Action and Assessment Plan
Overview
For my action plan, students will be making a video using the SonicPics application on their personal iPods. The students will each be given a different mathematical problem to solve and they will document their step-by-step thinking process by making a narrated video on SonicPics. This will allow for differentiation because each student will be given a different problem to solve based on his/her learning levels. This will encourage each student to feel like an expert by mastering a personalized problem and sharing the steps with the rest of the class.
I believe this kind of problem solving will strengthen my students’ learning, as they are required to explain their thinking aloud in a step-by-step manner. So often my students have an idea or a strategy but are unable to express their thoughts into words. By narrating and explaining a math equation, my students will not only be discovering new ways of thinking, but they will learn to describe and clarify their strategies to others. A test for understanding is noticing the student’s ability to explain and illustrate problem-solving strategies aloud and a successful outcome for this test would be a result of increased student learning.
I am hopeful that this kind of problem solving will eliminate feelings of frustration, disappointment, or boredom in my classroom. I expect this intervention to support differentiation by providing a healthy challenge for each student no matter the learning level. While I will be purposely designating a specific and different problem to each student, the students will have the power to solve the equation in anyway they choose. For my more advanced students, they can take extra time to find multiple ways of thinking and strategies for solving the problem, therefore decreasing the boredom they feel when finishing too early. In contrast, my developing students will not feel the pressure of minimal time or the aggravation of solving a problem they do not understand. Instead, they will be challenged at a level they find appropriate and doable. I am anticipating the videos to have a clear portrayal of the step-by-step thinking process for developing strategies to solve a number problem. For a second grader, this may only be a two or three sentence explanation, but I at least want to see some sort of rationalization that gives me insight into the students’ thinking. Some of the problems I will be assigning my students may range from anything between “14-7”, “100-82”, or “50+40”, depending on the difficulty level I feel most fit for my students.
Below is a clip of a SonicPics video I made and will present to the class before the students make their own videos. I will use this sample to model the app as well as showing my expectations of the project. I will show this video to the class when they are working on the "number talks" portion of the intervention, so rather than explaining a solution to an equation, I explained an equation for a set number, as my students will do in this segment of the action plan.
For my action plan, students will be making a video using the SonicPics application on their personal iPods. The students will each be given a different mathematical problem to solve and they will document their step-by-step thinking process by making a narrated video on SonicPics. This will allow for differentiation because each student will be given a different problem to solve based on his/her learning levels. This will encourage each student to feel like an expert by mastering a personalized problem and sharing the steps with the rest of the class.
I believe this kind of problem solving will strengthen my students’ learning, as they are required to explain their thinking aloud in a step-by-step manner. So often my students have an idea or a strategy but are unable to express their thoughts into words. By narrating and explaining a math equation, my students will not only be discovering new ways of thinking, but they will learn to describe and clarify their strategies to others. A test for understanding is noticing the student’s ability to explain and illustrate problem-solving strategies aloud and a successful outcome for this test would be a result of increased student learning.
I am hopeful that this kind of problem solving will eliminate feelings of frustration, disappointment, or boredom in my classroom. I expect this intervention to support differentiation by providing a healthy challenge for each student no matter the learning level. While I will be purposely designating a specific and different problem to each student, the students will have the power to solve the equation in anyway they choose. For my more advanced students, they can take extra time to find multiple ways of thinking and strategies for solving the problem, therefore decreasing the boredom they feel when finishing too early. In contrast, my developing students will not feel the pressure of minimal time or the aggravation of solving a problem they do not understand. Instead, they will be challenged at a level they find appropriate and doable. I am anticipating the videos to have a clear portrayal of the step-by-step thinking process for developing strategies to solve a number problem. For a second grader, this may only be a two or three sentence explanation, but I at least want to see some sort of rationalization that gives me insight into the students’ thinking. Some of the problems I will be assigning my students may range from anything between “14-7”, “100-82”, or “50+40”, depending on the difficulty level I feel most fit for my students.
Below is a clip of a SonicPics video I made and will present to the class before the students make their own videos. I will use this sample to model the app as well as showing my expectations of the project. I will show this video to the class when they are working on the "number talks" portion of the intervention, so rather than explaining a solution to an equation, I explained an equation for a set number, as my students will do in this segment of the action plan.
