Week 2 Blog Entry

 

Part 1:  Authentic Intellectual Work/Authentic Instruction & Assessment.  

1. What is the nature of Authentic Intellectual Work? How does it differ from traditional approaches to instruction and assessment?

If one were to examine traditional approaches to instruction and assessment they might find an emphasis on the memorization of facts and/or concepts that only focuses on application(s) in the classroom and not much further. Because of this, traditional methods of instruction do not usually yield higher levels of thinking and students often think, “when will I ever use this outside of this class?” The nature of Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) goes a step further. Of course facts and dates etc. are important, but going beyond rote memorization is key to the nature of AIW, “authentic intellectual work involves original application of knowledge and skills, rather than just routine use of facts and procedures. It also entails careful study of the details of a particular problem and results in a product or presentation that has meaning beyond success in school” (Newman et al., 2007 pg.3). 

2. Discuss the components of Authentic Intellectual Work and provide deep consideration of at least one component by including a discussion of empirical (research-based) evidence found in Chapter 2. 

There are three components to Authentic Instructional Work: construction of knowledge, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school (Newman et al., 2007). As an English teacher, I try to constantly place an emphasis on higher order thinking through literary and rhetorical analysis. Activating prior knowledge is an essential part of teaching any subject or grade level as it helps to activate prior skills and knowledge and is a part of vertical alignment within subjects as well. The ability to think critically and to evaluate the ethics and authenticity of sources and information both in and out of the classrooms are skills that I hope my students can take away from my class and apply in the real world. In Chapter 2, Newman provides research conducted from 1990 to 2003 with grades 3-12 that determined whether students who experienced AIW instruction achieved higher levels of achievement than those who did not. In this study, AIW was found to have closed the gap between students of a low SES and students of a high SES. I also thought it was really interesting that the study acknowledged that “conventional standardized tests make substantial demands for mastery of vocabulary” (Newman et al., 2007 pg.27) and that teachers who are only teaching the standards that are tested would not be teaching with authentic instruction as that is not what is required of them according to standardized tests.

3. Describe a specific example of authentic intellectual work in a discipline or content area.

For our Pre-AP English I summer reading assignment, my incoming freshmen have to pick a book from the given list and over the summer they will take notes, annotate, and keep a journal for their book. So after reading something like To Kill a Mockingbird (one of our book options) students explore themes like justice, prejudice, and moral courage. Instead of simply summarizing the plot or just identifying literary devices as they read, students are required to think critically, support their claims with text evidence, and articulate their ideas in a coherent manner throughout the summer. Additionally, our assignment promotes student voice and personal engagement, as students will often draw on their own experiences and perspectives to make connections. This goes beyond mere memorization and develops higher-order thinking skills like analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, all while fostering a deeper understanding of literature's relevance. 

Part 2:  2024 National Education Technology Plan Update

The 2024 NETP is not explicitly connected to the Authentic Intellectual Work Framework.  What opportunities do you see within the first section “Digital Use Divide” to connect technology integration practices with the components of authenticity?  Describe an example in the plan or develop your own example aligned with Universal Design for Learning highlighted in the technology plan and opportunities for students to engage in authentic intellectual work.

The 2024 NETP highlights the importance of closing the Digital Use Divide and emphasizes more than just giving students access to technology; it also includes how students use it, whether students are passively consuming information or actively engaging in meaningful, creative, and collaborative work (Office of Educational Technology, 2024). This focus creates an opportunity to align our classroom technology integration with AIW Framework, which emphasizes the construction of knowledge, disciplined inquiry, and work that has value beyond high school. When combined with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), we can design tech-rich learning experiences that promote student choice, engagement, and deeper learning.

For example, in my English III class, students create public service announcement (PSA) videos on a social issue or cause they feel passionate about, such as mental health awareness, climate change, or local homelessness (these were just some of the topics chosen this year). In this project, students research their topic, script their message, and use video editing tools to produce a compelling PSA. This task aligns with AIW by requiring students to synthesize knowledge from multiple sources, engage in disciplined inquiry through writing and revising scripts, and create a product with real-world relevance that can be shared with a wider audience. UDL principles are reflected as students express their understanding through multimedia, collaborate in various roles based on strengths, and select causes that matter to them, increasing motivation and engagement. In this way, technology becomes a tool for authentic and inclusive learning rather than just content delivery, and it also allows students to show civic engagement with their community. 

Part 3:  Triple E Framework

The AIW framework and Kolb’s Triple Es both encourage more active engagement and higher levels of thinking (critical thinking skills) in the way that they promote engaging lessons that go beyond memory recall of basic identification of terms/vocabulary and encourage students to use technology. In this lesson the following aspects of Kolb’s Triple Es are supported:

Engagement - Part of the assignment is that students will turn and talk with one another and discuss ideas for their PSA. I encourage them to talk with their peers and talk about different issues or causes that are not only relevant to our community but also relevant to their class or generation. 

Enhancement - Before planning the script for their assignment that is supposed to bring awareness to their cause/issue and propose a solution, students reflect on why their chosen cause is important to them and what they want to relay to their audience. Students also need to put visuals and other graphics in their video for their audience that supports their message.

Extension - By creating their own project PSA, students get to direct their own project and investigate a cause that interests them as they explore real world issues. I think this assignment works as a video recording or as a podcast. I usually keep this as a solo project and have used it as a final summative, but I think it would also be great to have students work as partners and continue to collaborate on the assignment past the brainstorming phase, and idea sharing portion of the assignment. 

References

Kolb, L. (2020, December 9). Triple E Framework. Triple E Framework. https://www.tripleeframework.com/‌

Newmann, F. M., King, M. B., & Carmichael, D. L. (2007).  Authentic instruction and assessment: Common standards for rigor and relevance in teaching academic subjects.  State of Iowa Department of Education.

Office of Educational Technology. (2024). A Call to Action to Close the Technology Access, Design, and Use Divides: National Educational Technology Plan. Department of Education