What is the Educational Context for Your Driving Question--International, National, State, District and School?
The 21st century has changed education as we have known it and it will continue to change so long as time goes on. Although whether we are prepared for it or not is a different matter. More and more jobs in the market are demanding knowledge and skills of our students that our educational system is not well-equipped to deal with. The fastest growing jobs require postsecondary education however high school graduation rates have decreased and only a third receive their college degree according to Linda Darling-Hammond in The Flat World and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future. In summary, jobs are demanding specialized skills and knowledge in which our current education system is not preparing the new generation for. Therefore, there is a necessity for a shift towards education reform that focuses on students and how to guide them in order to meet new challenges of the 21st century. And one of the most crucial 21st century skills is the development of critical thinking. Critical thinking is defined as problem solving and the ability to take information to put it to use to produce solutions. Specifically, critical thinking in mathematics involves the 8 Mathematical Practices outlined in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) which includes analysis, interpretation, precision and accuracy, constructing viable arguments, and reasoning quantitatively and abstractly. In the article "Mathematical Teaching Strategies:Pathways to Critical Thinking and Metacognition" in the International Journal of Research in Education and Science (IJRES), 93% of business and non-profit leaders believe that “a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than undergraduate major.” and more than 75% stated that they wanted more emphasis on critical thinking, complex problem solving, written and oral communication, and applied knowledge in real-world settings (Su, Ricci, and Mnatsakanian, 2016). In their recommendations, they state that there is a need to replace our current math classes with meaningful mathematical experiences, which teach “how to think through Math” rather than memorizing formulas. Thus, my proposed research question specifically tends towards exploring the relationship between critical thinking and standardized test performance. On an international level, higher order thinking skills or critical thinking skills comprise 65% of the tests as compared to 35% on lower order thinking skills like knowledge according to the TIMSS 2015 Mathematics Framework. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has measured the performance of 15-year-old students in mathematics every 3 years since 2000. In 2012, PISA was administered to 65 countries and education systems, including all 34 member countries of the OECD. Proficiency results are presented in terms of the percentages of students reaching proficiency level 5 or above and students performing below proficiency level 2. Students scoring at proficiency levels 5 and above are considered to be top performers since they have demonstrated advanced mathematical thinking and reasoning skills required to solve problems of greater complexity. The percentage of top performers in the United States was lower than the average of the OECD countries’ percentages of top performers (9 vs. 13 percent). Twenty-seven education systems and two U.S. states had higher percentages of top performers than the United States. Massachusetts and Connecticut both had higher percentages of top performers, respectively 19 and 16 percent than the United states at nine percent. Likewise, the data assessment on trends in international mathematics achievement according to TIMSS 2015 shows the gap between the highest achieving countries and the lowest achieving countries was 48 points. Singapore, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR, and Japan are among the highest achieving countries. Two case studies presented in Linda Darling-Hammond’s The Flat World and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future involving two top performing countries, Korea and Singapore along with Finland shows the importance as well as the effects of a curriculum that involves teaching critical thinking skills (21st century learning skills). On the contrary, the United States has become stagnant. Within a span of four years, from 2011 to 2015, the United States has only increased nine points, 509 to 518. In relation to my driving question, there has been a long and debated history surrounding issues on curriculum around the world and within the context of the United States, it is sometimes referred to as the “curriculum war”. Nationally, data assessment from NAEP shows that only 33% of students in the eighth grade are performing at or above the proficient level in mathematics. That is 67% of students (or more than half of the nation’s eighth graders) are not meeting the standards. Data also shows that the average mathematics scores have dropped in 2015 compared to 2013 from a score of 285 to 282. Additionally, since Common Core reforms have been implemented in 2010, scores increased only 1-2 points. In 2009, the average scores were 283 compared to 284 in 2011 and 285 in 2013. With the shift to Common Core and state standardized tests (Smarter Balanced Test or CAASPP), there has also been a shift from testing rote learning to testing both content and cognitive domains. There are four claims (or categories) in the cognitive domains, (1) Concepts and Procedures, (2) Problem Solving, (3) Communicating Reasoning, and (4) Modeling and Data Analysis. Three of the four categories require higher order critical thinking. The CAASPP is comprised of two items, a computer adaptive test (CAT) and a performance task (PT). The CAT test includes 16-20 questions in claim 1 (lower order thinking), and 16-20 questions in claims 2-4 (higher order thinking) while the PT is solely made up of questions only from claims 2-4. Although the majority of test questions (estimated 50%) are still composed of concept and procedural thinking, the other half the test still calls for critical thinking skills. Thus, in response to national and international data assessment, California has adopted the Common Core State Standards and several districts have begun implementing 21st Century Skills and STEM within our educational school systems. However, this by no means indicates that this is a state-wide nor even district-wide reform. Within local contexts of my district, my school is a big supporter of teaching 21st Century Skills (6 C’s). One of the ways in which we incorporate 21st Century learning and teaching is through Project-Based Learning and Problem-Based Learning (PrBL). According to my principal, PBL has not shown enough impact on scores regarding the standardized tests which is why we have implemented shorter real-world problem-based learning (PrBL) activities which are still rigorous and authentic. However, with time restrictions and pacing guides, PrBL activities are limited and sporadic at best. Moreover, critical thinking skills are not explicitly nor systematically being taught within PrBL activities so it is unclear to what extent the development of critical thinking skills may have on standardized test performance.
