Portfolio_R.Dodd

Standard 4

Teachers plan and assess for effective learning

Teachers use their knowledge of students, content and pedagogy to establish clear and achievable learning goals for their students

My reflections:

In the teaching rounds at Mill Park Senior Secondary College, I carefully planned the content and pedagogy to provide effective learning goals for students. I taught Advanced General Mathematics to Year11 students.

I was assessed on the topic of Planning for Learning. This covered the following competencies:

Knowledge of classroom and program design, use of materials and resources in structuring activities
Understanding and selection of appropriate methodologies, content, processes and skills in planning for effective curriculum
Establishment of clear and achievable learning goals
Provisions of learning opportunities that are rich and authentic

For these competencies which match the present criterion I was given an excellent result. The mentor stated that I had a firm knowledge of the topics and created lesson plans that allowed him to clearly explain the topics at hand. His goals were clearly stated at the start of each lesson..

My future professional learning goals:

It is a goal of mine to continue to improve in this area on a continuous basis. I have studied this area and believe in putting the following information into practice.

Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning

Accomplished teachers create, enrich, maintain, and alter instructional settings, materials, and strategies to capture and sustain the interest of their students and to make the most effective use of time. They also strive to engage students and adults in assisting their teaching as well as to enhance their practice with their colleagues' knowledge and expertise.

Effective teachers command a wide range of generic instructional techniques and use them appropriately. They manage efficiently both the students and the learning environment. Thus, instruction is organized and implemented to allow the schools' goals for students to be met. Educators are able to set the norms for social interaction among students and between students and teachers. Moreover, they understand how to motivate students to learn and how to maintain their interest even when facing temporary failure.

Accomplished teachers can assess the progress of individual students as well as that of the class as a whole. They employ multiple methods for measuring student growth and understanding and can clearly explain student performance to parents.

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (1998).Washington, DC: Author.Available: http://www.nbpts.org

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind and society: The development of higher mental processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Teachers plan for the use of a range of activities, resources and materials to provide meaningful learning opportunities for all their students

My reflections:

In the teaching rounds at Mill Park Senior Secondary College in 2006, I utilised a variety of activities and materials to provided meaningful learning opportunities for all the students. When I taught Advanced General Mathematics to Year11 students, the mentor in the report stated that "He understood that student's background knowledge varied, so he made use of models (pulleys, weights, strings) to demonstrate the concept of forces."

During the first semester of 2006 I was employed at the James Cook University (Cairns, QLD). I worked as a tutor and demonstrator in Functional Kinesiology and Biomechanics. These are second year university subjects with a high level or practical content. I performed the practical component at the Cairns Campus using a range of activities, resources and material to provide meaningful learning opportunities to students. Many of the resources included laboratory equipment. I was also involved with video linking resources. Some of the activities were performed outside, such as sprinting with timing gates and starting guns and other measuring equipment. The senior teacher stated that "Robert understood both the content of the subject and the limitations of the students. He did a good job in teaching."

As a teacher at an international language school from 2002 to 2005, I endeavoured to engage students in an active learning process. Having taken hundreds of classes of students, I tried to motivate the students through active learning. This is something which did not happen overnight, but was a gradual process of self-evaluation, planning and action. With time and experience, I could see the benefits of engaging students in different types of learning activities. The active learning included group activities, outdoor activities, games, and student driven discussions.

I put into practice activities to engage students on a regular basis. Several of these were taken from the following book:

Ur, Penny and Wright, Andrew. Five-Minute Activities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

The activities helped students to practise various aspects of language, and helped the students and teacher to communicate with each other, and students to get to know each other better.

I took students on field trips to increase their learning experiences. In 2004, I took two classes of Italian students learning English, on a series of field trips to Green Island, Kuranda, and the Cairns Museum. These activities provided meaningful learning opportunities for these students.

My future professional learning goals:

It is a goal of mine to continue to improve in this aspect of planning for the use of a range of activities, resources and materials to provide meaningful learning opportunities for all their students. The information learned at RMIT from the Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education provides insight into novel ways of applying this criterion. I aim to use the information I have learned in the RMIT course to improve my effectiveness as a planner and facilitator of learning.

Teachers monitor student engagement in learning and maintain records of their learning progress

My reflections:

In the teaching rounds at Mill Park Senior Secondary College, I kept records of Student's progress. I individually spoke to each student to record and monitor their progress When individual students were returning from absence, I offered to assist them during the lunch break or after school, to catch up on missed lessons.

My future professional learning goals:

It is a goal of mine to continue to improve

Teachers are responsible for managing and
monitoring student learning

Teachers select assessment strategies to evaluate student learning, to provide feedback to students and their parents/guardians and to inform further planning of teaching and learning

My reflections:

In the teaching rounds at Mill Park Senior Secondary College, I selected assessment strategies to evaluate student learning, to provide feedback to students and their parents/guardians and to inform further planning of teaching and learning. I taught Advanced General Mathematics to Year11 students.

I was assessed on the topic of

designing assessment tasks which link to the student curriculum, and
Monitoring learning and maintaining records of learning progress.

I was assessed as being good in this area by the teaching mentor.

An example of an application of this criterion, was in the Physics teaching methods at RMIT for the Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education..

In the first assignment in Physics Methods, I received an excellent result for the Assessment Task

At Mill Park Senior Secondary College, I attended the parent – teacher night in order to participate in providing feedback to parents and guardians, as well as to inform further planning..