According to the survey implemented in the needs assessment portion of my introduction, 25% of my students do not believe they are good at math and 20.8% have no opinion as to whether they are good at math or not. I anticipate this intervention will increase the student perceptions of themselves as learners by gaining the confidence and ownership of solving a problem and having to explain their strategies to others. This auditory explanation will hopefully give my students the self-assurance they need to make them see their ability to develop as learners when they are depended upon to explain their thinking.
In our previous math instruction, every student has been assigned the same in-class worksheet and homework assignments. The problems on these assignments are straightforward for some students and highly confusing for others. Not all students learn at the same level and giving the same tasks for all students when an achievement gap is clearly visible will only inhibit the students from progressing. My action plan will not include identical math problems and the students will have the opportunity to work through a problem at their own learning level, rather than an expected pace. As daily in-class worksheets and homework assignments have become a routine for my students, I will add to these worksheets rather than replace them with my action plan. My master teacher has provided the class with extra time allotted for math so every day for a few weeks I will supplement our routine math structure with an added math lesson. These lessons will include brief number talks with the whole classroom to promote multiple ways of thinking or the lessons will provide for added partner talk where students are given a few minutes to briefly explain the solution to a given equation to one another. I will teach little-by-little every day in order to complete my action plan in an organized and manageable fashion.
Goal/Objective
This project will clearly show the step-by-step process of students’ thinking when they are explaining math problems.
Schedule
(Part 1) Week of 11/4 – Communication/Number talk (Thursday 11/7 & Friday 11/8)
Students will come down to the rug in front of the Promethean Board and I will have a class number problem placed on the board in front of them. The students will then have two-three minutes to find various ways to solve the math problem. After the allotted time, the students will tell the class how they solved the problem and I will write their step-by-step thinking on the Promethean Board for the rest of the class to see. I will fill the Promethean Board with the various problem-solving strategies so the students are aware that they can use numbers in several ways.
(Part 2) Week of 11/11 – Writing
This segment is the key aspect of my action plan because it really shows the steps of the thinking process from my students. In Part 2, students will show their explanations of various number problems by writing down their own thinking to how these problems were solved. They will not be forced to write down their thinking in any specific format, they will just be showing their problem-solving strategies in anyway that is clear to them, as long as the solution is shown step-by-step. For this phase, I am flexible to go into the week of 11/18, until I know the students have mastered the idea of step-by-step problem-solving and showing their work. If Part 2 takes less time than planned, we will be sure to start the video-making process earlier to leave more time for class discussion and reflection and well as sharing videos with other students.
(Part 3) Week of 11/18 – Video
The third and final part of my action plan will be the students making a simple video using the SonicPics application on their iPods. They will draw out their number problem step-by-step on construction paper and the application will allow the students to take a picture of their steps and narrate over each picture to explain their solution. Each student has his/her own iPod with this application already installed. I will plan for two-three days of making this video, and I will be aware that if more time needs to be added to this portion of the plan, there will be time. The plan will be implemented before Thanksgiving, with room to finalize after if need be. I will definitely leave time before the Thanksgiving break for the students to share their videos with one another, whether it is to the entire class or just of small group of three to four students.
Notes to remember:
As I go through each part of my action plan, I will make sure to keep my objective in mind at all times as the students continue to show their thinking behind a problem. I will also be sure to be backwards planning as I go, in order to truly keep that goal remembered and incorporated into every step. I will keep in mind that I need to model every step of the plan for them and scaffold the learning, especially when teaching them how to use the SonicPics application. As I continue through each step, I will focus on the common core practice standards, as that is a big aspect of learning in grade two mathematics.
Assessment Plan/Data Collection
The reason for the assessment plan and data collection is for me to see how well I understand the impact of this lesson on my students as well as their thinking, by noting how effective they are in explaining their math problem. I want to note if this demonstration of knowledge is a good tool for allowing students to develop a sense of ownership and expertise. My assessment plan and data collection will be implemented in four parts:
1. Teacher Observation
2. Student Work – Videos
3. Student Work – Regular math assessments
4. Student Discussions
Teacher Observation
a) Description of the data source
For the “teacher observation” source, I will be observing and reflecting on each lesson of the project along with documenting my thoughts. I will refer to these notes throughout the intervention to support my teaching as well as the learning and understanding of my students.
b) Rationale for using this source
By observing my students and tracking and their progression, I will have a clear visual and idea of where to take my next steps and how to re-teach in a way that will be most beneficial for my students. Teacher observations will open my eyes to the students that need the most support, along with noting the students I can ask to be examples and helpers to others. Taking daily notes will encourage me to take the steps I need in order to make this project successful.
