Tag: objectives

Reflections

2019 Intentions: The Finish Line

Laura Pasquini

With a new year (and new semester), comes a time for planning and organizing what lies ahead. The new start to a year offers us space to reflect and take stock. Whether you decided to take a networked sabbatical or are in a digital detox right now, I know that being away from a screen the last few weeks has given me time and space to think about 2019. Now, I didn’t completely unplug over the holidays (podcasts & connecting to family/friends, duh!), but I did make sure to live in the analog by writing in a journal, reading real books, sketching ideas, and living the beach life.  It was nice to break from all things connected, as it gave me space to have a think about what’s on the horizon.

Typically the new year encourages many think about t how we want to use our time (or even take more of our time back) and improve ourselves in 2019 (here’s a list of 50 things to be your best you, if you’re still thinking about it). For me, I am saying goodby to new years resolutions and my #OneWord statements, and hello to goals and intentions! For 2019, I’m in training (metaphorically & literally) to see a few projects cross a finish line. I’m treating this year like I do for the races I run. There’s a finish line (a.k.a. completion) and I’m putting a concentrated effort to seeing my life projects, work initiatives, and personal goals reach the end before 2019 times out.

These are ALL THE THINGS I want to FINISH. This includes projects and initiatives I want to accomplish, wrap-up, remove, test out, delegate, abandon, perform, and sunset. In my professional life, I have new things I want to create, to do this I will need to finish current course re-design contracts, multiple research projects, team grants, and collaborative creative works. In my personal life, I am looking forward to racing in the #RunProject series, saying goodbye to my 30’s, learning new songs to sing/play on ukulele/guitar, personal digital audits & data deletions, writing/editing fictional stories, learning from the masters, planning travel adventures, #adulting stuff (wills, investments, and business opportunities… oh my!), and, oh yeah, Uncle Sam says I’m eligible to apply for citizenship – so there’s that.

So, as you can tell I have just a few things I want to see cross that finish line this year. To accomplish this I’ll continue with my the semester, monthly, and weekly planning in my #GetToWork book AND with daily tasks via Todoist. But this definitely calls for a long-term strategy that maps out how I’ll reach these goals. Good thing I am not alone with my big, audacious goal setting in 2019. In listening to a recent episode Quarterly Strategic Planning (from The Radial Self-Trust podcast channel hosted by Katie Linder), reading about other ideas on quarterly plans, and having a think about what I need to get done, I decided to make the time to organize what needs to get done in chunks (my version of quarterly personal planning) this year. By breaking up these projects, I can prioritize work and the time/attention it needs for completion.

Here is how I started with to map out my “project training plan” to reach the 2019 finish line goals & intentions:

  1. Create a vision or master plan: write down everything that has been pending, needs to be finished, and left incomplete.
  2. Outline domains or themes for your visionary ideas: categorize your intentions into buckets to group your project planning and figure out how you will start to craft your goals and prioritize this work.
  3. Identify goals (you know the SMART ones): outline actions and items that identify a project, initiative, or item is consider to be complete/finished.
  4. Select ways to track and measure your progress:  create systems to account for progress on these goals; this can be done daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly time periods
  5. Design systems and strategies for success: identify time in your calendar where you’ll most likely work on a particular task, dedicate space(s) for focus/creativity, find accountability where/when needed, and add incentives/rewards built into this structure for each goal accomplished.

A few of my 2019 goals/intentions have specific timelines and some of these are already set in motion — especially the ones that require accountability from others and set deadlines. Now I’ll just need to add to my “Finish Line” Spotify playlists (e.g. Brain Food, The Social Network, and Alternative 90s) to enhance productivity. I welcome recommendations for more music. Always.

Learning Community

What’s A Learning Subjective? #Rhizo15

Laura Pasquini

In the first course week of #Rhizo15 Dave asked us to define our learning subjectives, specifically:

  • How do we design our own or others learning when we don’t know where we are going?
  • How does that free us up?
  • What can we get done with subjectives that can’t be done with objectives?

After reading a the follow-up blog post & the list of #Rhizo15 Week 1 blog posts (Thanks, @Lenandlar) prompted me to respond. Learning is uncertain, and happens at the rarest moment.

