LearningTargets:HelpingStudentsAimforUnderstandingInToday’sLesson
ASCDWebinar17July2012
ConnieM.Moss,Ed.D.Director,CenterforAdvancingtheStudyofTeachingandLearning(CASTL)
AssociateProfessor,DuquesneUniversitySchoolofEducation406CanevinHall•Pittsburgh,PA15282•412‐396‐4778•[email protected]
✧ConnieM.Moss,Ed.D.,Director✧CenterforAdvancingtheStudyofTeachingandLearning(CASTL)
DuquesneUniversitySchoolofEducation•406CanevinHall•Pittsburgh,PA15282Ph:412‐396‐4778•email:[email protected]
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LearningTargets,StudentLook‐Fors,PerformanceofUnderstanding,FormativeLearningCycle
1. LearningTargets• Ifstudentsarenotusingit(aimingforunderstandingofimportantconceptsandbecomingmore
proficientintargetedskills)theyarenotengagedintheformativeassessmentprocess,andyourlearningintentionisNOTalearningtarget.
• Studentsmustknowwhatgoodworkmeansintoday’slesson:o Whattheyareexpectedtolearn.o Howwelltheyareexpectedtolearnit.o Whattheywillbeaskedtodotodemonstratetheirlearning.o Howwelltheywillhavetodoit.
2. StudentLookFors(SuccessCriteria)• Criteriathestudentscanusetojudgehowclosetheyhavecometothetargetinlanguagethat
describesmasteryofthetarget,ratherthaningradingorscoringlanguage(letters,points,numbers,percentageright,numbercorrect,etc.).
3. EveryLessonNeedsaPerformanceofUnderstanding:• Perfectfitforthelearningtargetandmakesitcrystalcleartoeveryone.• Deepensstudentsunderstandingofimportantcontent.• Opportunityforstudentstotryoutthelearningtargetandapplytheirstudentlook‐fors.• Helpsstudentsaimforunderstandingandassesswhattheyknowandwhattheyneedtolearnmore
about.• Producescompellingandundeniableevidenceofstudentlearningthroughwhatstudentsdo,say,
makeorwrite.• Studentsconclude:IfIcandothis,thenIwillknowthatIhavereachedmylearningtarget.• Teacherconcludes:Ifmystudentscandothis,thenIwillhavestrongevidencethatthey’vemastered
thelearningtarget.
4. AFormativeLearningCycleThatFeedsStudentsandLearningForward.• Intoday’slesson,studentsandteacherspartnerduringaformativelearningcyclethatmakes
learningvisibleandmaximizesopportunitiestofeedstudentsandtheirlearningforward.• Itprovidesa“goldensecondchance”thatencourages,expects,andteachesstudentstoimprove
theirworkaspartoftoday’slesson.• Withoutalearningtarget,studentlook‐fors,andaperformanceofunderstanding,feedbackisjust
advice—someonetellingyouwhattodo—andhasnoformativevalue.
✧ConnieM.Moss,Ed.D.,Director✧CenterforAdvancingtheStudyofTeachingandLearning(CASTL)
DuquesneUniversitySchoolofEducation•406CanevinHall•Pittsburgh,PA15282Ph:412‐396‐4778•email:[email protected]
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TheRoleofLearningTargetsandSuccessCriteria“StudentLook‐Fors”1.FormativeassessmentistheMeansnottheEnds.Unlessstudentssee,recognizeandunderstandwhattheyarelearningandhowtheywillknowwhentheyreachmastery,theywillneverbecomeindependent,self‐directed,assessmentcapablelearners.Rememberthegoalhereistoproducecompetent,self‐regulated,andmotivatedlearnerswhocansetgoalsandassesstheirownprogress.2.Instructionalobjectivesaretoobroadandtooimpersonaltoguidelearning.Studentsneedteacherstodescribefortheminstudentfriendlyandageappropriateterms(languagetheycanunderstand)exactlywhatisimportanttolearn(notwhatisimportanttodoortoscore)inthelesson/activityathand.Thisdescriptionshouldbeframedfromthepointofviewofastudentwhohasyettomasterthecontent.3.Learningtargetsdescribewhatthestudentwillcometoknoworbeabletodoasaresultoftoday’slesson.Theydonotdescribewhattheywillscoreordo.Learningtargetsarenot“directionsforanactivity”.Theyareanexactdescriptionofwhatstudentswilllearn.Theyusuallybeginwithaphraselike:Todaywearelearning…4.Itisnotenoughforstudentstohearwhattheyaregoingtolearn,theymustunderstandhowteacherswillassessthequalityoftheirworkandhowtheycanassessthequalityoftheirownwork.Teachersshouldsharesuccesscriteria(studentlookfors)studentscanuseastheyarelearningandworkingthatanswerthequestion:HowwillIknowwhenIamproducingqualitywork?5.Thepurposeofsharinglearningtargetsandsuccesscriteria(studentlookfors