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Hello my fellow Alumni. This is my blog which I hadn't used since 2012. It's very informative and I hope that you all enjoy it.

Measurable Objectives

Three Written Measurable Learning Outcomes

Writing instructional objectives should be kept dimple and straightforward.  Kubiszyn and Borich (2010) states, “an instructional objective should be a clear and concise statement of the skills or skills that the students will be expected to perform” (p.110).  In addition, an instructional objective must be stated in observable, behavioral terms which include an action verb that specifies a learning outcome. The learning objectives below consist of three written measurable learning outcomes for a hypothetical unit of study for first grade level in Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.

Grade Level: First

 A Language Arts Unit on the Alphabet

This three-to-four week language arts unit allows students to explore the alphabet through activities based on their individual readiness levels. Throughout, the students will be exposed to various alphabet books as they work towards creating their own books. In addition, students will be involved in a variety of large-and-small group activities designed to increase their grasp of letter sound and their ability to apply them. Because it presents information fundamental to literacy, this unit is a good one to use at the start of a school year.

The title of this unit is All About the ABCs/ABC Art Project

Measurable Objective: The student will create ABC products using various art materials (alphabet sponges and stencils, magazines, newspapers).

A Science Unit on the Functions of Plant Parts for a first grade class

          This hands-on, three to four week science unit invite students to explore plant growth and survival. During this unit students will be allowed to ask questions and devise ways to find answers as they discover why plants are important. They will also observe plant growth to learn about a plant’s life cycle.

The title of this unit is What Plants Need

Measurable Objective: The student will identify the names and functions of plant parts: root, stem, leaf, flower, and seed, and make observations and record changes in the life cycle of a plant.

A Social Studies Unit on Needs, Wants, and Community Helpers

          This three-to-four week social studies unit opens up with a review of the basic about what a community is and then, through a variety of hands-on-activities, delves into the concept of interdependence within a community. It helps students to develop an understanding of people’s interactions within a community, their community responsibilities, and the ways which they others in the community.

Measurable Objective: The student will explain the different components of a community, and be able to compare, contrast, and evaluate community roles.

Reference

Kubiszyn, T. & Borich, G. D. (2010), Educational testing and measurement: Classroom              application and practice (9th ed.). United States: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Blog Assignment

Terrance Riley

EDU 645: Learning & Assessment for the 21st Century

Instructor: Dr. Bridget Griggs

October 29, 2012

Blog Assignment: Thought Process and Rationale of Test Items and Essay Items

The selection of my item format was determined by my instructional objectives. The test items that I selected were multiple choice items. I decided to use multiple choice items because they can be used to measure a variety of simple-to-complex outcomes. The questions that I used are well constructed and have the capability to assess higher-level thinking abilities. The test questions can be scored easily and students are provided the opportunity to select from more than one answer choice. I tried to include distractors so that the student must engage in some problem solving in order to select the correct response from the answer choices. These selected-response items can be used effectively by teachers to drive defensible inferences about students’ cognitive status (Popham, 2007), that is knowledge and skills teachers typically try to promote in their students.

The vocabulary used in the test essay items is suitable for the students who will be taking the test. The test items are presented in a direct-question forum. One strength of the multiple choice items is that they contain several answers differing in their relative correctness. The essay items can be used to measure a student’s possession of knowledge or a student’s ability to engage in higher levels of thinking.

Furthermore, multiple choice items are unique among objective test items, because they allow you to measure behavior at the higher level of the taxonomy of educational objectives. The test questions can be scored easily and students are provided the opportunity to select from more than one answer choice

References

Kubiszyn, T. & Borich, G. D. (2010), Educational testing and measurement:        Classroom application and practice (9th ed.). United States: John Wiley and                                                                           Sons, Inc.

Popham, W. J. (2008). Classroom assessment: What teachers need to know? (5th ed.).     Boston: Pearson.

When I Think of Research...

The insights that I have gained about research from taking this course is that research is a process that stems from an interest of a certain field or inquiry. The first step to the research process is the selection of a topic. From the selection of a topic, the researcher sets out to establish facts and build relationships. However, the researcher needs to be careful when guiding the investigation of the research question. A hypotheses needs to be stated for each problem if the research question is not appropriate. Once the research question or hypotheses have been stated, the researcher then begins to collect data from various sources, social settings, journals, books, and other scholarly materials. Once the data is collected it needs to be summarized, analyzed, and organized in order to present the findings from the study.

Understanding that there are rules of operation for conducting research has changed some of my views about research. It is important that as a researcher, I do not violate these rules nor act in an unethical manner when dealing with research participants.

The lessons that I learned about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood is that as a researcher, it is very important to familiarize myself with the issues of equity in research design. The goal is not to make things equal, but to be just and fair in the research process.

Some of the challenges that I faced were trying to come up with a valid research question that would not lack credibility after the research process has been completed. I had to make sure that my selected topic was significant and researchable. I also had to make sure that the reliable and valid data could be obtained from my research question.

My perceptions about early childhood professionals haven’t changed that much. The issues of quality and equity have become a big topic in the field of education. It is important for early childhood professionals to be able to used research design in a beneficial way. The findings from research can be of great value for the early childhood professional and other.

Research Around the World

What are some of the current international research topics? I chose to do a little research on the ECDVU.  The Early Childhood Development Virtual University is a program in Africa commited to improving the quality of life for children and their families.

What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?  The ECDVU came from  a series of ECD training seminars known as Summer Institutes initiated by UNICEF in 1994/95.

What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?  The World Bank utilized the Norwegian Educational Trust Funds to support the development phase of the ECDVU in 2000. The world bank was also joined by other groups such as Unicef, UNESCO, and CIDA in supporting the delivery of the inaugural three year graduate program.

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

I was reading an article which talked about the positive outcome of children who come from a married family of the same biological parents. I find this this be very true because I came from a dysfunctional married family because I had a stepfather. I hated that my mom was married to him but I was intrigued by the idea of marriage. My brother and I turned out pretty descent, but I know kids who came from a married family with the same biological parents who seemed to excel faster. Now this may just be all in my head, but I know they had more material stuff and in some cases a slightly higher average than kids who were from a single parent home or a home similar to my own.

I don't know my real father, the last time I can remember seeing him is around the age of 4 or 5. This cause a major void in my life, but also drives me to be an integral part of my children's life. Those issues in which I dealt with growing up have impacted my life so much that I am striving to be the best for my family as well as be there for them ad give them the best.

Your Personal Research Journey

The topic I chose is "Culturally Responsive Care and Education. I chose this topic because I know how important culture is in the development of children. Culture is transmitted from generation to generation through families making it seem normal and natural. Children tend to emulate what they see people close to them do. Families really shape the growth and development of children more than anything else. I can attest to this because my children say and do just about anything my wife and I do. My daughter is three and my son is two years of age and my son does just about everything in which his sister does. My daughter will come and sit in my lap and my son will soon follow. I wish he would follow her with the potty training though. He hates to use the potty. I've seen him sit on the potty and hold it for a long time and then be walking around and have a bowel movement. I've been trying to train him for about a year now and I'm open to all suggestions.

Final Blog Assignment

The three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field are: research and comparison, communication, and career opportunities. This blog was very challenging for me because I was never able to connect with an international contact. I did, however, gain a lot from reading my fellow collegues' blogs. Education is basicall he same all over they were as far as being taught. Now the children and parents recieving it can be different. I find that other countries take education more seriously than some of my students from the research that we have done. I think a lof of kids take things for granted because we are more fortunate than other countries in some ways. I am going to stay positive and pray that things change for the better.