My future professional learning goals:

It is a goal of mine to continue to improve

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ARTIFACTS # 4

Students on outdoor activity

Physics Assessment Task

Data Analysis Exercise

Advice to Students

Students will be expected to:

explain non-uniform and uniform motion along a straight line graphically;
analyse motion along a straight line graphically, numerically and algebraically;
describe the motion depicted by velocity-time graphs.
make reference to the direction of motion (positive or negative direction),
make reference to the velocity, the acceleration and any changes in speed (speeding up or slowing down) during the various time intervals.
Plot data in a graph
Analyse and interpret the graph, including error analysis

Formulas:

s = v₀ t + a t²
v = v₀ + a t
v_av = (v + v₀)
s = v_av t
v^{2
=}v₀²+ 2as

t the time for which the object moved.

a the acceleration of the object.

v₀ the initial velocity of the object.

v the final velocity of the objectv2 = v02 + 2 a (x - x0)

s the displacement of the object.

1. A boat, initially moving at 20 m/s is only moving at 2.0 m/s in the same direction, 25 seconds later.

(Source http://www.batesville.k12.in.us/physics/PHYNET/Mechanics/Kinematics/v_eq_vsubo_etc.htm)

Data:

v_o = 20 m/s

v = 2.0 m/s

t = 25 s

a = ?

Assuming that the boat's acceleration was constant, what was the boat's acceleration during this time? (2 marks)

2. The velocity-time graph for a two-stage rocket is shown below.

The image “http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L4b5.gif” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

(Source: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L4b.html)

Use the graph to determine the acceleration of the rocket during the listed time intervals.

a. t = 0 - 1 second (2 marks)

b. t = 1 - 4 seconds (2 marks)

c. t = 4 - 12 seconds (2 marks)

3. A boy sees a cat and chases it. Acceleration is uniform and the boy’s maximum speed is 5m/s. His mother calls him. He slows down and stops. After a pause, he turns around and runs back to his mother. The following data represents time and recorded velocities of the incident.

t [time](s)	v [velocity](m/s)	t [time](s)	v [velocity](m/s)
0	0	18	0
1	1	19	0
2	2	20	0
3	3	21	-1
4	4	22	-2
5	5	23	-3
6	5	24	-4
7	5	25	-5
8	5	26	-5
9	5	27	-5
10	5	28	-50
11	4	29	-5
12	3	30	-5
13	2	31	-4
14	1	32	-3
15	0	33	-2
16	0	34	-1
17	0	35	0

Plot this experimental data on a velocity time graph. Correct and explain the

error occurring at 28s.

(4 marks)

4. Calculate graphically the distance covered by the boy.

Calculate the distance covered by means of one or more of the formulas given.

(6 marks)

5. Explain from your graph what happens between:

1) 0-5 s

2) 5-10 s

3) 10-15 s

4) 15-20 s

5) 21-25 s

6) 25-30 s

7) 30-35 s

(Include positive and negative accelerations and velocities where they exist)

(7 marks)

Assessment Rubrik:

25-24A+/ 23-22 A-/ 21-20 B+/ 19-18 B-/ !7-16 C+/ 15-14 C-/13-12 D+/11-10 D-/ 9-8 E+/ 7-6 E-/ <6 UG

Criterion	Very High (5)	High (4)	Medium 3)	Low (2)	Very Low (1)	Not Shown (0)
Calculate constant acceleration of non-uniform motion using kinematic equations
Understand acceleration (constant) from a graphic representation of velocity and time
Plot experimental data on a velocity time graph. Understand the kinematic concepts of this graph.
Calculate distance using kinematic equations from data translated to graphic representation of velocity and time.
Calculate distance graphically from a graphic representation of velocity and time.
Plot experimental data on a velocity time graph. Ability to correct and explain any errors.
Displays accurate use of physics and correct use of physics terminology, symbols, etc.

Example of typical SCORING RUBRIK Outcomes with Criteria

Below
St'ds

Meets
St'ds

Exceeds
St'ds

TOTAL

1. Understanding of Physical Concepts

Motion accurately represented in multiple formats (graphs, words, data, equations)
showed accurate and complete calculations with units
accurately described the motion of falling objects using the language of physics

0 - 2

0 - 1

3 - 4

5 - 6

_____
(out of 12)

2. Experimentation

used a trial and error method to effectively manipulate materials to accomplish the proposed purpose
data collection and reporting was accurate and complete
interpretation and analysis of data was accurately and explicitly shown
proposed an appropriate and succinct conclusion

0 - 2

0 - 1

3 - 4

2 - 3

5 - 6

4 - 5

_____
(out of 17)

3. Technology Usage

submitted an attractively formatted, completely word-processed lab report (including a data table organized in a row/column format)
successfully used Graphical Analysis to plot and display data in report
generated a chart and included it in report
electronically sized, copied, and pasted all graphs, charts, and diagrams into the word processed document.

0 - 2

0 - 1

3 - 4

2 - 3

5 - 6

_______
(out of 16)

4. Communication

submitted a formal lab report containing all the customary sections, including data in table form
presentation of data was organized and easy to follow submitted a lab report which captures the essence of the experiment in an organized and informative manner; has style and is attractive
followed rules of grammar, sentence construction, and punctuation; spelling errors were minimized

1 - 2

3 - 4

5 - 6

______
(out of 15)

5. Teamwork and Cooperation

met all deadlines set by the teacher came to class prepared and used class time effectively
all members participated and made a significant input
all members were helpful and respectful to each other

1 - 2

3 - 4

5 - 6

_____
(out of 20)

Comments:

TOTAL
_______
(out of 80)

Example of alternative Rubrik for assessment <http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/projects/q1/tparub.html> 1-10-06

Robert Dodd Portfolio

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