)istoguidethelearningofthestudents,theactionsoftheteacher,andtheevidencethattheclassroomlearningteamwillcollecttosupportanassumptionthatlearninghasoccurred.Workthatstudentsdoshouldprovideteachersandstudentswithstrongevidenceoftheirstandinginrelationtomasteryofthelearningtargetfortoday’slesson.6.Thebestwaytosharealearningtargetistodesignactivitiesandassignments—performancesofunderstanding—thatprovidethestrongestevidenceofwhereeachstudentisinrelationtotoday’slearningtarget(Moss&Brookhart,2012).Whatarestudentsactuallydoingduringtoday’slessonto:deepentheirunderstandingofcontent(knowledgeandskills),assessthequalityoftheirworkastheyarelearning,provideevidenceofwhattheyknowandcandoandhowwelltheyknowitandcandoit.7.Toraisestudentachievement,youmustbeveryclearaboutwhatachievementactuallymeans!Achievementmeansthatyouarelookingforevidenceof“something”.TeachersandstudentsshouldknowEXACTLYwhatthat“something”isfortoday’slesson,andgathercompellingevidencetodetermineifstudentshave“achieved”thatexact“something”.RaisingstudentachievementduringTODAY’slessonandeverylessonmeansthatsostudentsachieveshortterms(lesson‐sized)goalsthatadduptolong‐termachievementgoals.Thekeytoraisingstudentachievementistohavealearningtargetfortoday’slesson!
✧ConnieM.Moss,Ed.D.,Director✧CenterforAdvancingtheStudyofTeachingandLearning(CASTL)
DuquesneUniversitySchoolofEducation•406CanevinHall•Pittsburgh,PA15282Ph:412‐396‐4778•email:[email protected]
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BuildingaLearningTarget
CharacteristicsofaLearningTarget(Moss&Brookhart,2012)• Alearningtargetdescribesforthestudentsexactlywhattheyaregoingtolearnbytheendoftoday’s
lesson.• Itdescribeslearningindevelopmentallyappropriatelanguagethatthestudentcanunderstand.• Itisstatedfromthepointofviewofastudentwhohasyettomasterthecontent,skillorprocess
thatmakesupthetarget.• Thelearningtargetisconnectedtothespecificperformanceofunderstandingfortoday’slesson—
whatyouwillaskyourstudentstodo,make,say,orwritethatwilldeepentheirunderstanding,helpthemaimformasteryofthetarget,allowthemtoself‐assessthequalityoftheirlearning,andwillprovideyouandthestudentwithevidenceofwhatthestudent’slevelofunderstanding?
• Ahigh‐qualitylearningtargetcontainsstudentlook‐fors—criteriathestudentscanusetojudgehowclosetheyhavecometothetargetinlanguagethatdescribesmasteryofthetarget,ratherthaningradingorscoringlanguage(letters,points,numbers,percentageright,numbercorrect,etc.).
A4‐StepFrameworkforVerballySharingtheLearningTarget:Tosharethelearningtargetwithyourstudentsatthebeginningofalesson,askyourselfthefollowingthreequestionsfromthestudents’pointofview:
1. WhatwillIbeabletodowhenIfinishtoday’slesson?2. Whatidea,topic,subjectisimportantformetolearnandunderstandsoIcanusethisinformationto
doit?3. HowwillIbeaskedtoshowthatIcandothis?And,4. HowwellwillIhavetodoit?
Whatisthepurposeofsharingthetargetverbally?Yourmissionistohelpstudentsaimforunderstandingintoday’slesson.Itisthe“WHY”ofthelesson.Itanswersforstudentswhyyouareaskingthemtolearnthischunkofinformation,onthisday,sothattheycandeepentheirunderstanding,showwhattheyhavelearnedinthisway,anddescribeforthemexactlyhowwelltheywillbeexpectedtodemonstratetheirnewlearning.
✧ConnieM.Moss,Ed.D.,Director✧CenterforAdvancingtheStudyofTeachingandLearning(CASTL)
DuquesneUniversitySchoolofEducation•406CanevinHall•Pittsburgh,PA15282Ph:412‐396‐4778•email:[email protected]
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ElementaryLevelExampleLessononQuestionMarksWhatwillIbeableto
dowhenIfinishtoday’slesson?
Whatidea,topic,subjectisimportantformetolearnandunderstandso
Icanusethisinformationtodoit?
HowwillIbeaskedtoshowthatIcandothis?
(PerformanceofUnderstanding?)
HowwellwillIhavetodoit?
(StudentLook‐Fors?)
Yesterday,welearnedaboutthequestionmark,whatitlookslikeandthatitcomesattheendofanaskingsentence.Todaywearelearningtowriteanaskingsentencethathasaquestionmarkattheend.
Tobeabletodothiswemustlearnandunderstandthatsomeaskingsentencesbeginwitha“question”wordlike:Who,what,where,when,whyorhow.
