Complex Reasoning Process: Invention
Dimension 4 – Use Knowledge Meaningfully
Knowledge is only of real purpose if it is used meaningfully. Knowledge is usually meaningful to someone when the topic or issue relates to or is specific and relevant to them. This is therefore the challenge in education, to motivate and engage the learners by using knowledge in a context that is meaningful to them. If we can do this, learners may have a greater level of understanding and therefore be more inclined to use the knowledge to demonstrate what they have learned. In turn this potentially may lead to more accurate assessment of the student learning’s.
To use knowledge meaningfully, students are required to use a more complex thinking and reasoning process. It is not just a case of reproducing knowledge as in recalling or recognising. To complete long-term and meaningful tasks will require the use of several reasoning processes (Marzano & Pickering, 1997).
In this Dimension of Learning model there are six reasoning processes that tasks can be constructed around to encourage the meaningful use of knowledge:
· Decision making
· Problem solving
· Invention
· Experimental inquiry
· Investigation
· System analysis
As well as using these processes when engaged in tasks, the learner must also use their content knowledge. A few points to remember when constructing meaningful tasks are that;
· As long as content guidance / modelling are appropriate, these processors
can be used throughout all developmental stages.
· Although these processors can be content specific, they are able to be used
across multiple content areas.
· With the ever increasing use of technology and the ease in which
information can be found and used, plagiarism seems to be on the rise.
Students therefore, need to be held accountable for using knowledge
meaningfully, for their reasoning and the information they use.
· If the students are using procedural knowledge to complete a task it may not
require them to use a reasoning process but simply perform a procedure in
context. However the reasoning process can be used to establish a
meaningful context to demonstrate the procedural knowledge.
· When using declarative knowledge these reasoning processors can be used
to apply their knowledge to the task. This will help students use and develop
understandings of principles, concepts and generalisations.
(Marzano & Pickering, 1997)
The six processors mentioned earlier can be understood further when broken down and presented by using the following five sections;
1. Help students understand the process – introducing the process and
explaining its function or desired outcome.
2. Give students a model for, and create opportunities to practice using the
process – introduces the complex reasoning process itself; use of examples
showing the thinking involved through the steps of the process.
3. As students study and use the process, help them focus on critical steps and
difficult aspects of the process – point out vital steps and difficult parts of
process and examples of possible ways to overcome this.
4. Provide graphic organisers / representations for the students to help
understand and use the process – the use of these helps students to
visualise and further understand the process.
5. Use both teacher and students structured tasks – it is necessary to model
and guide the process, firstly with teacher structured tasks and then student
structured tasks.
(Marzano & Pickering, 1997)
To develop understanding of, and produce a digital portfolio to support assessment and reporting the Dimension four process of invention was chosen.
Invention: Developing unique products or processes that fulfil perceived needs.
1. For us to understand the process.
· Used group discussion and brainstormed ideas.
· Wrote down what we know, don’t know and want to find out.
· Developed greater understanding by reading Dimension 4 and defined
‘invention’.
· Set an initial goal or objective as to what we wanted to create, what is
the ‘need’.
o Create a digital portfolio that can be used as an assessment and reporting
tool across all KLA’s and year levels.
o Educate teachers and student teachers as to the different forms of digital
portfolios and the uses / benefits of each by way of a website.
2. Give students a model for, and create opportunities to practice using the
process.
Choice:
· We looked at other models and what they were used for.
· Researched how they were used and not used.
· Found that teachers were using ‘digital portfolios’ but were not recognised
as such.
· Confirmed that main purpose of site should be to educate teachers/student
teachers.
· Started to create site which organised all our information and covered needs.
Drafting:
· Researched what standards, policies were set out in government documents
– based findings on the 4 frameworks.
· Original research was cumulated and combined with new findings.
· Organise layout of web site to cover content under specific headings.
· Kept adding examples of the four frameworks to clarify their use.
Revising:
· Refine details of site to improve fluency of research and examples.
· Production of site that meet the needs and standards that we had set.
3. As we studied and used the process, we focused on critical steps and
difficult aspects of the process.
· Deciding on the real need and purpose of topic and a clear way to present
this.
· The uploading of examples, videos and transcripts.
· Referencing all material used to cover any copyright issues.
· Aligned research with criteria and made appropriate changes to respond to
needs.
· Provide examples that would be applicable to application in the classroom –
putting findings into real life context.
4. Provide graphic organisers / representations for the students to help
understand and use the process.
· We used the following graphic organiser to help clarify our steps and
objectives.
Knowledge is only of real purpose if it is used meaningfully. Knowledge is usually meaningful to someone when the topic or issue relates to or is specific and relevant to them. This is therefore the challenge in education, to motivate and engage the learners by using knowledge in a context that is meaningful to them. If we can do this, learners may have a greater level of understanding and therefore be more inclined to use the knowledge to demonstrate what they have learned. In turn this potentially may lead to more accurate assessment of the student learning’s.
