I agree with the notion that education has been like a checklist. Students have been required to accomplish things in a classroom without connecting to what is really meant for them to learn. We as teachers can get a better outcome in what the students learn by preparing products that not only check a box on a checklist but will also have a meaningful connection to what they are supposed to learn. An example may be produce a product that will use the concept taught in the lesson to show the connection with the product and the lesson.
My understanding of outcomes-based education begins with the teacher offering a choice for the students to produce a product that would give the teacher the proper notion that the student has learned a particular concept. In each choice, the product would step the student through the process with checkpoints to assess the student's knowledge of each step along the way. As part of the finished product, the student will also be asked to explain what impact their product has on an original idea or concept. For example, in a math class, an option to build a catapult could be chosen. The question could be "What is the impact of the length from the center of the catapult to its edge?". In a computer science class, the question, "What changes would you make to reduce the runtime of your code?". These questions will direct the student into thinking more about what they are doing. Also, this would promote a greater understanding of the product they are attempting to produce. The teacher could also ask the student to give a detailed list of the resources they used to assist them in the creation of their product. This research would promote the student into researching and develop a skill that they would use in college and beyond to find information. This research would also lead them into becoming a self-directed learner. This would include some of the following: identifying what is needed, choosing the appropriate manner of implementation and strategies, evaluating what they have done to make sure that they have accomplished the goal(s) of the product. All of these are beneficial to the development of the student. The student would also look back at the product to determine how effective it is. Again, this puts everything in the lap of the student. By self-evaluating their product, the student is reinforcing whether or not they have actually learned what the purpose of the product was. Overall, the teacher has given the student a choice in the product they are to produce. The student has ownership of what they produce because of the choice they made. The student has a voice in the creation of the product because of the explanation of the impact of their product. And finally, because of everything that has been done to produce the product, the authenticity of the product will be definitely present at the end when the product is presented to the teacher.
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May 2020
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