2.4 Higher Order Thinking Skills
Candidates model and facilitate the effective use of digital tools and resources to support and enhance higher order thinking skills (e.g., analyze, evaluate, and create); processes (e.g., problem-solving, decision-making); and mental habits of mind (e.g., critical thinking, creative thinking, metacognition, self-regulation, and reflection). (PSC 2.4/ISTE 2d)
The force and motion WebQuest that I developed serves as the artifact for standard 2.4, Higher Order Thinking Skills. The WebQuest is aligned to fourth grade Georgia Performance Science Standards relating to force and motion. Students used a variety of multimedia resources and activities that were used to help students reach the higher levels of thinking.
The WebQuest was purposefully designed to lead students through several tasks integrating digital tools and resources to enhance and support higher order thinking skills, processes and habits of the mind. The tasks required students to apply higher order thinking skills in order to complete them. First students had to evaluate a virtual roller coaster to determine kinetic and potential energy and at the end of the WebQuest students had to actually build a roller coaster out of foam to apply what they had learned about energy, force, and motion which would help them make a connection to the real world. Students ultimately used what they learned through the WebQuest had to use processes such as problem solving and decision-making, and mental habits of the mind like critical thinking and reflection. Students had to assume the role of an engineer to build
Through designing and facilitating the WebQuest with my students I learned to how to effectively incorporate digital tools and resources to help students reach the higher levels of learning. I also learned how to successfully build a WebQuest and how make it organized and accessibly for young students. Through implementing this WebQuest with my students I was able to see how the power of technology is able to increase engagement and able to create a higher leveled learning experience for students. In order to better this WebQuest I believe that I could incorporate a few more digital resources and activities in order to extend the learning process over a longer period.
After looking at formative and summative student data I was able to see that integrating digital tools and resources with the content to support higher order thinking is very effective. A critical component of education is helping students develop higher order thinking skills and through developing and implementing this WebQuest students were able to do just that. The WebQuest has also served as a tool for other teachers in my school and has introduced them to new digital tools and resources.
The WebQuest was purposefully designed to lead students through several tasks integrating digital tools and resources to enhance and support higher order thinking skills, processes and habits of the mind. The tasks required students to apply higher order thinking skills in order to complete them. First students had to evaluate a virtual roller coaster to determine kinetic and potential energy and at the end of the WebQuest students had to actually build a roller coaster out of foam to apply what they had learned about energy, force, and motion which would help them make a connection to the real world. Students ultimately used what they learned through the WebQuest had to use processes such as problem solving and decision-making, and mental habits of the mind like critical thinking and reflection. Students had to assume the role of an engineer to build
Through designing and facilitating the WebQuest with my students I learned to how to effectively incorporate digital tools and resources to help students reach the higher levels of learning. I also learned how to successfully build a WebQuest and how make it organized and accessibly for young students. Through implementing this WebQuest with my students I was able to see how the power of technology is able to increase engagement and able to create a higher leveled learning experience for students. In order to better this WebQuest I believe that I could incorporate a few more digital resources and activities in order to extend the learning process over a longer period.
After looking at formative and summative student data I was able to see that integrating digital tools and resources with the content to support higher order thinking is very effective. A critical component of education is helping students develop higher order thinking skills and through developing and implementing this WebQuest students were able to do just that. The WebQuest has also served as a tool for other teachers in my school and has introduced them to new digital tools and resources.