#ALedchat is a weekly chat on Twitter about education topics. It is held each Monday from 9-10pmCST. While the discussion on #ALedchat continues on Twitter well beyond our weekly one-hour chat session, this platform affords us the opportunity to extend, expand and share the conversation with an even greater audience. Educators from across the state of Alabama, and the world, can come here to find encouragement, support, resources, professional growth opportunities and advice, while providing the same to their colleagues.
We are always excited to learn from and with our #ALEdChat PLN! Tonight’s chat is focused on #PowerfulTaskDesign by @JohnAntonetti & @TStice. Unfortunately, the authors are unable to join us tonight and asked for a raincheck should we want to go deeper.
My name is Jackie Flowers, Florence City Schools, Director of Instruction & Professional Learning @Florencek12#FCSLearn. I am one of the co-moderators of #ALEdChat. Thank you all for joining us tonight!
My name is Jackie Flowers, Florence City Schools, Director of Instruction & Professional Learning @Florencek12#FCSLearn. I am one of the co-moderators of #ALEdChat. Thank you all for joining us tonight!
Q1: The authors of #PowerfulTaskDesign identify three dimensions of a powerful instructional task: engagement potential, academic strategies, & cognitive demand. Which of these dimensions do you think is most important, and why? #ALEdChat
A1 Engagement potential; No one wants to eat something that is not appealing to the eyes or the nose. It doesn’t matter how good it could be to me or for me If you don’t do something to hook me. #ALedchat
A1: Cognitive demand I believe requires the most productive struggle and is an area that we tend to shy away from. I think it's important that we challenge students. @ALEDChat
A1 We know that to facilitate a impactful learning experience, all three must be intertwined. Cognitive demand is imperative. However, it must be partnered with appropriate hard- and soft-scaffolding that provides necessary support for S success #aledchat
Q1: The authors of #PowerfulTaskDesign identify three dimensions of a powerful instructional task: engagement potential, academic strategies, & cognitive demand. Which of these dimensions do you think is most important, and why? #ALEdChat
A1: Prior to #PowerfulTaskDesign I think I would have leaned toward Academic strategies, but now rethinking that the cognitive demand I want students to work toward determines the academic strategy - all important, but thinking cog demand is in the drivers seat... #aledchat
Q1: The authors of #PowerfulTaskDesign identify three dimensions of a powerful instructional task: engagement potential, academic strategies, & cognitive demand. Which of these dimensions do you think is most important, and why? #ALEdChat
A1 Engagement potential; No one wants to eat something that is not appealing to the eyes or the nose. It doesn’t matter how good it could be to me or for me If you don’t do something to hook me. #ALedchat
A2: I think emotional/intellectual safety is critical to creating a classroom environment where students will take risks. Students may not engage fully if they fear failure or ridicule. #aledchat
A2: Only 1? 👀 I love choice and expectations. Although I love when students develop autonomy, I think giving them choice and setting high expectations allows them to explore while still setting a bar high for achievement. #ALedchat
A1 We know that to facilitate a impactful learning experience, all three must be intertwined. Cognitive demand is imperative. However, it must be partnered with appropriate hard- and soft-scaffolding that provides necessary support for S success #aledchat
Q1: The authors of #PowerfulTaskDesign identify three dimensions of a powerful instructional task: engagement potential, academic strategies, & cognitive demand. Which of these dimensions do you think is most important, and why? #ALEdChat
A2: I would like to choose them all, but I’ll narrow it to response and safety. In a safe environment, opportunities for personal response creates student investment. #aledchat
A2: I think you have to create that safe culture in your classroom first. They have to be safe to fail..and succeed! Then, I would say clear expectations. They have to know our expectations. #ALEdChat
A1: Yeah, I'm on board with Chrys here. This calls to mind a couple of the better instructional tech models (TPACK in particular) - the whole idea is that it does not work optimally if you are missing pieces. #ALEdChat
A1 We know that to facilitate a impactful learning experience, all three must be intertwined. Cognitive demand is imperative. However, it must be partnered with appropriate hard- and soft-scaffolding that provides necessary support for S success #aledchat
Q1: The authors of #PowerfulTaskDesign identify three dimensions of a powerful instructional task: engagement potential, academic strategies, & cognitive demand. Which of these dimensions do you think is most important, and why? #ALEdChat
Q3: The academic strategies come from Marzano’s research on "Classroom Instruction That Works." Which of these five do you use, or notice being effectively used across the classrooms you observe? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
I recently spoke with a pharm&medical sales repand he did that he would often be called into the OR to help guide the physicians through expectAtions and to model for them how the medical condition should be used. In life/death times, you need expectations and a model #ALedchAt