4 Comments
Teachers as the Biggest "Inputs" in Determining Student Academic Success
There is no fail proof "recipe" or particular set of tools or strategies educators can utilize that will guarantee that our students will be prepared for the future but it is certainly our duty to try. As educators it is our duty to continually strive to support our students. One of those duties is to sift through the abundance of resources at our disposal and implement tools and strategies to help our students succeed. Reflecting upon this week’s content in covering 21st century teaching and learning, I feel that key elements I must include in my classroom to prepare my students for the future include the use of strategic digital tools that enhance learning and provide useful skills students can realistically utilize in the future. The debate regarding the affects of money on student academic performance dates a long ways back into history. In examining this relationship, Hammond discusses how states ruled several cases to be unconstitutional in its failure to provide equitable facilities for low socio-economic and colored students. The states also ruled it was not a matter of whether money affects performance, but a matter of how much money? The debate goes on to accuse low performing and underfunded schools as more likely to misuse funding. This is a great point. Money will not positively affect student academic performance automatically unless it is strategically used. Likewise, as money does not necessarily determine success, technology does not have to permeate every aspect of the school day but there are strategic uses for them. Hence, I think it is really important that my students understand how to effectively use the “cloud” as there are various helpful Google tools available to students to help them deepen and contribute to their own learning. In observing several case studies involving the use of I-movie, Voicethread, Google Slides/Docs, Keynote, and many other digital tools, I feel that these tools can really motivate students to participate in their own learning, tap into their creativity, and even aid in the deepening of knowledge. The case studies on my EDUC 701 page details how students were able to use these tools to present key concepts to their peers, collaborate with their peers, practice their organizational skills, and practice other content skills (reading, writing, speaking, etc.). These are all 21st century skills students will need to possess if they are to be successful in their future. Hammond also emphasizes “inputs” and we as educators are undoubtedly the biggest input but only if we constantly strive to be lifelong learners and refine our teaching craft and that means updating our classroom tools to match the 21st century. An Experimental or Naturalistic Approach? Developing a Framework for Research and a Foundation--Subquestions
Driving Question: What effects does the development of critical thinking skills have on standardized test performance? The driving question is a big overarching question that provides a framework for our study. “Each element within the study will be related to this overarching question” (Falk & Blumenreich 2005, p. 21). The elements within the study are known as subquestions or "need to knows". Subquestions provides the foundation of our inquiry. Falk & Blumenreich, 2005 also state that it makes our inquiry more manageable by helping us narrow and define what we are going to examine within the context of our question. The subquestion also helps guide us in deciding what tools to use for our study and aid in our analysis of the information we collect. Therefore, in order to address my driving question, the elements within my study will focus on the subquestions below. My curiosity lies in wanting to find out whether developing critical thinking skills will naturally lead to creating autonomous (metacognitive) thinkers which will in term foster concept mastery and retention and lead to improvement in standardized test performance. Critical Thinking => Metacognitive Thinkers => Retention => Improved Standardized Test Performance Subquestions:
Now that the foundation has been laid, I must decide what tools or treatment I will use in this study. First and foremost, I plan on using a positive paradigm or experimental approach (quasi-experimental approach) as my primary method. I will be administering a pre-assessment (CAASPP practice test) to both groups of participants (the experimental and the control group). It is important that any measurement tools being used produces valid and reliable results, hence the use of a standardized test that has been vetted by a trusted and unbiased institution. That also leads into a dilemma that concerns which type of CAASPP test should be used to measure student academic performance. The CAASPP consist of the CAT (summative computer-based adaptive test) as well as the PT (performance task). The CAT is a mix of multiple choice and short answer question types while the PT also involves short answer questions as well as explanation of method and reasoning. Personally, to eliminate any biases or human error, I think it would be best to use the CAT test which does not involve a subjective grader. How to give partial points in itself is already a dilemma I do not wish to revisit. My research will also consist of a naturalistic approach in which I will be collecting qualitative data in the form of a metacognitive journal. Students will be asked to document their thought processes during their critical thinking learning activities which includes: detailed methodology and justifications (initial approach, misunderstandings, self-corrections, new strategies, results, validity of results, other possible methods, etc.). I will provide consistent feedback on their metacognitive journals that will be used to guide them towards deeper thinking. Furthermore, I will also introduce