Blog Oct 2

I'm still not clear about "create" or maybe I just disagree with you. I think that making a piece of art or writing a play that incorporates what the learners were learning or their interpretation should fit into the "create" cells. If it truely has to be "new" then what benefit does that entire column really have (unless your a pH student?)? I imagine the table was created for "all" teachers to use so why would an entire column that will really never be used be included?

I'm also not clear about the difference between objective and goals. Goal is the big overall picture and objectives are how you will reach that goal?

Bransford makes a lot of references - if in my paper I reference something from Bransford that was actually referenced from someone else - who do I reference? Bransford or whomever they referenced?

It's going to be extremely difficult to stay out of the top right handed section of the table. Factual knowledge that's just memorized and regurgitated is typically how I was taught throughout so much of my education. Also, I want to teach science and I think a lot of the pure facts are fun and interesting and I can see myself wanting to teach "all of the facts" and forgetting to take the time to make sure there is deeper understanding. However, I of coarse thing that it's important to try to reach the higher levels.

If it's truely a learner centered environment, won't the learners actually dictate a large portion of my objectives and isn't part of the "why" question to the goal going to be because it's something they want to learn. I keep thinking of the example in Brandsford of the teacher who asked her students what they wanted to learn and based the entire year exploring their questions. Also, if it's learner centered isn't it possible that your objectives change as you discover misconceptions and interests?

I overall like the taxonmy table. I think it will be difficult to use at first and "correctly" categorize, but the important thing is just to realize all the different possibilities and strive to reach the bottom right hand side of the table. Once my objectives are clear and "correctly" categorized, it will be nice to refer to and get ideas from the sample test items in the Handbook to come up with exams and assessments. The taxonmy table really helps answer my big question of assessment. I now think of assessents as continual checking points both in the learning process and in my teaching. Reading all their examples makes me feel more confident about being able to actually assess for what they are learning and for what I want to assess for. It makes it easier to see if allignment between objectives and assessment are really happening. A way to "stay on track" and be consistent. I'll be more confident that I'm testing for deeper understanding and not just factual knowledge.