| Principle |
Rating |
Explanation |
| Open-Ended Instruction
Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.
| Satisfactory |
- Lessons are very teacher directed, and students are steered towards discovering a specific answer or way of thinking.
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| Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Learning Multidisciplinary= addresses a number of different subjects
Interdisciplinary= integrated approach that blurs subject lines
Good: The resource provides opportunities for learning in a number of traditional 'subject' areas (eg. Language Arts, Science, Math, Art, etc.).
Very Good: The resource takes an integrated approach to teaching that blurs the lines between subject boundaries. | Good | |
|---|
| Discovery Learning Learning activities are constructed so that students discover and build knowledge for themselves and develop largely on their own an understanding of concepts, principles and relationships. They often do this by wrestling with questions, and/or solving problems by exploring their environment, and/or physically manipulating objects and/or performing experiments.
- Satisfactory = Students are provided with intriguing questions, materials to use & some direction on how to find answers. The learning involves unique experience & provides some opportunity for an 'ah-hah' event
- Good = Students are provided with intriguing questions, materials to use, & make their own decisions on how to find answers. The learning involves unique experience & provides definite opportunity for an 'ah-hah' event.
- Very Good = Students choose what questions to investigate as well as the materials/strategies to use to answer them.
| Satisfactory |
- Lessons are very much teacher directed
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Values Clarification Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.
- Poor = Students are not explicitly given an opportunity to clarify their own values.
- Satisfactory = Students are given a formal opportunity to clarify their own values. The range of perspectives in the resource is limited, therefore, students do not have an appropriate amount of information to clarify their own values.
| Satisfactory |
- Students are provided with much information about the negative impact surrounding invasive species.
- Students participate in a variety of lessons and simulation activities that will strengthen their understanding of the impact of invasive species.
- Students are not exposed to a large amount of different perspectives.
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|---|
| Differentiated Instruction Activities address a range of learning styles/different intelligences. They teach to both cognitive and affective domains. Accommodations are suggested for people with learning difficulties. | Good | |
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Experiential Learning Direct, authentic experiences are used.
- Satisfactory = simulation
- Good = authentic experience
- Very Good = authentic experience related to the primary goal of the lesson
| Satisfactory | |
|---|
Cooperative Learning Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
- Satisfactory = students work in groups
- Good = cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
- Very Good = cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
| Satisfactory | |
|---|
| Assessment & Evaluation Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | Good | |
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Peer Teaching Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
- Satisfactory = incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
- Good or Very Good = an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
| Satisfactory |
- Students create posters that educate others about the importance of properly disposing of aquarium creatures/water.
- Students create songs teaching others about invasive species.
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|---|
| Case Studies Relevant case studies are used. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events in real situations that can be used to examine concepts in an authentic context. | Good |
- Resource provides adequate case studies of invasive species. These are accentuated by invasive species information cards.
|
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| Locus of Control Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. | Satisfactory |
- The majority of the lessons are teacher directed and students do not have the opportunity to choose elements of the program or the medium in which they wish to work.
- Students are not given the opportunity to take part in extension activities.
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