Area 3: Strategic Tech Integration
In this area, you will dig deep on the work of Weston Kieschnick, who combines high-effect size instructional strategies with technology strategies.
Remember to jot down your notes in the organizer.
1. Watch the Video
Weston Kieschnick combines high-effect size instructional strategies with technology through a multi-step process.
In this video, he explains the value of proven practices and shares his insights.
You may want to watch a SHORT excerpt of this video (5 minutes) then move on to other resources below.
2. Five Action Steps to Strategic Tech Integration
Weston Kieschnick defines "strategic technology integration" as the blending of high-effect size instructional strategies with digital tools. He does this through a five BOLD step process. You can find his original steps online. Below is an adapted version inspired by his efforts. Any errors, misunderstanding are mine.
-Miguel Guhlin (@mglearn)
Action Step #1: Develop and Pre-Assess Learning Outcomes
Focusing on learning outcomes enables both teacher and coach to develop student-centered goals. What’s more, focusing on learning outcomes lets you connect to standards-based goals. Weston suggests several questions. One of the important ones is What priority standards will you focus on? If you were going to write these as “I can” statements for students, what would they look like?
Action Step #2: Select Your High-Effect Size Instructional Strategy
In this action step, you will reflect on the academic standards and skills you want students to know. Weston suggests asking questions that are quite practical. For example, which specific HES instructional strategy will you leverage to meet goals? Diane poses a relevant question of “What instructional practices will help students reach the goal?” Two follow-up questions Weston suggests include:
- What will I as the teacher be doing?
- What will students be doing?
For example, the teacher may rely on direct instruction (effect size of .59). In regards to the second question focused on students, we have to ask which strategy works best?
Action Step #3: Decide on the Digital Tool(s)
For ed tech advocates, the rush to select a digital tool is strong. So many tech tools are available now, it’s tempting to use as many as possible. However, focus on only ONE digital tool to use with students. Later, you can app-smash but it has to be in service of learning.
This chart may provide some assistance.
Action Step #4: Craft Your Lesson Procedure
“Plan your lesson, every activity, thinking through what your students will do.” Words of insight from a few years ago via my colleague, Diana Benner. I was in the throes of planning out a workshop that strained complexity. Whomever your audience for lesson design, put yourself in the place of your students.
Action Step #5: Post-Assess Student Learning and Reflect
What student data will inform teacher instructional practices? For many educators, learning to analyze state assessment data as a team is familiar. Others may find they need more personalized data. For this, they may rely on a variety of assessment tools, many of which are available online. Some are tech-based, but others can be paper-and-pencil or other.
View Formative Assessment Image (Slide 16)
The goal of these assessments is to gain insight into what students know before instruction. It is also to gain insight into what they have learned after instruction. Use assessments to adjust instruction as well to meet the needs of students.
3. Exploring Kieschnick's Creations
Below, you will find Weston Kieschnick's original 5 BOLD Steps to Masterful Blended Learning.
Explore
Ready to explore how Kieschnick blended high-effect size instructional strategies with technology? Here are a few for your consideration:
Overview
Be sure to read the following two blog entries for an overview of the process:
Expert Discussion Question
