Week 2 Blog: Authentic Instruction

Part 1: Authentic Intellectual Work/Authentic Instruction & Assessment

So what is Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) you ask? To put simply, AIW is all about making learning meaningful by connecting it to the real world. It's different from the "normal" teaching methods because it focuses on things like critical thinking, problem-solving, and applying knowledge in practical situations (Newman et al., 2007). AIW has these components like constructing knowledge, disciplinary expertise, real-world value, and authenticity.You know what? Research actually backs up AIW's effectiveness! There was this study that found high school students who did AIW activities in science performed better (Newman et al., 2007). It's pretty cool!

Now, let's talk about 5th grade math. Here's an example of AIW in action: imagine if the students had to plan a budget for a family vacation. They'd use their math skills, become budgeting experts, understand why it's important in the real world, and work on something that feels real. This kind of project helps them really get the concepts and build useful skills.

Part 2: 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update

The goal of the 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update is to guidance and support for leveraging technology to enhance teaching and learning in education. We can find MANY opportunities in the first section of the NETP to connect technology with authenticity. For example, in a 5th-grade social studies class, students can use technology to explore different cultures. They can take virtual tours, participate in cultural exchanges, and analyze artifacts online. These activities help students learn about other cultures in a real and meaningful way, aligning with the goals of personalized learning and technology integration.

Part 3: Triple E Framework

So, here's the connection between Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) and Kolb's deep dive into one of the Es: they both want learning to be exciting and meaningful! AIW focuses on building knowledge, being an expert, and connecting to the real world. And Kolb's deep dive? Well, it's all about getting involved, applying what you've learned, and reflecting on it.

Remember the example we talked about? The one where 5th-grade students explore different cultures using technology? Well, it's super engaging (that's the Engagement part!). They go on virtual tours, do cultural exchanges, and analyze artifacts online. It makes learning more exciting and helps them understand other cultures better (that's the Enhancement part!). And guess what? It goes even further by making them think about the value of cultural diversity (that's the Extension part!).

So, in a nutshell, the example aligns with both AIW and Kolb's ideas by making learning awesome, applying what they've learned, and thinking deeply about different cultures. Pretty cool, huh?

References:

Kolb, L. (2020). Learning First, Technology Second: The Educator's Guide to Designing Authentic Lessons. International Society for Technology in Education.

Newmann, F. M., King, M. B., & Carmichael, D. L. (1996). Authentic Instruction and Assessment: Common Standards for Rigor and Relevance in Teaching Academic Subjects. ASCD.

U.S. Department of Education. (2017). National Education Technology Plan 2017. Retrieved from https://tech.ed.gov/netp/