Explain. 

3.      What structures need to be in place to help build the trust level to confidently send students out to work without supervision?

4.      How could a daily news broadcast in the school enrich students’ learning experiences? 

Interview: Post-viewing Questions 

1.      In the video, Carlon describes some of the leadership roles her students take on during the course of the project.  How does she encourage her students to be active leaders?  Give specific examples.

2.      What role does communication play in this lesson?  Why does Carlon feel that communication in this lesson is important?  Do you agree?  Why or why not?

3.      Carlon states that there is no formal assessment for this project.  Devise an assessment that could have been developed for this lesson. 

Overview: Previewing Questions

Overview: Post-viewing Questions

Principles of  Learning: Previewing Questions 

1.      In the video, Carlon “takes a backseat” and enables her students to give directions to and teach other students.  Would you, as a teacher, feel comfortable letting your students take control of another student’s learning experience?  What are advantages and disadvantages of one student teaching another?

2.      Describe the process of reflection in your own words.  How did your teachers encourage you to use this process when you were in school?  Could they have done anything differently to help your understanding of different concepts through reflection?

3.      What strategies could be used by a teacher in a 6^th grade classroom to guide the process of informal learning? 

Principles of  Learning: Post-viewing Questions 

1.      Carlon encourages her students to use active involvement as they construct their news broadcast.  What are ways in which the students show this?  What are some other methods that you, as their teacher, would have used?  Refer to checklist of observable behaviors for Active Involvement found in the model

2.      Review the definition of an Enjoyable Setting, and then describe the student’s setting in the video.  How is this project setting similar to and/or different from the model’s description?  What else could Carlon have done to create an enjoyable setting?  How would this have changed the students’ learning experiences?

3.      Review the checklist of observable behaviors for Compelling Situation as found in the model.  How are these characteristics displayed in Carlon’s news broadcast project?  Do you feel that a compelling situation improves student learning?  Why or why not?

Information Processing: Previewing Questions 

1.      Find research that discusses students evaluating one another’s work.

Does the research you found support student evaluations as a technique to improve student learning?  Explain.

2.      Review the definition of the Communication stage as found in the model.  Do you feel that this is a necessary ingredient for effective student learning?  Why or why not?

3.      Review the stages of Information Processing in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  How do these relate to students being actively involved in their own learning?  Do these stages encourage or discourage active involvement? Explain.      

Information Processing: Post-viewing Questions 

1.      How do the children utilize the Search stage of Information Processing?  Review the checklist of observable behaviors as found in the model.

2.      How do the students use their general communication skills to work together through each of the stages of Information Processing?

3.       Review the Evaluation stage of Information Processing as found in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  How would you, as a teacher, encourage student use of Evaluation in this project?  How would students’ evaluation of themselves improve their learning? 

Content  Standards: Previewing Questions 

1.      Read and familiarize yourself with the Language Arts Standards. Do you agree with what the standards address?  What would you add, delete, or change?

2.      Assume the role of the teacher.  Would you have any problems or frustrations with the use of Content Standards?  Do you see anything negative about imposing standards for learning?

3.      Read the article by Kendall & Marzano entitled “Awash in a Sea of Standards” (available on the Internet).  What are your reactions to this article?  Do you agree or disagree? Explain. 

Content  Standards: Post-viewing Questions 

1.      Carlon covers Language Arts Standard Number 5 in the lesson.  Refer to the National Council of Teachers of English Standards.  Summarize this standard in your own words.  What did the students do to show their competence with this standard?  If you were Carlon, what other things could you have done to address this standard?

2.      Assume the role of the teacher.  Choose a Language Arts Standard that Carlon did not address, and incorporate it into the lesson.

3.      Look at the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics standards for grades 6-8.  If you were teaching a news broadcast project, how could you incorporate two of these math standards to encourage student competence in mathematics?  Give specific examples. 

Tenets of Democracy: Previewing Questions 

1.      Review the checklist of observable behaviors for Power Sharing and Empowerment.  Describe a situation from your own middle school experience during which these behaviors were either encouraged or discouraged and how that affected your learning experience.  If you cannot think of an experience, describe how power sharing and empowerment might improve student learning.