A2: If I was stuck on a desert island with just one engagement quality, I would select choice. It is critical for engagement. However, in the absence of a blend with many other engagement strategies, it would soon fail my students #ALEdChat
A2: I think emotional/intellectual safety is critical to creating a classroom environment where students will take risks. Students may not engage fully if they fear failure or ridicule. #aledchat
Q3: The academic strategies come from Marzano’s research on "Classroom Instruction That Works." Which of these five do you use, or notice being effectively used across the classrooms you observe? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A3: I would say that I look for Advanced Questions, Cues & Organization in all classrooms. This shows preparation, planning, and organization which are essential in every lesson. #ALedchat
Q3: The academic strategies come from Marzano’s research on "Classroom Instruction That Works." Which of these five do you use, or notice being effectively used across the classrooms you observe? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
Q3: The academic strategies come from Marzano’s research on "Classroom Instruction That Works." Which of these five do you use, or notice being effectively used across the classrooms you observe? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A3: Very honestly, I see most of these strategies very regularly. To flip the question, I see something pretending to be summarizing and note taking (but is really a word-search) too often. Advance questions and organizers is an old faithful. #ALEdChat
Q3: The academic strategies come from Marzano’s research on "Classroom Instruction That Works." Which of these five do you use, or notice being effectively used across the classrooms you observe? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A3 Our team does a great job utilizing advance questions, cues, and organizers.
We have participated in lesson studies where our T-leaders implemented both planned & unplanned organizers to assist our Ss with difficult skills - represents being attuned to S needs #aledchat
Q3: The academic strategies come from Marzano’s research on "Classroom Instruction That Works." Which of these five do you use, or notice being effectively used across the classrooms you observe? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
Hard to choose I know. They are all important. Expectations for thinking and discussing set the tone for dialogue and formative feedback in the classroom. #ALEdChat
A2: Only 1? 👀 I love choice and expectations. Although I love when students develop autonomy, I think giving them choice and setting high expectations allows them to explore while still setting a bar high for achievement. #ALedchat
Q4: Which tools do teachers in your school(s) use in thinking about the cognitive demand of a task? How routinely do they use these in task design? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A2: I think you have to create that safe culture in your classroom first. They have to be safe to fail..and succeed! Then, I would say clear expectations. They have to know our expectations. #ALEdChat
A3: currently trying to put more emphasis on Note-Making versus note taking as described in #PowerfulTaskDesign where students are making meaning instead of copying the meaning of others #aledchat
Q3: The academic strategies come from Marzano’s research on "Classroom Instruction That Works." Which of these five do you use, or notice being effectively used across the classrooms you observe? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
Perhaps now is as good a time as any for me to suggest that this model falls into the trap other instructional design models are in: it only describes *part* of the puzzle but can too easily be presented THE thing. Same as ADDIE, same as Gagne's 9 events. Am I wrong?
#ALEdChat
Q4: Which tools do teachers in your school(s) use in thinking about the cognitive demand of a task? How routinely do they use these in task design? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
They all work together to make a #PowerfulTaskDesign. It is like creating a piece of artwork! I think you will love the rubric. I’ll give that resource at the end. #ALEdChat
A4: Teachers in my immediate area engage with this work at the planning level, in the form of Webb's Depth of Knowledge. This is supposed to be done for each lesson. Teachers are encouraged to "purposefully plan" the questions the use in class. #ALEdChat
Q4: Which tools do teachers in your school(s) use in thinking about the cognitive demand of a task? How routinely do they use these in task design? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A3: currently trying to put more emphasis on Note-Making versus note taking as described in #PowerfulTaskDesign where students are making meaning instead of copying the meaning of others #aledchat
Q3: The academic strategies come from Marzano’s research on "Classroom Instruction That Works." Which of these five do you use, or notice being effectively used across the classrooms you observe? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A4 - I believe cognitive demand is very rarely considered when designing instruction...maybe to the extent of "we want the students thinking", but rarely about cognitive limits and what engages students more/less.