Youwillshowthatyoucandothisbyrewritingalistoftellingsentencesasaskingsentencesandendingeachonewithaquestionmark.
Youwillknowthatyouhavehitthelearningtargetwhenyouareabletosay:• Icanuseoneofthe
askingwordstochangemytellingsentenceintoaquestion.
• Icanplaceaquestionmarkattheendofmyaskingsentence.
• Icananswermynewaskingsentencebyusingmy“telling”sentence.
*Aftertellingthestudentsaboutthetarget,shareitinotherwayslikegivingstudentsexamplesandnon‐examplestoexamineandassessusingthestudentlook‐forsaspartoftheirguidedpractice.
✧ConnieM.Moss,Ed.D.,Director✧CenterforAdvancingtheStudyofTeachingandLearning(CASTL)
DuquesneUniversitySchoolofEducation•406CanevinHall•Pittsburgh,PA15282Ph:412‐396‐4778•email:[email protected]
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MiddleLevelExampleLessonontheAssassinationofPresidentJohnF.KennedyWhatwillIbeableto
dowhenIfinishtoday’slesson?
Whatidea,topic,subjectisimportantfor
metolearnandunderstandsoIcanusethisinformationtodo
it?
HowwillIbeaskedtoshowthatIcandothis?
(PerformanceofUnderstanding?)
HowwellwillIhavetodoit?
(StudentLook‐Fors?)
Yesterday,welearnedhowtoperformanhistoricalinvestigationandpracticedthestepsthatweshouldusetofindoutwhathappenedandwhyithappened.Todaywearelearningtolookcloselyatanhistoricaleventthatpeopledisagreeabouttothisday—theydisagreeaboutwhathappenedandwhyithappened.
Tobeabletodothiswemustlearnandunderstandthatevenwhenanhistoricaleventisdocumentedinavarietyofways,peoplecanstillquestiontheeventandlookatitfromdifferingpointsofview.
Youwillshowthatyoucandothisintwophases.FirstyouwillworkinyourgroupstoexaminethehistoricaldocumentsIhavechosenforyouanddecidewhatweknowforsureandwhatwedonotknowforcertain.Theneachofyouwillwriteashort2‐paragraphstatementthatexplainsonedisagreementthatpeoplehaveaboutthisevent.
Youwillknowthatyouhavehitthelearningtargetwhenyouareabletosay:• Icanbrieflydescribe
aspecificdisagreementthatpeoplehaveabouttheassassinationofPresidentKennedy.
• Icandescribespecificpiecesofevidencethatexisttosupportthetwosidesofthedisagreement?
*Aftersharingverballytheteachercanshareinotherwayslikegivingstudentsachecklistoftheir“lookfors”sotheycanself‐assessastheyareproducingtheirshort2‐paragraphstatement.
✧ConnieM.Moss,Ed.D.,Director✧CenterforAdvancingtheStudyofTeachingandLearning(CASTL)
DuquesneUniversitySchoolofEducation•406CanevinHall•Pittsburgh,PA15282Ph:412‐396‐4778•email:[email protected]
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HighSchoolExampleLessonontheCountriesofWesternEuropeWhatwillIbeabletodowhenIfinishtoday’s
lesson?
Whatidea,topic,subjectisimportantfor
metolearnandunderstandsoIcanusethisinformationtodo
it?
HowwillIbeaskedtoshowthatIcandothis?
(PerformanceofUnderstanding?)
HowwellwillIhavetodoit?
(StudentLook‐Fors?)
Yesterday,welearnedthatmigrationpatternsimpactedthepolitical,social,andeconomicdevelopmentofthecountriesinWesternEurope.TodaywearelearningtoevaluatetheimpactthatmigrationhadonSwitzerlandin2008.
Tobeabletodothiswewillstudywhathappenedduringthe2008electioninSwitzerlandandpayparticularattentiontothe“BlackSheep”postersusedtoprotestagainstforeignersmovingintoSwitzerlandfromothernations.
Afterourdiscussionyouwillbeaskedtooutlineawell‐supportedopinioninfavorof,oropposedto,Switzerland’sstrongstanceagainstimmigrantsfromothernations.
Youwillknowthatyouhavehitthelearningtargetwhenyouareabletosay:Icancreateanoutlinethat:• Beginswithan
introductionthatstatesmyposition,providessomebackgroundinformationandpresentsathesisstatement.
• Presentsmythreestrongestpoints,onebyone,supportingeachpointwithconcreteevidence.
Aftersharingthetargetverbally,teacherscanshareitinotherwayslike:
• providingstudentswithexamplesoftheoutlineforthemtocomparewiththelook‐forsaspartofguidedpractice,
• givingstudentsatemplateforcreatingtheoutline,• supplyingadescriptive,analyticalrubricstudentscanusetojudgethequalityoftheiroutline
astheyareproducingit.
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