EDUC+505+Unit+4+Engaging+Students+with+Text

=** EDUC 505 UNIT 4 ENGAGING STUDENTS WITH TEXT **=

** TEXT: __Struck by Lightning: The Curious World of Probabilities__ by Jeffrey S. Rosenthal **
= = **Theory:** The cognitive learning theories best explains how learning occurs from this activity, because of the emphasis in the students’ prior knowledge and beliefs about probability. The theory relates how people are selective about what they learn, and are actively involved in their own learning, which means that students are more prone to respond to and express their views about items in the list that pertain to them such as playing a videogame, or deciding on a new hairstyle. Ormrod, p. 195-196. ==
 * Objective: ** Students will create an anticipation guide and consider possible ways that probability can apply to their lives.
 * Rationale: ** In the first chapter, the text relates that “we are all constantly faced with situations and choices that involve randomness and uncertainty” (Rosenthal, 2006). I want students to understand that there are many opportunities in which probability can help them make informed decisions. In this anticipation guide activity, which would occur before the reading, I’ve asked students to evaluate their likelihood of using mathematical probability to perform the listed tasks. They are also required to jot down their rationale and be prepared to discuss their personal perspectives in a meaningful dialogue. The benefit of this activity is that it allows students to “get a sense of the major ideas they would encounter in the text” and to see how well their predictions hold up (Vaca et al, p. 182-184, 2011). This activity helps students address their own knowledge about probability and its real-world applications. Also, it is useful as a pre-assessment tool for teachers to understand what students understand about probability before getting into the unit. (See the sample anticipation guide below)

Sample:==
 * ** Anticipation Guide for Probability and its Applications to Real Life **
 * Text: Struck by Lightning: The Curious World of Probabilities by Jeffrey S. Rosenthal ** ||
 * Put a check under “Likely” if you believe that an understanding of probability can better inform your decision in this scenario. Write a quick summary of how probability may or may not enhance your ability to perform the following tasks. ||
 * Likely ||  Unlikely  ||   ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability to assess the risk of a dangerous situation such as flying to a foreign country where recent terrorist activities have occurred. ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability to generate an facebook password so that your profile is not compromised by hacking software. ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability to analyze the claims of the local police department about the rising crime in the area by looking at historical crime data, before shelling out more money in taxes. ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability to quantify your feelings to determine whether you should ask out a cute girl in your social studies class. ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability theory to assess whether there is too much risk involved in taking a new drug. ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability to assess whether you should adopt bell bottoms or wear a new hair style, due to the fact that you have seen three people wearing it throughout the day. ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability to consider how many houses you should buy to maximize your earnings in a game of monopoly. ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability to assess you should play outside or sit in front of the television all day. ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability to assess whether a specific course of study in college would be best. ||
 * p ||  p  || # Use probability to win at your favorite videogame. ||

=** STRATEGY: Graphic Organizer **= =** TEXT: __The Top 10 Things that Math Probability Says About the Real World__ by David Aldous **=
 * Objective: ** Students create a graphic organizer to demonstrate understandings of connections between the different ways that probability is relevant in our world.
 * Rationale: ** Graphic organizer as outlined in the studying text chapter of Vaca et al (Vaca et al, p. 324, 2011). In the his article, Aldous (2009) addresses the infamous question of “what does this have to do with me” that is so commonly asked by math students. I want students to understand that probability in particular is very applicable to their lives in four ways: games of chance, chances occurring in their daily lives, the academic disciplines that they choose, and global risks. In this graphic organizer activity, which would occur following the reading, I task students with constructing a graphic organizer which summarizes important information in the texts and that attempts to show how that information is related. Following the activity, I ask students to write a reflection about the specific implications that probability has in their life. Vaca et al relates that when used in conjunction of texts, graphic organizers help students “focus on important ideas and relationships [and] become actively involved in outlining those ideas and relationships” (Vaca et al., p. 325, 2011). Such tools can be useful for educators to assess student understanding following instructional activities. (See the sample anticipation guide below)
 * Theory: ** Since students organize their knowledge conceptually in theis activity, I would argue that it is most informed by the constructivist theory. Ormrod relates that “a concept is a way of mentally grouping objects or events that are similar in some way” (Ormrod, 2011, p. 222). This activity has students select a perspective on the reading and graphically organize it in a way that represents their understanding of the reading. The fact that not all students constructions will be the same speaks to the unique construction of knowledge that underlies this activity.