#aledchat
A4: We use a unit planning guide that includes levels of Bloom and also DOK. These are used to support teachers in collaborative planning each week. #ALedchat
Q4: Which tools do teachers in your school(s) use in thinking about the cognitive demand of a task? How routinely do they use these in task design? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
Q4: Which tools do teachers in your school(s) use in thinking about the cognitive demand of a task? How routinely do they use these in task design? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
I highlighted #PowerfulTaskDesign pg.13 about the Rubik’s Cube analogy that I THINK applies to your idea... that if we only focus on the the red side for example the other may be a mess, meaning a balanced approach is needed for real change...is this what you mean? #aledchat
Perhaps now is as good a time as any for me to suggest that this model falls into the trap other instructional design models are in: it only describes *part* of the puzzle but can too easily be presented THE thing. Same as ADDIE, same as Gagne's 9 events. Am I wrong?
#ALEdChat
A4 - I believe cognitive demand is very rarely considered when designing instruction...maybe to the extent of "we want the students thinking", but rarely about cognitive limits and what engages students more/less.
#aledchat
I agree..the planning part of this is crucial! All of these components are here important, but they cannot be done without intentional planning before a lesson begins! #aledchat#PowerfulTaskDesign
Q5: The authors suggest that technology can be used to “power up” a task. What apps or platforms have you used/or observed being used to support one or more of the three dimensions? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A4 - I believe cognitive demand is very rarely considered when designing instruction...maybe to the extent of "we want the students thinking", but rarely about cognitive limits and what engages students more/less.
#aledchat
A4: It is important for teachers to increase the cognitive demand in the classroom. (Teachers use bloom's taxonomy). I think teachers should use all of the tools. I think alot of the time we just skip to application with out the other tools. #AlEdChat
Yes. I also think it’s actively damaging to have theories of lesson design that are incomplete when they’re not integrated into other professional work to provide the full picture. I’m doing work on the complexity of teaching right now so this is much on my mind #ALedchat
I highlighted #PowerfulTaskDesign pg.13 about the Rubik’s Cube analogy that I THINK applies to your idea... that if we only focus on the the red side for example the other may be a mess, meaning a balanced approach is needed for real change...is this what you mean? #aledchat
Perhaps now is as good a time as any for me to suggest that this model falls into the trap other instructional design models are in: it only describes *part* of the puzzle but can too easily be presented THE thing. Same as ADDIE, same as Gagne's 9 events. Am I wrong?
#ALEdChat
Agreed. Too little dissemination of findings of cognitive science into the mainstream of k-12. Have you seen recent publication of National Academy--How People Learn, Part II? Very insightful. #aledchat
I believe it's more of a lack of knowledge on the teacher's part.
How many PD sessions/college courses discuss memory and how we learn? Very few, if any.
In my estimation, this is the most egregious gap in teacher's learning that could most positively change the classroom.
Teachers don't know...they don't know how memory works, so how could they possibly apply the knowledge they don't have to their classroom?
How many teachers understand how memory works? Working memory limitations? Strategies that increase retention of material?
#aledchat
Q5: The authors suggest that technology can be used to “power up” a task. What apps or platforms have you used/or observed being used to support one or more of the three dimensions? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
Perhaps now is as good a time as any for me to suggest that this model falls into the trap other instructional design models are in: it only describes *part* of the puzzle but can too easily be presented THE thing. Same as ADDIE, same as Gagne's 9 events. Am I wrong?
#ALEdChat
A5: TPACK is a model for technology integration that suggests that layering technology on is actually harmful to student learning. For tech to help, it must be part of the design process. From that perspective, the tech "power-up" works when it is part of the design. #ALEdChat
A5: There are so many! Flipgrid, Seesaw, Quizlet Live, Kahoot, Socrative, etc. Many are high engagement. We have used Mentimeter, Answer Garden, and Padlet for academic strategies.
