Tabitha Lopez

Both analytical and critical thinking methods are important for active learning in students. 

I appreciate that this course defines success as the ability to be flexible and cope with changes in life and in our career. Teaching the skill of being flexible and having grit often feels easier said than done. I would love more application and practical help. Hopefully, that is coming... 

Working in groups and producing a product or plan with others creates opportunities for students to practice important life skills. 

There is a need for teachers to emphasize writing, even in the technical fields. Students are leaving high school with low writing skills, and it is influencing their ability to get and keep jobs in many fields, or it is making graduated students lose credibility in the work force. 

I am very interested to keep learning more about soft-skills. I could use all the help I can get in this area with students. With a background in English and a more traditional route in my profession, CTE skills are a bit harder for me to step into. 

I really like the idea of student-centered learning and encouraging individual responsibility for learning, but I worry about our kids' ability to interact in the world beyond a screen. I think we need less technology in the classroom, not more. 

It is hard for me to find a way that I like or can use this way of learning in my classroom. I am interested, however, in exploring apps like Dreambox Learning, Knowji, and Elsevier Adaptive Learning. I'm not sure if big corporations and billionaires being so invested in this educational model makes me interested or wary of the program. 

They keep stating that teachers are "key stake-holders" while this system almost all but gets rid of the need for actual teachers. This seems like it would make way for adult professional "motivators" who don't even really need to know content. I know students, and I've been teaching for a long time. Before and after Covid, kids don't need a more removed educational experience; they need more connection with others and a real relationship with other people in the room, especially their teachers. Kids don't learn this way, and if we make them, they will be more isolated and have… >>>

I have learned that there is an education model named "Adaptive Learning". It seems like a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching that claims to give students more freedom and quick accountability, but I don't think this model is something that would be useful to me in my current position. It is helpful to be reminded of the importance of speedy and personalized feedback, though. 

Overall, the key takeaway is that integrative learning, which includes thinking skills and reflection and questioning content in relevant ways with time to do so, is essential for both academic and practical learning environments, supporting ongoing learning and improvement throughout life. Online classes can often make the space and have the time to create meaningful opportunities for students to engage in real learning.