c) Plan for how to collect the data from this source
I will take daily notes on how the project is going both during and after implementation. I will identify which students are asking for the most help as well as noting the students who clearly grasp the instructions for the project. I will also be sure to recognize the time it takes for the students to complete their videos and note which aspects of the project take the longest for students or are the most difficult to understand. I will listen in on partner talk to focus on the students’ personal strategies and explanations. After the first day of recording videos, I will check each iPod and make a list of the students who have completed the video according to my instruction, the students who have started the video but did not follow all the instructions accurately, and a list of students who were unable to record anything.
d) Information about how I will analyze data
I will review and reflect upon my daily notes each day throughout the entire project. I will evaluate my students and note the strategies they are using; hopefully there will be multiple strategies. I will analyze my students’ explanations to one another during partner talk and note if they are able to use their own strategies to solve other students' problems, or if their can use other students' strategies to solve their own problems. I will explore my written thoughts and reflections and note any barriers in the lesson and focus on ways to reduce the barriers I find.
Student Work – Videos
a) Description of the data source
This data source is simply the videos my students record in the SonicPics app on their iPods. The students will make more than one video before they decide which video to publish and their recorded videos will be a mode of data used for my intervention.
b) Rationale for using this source
I will use my students’ videos as a source of data that allows me to see my students’ demonstration of knowledge. The videos will portray the students’ ability to vocally give a step-by-step explanation to a problem-solving process. This insight will assist me in knowing if this type of project is beneficial for strengthening and incorporating new ways of differentiation in the classroom.
c) Plan for how to collect the data from this source
I will collect this data by simply reviewing each student’s narrated video in the SonicPics app on his/her iPod.
d) Information about how I will analyze data
As a part of my assessment plan, I will also be looking for accuracy in student explanations as well as the students' ability to solve the given problem and show their thinking. It is imperative that the thinking and understanding come first, and the technology is only used to supplement student strategies, so I will focus mainly on the students’ reasoning and justification when explaining a solution, rather than analyzing their ability to use technology.
Student Work – Regular math assessments
a) Description of the data source
The student work aspect of my data collection will allow me to focus mainly on the academic transfer of my students as I note if the SonicPics project has strengthened the students’ performance on already implemented and routine math assignments and tests.
b) Rationale for using this source
I will be tracking the regular math assessments to see if my students are improving their test scores and to see if those students who struggle to turn in math are beginning to complete more assignments. This will enable me to make a comparison between classroom differentiation and student performance. I want to discover if differentiation supplemented with technology will benefit my students and a legitimate way to do this would be to compare the official scores and develop quantitative reasoning to validate my plan.
c) Plan for how to collect the data from this source
Collecting data from this source is fairly straightforward: I will use a daily log to track the homework students do or do not turn in as well as recording the students’ weekly test scores.
d) Information about how I will analyze data
After recording the homework completion and test scores, I will compare the end results to the prior performances and note any improvements or decreases in test scores along with comparing the amount of homework that has been turned in to see if more students are completing their assignments on time.
Student discussions
a) Description of the data source
I will incorporate student discussions as a source of data to discover how my students felt about this project. I will implement whole class group discussions as well as small group and individual conversations.
b) Rationale for using this source
I want to know how my students feel about this project because differentiation would not be strengthened if it was in a manner that continued to make the students bored and frustrated. I want to know their opinions, as a self-perception is a key outcome to successful differentiation.
c) Plan for how to collect the data from this source
I will start with having a “rug discussion” with the entire class sitting together. I will ask a variety of questions that will allow me to develop a sense of self-perception my students are feeling. I want to know if they feel proud and accomplished with their videos or if they feel they could have had room to grow and master their problem. I will determine how successful my students feel about their videos by asking questions such as,
“Did you like making this project?”
“What are you proud of?”
“What would you change about your video?”
“If I do this again for second grade next year, what would you recommend for the next class?”
I will also do a group or individual follow-up with select individual students, including those I saw that this project made a difference for and those it did not. I will ask the students the same kind of questions, but the smaller amount of students will allow me to take more in-depth notes on the opinions my students have.
d) Information about how I will analyze data
When analyzing the student discussions, I will be sure to take account of the strengths and weaknesses they found in their videos. I will look for student responses that involve self-perception and areas to improve. I will take a lot of notes, though I will cut out any data that does not give me an idea of the effect this project had my students work and self-perception.