learning activities that involve peer critiquing such as Socratic seminars (adapted to a mathematical setting) that gives them more practice with critical thinking. At the end of the module, I will administer a post-assessment. The post-assessment will be the same as the pre-assessment. Regarding this decision, I too have some concerns. I wonder whether taking the same test multiple times can distort the results. How do I know whether it was the treatment that affected their test performance and not because they have seen the same problem repeatedly? Part of me wants to know that my students can use their critical thinking skills to analyze a problem, interpret the information, and come up a method to solve (using the state standard concepts and skills they have learned thus far). I feel like that is the true meaning of critical thinking. Let us explore the senario, what if the problem changes (in context and/or possibly wording)? I wonder if not changing the context or wording of a problem is the exact same thing as teaching rote memory. If students can only solve a problem if it is introduced the exact same way (in context and wording) as something they have seen before then have they really gained concept mastery and retention? If students are unable come up with an appropriate strategy for solving, then perhaps they have not developed the critical thinking skills that allow for retention of concepts and skills. It might be important to include problems that are different to address this concern or may be not. Similarly, is there a possibility that students may discuss the problems amongst each other and likewise, would that distort the data? Finally, I would also like to include a survey after each of the pre-assessment and post-assessment. The survey would also be quantitative. It will measure students perspective on how they think they did on the pre-assessment (low or high score using a scale from 1-5). I would also like to include other survey questions (quantitative and qualitative) that has yet to be determined. To conclude, there may be other tools I would like to consider for collecting data but for now this is my work in progress. The context and background for my question stems from my own classroom dilemma. I am concerned that my students are too dependent on the aid of notes and practice exams during summative tests. Initially, it was a way to incentivize my students to take proper notes and learn how to utilize them to reap the benefits. Additionally, it was also just a tool for my special populations (my low performers, EL’s, and students with special needs) but I did not want to spotlight those individuals who needed such accommodations. Therefore, I allowed all my students to use notes on the tests. In addition, I also realize that the summative tests at the end of each chapter can sometimes contain up to 9+ different concepts or skills and after 3-5 weeks, that knowledge they once had may have disappeared. Also, being able to physically match up similar problems for the practice test to the summative test to mimic the steps without understanding the application is not a skill they need nor a luxury they can afford when they enter high school (for the most part) nor college and beyond. College entrance (undergraduate/graduate) is partially determined by standardized tests (SAT/ACT/GRE/LSAT/MCAT). I hope that in gaining critical thinking skills, the students will be able to master the concepts and have better retention and in turn, improve their standardized test performance. Addressing Disparities--a Call for Highly Qualified Teachers, Curriculum Reform, and Desegregation
The 21st century has changed education as we have known it and will continue to change hopefully for the better. More and more jobs in the market are demanding knowledge and skills of our students that our educational system is not well-equipped to deal with. The fastest growing jobs require post-secondary education however high school graduation rates have decreased and only a third receive their college degree. In short, jobs are demanding specialized skills and knowledge in which our current education system is not preparing the new generation for. Therefore, there is a necessity for a shift towards education reform that focuses on students and how to guide them in order to meet new challenges of the 21st century. It is pretty clear that times have changed and students are much more capable than we previously thought. For example, students are now learning concepts in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade that just 15 years ago, 10th graders were just being introduced to. I remember not learning about geometric theorems and proofs until my 10th grade geometry class. There has been great unrest surrounding education policy and curriculum development as was referred to as the “curriculum war”. At least from a mathematics stand point, not only has the amount of standards increased in number, so has the level of rigor with the introduction of common core. Students begin to learn about algebra, geometry, and probability and statistics before they begin their high school careers. In The Flat World and Education, Hammond mentions that the highest performing countries teach fewer topics each year treating them deeply. As I mentioned above, the number of standards as well as level of rigor have increased. With barely two days to cover each topic, there are very few opportunities to dive into a topic in depth. So, what are educators to do? How do we as educators, effectively teach 21st century skills when in some cases, we may not possess the necessary knowledge and skills nor trained to teach such skills? I think the book touches on a very critical point. For an education reform to be successful there needs to be as the book states, “enhancements of teacher training.” Personally, I feel like I am lacking in this category. I do not feel like