As I See It

Item description:

As I See It is a structured reflection activity for use in the middle or near the end of a unit. The teacher provides a series of incomplete sentences or question stems designed to either 1) elicit areas of incomplete understanding or 2) use reflection as a cognitive prompt to promote deeper understanding in upcoming lessons. With the latter, this activity may be used with the first of a series of similar activities, such as a series of labs, projects, units, which use similar learning activities but differing content.

Implementation

Download and examine the PDF template. Determine the number of question or sentence stems and enter this number at the top.
Create and enter in the sentence stems on the template. (Examples below)
Print and distribute enough copies for each student.
Ask students to express their knowledge or opinions using the stems.
Discuss what students have discovered about their own opinions or levels of knowledge.

Examples of types of sentence stems

LEARNING QUERIES

How are _____and _____alike?
What is the main idea of _____?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of _____?
In what way is _____related to _____?
How does _____affect _____?
Compare _____and _____with regard to _____.
What do you think causes _____?
How does _____tie in with what we have learned before?
Which one is best and why?
What are some possible solutions for the problem of _____?
Do you agree or disagree with this statement: _____? Support your answer.
What do I still not understand about _____?

PERSONAL STATEMENTS

When I read this, I imagine that…
I was most impacted by…
I used to think...but now I think...
Before this lesson (activity) I didn't know that...

EXPLANATORY STATEMENTS

The angle changes because…

I PREDICT...

Based on the data, I predict…

CONFUSION STATEMENTS

After today, I am still confused about...

DESCRIBE...

Describe the topic of the lecture and how it fits into the structure of the course.
Describe the main points of the lecture--the overall structure.
Describe the major components, dimensions, or characteristics of each topic.
Describe the categories that cut across the topics.
If possible, create an outline, chart, matrix, or concept map to show the overall structure.

EXPLAIN...

Explain the functions of the _____.
Explain the cause-effect relationships of the _____. How does _____affect _____.?
Explain the framework or context or conditions in which _____happens or happened.
Explain in terms of something you already know. Use an example from your own life.
How are things related? Why are they that way? When did they come to be?

COMPARE/ CONTRAST

Within the topic, or category how are _____and _____similar? What are the differences?
Between each topic or category, how are _____and _____similar? What are the differences?
Across all topics or categories, how are _____and _____similar? What are the differences?
Compared to information I already know, how are _____and _____similar? How is this different from what I have already learned?
Make relevant analogies or metaphors (This is like _____. This reminds me of _____.)

IDENTIFY/ MATCH

Identify main examples, (from lecture, text, or create your own)
Identify the major parts of the definition or principle.
Identify major parts of the example or application.
Match the major parts of the definition to the major parts of the example.

Classroom Management

Note: According to Ash and Clayton (2004), learning is maximized and refined reflective skills are taught when the question stems include any or all of these three features:

1) Description (objectively) of an experience

2) Analysis in accordance with relevant categories of learning

3) Articulation of learning outcomes

Examples of these include:

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Describe the core concept we are learning that relates to your experience.

Describe what happened in the experience that relates to the central ideas we are currently learning in this class.
How does (did) this activity help you to better understand the main idea (core idea, central concept, etc.)?
How does knowing these [core concepts, ideas, historical context, background, etc.] help you to better understand the activity?
In what specificways are the concept (or your prior understanding of it) and the experience the same and/or different?
What complexities do you see now in the concept that you had not been aware of before?
What additional questions need to be answered or evidence gathered in order to judge the adequacy/accuracy/appropriateness of the concept when applied to the experience?
Based on the analysis above, does the concept (or your prior understanding of it) need to be revised and if so, in what specific ways? Provide evidence for your conclusion.
If revision is necessary, what factors do you think have contributed to the inadequacy in the concept as presented or in your prior understanding of it? (E.g., bias/assumptions/agendas/lack of information on the part of the author/scientist or on your part.)
Based on the analysis above, what should/might be done differently in the future and what are the challenges that it might face as it does so?

PERSONAL DIMENSION

I think the activity we just completed (or are about to complete) will help me to learn...
The project (or activity) will help me to learn these three core concepts..
Identify and describe an awareness about a personal characteristic that has been enhanced by reflection on this activity (project, paper, etc.).

GROWTH/ APPLICATION

Identify and describe an approach (e.g., decision or action) you or others took or, looking back on it, could have or should have taken.

Analyze the appropriateness of the approach taken and the steps necessary to make any needed improvements in the approach.

Variations

Attachment	Size
As I See It	404.65 KB

References

Contributors:

Bruce Howard

Originator:

Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation