Current Issues in Education

Learning Goals:  

Apply habits of a professional educator:

• Apply research strategies to keep abreast of  and gain a deeper understanding of current educational issues.
• Compose reflective blog posts on a current educational issue.
• Generate questions and apply strategies to facilitate a classroom discussion.
• Present an information and concepts to a group.·       

STEP 1:  Select a Current Educational Topic/Issue

·       Select a current educational issue or topic that interests you. Locate one credible article about the topic. Be sure the article is from a credible source. Beware of fake news online!

STEP 2:   Locate Two (2) Related Sources

·      After reading the initial article,  locate two additional sources that deepen your understanding of the related issue/topic.

o   Select one credible source. Here are some reputable and respected publications by educational organizations you might search: National EducationAssociation (NEA), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), or International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

o   Select one (1) relevant multimedia source, such as a TED Talk, video, or slideshow. 

STEP 3:   Write a Blog Post  Reflecting on the Educational Issue/Topics

1. Write an introductory paragraph to introduce the educational topic.  Use the news article to make a connection to and introduce the educational issue you researched. 
2. Summarize the educational issue. This paragraph is the What? part of  your reflective blog post. Be sure to give enough info that the reader understands the heart of the issue and important details. Refer to your three sources by using signal phrases (According to...) and including a link to the source.
3. Next, reflect on the educational issue--the So What? of the reflection. Explain your thoughts/reactions/feelings on the issue. Be sure to explain thoroughly why you think the way you do.
4. In the final paragraph,relate the Now What? part of the reflection. Explain how this information is useful and/or what you might do with this info or your new learning in the future.
5. Below your reflection, add a heading (Think & Discuss Questions). Add at least three thoughtful questions you plan to use in facilitating a discussion about the educational issue. (See Step 4). 

STEP 4:  Prepare for Class Discussion

Plan for Facilitating a Class Discussion:

• Prepare at least three questions you will use to generate discussion. Be sure your questions are higher level questions that will promote a meaningful discussion.
• What information will you share from the news article and your related research? Which specific parts of text/clips of multimedia will you share? You will need to introduce the topic and share a brief summary before getting the discussion started.
• At the bottom of your blog post, include the questions you will use to facilitate the discussion.

STEP 5:   Present Research and Facilitate a Class Discussion

·       Share your research in a well-prepared and engaging 3-5 minute presentation.

•       Avoid reading your entire blog post to us; rather, share the important ideas so that we understand the heart (key concepts) of the educational topic/issue and the most important details.
•       Facilitate a high-level classroom discussion. Use the questions you prepared to kick off the discussion and to keep the discussion going. Be prepared to ask follow-up questions and ask participants to explain or clarify their ideas. 

Evaluation

• 25 points:    Peer/Self Review:  Writer's Checklist
• 100 points:  Blog Post (Rubric)
• 50 points:    Presentation (Rubric)
• 50 points:    Facilitation of Class Discussion (Rubric)