I have enough training to be confident in teaching 21st century skills. How do we structure class activities that develop collaborative skills? How do we teach collaborative group work norms? Where can I find a curriculum that incorporates activities that allow for voice and choice, develops critical thinking and problem solving skills, is rigorous and aligned with the common state standards? Lastly, how do I find enough time to adequately explore a topic in depth and consider multiple perspectives? I have so many questions but the school systems are offering up very few answers. Now enter Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Problem-Based Learning (PrBL). The PBL/PrBL models are approaches that aim to teach these 21st century skills. Students engage in authentic tasks, apply their prior knowledge and newly gained knowledge and skills to solve a problem. Students have voice and choice and engage in various collaborative settings. This approach highly engages students and taps into student potential and personality. Students gain ownership of their learning and thinking. I was unaware of the PBL/PrBL model until two and a half years ago and still often feel like a fish floundering in shallow waters. Designing a curriculum surrounding the PBL/PrBL model is a daunting task. I feel like I need much more knowledge than I currently possess in order to do my students justice. There is no question that there is a need for highly qualified teacher in the classroom in order to close the opportunity gap as well as the achievement gap. With the amount that is asked of educators, with few resources and training, there is no wonder as to why turnover rate is so high. Additionally, another roadblock towards teaching 21st century skills (PBL/PrBL) besides lack of teacher training is the mindset of teachers in the U.S. Even when adequate teacher training is provided, if the teacher is unwilling to put it into practice in their classroom, it becomes useless. On a different note, at least in the realm of math, there is still not enough research and data available to claim that PBL/PrBL offers much more benefit achievement-wise than its predecessor (traditional instruction). I do not doubt that it is much more engaging for the students but in terms of academic gains, I feel that we need more data. PBL/PrBL coupled with a reduction of state standards (the number of topics), I think that there could be significant academic gain if we can model our curriculum after successful countries like Japan and China. Thus, I am interested in learning about effectiveness of PBL/PrBL in math classes as well as how I can better design and launch PBL/PrBL units that can develop critical thinking skills and improve retention. I am eager to connect the ever changing outside world to the math we learn in our classrooms. I want to be able to teach students the applications of mathematics in the real world so that they can see the value and meaning in what they are learning. With a better designed curriculum aligned to a reduction of state standards and high stakes testing, and the PBL/PrBL model, I think that this issue can be better explored and resolved. What do I as a teacher need to feel more confident in tackling the inequities? If there were an abundant amount of completed PBL/PrBL units readily available for teachers, it would help teachers plan more effective, engaging, and authentic lessons and activities aimed towards building 21st century skills without causing them burn frustration and burn out. All students deserve the same quality of education and the opportunity to gain valuable skills needed for the real world and educators play a key part in this. With the need for a work force that the United States cannot provide, it has been necessary to outsource jobs to countries like India, China, and the Philippines. Our world is becoming flat because the inequities plaguing the educational school system is affecting student achievement and in turn, future generations of workers that need to run the country. Disparities between affluent children and socioeconomically challenged children create more inequities and consequently increase the achievement and opportunity gap. This also contributes to the cultural phenomenon of the school to prison pipeline. If we spend several times more on prisons per inmate, why not invest it into the youth? When you begin to tackle the issue, it becomes frustrating because many viable solutions that have been explored can be realized only to be halted by policy makers in Capitol Hill. If we can spend billions upon trillions on military and prisons, the United States can adequately fund our schools. I believe that research and data are very important and it tells us that increasing desegregation caused by lack of funding and highly qualified educators is not pushing us forward, but rather taking us back. If I had a say, I would increase educational funding and stop the desegregation of children so that highly qualified teachers want to go to urban schools so that our children can reap the benefits of a great education. I would have teachers go through a credential program that adequately prepares them to teach 21st century skills. Teacher incentives have dwindled and I think that many people who might have considered this career have been turned off. Teachers must get their bachelors, possibly spend hundreds of dollars to take and pass a competency exam (CSET), spend more money on a credential program, go through a two year induction program that I have heard many policy makers wanting to be defunded or wanting to put the financial burden on teachers instead, and so I truly understand the reasons for the turnover rate of teachers and the hesitation of prospective candidates to pursue the career of education. Driving Question: What effect does the development of critical thinking skills have on standardized test performance?