#aldedchat
Q5: The authors suggest that technology can be used to “power up” a task. What apps or platforms have you used/or observed being used to support one or more of the three dimensions? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A5: Concerning technology, we must be mindful of the balance of the product and process. Make sure the technology doesn’t place too much emphasis (focus) on the product that is being created over the learning. #aledchat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A4: We use a unit planning guide that includes levels of Bloom and also DOK. These are used to support teachers in collaborative planning each week. #ALedchat
Q4: Which tools do teachers in your school(s) use in thinking about the cognitive demand of a task? How routinely do they use these in task design? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
I think Ts can be very strategic when pairing a tech app with an academic strategy, but it's a REAL challenge. There are so many great apps that can power up the cognitive demand along with engagement--when they are carefully selected. #aledchat
A5: There are so many! Flipgrid, Seesaw, Quizlet Live, Kahoot, Socrative, etc. Many are high engagement. We have used Mentimeter, Answer Garden, and Padlet for academic strategies.
#aldedchat
Q4: Which tools do teachers in your school(s) use in thinking about the cognitive demand of a task? How routinely do they use these in task design? #ALEdChat#PowerfulTaskDesign
I think collaborative strategies--that facilitate Ss talking to one another--are a great for making thinking visible. When Ts listen in to S dialogue, they can learn so much about the thinking behind student talk or work. #aledchat
I agree..the planning part of this is crucial! All of these components are here important, but they cannot be done without intentional planning before a lesson begins! #aledchat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A6: When Ts become the Ss they can begin to anticipate misconceptions and plan for those learning gaps. They can also clearly define success criteria for students to reach mastery. #aledchat
I agree..the planning part of this is crucial! All of these components are here important, but they cannot be done without intentional planning before a lesson begins! #aledchat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A4: It is important for teachers to increase the cognitive demand in the classroom. (Teachers use bloom's taxonomy). I think teachers should use all of the tools. I think alot of the time we just skip to application with out the other tools. #AlEdChat
A6: When Ts become the Ss they can begin to anticipate misconceptions and plan for those learning gaps. They can also clearly define success criteria for students to reach mastery. #aledchat
A4: It is important for teachers to increase the cognitive demand in the classroom. (Teachers use bloom's taxonomy). I think teachers should use all of the tools. I think alot of the time we just skip to application with out the other tools. #AlEdChat
A6: A powerful task can provide Ts the opportunity to understand how Ss think and to listen to multiple strategies and approaches given by the Ss. Our Ss can teach us valuable info about how they learn! #aledchat#PowerfulTaskDesign
A5: Concerning technology, we must be mindful of the balance of the product and process. Make sure the technology doesn’t place too much emphasis (focus) on the product that is being created over the learning. #aledchat#PowerfulTaskDesign
FA: I love seeing so many #ALedchat educators engaged in a conversation about creating meaningful academic tasks for students. This is a conversatin worth continuing in the future!
I think Ts can be very strategic when pairing a tech app with an academic strategy, but it's a REAL challenge. There are so many great apps that can power up the cognitive demand along with engagement--when they are carefully selected. #aledchat
A5: There are so many! Flipgrid, Seesaw, Quizlet Live, Kahoot, Socrative, etc. Many are high engagement. We have used Mentimeter, Answer Garden, and Padlet for academic strategies.
#aldedchat
FA: I have reading homework. And I need to take off the lens I brought to this conversation and think more. The intersectionality of Engagement, strategy and cognitive demand certainly resonates with me. Glad to have caught this one. #ALEdChat
FA: I think all planning and teaching goes back to being strategic and intentional. Balancing all the moving parts is tricky and time-consuming. #aledchat
I think collaborative strategies--that facilitate Ss talking to one another--are a great for making thinking visible. When Ts listen in to S dialogue, they can learn so much about the thinking behind student talk or work. #aledchat
The book is such a great resource -- and catalyst for conversation. Would love to have John Antonetti or Terri Stice host a future #ALedchat on the book.
FA: I love seeing so many #ALedchat educators engaged in a conversation about creating meaningful academic tasks for students. This is a conversatin worth continuing in the future!
A6: When Ts become the Ss they can begin to anticipate misconceptions and plan for those learning gaps. They can also clearly define success criteria for students to reach mastery. #aledchat