I am excited to see if this demonstration of knowledge is, in fact, a good tool for allowing my students to strengthen their mathematical expertise and I have high expectations that these four data sources will allow me to triangulate my data to better answer my research questions.
In our previous math instruction, every student has been assigned the same in-class worksheet and homework assignments. The problems on these assignments are straightforward for some students and highly confusing for others. Not all students learn at the same level and giving the same tasks for all students when an achievement gap is clearly visible will only inhibit the students from progressing. My action plan will not include identical math problems and the students will have the opportunity to work through a problem at their own learning level, rather than an expected pace. As daily in-class worksheets and homework assignments have become a routine for my students, I will add to these worksheets rather than replace them with my action plan. My master teacher has provided the class with extra time allotted for math so every day for a few weeks I will supplement our routine math structure with an added math lesson. These lessons will include brief number talks with the whole classroom to promote multiple ways of thinking or the lessons will provide for added partner talk where students are given a few minutes to briefly explain the solution to a given equation to one another. I will teach little-by-little every day in order to complete my action plan in an organized and manageable fashion.
Goal/Objective
This project will clearly show the step-by-step process of students’ thinking when they are explaining math problems.
Schedule
(Part 1) Week of 11/4 – Communication/Number talk (Thursday 11/7 & Friday 11/8)
Students will come down to the rug in front of the Promethean Board and I will have a class number problem placed on the board in front of them. The students will then have two-three minutes to find various ways to solve the math problem. After the allotted time, the students will tell the class how they solved the problem and I will write their step-by-step thinking on the Promethean Board for the rest of the class to see. I will fill the Promethean Board with the various problem-solving strategies so the students are aware that they can use numbers in several ways.
(Part 2) Week of 11/11 – Writing
This segment is the key aspect of my action plan because it really shows the steps of the thinking process from my students. In Part 2, students will show their explanations of various number problems by writing down their own thinking to how these problems were solved. They will not be forced to write down their thinking in any specific format, they will just be showing their problem-solving strategies in anyway that is clear to them, as long as the solution is shown step-by-step. For this phase, I am flexible to go into the week of 11/18, until I know the students have mastered the idea of step-by-step problem-solving and showing their work. If Part 2 takes less time than planned, we will be sure to start the video-making process earlier to leave more time for class discussion and reflection and well as sharing videos with other students.
(Part 3) Week of 11/18 – Video
The third and final part of my action plan will be the students making a simple video using the SonicPics application on their iPods. They will draw out their number problem step-by-step on construction paper and the application will allow the students to take a picture of their steps and narrate over each picture to explain their solution. Each student has his/her own iPod with this application already installed. I will plan for two-three days of making this video, and I will be aware that if more time needs to be added to this portion of the plan, there will be time. The plan will be implemented before Thanksgiving, with room to finalize after if need be. I will definitely leave time before the Thanksgiving break for the students to share their videos with one another, whether it is to the entire class or just of small group of three to four students.
Notes to remember:
As I go through each part of my action plan, I will make sure to keep my objective in mind at all times as the students continue to show their thinking behind a problem. I will also be sure to be backwards planning as I go, in order to truly keep that goal remembered and incorporated into every step. I will keep in mind that I need to model every step of the plan for them and scaffold the learning, especially when teaching them how to use the SonicPics application. As I continue through each step, I will focus on the common core practice standards, as that is a big aspect of learning in grade two mathematics.
Assessment Plan/Data Collection
The reason for the assessment plan and data collection is for me to see how well I understand the impact of this lesson on my students as well as their thinking, by noting how effective they are in explaining their math problem. I want to note if this demonstration of knowledge is a good tool for allowing students to develop a sense of ownership and expertise. My assessment plan and data collection will be implemented in four parts:
1. Teacher Observation
2. Student Work – Videos
3. Student Work – Regular math assessments
4. Student Discussions
Teacher Observation
a) Description of the data source
For the “teacher observation” source, I will be observing and reflecting on each lesson of the project along with documenting my thoughts. I will refer to these notes throughout the intervention to support my teaching as well as the learning and understanding of my students.
b) Rationale for using this source
By observing my students and tracking and their progression, I will have a clear visual and idea of where to take my next steps and how to re-teach in a way that will be most beneficial for my students. Teacher observations will open my eyes to the students that need the most support, along with noting the students I can ask to be examples and helpers to others. Taking daily notes will encourage me to take the steps I need in order to make this project successful.
