Aligning Outcomes, Assessment, and Activities

This week I learned about Fink’s guide regarding aligning outcomes, assessment, and activities. Using the guide I created a unit/course for my 3rd graders focusing on learning how to count money and make real world connections using money.  This guide made me think more deeply about the learning process, and what did I exactly want my students to get out of it.  I also loved how Fink's guide focuses on the whole learner, not just the academic goals.

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After working through Fink’s “A Self-Directed Guide to Designing Courses for Significant learning,” I am able to rethink the learning environment I have created in my Third grade class. I never think much about just how my class looks from the inside. I know how well I do from an outsider's perspective and since it’s usually a positive experience, I have never found a reason to really examine how I make things work. By default, I am obviously missing key significant learning opportunities.  After completing Learning Environment & Situational Factors to Consider, I have started to rethink my approach and reframing my class from the inside out.

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Fink outlined the six major Questions for Formulating Significant Learning Goals:  foundational knowledge, application, integration, human dimension, caring and learning how to learn. I now am able to align content and reassess my own teaching strategies. I feel like I have the power to give substance to the units I teach. I also think the six types of learning can impact how effective I am at implementing my innovation plan.