2.      Do you feel that teachers should give students a clearly defined role, or encourage them to find their own role when involved in group projects?  What problems might arise in both instances?

3.      Give examples of things teachers can do to encourage Individual Responsibility and Civil Involvement with Others.

Tenets of Democracy: Post-viewing Questions 

1.      Review the checklist of observable behaviors for Power Sharing and Empowerment. How do the students in these videos display these behaviors? 

2.      Carlon states in her lesson plan, “Once initial training is completed, the teacher serves only as a supervisor to the entire project.”  How would this lesson be different if the teacher was involved in every aspect?  Which Tenets of Democracy would be affected by this?  Explain.

3.      Assume the role of the student.  How would this lesson have helped you increase your level of tolerance?  Refer to the description of Tolerance as found in the model. 

Technology: Previewing Questions 

1.      Look at the description of Technology Competency 5, Computers in Society.  “Invent” a project that a teacher could use to educate the students about this technology competency.

2.      How does the use of technology, such as word processing software and audio/visual information sources, improve student learning?

3.      How could a 6^th grade teacher use Internet communications to improve student learning? 

Technology: Post-viewing Questions 

1.      Refer to the list of Technology Competencies (numbers 1 through 20) in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  Which competencies does this project involve the students in learning?  How are these shown in the video?  What other technology competencies could Carlon have included in the lesson?

2.      Carlon needs various technology equipment to carry out her class’s news broadcast.  Knowing that finances are limited, how would you as a teacher convince the principal and/or superintendent to provide your class with the necessary technology equipment for this project?  What arguments would you have as a principal/superintendent who does not believe that this equipment is a good use of the school’s money?

3.      Lisa Carlon emphasizes the importance of teaching students how to use technology regardless of the career decisions they may make in the future.  She sees technology as a tool that everyone will need. How important do you feel learning about technology is to students?  For reference, read the NETS Introduction and Project Overview. 

Teacher Knowledge : Previewing Questions 

1.      Why do you think it is important for teachers to be aware of their students’ characteristics? How would this knowledge help classes to be successful?

2.      Read the summary of Knowledge of Student Characteristics in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  Dunn and Griggs (1995) cited five factors that affect student learning. Explain each.  Which factors do you feel are most important for student learning?  Which are the least important? Explain.

3.      Read the summary of Knowledge of Student Characteristics in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  Dunn and Griggs (1995) cited five factors that affect student learning. Explain each.  Which factors do you feel are most important for student learning?  Which are the least important? Explain.

Teacher Knowledge : Post-viewing Questions 

1.      Review the summary of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences in the model.  How does Carlon address her student’s verbal/linguistic, visual/spatial, and interpersonal intelligences through the lesson?  Give specific examples.

2.      How could Carlon have used this project to address other intelligences, according to Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences? Which ones?  Explain.

3.      Read the “Comprehension” paragraph in the summary of Teachers In-Depth Content Knowledge in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  It describes seven educational purposes.  Does Carlon’s class project show that she is focusing on any of these purposes?  If so, which ones?  Explain.

Teacher Behavior: Previewing Questions 

1.      To what extent do you think that allowing students to be independent learners enhances learning?

2.      Do you think that allowing students to take responsibility for classroom management is a good pedagogical method? If so, how? (For reference, refer to the Pedagogy summary in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.)

3.      How could you, as a teacher, control your behavior to create a favorable learning environment? How would this affect your students and their learning?

Teacher Behavior: Post-viewing Questions 

1.      Read the summary of Classroom Management.  Do you think that Carlon demonstrates effective classroom management?  Why or why not?  How could she have shown better classroom management?

2.      How does Carlon create a favorable learning environment in her classroom? How does this demonstrate good pedagogy?  Refer to the second paragraph of the Pedagogy summary in the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education Model.  Put yourself in Carlon’s position.  How else could you use this project to display pedagogy in the classroom?

3.      Carlon shows good Pedagogy in her classroom by providing technological tools for her students. How might this improve student learning?  How else does she demonstrate good pedagogy?