As an educator, we get caught up with the standard Learning Objective slant for teaching and learning. Learning objectives (sometimes referred to as intended learning outcomes or course-specific goals) are clear statements to describe the competencies learners should possess upon completion of a course (Simon & Taylor, 2009; Harder, 2002; Kennedy, 2007). An effective learning objective identifies what a student would know and be able to demonstrate along with the depth of learning expected from the curriculum.

With #Rhizo15 the lack of learning objectives provides a lot of freedom to explore ideas, connect to meaning, and identify new ways of knowing. I think a learning subjective is when students are encouraged to make their own learning personal. I felt bad for a delayed blog post on this topic — but then I remembered — being subjective means individualizing and customizing my own way to learn. Subjective learning allows for more preference and flexibility, which provides dynamic ways to engage in uncertain patterns and developments from within a course. Learning objectives provide well-defined outcomes and intentions for learning. The openness of learning subjectives provides opportunities for students to drive the course agenda and direct their interests for topics. For some teachers and students, learning subjectives might place education out of its comfort zone to consider what a curriculum could be if defined by all those involved. I think

For many teachers and students, learning subjectives might place all outside of our educational comfort zones. Consider what your course and curriculum would be like if you showed up to class on the first day and asked everyone in the room to design & be a participant in your course? Bring on the blank stares. I suspect many students would walk out of the room or drop your online class. Not for the ability or empowerment of being part of the learning design process, but more out of the fear of the unknown. I think Tania‘s metaphor explained it best: a jigsaw puzzle. This daunting task of figure out where to put the pieces together for ambiguous learning is complicated and requires a lot of work. Are you ready to commit for this complicated and multi-layered task? Am I? Who knows? But I am willing to give it a try. [If I am overwhelmed by the #rhizo15 learning swarm – I always have Keith to ask. :)]

My learning subjective for #Rhizo15 will be en par with how I prefer to travel, e.g. backpacking across Europe. Travel light. Show up to the airport or train station. Select a random place to go. Identify a few things I might see or do. Be open to new adventures and experiences. Sure. I might get lost or not know the language – but I will figure it out or it will be an experience at least. The not knowing what is ahead is okay. I will find the way with others, as there are a number of locals and travelers I can have a chat with. Only memories (a few photos & blog posts) and connections will follow me home as souvenirs.

me & parliament#TBT from 2006 London – {Note To Self: I need to digitize my earlier travel photogs.}

I am looking forward to bumping into a few #Rhizo15 friends as I travel through this course. My learning pack is ready, and I want to explore. Some of you I will see soon (in person), others online, and then — who knows — I might even travel to a location near YOU soon (get your guest room or couch ready)! For now, I look forward to our learning travels online. Stay in touch!

References:

Harden, R. M. (2002). Learning outcomes and instructional objectives: Is there a difference?. Medical teacher, 24(2), 151-155.

Kennedy, D. (2007). Writing and using learning outcomes: a practical guide. Cork, Ireland: University College Cork.

Simon, B., & Taylor, J. (2009). What is the value of course-specific learning goals. Journal of College Science Teaching, 39(2), 52-57.

Social Media

Do You Have Social Media Goals?

Laura Pasquini

After participating in today’s Social Media Metrics in Government Using GSA Guidelines webinar hosted by Hootsuite, I began to think more about the WHY and HOW social media guidelines and policies develop. This session discussed how the government developed their guidelines around their GSA social media goals which were connected to their strategic communication plan and web presence.

Obviously this webinar had a focus on measurement and assessment for social media use using both free and paid tools, like Hootsuite; however it offered some sound advice to organizations that are just developing social media guidance or for those who are re-thinking their social media policy. Instead of starting with a policy, strategy, or guideline list of what to do or not do, it would be more helpful for institutions to think through the WHY of social media. This process provides organizations focus, sets out objectives, and creates a rationale for social media use and how these goals might be measured and assessed. For example, the GSA wanted to use social media and social data goals, included:

  • Be more effective in how they distribute critical information to citizens & communities
  • Engage citizens to help shape to public programs
  • Better inform strategies leading to greater efficiency
  • Increase use of innovative tools and services to further development

It is important to consider your institutional goals when organizing your social media guidance, here a few suggestions given from the webinar – but I am sure your organization has many others.