Sample:


=** STRATEGY: Cornell Notes **= =** TEXT: __Probability__ from the Series Algebra in Simplest Terms **= = =
 * Objective: ** Students will take Cornell notes to capture important concepts/details about probability and to summarize their understanding in a continually reflective process.
 * Rationale: ** Cornell Notes The video Algebra In Simplest Terms introduces probability while creating interest in the mathematical concept with its insightful depictions (Consortium, 1991). The purpose of analyzing the video with the Cornell notes strategy is that video is most similar to the lecture style, and students can benefit from utilizing advanced note taking strategies such as the Cornell Notes method. Cornell notes gives students a means to draw meaningful information from the lecture and to interact with their information by posing questions and summarizing what they understood. This strategy is beneficial because it “provide(s) a study guide framework that helps students comprehend texts better than traditional note-taking methods (Vaca et al, p. 345, 2011). Students can learn to appreciate the features and organization of textual material as they compare classroom notes to the text that covers the same information. Through looking at the notes students take in their classrooms, teachers can be better informed in how they deliver lectures to facilitate learning. (See the Cornell Notes sample below)
 * Theory: ** The constructivist theory best explains what is occurring as students engage in this activity because as they take notes and reflect on their understanding of the notes, they are monitoring their learning and improving their abilities to acquire meaningful information. Since students are expected to take down notes and reflect on conceptual understanding they are increasingly engaged in cognitive processes and controlling and regulating their understanding. (Ormrod, p. 247-255).

Sample:
Algebra in Simplest terms video Probability can be useful to allow individuals to know understand the odds of what they are getting into. If people knew that they has such low chances of winning the lottery, they probably wouldn’t play. In what other ways does probability apply to real life. Maybe this question is answered in the remainder of the video. || =
 * Cornell Notes: Algebra in Simplest Terms – Probability ||
 * Name: __Jackson J. Sevieux__ || Date: __November 6, 2011__ ||
 * Topic: __Probability & Statistics__ || Subject: __Algebra II__ ||
 * ** Questions or key concepts based on lecture notes or reading: **
 * Casinos use probability in their favor because they have a slight edge on all bets.
 * The longer players stay in the Casinos, the more the Casinos cash in on their advantage.
 * Probability can be used to determine the odds of random events.
 * There are two ways to produce the odds of a particular outcome: Trial or using knowledge of the possible outcomes and the foavorable outcomes. |||| ** Important details from class lecture or reading: **
 * Gambling is based on random behavior give opportunities to make money
 * The casino has a percentage advantage of less than one percent vs. 50% lottery
 * Revenues are generated due to the high volume of customers (50,000).
 * Their main goal is to attract, retain, and return customers in order to make money in the long run, because in the short run gamblers have a good chance 50/50 of winning.
 * The longer players stay at the table, the more they lose.
 * Coin toss is random but all the possible outcomes are known and that half the time will be either heads or tails.
 * Probability addresses these mathematics.
 * Random events can be discussed and experimented on with probability.
 * The collection of all possible outcomes of an experiment is the sample space, S. For a coin toss S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}. S contains different events above.
 * The hard way to determine the probability of events is to conduct numerous trials. Then take the average of the event to determine the probability. The probability of an event is always between 0 and 1 (100%).
 * Probability = number of favorable outcomes divided by possible outcomes. In roulette P(win) = 18/36=.474. P(lose) = 20/38=.526. Complement is (1- Probability) ||
 * ** A summary statement, list of key points learned from the lecture or reading, or questions from your reflection that you still need to address: **

Aldous, D. (2009, Nov. 9). //The top ten things that math probability says about the real world.// Retrieved from http://www.stat.berkeley.edu/~aldous/Top_Ten/talk.pdf Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications & Chedd-Angier (Producers), & (1991). Probability [Episode 26]. //Algebra in simplest terms.// Los Angeles: Annenberg Media. Retrieved from http://www.learner.org/resources/series66.html Ormrod, J. E. (2011). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Rosenthal, J. S. (2006). //Struck by lightning: The curious world of probabilities//. London: Granta books. Vacca, R. T., Vacca, J. L. & Mraz, M. (2011). Content Area Reading: Literacy and Learning Across the Curriculum (10th ed). Pearson: Boston, MS.
 * References **=

Rubric:

 * ** NAME: Jackson Sevieux ** || 4/3  ||  2/1  || Your Comments (Justification for self-assessment) || Score ||
 * Description of how literacy is integrated into content area || Integration clearly and explicitly uses literacy concepts/strategies for promotion of students’ construction of content understanding(s) || Integration of literacy is unclear or not explicit || In the rational section, I make direct connections to how content understanding is benefitted from this strategy. ||  ||
 * Strategies for engagement || Each of **3** strategies is explicitly described in detail || Strategies are vague || In the rationale section, I give a brief explanation. I also include a sample of the strategy I action. ||  ||
 * Learning Outcomes (LOs) || Each of **3** LOs has a clear cognitively engaging process (verb) and aligns with the strategy with which it is associated || LOs focus on lower-level thinking skills and/or are not aligned with the strategies || I explicitly reference the learning objective with respect to the associated strategy. ||  ||
 * Rationale || Rationale for each of the strategies selected explicitly describes how content will be //understood//, as opposed to following a standard or transmitting information || Rationale for each of the strategies is not clear as to how it will promote content understanding || In the rational, I explain the purpose, cognitive demands, and effectiveness of supporting students’ content understanding. ||  ||
 * Learning Theory || Learning Theory is used to explain each strategy || Learning theory is noted tangentially || I have a section explicitly reserved to explain how learning theory applies. ||  ||