Week 4 - What is this Bloomin' Taxonomy?

Terrific class this week! Highly interactive tutorial.  I prepared for class by reading Vygotski (Ch.4 - Interaction Between Learning and Development), and Bransford, Brown and Cocking (page 136-39 on knowledge centeredness).  I had a visual for Bloom's taxonomy ready to share with the class as well (see below).

It is a bit tough to read, but I found it here if you would like to look at the source image.  The requirement for finding the visual before class was a great way to be efficient with tutorial time, as well as it gives students the luxury of being able to select an image that is meaningful to them - which, of course, causes them to reflect on WHY the image resonates with them (reflection and metacognition).  The readings beforehand places the tutorial in context which also optimizes time while also accommodating the auditory learners (multiple intelligences already being used!).  As with most of the tutorials thus far, students were also encouraged to bring a digital moment to discuss before class.  I find this practice reinforces that we (students) as seen as people with lives and not just students - this subtle recognition of the fact that we are more than just her students really helps us to see Dr. Robertson as more than just a professor as well.  We are all people first, with feelings, lives, challenges, successes, and context outside of the classroom.  As an instructor I will need to ensure that I personalize my students and see them as whole people as well.

Class started with a poll surrounding our opinion on learning and development.  This used our prior knowledge as well as encouraging us to apply theory - both learning outcomes.

We discussed Vygotski and the Zone of Proximal Development, and how the theory papers we wrote utilize ZPD.  I continue to be amazed at the different elements of design I become aware of when I look through a different lens.  Then in groups we discussed Blooms and how HOTS were being used in this course.  This kind of synthesis was especially powerful when in breakout groups, as the students' diverse opinions changed and grew as we shared ideas.  Amazing how we had to use HOTS to explain how HOTS were being used!  I became the example that illustrated the concept.  This reinforced my learning in a powerful way.

Student interaction was also a focus in the course design  this week as the "speaker" who summarized each breakout group's findings needed to be someone who hadn't shared yet in class (on the mic).

The ZPD exercise was impactful for me as a learner who is also a teacher, as I saw both modelling (from a more knowledgeable other) and gradual release of responsibility in practice.  This is one way to allow students to build confidence and feel safe while learning - much like a dad who steadily holds his child's bicycle less and less as they learn to ride a bike.


The last hour of tutorial was fantastic.  During the last hour, students were grouped into teams based on the learning theory each of us wrote about in assignment #2.  I'm very fortunate to be in an awesome group with Kyle, Jennifer, and Shannon C.    We spent the entire last hour (and then some) working together collaborating in a Google Doc while using Adobe to discuss (audio only).  The combination of these two tools was very effective.  Essentially AC hosted an audio conference call, while GDoc, which allows for simultaneous contributions (AC does not), acted as the collab platform.

Learning Outcome covered in this week's class:
- Critical Awareness of Learning theories (LO#2) as we discussed Bloom and Browndford et al.
- Use of prior learning (LO#1) through the need to respond to polls and bringing digital moments
- Applying research to solve educational problems (LO#3) - through questions posed by professor as well as in-class discussion
- produce an educational artifact based on scholarly writing (LO#4) through the presentation of digital moments and breakout group findings
- engage in scholarly communication  (LO#5) through the breakout group discussions

Fantastic experience - looking forward to next week!

James