c) Plan for how to collect the data from this source
I will take daily notes on how the project is going both during and after implementation. I will identify which students are asking for the most help as well as noting the students who clearly grasp the instructions for the project. I will also be sure to recognize the time it takes for the students to complete their videos and note which aspects of the project take the longest for students or are the most difficult to understand. I will listen in on partner talk to focus on the students’ personal strategies and explanations. After the first day of recording videos, I will check each iPod and make a list of the students who have completed the video according to my instruction, the students who have started the video but did not follow all the instructions accurately, and a list of students who were unable to record anything.
d) Information about how I will analyze data
I will review and reflect upon my daily notes each day throughout the entire project. I will evaluate my students and note the strategies they are using; hopefully there will be multiple strategies. I will analyze my students’ explanations to one another during partner talk and note if they are able to use their own strategies to solve other students' problems, or if their can use other students' strategies to solve their own problems. I will explore my written thoughts and reflections and note any barriers in the lesson and focus on ways to reduce the barriers I find.
Student Work – Videos
a) Description of the data source
This data source is simply the videos my students record in the SonicPics app on their iPods. The students will make more than one video before they decide which video to publish and their recorded videos will be a mode of data used for my intervention.
b) Rationale for using this source
I will use my students’ videos as a source of data that allows me to see my students’ demonstration of knowledge. The videos will portray the students’ ability to vocally give a step-by-step explanation to a problem-solving process. This insight will assist me in knowing if this type of project is beneficial for strengthening and incorporating new ways of differentiation in the classroom.
c) Plan for how to collect the data from this source
I will collect this data by simply reviewing each student’s narrated video in the SonicPics app on his/her iPod.
d) Information about how I will analyze data
As a part of my assessment plan, I will also be looking for accuracy in student explanations as well as the students' ability to solve the given problem and show their thinking. It is imperative that the thinking and understanding come first, and the technology is only used to supplement student strategies, so I will focus mainly on the students’ reasoning and justification when explaining a solution, rather than analyzing their ability to use technology.
Student Work – Regular math assessments
a) Description of the data source
The student work aspect of my data collection will allow me to focus mainly on the academic transfer of my students as I note if the SonicPics project has strengthened the students’ performance on already implemented and routine math assignments and tests.
b) Rationale for using this source
I will be tracking the regular math assessments to see if my students are improving their test scores and to see if those students who struggle to turn in math are beginning to complete more assignments. This will enable me to make a comparison between classroom differentiation and student performance. I want to discover if differentiation supplemented with technology will benefit my students and a legitimate way to do this would be to compare the official scores and develop quantitative reasoning to validate my plan.
c) Plan for how to collect the data from this source
Collecting data from this source is fairly straightforward: I will use a daily log to track the homework students do or do not turn in as well as recording the students’ weekly test scores.
d) Information about how I will analyze data
After recording the homework completion and test scores, I will compare the end results to the prior performances and note any improvements or decreases in test scores along with comparing the amount of homework that has been turned in to see if more students are completing their assignments on time.
Student discussions
a) Description of the data source
I will incorporate student discussions as a source of data to discover how my students felt about this project. I will implement whole class group discussions as well as small group and individual conversations.
b) Rationale for using this source
I want to know how my students feel about this project because differentiation would not be strengthened if it was in a manner that continued to make the students bored and frustrated. I want to know their opinions, as a self-perception is a key outcome to successful differentiation.
c) Plan for how to collect the data from this source
I will start with having a “rug discussion” with the entire class sitting together. I will ask a variety of questions that will allow me to develop a sense of self-perception my students are feeling. I want to know if they feel proud and accomplished with their videos or if they feel they could have had room to grow and master their problem. I will determine how successful my students feel about their videos by asking questions such as,
“Did you like making this project?”
“What are you proud of?”
“What would you change about your video?”
“If I do this again for second grade next year, what would you recommend for the next class?”
I will also do a group or individual follow-up with select individual students, including those I saw that this project made a difference for and those it did not. I will ask the students the same kind of questions, but the smaller amount of students will allow me to take more in-depth notes on the opinions my students have.
d) Information about how I will analyze data
When analyzing the student discussions, I will be sure to take account of the strengths and weaknesses they found in their videos. I will look for student responses that involve self-perception and areas to improve. I will take a lot of notes, though I will cut out any data that does not give me an idea of the effect this project had my students work and self-perception.
I am excited to see if this demonstration of knowledge is, in fact, a good tool for allowing my students to strengthen their mathematical expertise and I have high expectations that these four data sources will allow me to triangulate my data to better answer my research questions.