To use knowledge meaningfully, students are required to use a more complex thinking and reasoning process. It is not just a case of reproducing knowledge as in recalling or recognising. To complete long-term and meaningful tasks will require the use of several reasoning processes (Marzano & Pickering, 1997).
In this Dimension of Learning model there are six reasoning processes that tasks can be constructed around to encourage the meaningful use of knowledge:
· Decision making
· Problem solving
· Invention
· Experimental inquiry
· Investigation
· System analysis
As well as using these processes when engaged in tasks, the learner must also use their content knowledge. A few points to remember when constructing meaningful tasks are that;
· As long as content guidance / modelling are appropriate, these processors
can be used throughout all developmental stages.
· Although these processors can be content specific, they are able to be used
across multiple content areas.
· With the ever increasing use of technology and the ease in which
information can be found and used, plagiarism seems to be on the rise.
Students therefore, need to be held accountable for using knowledge
meaningfully, for their reasoning and the information they use.
· If the students are using procedural knowledge to complete a task it may not
require them to use a reasoning process but simply perform a procedure in
context. However the reasoning process can be used to establish a
meaningful context to demonstrate the procedural knowledge.
· When using declarative knowledge these reasoning processors can be used
to apply their knowledge to the task. This will help students use and develop
understandings of principles, concepts and generalisations.
(Marzano & Pickering, 1997)
The six processors mentioned earlier can be understood further when broken down and presented by using the following five sections;
1. Help students understand the process – introducing the process and
explaining its function or desired outcome.
2. Give students a model for, and create opportunities to practice using the
process – introduces the complex reasoning process itself; use of examples
showing the thinking involved through the steps of the process.
3. As students study and use the process, help them focus on critical steps and
difficult aspects of the process – point out vital steps and difficult parts of
process and examples of possible ways to overcome this.
4. Provide graphic organisers / representations for the students to help
understand and use the process – the use of these helps students to
visualise and further understand the process.
5. Use both teacher and students structured tasks – it is necessary to model
and guide the process, firstly with teacher structured tasks and then student
structured tasks.
(Marzano & Pickering, 1997)
To develop understanding of, and produce a digital portfolio to support assessment and reporting the Dimension four process of invention was chosen.
Invention: Developing unique products or processes that fulfil perceived needs.
1. For us to understand the process.
· Used group discussion and brainstormed ideas.
· Wrote down what we know, don’t know and want to find out.
· Developed greater understanding by reading Dimension 4 and defined
‘invention’.
· Set an initial goal or objective as to what we wanted to create, what is
the ‘need’.
o Create a digital portfolio that can be used as an assessment and reporting
tool across all KLA’s and year levels.
o Educate teachers and student teachers as to the different forms of digital
portfolios and the uses / benefits of each by way of a website.
2. Give students a model for, and create opportunities to practice using the
process.
Choice:
· We looked at other models and what they were used for.
· Researched how they were used and not used.
· Found that teachers were using ‘digital portfolios’ but were not recognised
as such.
· Confirmed that main purpose of site should be to educate teachers/student
teachers.
· Started to create site which organised all our information and covered needs.
Drafting:
· Researched what standards, policies were set out in government documents
– based findings on the 4 frameworks.
· Original research was cumulated and combined with new findings.
· Organise layout of web site to cover content under specific headings.
· Kept adding examples of the four frameworks to clarify their use.
Revising:
· Refine details of site to improve fluency of research and examples.
· Production of site that meet the needs and standards that we had set.
3. As we studied and used the process, we focused on critical steps and
difficult aspects of the process.
· Deciding on the real need and purpose of topic and a clear way to present
this.
· The uploading of examples, videos and transcripts.
· Referencing all material used to cover any copyright issues.
· Aligned research with criteria and made appropriate changes to respond to
needs.
· Provide examples that would be applicable to application in the classroom –
putting findings into real life context.
4. Provide graphic organisers / representations for the students to help
understand and use the process.
· We used the following graphic organiser to help clarify our steps and
objectives.
5. Use both teacher and students structured tasks.
· Used originally as a teacher centred task. Used as a model as to how it could
be used for students relating it back to the needs.
· Teachers stated they need to master content before you can teach it.
· After gaining an understanding and using this process we feel students and
teachers would comfortably be able to understand and use digital portfolios.
· We used this assignment as a student centred task, we needed to invent,
understand and complete before being able to give directions for others to
use.
· Used originally as a teacher centred task. Used as a model as to how it could
be used for students relating it back to the needs.
· Teachers stated they need to master content before you can teach it.
· After gaining an understanding and using this process we feel students and
teachers would comfortably be able to understand and use digital portfolios.
· We used this assignment as a student centred task, we needed to invent,
understand and complete before being able to give directions for others to
use.
| invention_go.docx |