After reading countless articles regarding driving questions, the general consensus is that quality driving questions are interesting and provocative, open-ended, challenging, captures the heart of the project, provides a purpose, and can arise from a real dilemma. In my classroom, that dilemma concerns students’ ability to attain concept mastery and be autonomous thinkers. To elaborate, I teach at a middle school in the content area of mathematics. To be precise, I teach adolescents who are experiencing a time of great change (physical, cognitive, social, and emotional). They are in a stage of their life where they are just beginning to form a personal identity and peer relationships. Many times, academics is not their first priority. Moreover, math is rarely considered a friend middle school students wish to understand better. Based on my eight years of teaching experience, most students have been conditioned to “plug and chug” numbers into equations and formulas without understanding the purpose or deeper meaning of it. Furthermore, when faced with a test, my students become crippled without the assistance of written notes. This leads directly to the focus of my dilemma. I have noticed that without the aid of written notes or a practice test from which they can reference, many of my students become hopeless. When presented with a word problem or more cognitively complex tasks, I have also noticed that my students will pick out numbers and perform computations that have been programmed into them with no thought to what is being asked of them, what strategies might be most effective, and whether their answers make sense in the given context. Notes, cheat sheets, practice tests—those are not guaranteed luxuries in high school, college, and beyond. I feel it my duty to ween this generation of students who want everything spoon fed to them off of these so-called "scaffolds" that may prove a detriment. Thus, we arrive at a very important 21st century skill—critical thinking. Critical thinking is problem solving, the ability to take information and put it to use to produce solutions. Specifically, critical thinking in mathematics involves the 8 mathematical practices outlined in the common core state standards which includes analysis, interpretation, precision and accuracy, problem solving, and reasoning (not in this order nor in these exact words). The goal of my research is to explore whether there is a relationship between developing critical thinking skills and performance on standardized tests and thus attaining concept mastery and retention. Considering globalization and the advancements in this new generation, critical thinking is even more vital for student success beyond the four walls of my classroom. What will I need to know to answer this question? For the time being, what strategies can I utilize to teach critical thinking? How will I know when the students have shown an increase or improvement in critical thinking? What will I use to assess their critical thinking skills? Is interest and motivation variables that need to be addressed? Would it be best to conduct the research on two separate populations using one as a control group? How do I decide which group will be the control group? How will I collect or document the data? As a teacher, I am passionate about providing my students with equitable access to education and by developing my students' 21st century skills like critical thinking, I hope to provide them with skills that will contribute to leveling the playing field for them. My school district as well as my school are great advocates of cognitively complex tasks that are embedded in PBL/PrBL. Common core state standards also include 8 mathematical standards in which the Smarter Balance standardized test (CAASPP) is based on. To improve this situation, I think that lessons need to be designed with a different perspective in mind. I think lessons should include tasks that help students practice their critical thinking skills. These activities should allow them to collaborate, analyze, discuss (interpret), and reason. These lessons should be consistent rather than sporadic or nonexistent. This is a challenging question. One in which I do not have much experience with. There are a couple of strategies I have in mind that I am interested in learning about more and am eager to explore. |
Nai Saelee
Middle school math teacher preparing the leaders of the future. Inspiring curiosity, creativity, collaboration Archives
December 2017
Categories |