Internal Considerations:

  • Collaboration
  • Knowledge sharing
  • Cost saving & cost avoidance strategy
  • To be transparent
  • Talent acquisition

External Considerations:

  • Citizen engagement – Active use and participation (2-ways)
  • Promote services and resources
  • Provide customer service – feedback
  • Provide real-time resources – expand upon current communication channels

Here are a couple of examples shared from the GSA for their use of social media goals:

Example of Goals for Using Social Media in Government

Another reason to consider developing social media goals before establishing your guidelines is to consider how you will evaluate social media use for your organization. Social media management of your resources is critical. To help assess social media engagement and use it will be helpful to align your goals to evaluation as part of your strategic communication plan. Social media analytics and metrics through different 3rd party tools and social dashboards; however what will be relevant for your organization to track and use for assessment purposes. You want to connect your goals to your key performance indicators (KPI) and desired evidence-based outcomes.

Planning for Measurement

One example was the use of hashtags from the Twitter for Public  Health case study to outline a clear system for planning social media management. This public health group utilized a hashtag, #SM4PH, to build hype around the start of a regular, organized Twitter chat and to launch a hashtag for community development. Their goal was to measure the impact of the hashtag use, conversation, and community involvement before, during, and after this first chat to assess the long tail of this campaign.

Does your organization or institution have social media goals? How do these goals support your social media spaces? How do you assess and measure your social media goals? Let me know.

Reference:

Macey, B. (2013, November 14). Social media metrics in government: Using GSA Guidelines – Webinar. HootSource. Retrieved from http://blog.hootsuite.com/social-metrics-gsa-guidelines/

UPDATE 11-19-13: If interested, this webinar is available for viewing on demand.

G*STEP

Using Verbs for Specific Learning Outcomes

Laura Pasquini

Verb Wheel

Student learning outcomes is a very common term in education. For many of my k-12 colleagues we have used this term from graduate course work, to teaching practicum, and for curriculum planning. The challenge in writing student learning outcomes happens when you have to find actionable items and SPECIFIC methods for learning assessment.

Last week I attended “Writing student learning outcomes and the GSTEP teaching template:  How they inform your teaching” for the G*STEP program presented by Shana Cole & Nancy Fire from CLEAR.

We talked about components of a teaching strategy, which included:

A. Context for your teaching strategy
B. Selecting learning challenges to address with your teaching strategy
C. Objectives for this experience
D. Foundational knowledge necessary for students to participate in teaching strategy
E. Step by step planning
F. Ground rules (if needed for you strategy)
G. Assessment: How do you plan to assess the effectiveness of your learning strategy?
H. Anticipated Challenges: Indicate how you plan to deal with any of these challenges that may apply. Describe.
I. Journal Reflection

The three level model for student learning outcome development, which included the following levels:

  1. Goal
  2. General Learning Outcomes (GLOs)
  3. Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

The last step – Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs) – is where we focused our attention. Specific learning outcomes are highly measurable and possess detailed requirements. As an instructional designer who is often involved in program evaluation or course design, I appreciated the cross-disciplinary conversations on how to meet various subject matter content issues with the needs of the learner. A helpful resource to keep us on the same page and to guide our SLOs discussion was the Bloom’s Taxonomy verb wheel. This was a practical tool that helped to focus our planning and here were some of the key points I gleaned from the overall workshop:

  • be clear, specific & measurable
  • identify what the students should be able to do as a result of a learning experience
  • display evidence that learning has occurred at a specified competency level
  • focus shifts from what “I will teach” to “what students will learn”
  • define content, expectations, assessments & creates constructive data i.e. data, percentage, and understanding of student learning

For student learning outcomes to work they have to connect to the learning. A great way to assess your expectations of your SLOs is to share these with other educators,  both inside and outside your discipline or subject matter expertise. Student learning outcomes need to be written at a general level to ensure clear communication, and limit subjective language. By using SLOs you are able to modify course objectives, assess curriculum design, and measure how your instruction impacts learners. By creating 3-7 overall goals in your course, you will want to consider at least 3-5 specific learning outcomes to measure each goal. These goals will help address your teaching strategy and how you assess your learner’s progress.

How do your specific learning outcomes (SLOs) fit into your entire course planning and content delivery?