DIFFERENTIATED OBSERVATION 2021
LISA KAROSAS
Adaptive Practice Sets from CK12.org
In July 2019, I participated in 30 hours of virtual professional development with CK12.org to learn more about how to effectively utilize their array of educational products and services. At the time I was certified, I was considering how to include more student-centered explorations into my virtual chemistry classroom. CK12's free PLIX and Simulations proved to be a fantastic addition, allowing students to control variables in scenarios and collect data relevant to specific standards-based concepts. Through this training, I learned about other resources offered by this company which could extend my work in the classroom. In the 2019-2020 academic year, I adopted the use of their Flexbooks as a means of making more detailed reference content readily accessible when I wasn't following the sequence of lessons provided by our district's curriculum provider. This year, I chose to utilize the Adaptive Practice sets to encourage regular spaced practice throughout the entire school year.
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The online chemistry curriculum provided to me each year includes 3-5-question quizzes aligned to each content lesson. The scores for each of these quizzes are recorded in the gradebook. I have never preferred this method of checking for understanding for several reasons. First, the depth of knowledge required to successfully complete the questions is usually low. Second, gradebook-recorded outcomes for skills which may take several lessons to master may be punitive and, therefore, discouraging in the midst of the learning process. Some of my colleagues have opted to adjust the settings on these computer-scored assessments to enable unlimited retakes. In this case, students aren't penalized for poor scores as long as they persist in eventually identifying the correct answers over several attempts.
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Adaptive Practice sets provided by CK12.org are aligned to nationwide content standards for science and math. Like my current curriculum provider, they include concepts and skills necessary for mastery of each content lesson. However, they were built to adjust to meet students at their current level of understanding and prompt deeper learning even when the incorrect answers to questions have been chosen. For example, when a student answers a question incorrectly, he or she is instantly notified and given a chance to choose another answer. As they continue moving through the assessment in this manner, the technology learns their ability and provides easier or more challenging questions. Hints are available throughout each practice set, for each question. Additionally, several incorrect answers in a
row will prompt the student with recommendations for additional study such as textbook-like articles to read, instructional videos to watch, or PLIX Interactives to manipulate. The regular incorporation of this type of intervention-supported adaptive-assessment supports multiple aspects of Agora's vision, namely to encourage students to "achieve their highest potential", "actively engage in their own learning", and "achieve their personal learning goals". In an effort to more comprehensively support these district-specific goals, I incorporated these Adaptive Practice items such that students were able to choose which concept/skill/topic/standard they would practice each week.
The library of content-specific Adaptive Practice sets for chemistry is extensive, including every concept presented in any high school or introductory college-level course. I chose Adaptive Practice sets to compliment lessons within a course sequence that was intended to spiral on fundamental concepts throughout a year. For the first month, students completed Adaptive Practice sets for content they would call upon again and again throughout the school year related mostly to measurements, observations, the nature of matter and energy. Upon transitioning from Semester 1 to Semester 2, students revisited these basic fundamentals as they worked to deepen their knowledge through more sophisticated, related content.
The following is the list of linked Adaptive Practice sets incorporated into the LMS course for each semester: