Week 2: AIW, Technology & Kolb's Triple E's

It was a balmy 91 degrees on the 8th grade floor today at school, which I'd say is unseasonable here in Boston but...it's really not anymore!  The scent of Axe Body Spray (mango) is in the air, chairs are being set up for spring concerts and the teachers are (somewhat) patiently counting the days while alternately cursing the photocopiers.  All of that is to say...I am grateful for a quiet moment or two to get this blog out into the world!  

I was surprised this week by just how much I was able to see the presence of Authentic Intellectual Work within my own classroom, though I had never heard of it before. I've enjoyed taking a mini dive into this area and hope to integrate the frameworks and principles behind this methodology more intentionally into my curriculum as a result. 

Part One: Authentic Intellectual Work/Authentic Instruction & Assessment

Authentic Intellectual Work is striking in its near-insistence on deepening and transforming knowledge so that it might be applied by individual learners in new, creative, and innovative ways. How can students not only use basic skills but also deepen and change how these elements are manipulated to solve problems in and out of academic settings? AIW is solid in its groundwork. The foundation has been built on collaboration, rigorous inquiry, individual expression, and, finally, real-world applicability. (Newmann et al., 2007) As such, it is not hard to see the difference between this and more "traditional" methodologies. Below are my own views on the comparisons between AIW and traditional methodologies, using the three core principles as outlined by Newmann, King and Carmichael. 

I. Construction of Knowledge

So often in my school memories, particularly in middle school, I can recall rote memorization being a very standard expectation. The need to recall specific facts about a specific topic on a specific test, never to truly apply this "learning" outside of the graded page. AIW defies this expectation by requiring that students not only find a way to solve a problem, they must use the facts that they have learned to make their own way. 

II. Disciplined Inquiry

Standard methods often "teach to the test," once again insisting that students be able to regurgitate "learned" knowledge in a prescribed way. For example, producing the correct answers on a standardized test that features multiple choice or true/false options, without other avenues for individual expression of learning. AIW allows students to take baseline facts (formulas, vocabulary, etc...) and explore their depths and connections through inquiry that is both sustained and complex. For example, a formal assessment might ask a student to display their knowledge of a particular character in a novel through ticking off answers on a test, while AIW allows this communication to take many forms. A student might show mastery and depth of understanding by creating a diary in the style of this character, or perhaps even creating a performance of an untold scene in their life. Project-based, autonomy-supportive opportunities seem to be the name of the game. 

III. Value Beyond School

Instructional methods found in many schools can often be one-trick ponies. Students show off what they have learned solely to prove that they have learned it, with little to no impact on the outside world. AIW leans entirely in the other direction, insisting that a single grade cannot and does not prove that a single person has done something worthwhile. Rather, the connection to others and to the real world is the thing that matters. Learning for the sake of broadening the scope of community, for deepening and furthering experiences both individually and collectively, for solving problems outside of academic walls - these are the things that AIW demands. (Newmann et al., 2007)

Chapter 2 highlights research across several Chicago schools, conducted via the Chicago 12-school study. I focused in on the results in writing and mathematics within the two middle grades (6th and 8th), due to their connection with my own middle school students. In looking at their results, one thing was abundantly clear: students across all grade levels saw higher achievement when authentic instruction was present with both rigor and expectation. "Students receiving the highest quality assignments scored from 30 to 56 percentiles higher than students of teachers who gave the lowest quality assignments" (Newmann et al., p. 20). It was heartening to see that AIW, with its high standard of instruction and demand for deep inquiry and individual expression of learning truly yielded noticeable results for all students in math and writing. I would be very interested to see this study expanded to include other academic areas. 

Part Two: National Education Technology Plan Update:

Integrating technology into the everyday of a drama classroom for middle schoolers can be something of a challenge. In thinking of how to integrate AIW, UDL and the National Technology Plan Update, I came up with an outline of the following unit. I have given examples of technology that is available within my current school district. 

Project: A biographical short film, utilizing the components of interviews, sound design and cinematography. 

Objective: To learn about another classmate and present a short film that communicates an understanding of some aspect of their life and personality. 

Technology Possibilities: google docs (notetaking, shareable); WeVideo (filmmaking, editing, sound design, voiceover work, shareable); Band Lab (sound design, music composition, files may be exported and shared). 

Accessibility Accommodations for All Learners: students may choose to record necessary baseline facts about their subject in a variety of ways (audio recording, google docs, google read & write). Students may choose to present their subject's story using a variety of tools that are both visual and auditory, with avenues for learners who may have visual, hearing or speech barriers. Students may communicate in any language of their choosing. 

Autonomy & Problem-solving: Students may choose to use all technology elements in ways that work best for their own needs and vision. Students may use technology to take their own base concepts (cinematography, sound design, story thru-line) to a deeper level by finding new ways to manipulate various platforms for editing and collaboration. 

III. Triple E Framework

Kolb's framework and AIW seem to go hand-in-hand in many ways. Both lend themselves to deep exploration, as well as to the realization that true learning is often collaborative and can impact the world around us in large and small ways. Students must be actively engaged in critical thinking, exploring not only their baseline knowledge but the tools with which to connect and manipulate those facts/skills to solve problems and enhance learning. The example that I have outlined above features collaboration, exploration of key concepts (biography and film-making) and use of technology that allows students to take a deep dive into the ways that they can use their own voice to tell someone else's story. The tools mentioned can and must be used to further the communication of knowledge and story to an audience, while simultaneously working towards constant enagement that puts students in the driver's seat of their own learning.  (Gaer & Reyes, 2022) (Newmann et al., 2007)

References

A call to action for closing the digital access, design, and use divides: 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (2024).

Gaer, S., & Reyes, K. (2022). Finally, some guidance! using the triple E framework to shape technology integration. Adult Literacy Education: The International Journal of Literacy, Language, and Numeracy, 4(3), 34–40. https://doi.org/10.35847/sgaer.kreyes.4.3.34

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