Part 1: Authentic Intellectual Work/Authentic Instruction & Assessment
Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) refers to the product that is created or developed to show what a child had learned. It differs from traditional instruction and assessment where all students are given the same math test and there are right or wrong answers and everything looks the same. When students are creating AIW they are using the knowledge they have gained from the lessons and applying it to create a final product.
There are several criteria's for student work to be AIW. For work to be AIW, it must show Construction of Knowledge, Disciplined Inquiry, and Value Beyond School. Construction of Knowledge refers to the "organizing, interpreting, evaluating, or synthesizing prior knowledge to solve new problems" (Newmann, F., et al, 2007). Disciplined Inquiry is when students use their prior knowledge to create an in-depth understanding of the content and then effectively communicate that knowledge into a final product. It has been proven that when students engage their prior knowledge of a topic, they are able to see the connections between what they know and what they are learning. This prior knowledge acts as a strong base for the new knowledge being acquired. Next, the student must develop a deeper understanding of the content rather than a surface level understanding. This allows the student to have the knowledge to think critically about the topic. Finally, the students must share their work. A student could share their work in a multitude of ways. This includes but is not limited to essays, research articles, math proofs, and musical scores. The last criteria discussed is Value Beyond School. AIW must have an impact on others around them and tie into their lives.
If I were to have my STEM students do AIW it would be on the Engineering Design Process. I have attached a photo below that describes the process.
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Part 2: 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update
The 2017 Nation Education Technology Plan (NETP) update can connect to AIW in many ways. Technology is everywhere, especially post pandemic. Most districts have transitioned to one-to-one technology for their students whether that means laptops, chromebooks, iPads, etc. One way a student could use technology to create their own picture book. Using Canva, Google Slides, or any similar website, a student could transfer their writing about any topic (fiction or nonfiction) and add clipart to match it. When printed, this would create a book. Or if the teacher doesn't have the funds to print, it can be a digital book. This would be AIW because students would be showing construction of knowledge, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school.
Part 3: Triple E Framework
There are many parallels between AIW and Triple E. In Triple E, there is Enhancement. In Enhancement, there is scaffolding and building upon prior knowledge just like in Disciplined Inquiry for AIW. Another connection would be Extension in Triple E. During Extension, students are making real-world connections by connecting to the learning and having authentic experiences. This is just like the Value Beyond School section of AIW.
My example from part 2 supports the enhancement section of the Triple E Framework. One part of the enhancement section is personalization. There is a lot of room for a student to personal on these digital books (especially if it is a fiction book). Students are personalizing their book through their writing and also through the graphics that they choose.
Citations
Newmann, F., King, B., & Carmichael, D. (2007). Authentic Instruction and Assessment: Common Standards for Rigor and Relevance in Teaching Academic Subjects.
Chloe,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your STEM activity. I also teach STEM, and we use Project Lead the Way (PLTW) curriculum in our engineering courses. I agree that the engineering process is a very tangible method for using AIW in the classroom. While your design process looks different from the one we use, their function remains the same. They both provide a framework by which students may analyze a problem, design a solution, and share their results. All of these are very closely tied to the components of AIW. Students construct knowledge by using prior knowledge as they engage with problems and begin to chase solutions. They do high-quality disciplined inquiry as they attempt to develop the best possible solution for the problem. The whole process produce value outside of the classroom for students who walk away knowing that they have solved a problem that they defined early in the process and that they have developed the skills necessary within themselves to solve even greater problems in the future.
Chloe,
ReplyDeleteI also teach PLTW & use the engineering design process daily. Your insights into Authentic Intellectual Work and its practical applications have really got me thinking. Your example of using technology to create picture books not only demonstrates Authentic Intellectual Work but also highlights the power of personalized learning experiences. I'd love to try this in my own STEM classroom!
I do not teach STEM, but as a math teacher, my students use their knowledge in their STEM activities. I enjoyed reading your example and thinking of ways I could implement some concepts of the engineering design process in my classroom. My students are currently working a math history project to present to the class, but I love your idea of a picture book. I'm thinking I could have them create a digital picture book over a math topic and present it to an elementary class next year. This would be an excellent way to utilize AIW in my classroom.
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