S.M.A.R.T. LESSON PLANNING SYSTEM™
ACA CLASSES
AT CENTRAL PIEDMONT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timely
LEARNING STYLES
Auditory – Being an auditory learner means that you learn best through listening. People who are auditory learners usually prefer to get information by listening. They need to hear it to know it and remember what was discussed rather than what was seen.
Visual – Being a visual learner which means that you learn best through seeing things. Visual learners think in pictures, have a strong sense of color and remember what they have seen rather than what they have heard. They need to create clear images in their minds so that they can remember information.
Kinesthetic - Being a kinesthetic learner means that you like to be active in your learning experience. People who are kinesthetic learners prefer to be actively involved in what they are learning. They need to physically move to do their best.
THEME OR TOPIC
From instructional curriculum – These are found in the “Course
Description” of online departmental course syllabi.
(From English 080 online syllabi)
“Correct, coherent sentences”
LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE(S)
What will today’s assignment add to students’ knowledge by the end of the semester? How does this assignment add to what students know by the end of the semester?
How does this assignment tie into the Course Objectives? The work students do on a daily/weekly/semester basis must tie into overall course objectives.
How does this assignment help students meet the Course Objectives?
Example: (From English 080 course objectives)
“Students will be able to write correct sentences and a unified, coherent paragraph.”
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Central Piedmont Community College
SHORT-TERM OBJECTIVE(S)
**Remember to incorporate learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) into your short-term objectives.
What do you want the students to know by the end of this class about this assignment? These objectives are created with measurable outcomes:
Students produce tangible evidence of outcomes of class engagement. “I learned this: ______.” Using learning styles to demonstrate the learning that took place can make this unique and individual to students.
Example:
1. Students will be able to write 3 sentences with 100% accuracy by the end of the class. Students will edit (again, remember learning styles) and correct 3 given sentences with 100% accuracy by the end of the class.
2. Students will list 3 out of 5 concepts from class that they learned today.
List concepts taught:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Include:
Physical materials required for demonstrations, props, art materials
Websites
Technology (computer, internet, projection equipment)
Environmental features necessary for demonstration
Guest speakers or key speakers from class
Textbooks
REQUIRED ACTIVITY
The instructor describes what will happen, how it will happen and who will participate. The tone is less prescriptive (more casual), but the class activity must lead to the desired outcome described in the long-term and short-term objectives. Connect the required activity into the course objectives for the semester. Incorporate learning styles into this phase and vary the instructional/facilitative mode.
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Central Piedmont Community College
This activity emphasized the following learning styles:
□ VISUAL
□ AUDITORY
□ KINESTHETIC
A new instructor should be able to read the description of activity and figure out how to facilitate this lesson from the steps outlined. To be certain, ask someone who has never taught this before to read it and see if they could teach this lesson based on what is described.
Instructor’s role:
How will the instructor facilitate the class’s learning?
How can the theme/principle of this lesson apply to other academic areas? What application does this lesson have to social interactions and real-life situations?
Students’ role:
What is it that students are expected to do during this lesson?
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Central Piedmont Community College
How will students participate?
Auditorially
Visually
Kinesthetically
ASSESSMENT
Assessment is the tool used to measure the outcome of the Short-Term Objective(s) outlined at the beginning of the lesson.
Once you know what it is you want students to know, the method used to determine what they’ve learned from this lesson can take on many different forms.
Here are some suggestions:
1. 5 Minute Student Self-Report
Students individually record what they have learned from today’s lesson. This can be done on 2-part forms where they keep one copy and turn in the second copy. Do they learn more than they report? Hopefully. But chances are that they will NOT report less than what they remember that day. The likelihood that they will remember important points later on is enhanced by writing it and keeping a record. A copy of everything they have learned on every day they have attended will give them a place to begin studying come test time.
2. 5 Minute Recorded Discussion
Students discuss in pairs or small groups what they have learned from the lesson. This information is recorded by each individual and then pairs/groups share briefly with the class. This allows for optimum sharing and interpretation of the lesson. Instructors can evaluate the collective knowledge of the class as a result of the lesson by collecting the information and comparing with their objectives.
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Central Piedmont Community College
3. Quiz
This is not an bad word. Quizzes can tell us a lot about what is going on with students’ auditory, visual, and kinesthetic classroom perception. The secret is not to use this method exclusively. As with salt – use sparingly.
Quizzes also do not have to be done on paper with individuals sitting in agonizing silence. Use “Jigsaw” *to promote collaborative investigation, critical thinking, and problem-solving for the day’s lesson.
4. Sign-Out Sheet
Instructor provides a daily sign-out sheet for students. The last 5 - 10 minutes of class, they have the opportunity to sign out for attendance credit and check off the concepts they did/did not understand from a grid.
See below:
Code / Date / Ch. 7 – Thinking(I read the chapter) / Tolerance / Judgement / Creative Serendipity / 6 errors in logic / Uncovering Assumptions
4659 / 11/16 / √ / √ / √
1117 / 11/16 / √ / √
Students use code identifiers to protect their anonymity from other students.
Code identifiers are determined by the student and provided to the instructor at the beginning of the semester. The code system is an excellent way for students to gain insight into their work and the work of their classmates without passing judgement about ability.
This grid would indicate that student 4659 has read the chapter, understands “Tolerance” and “Judgement”, but is not so clear about the last 3 areas.
Why might student 1117 have missed the first 3 concepts?
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Central Piedmont Community College
FOLLOW-UP EVALUATION OF LESSON/ACTIVITY
As instructors, we must evaluate our classroom assessments to provide us with feedback about the way we are teaching, what we are teaching, and most importantly, what is being learned.
What are we looking for in terms of student success? What will be the benchmark for a “successful” lesson?
How do we know if the assessment is really uncovering strides and gaps in learning?
Should we use this lesson again or not?
Some suggestions:
1. Use “Learning Squares”** to help get another set of professional eyes on your lesson. This is an excellent way to work through a difficult lesson/concept with another instructor.
2. Anecdotal notes. Jot down notes during class or immediately after about the day’s lesson. We tend to lose important perceptions the longer we wait to evaluate.
3. Individual student interviews. Ask them. They’ll be more than happy to let you know what they think. This might not be the most accurate evaluation of what’s going on, but it creates rapport and lets them know that you are truly interested in their learning.
4. Your gut. Sometimes intuition is stronger than numbers. If the numbers say that everything is great, but you get the strong inclination that they are not “getting it”, refer back to #s 1,2, and 3.
*Jigsaw format lesson provided by Dawn Shaffer and Marcia Colson/ACA. See instructor’s manual for ACA 111 textbook.
**Learning Squares is a non-evaluative peer-observation system created by James Bazan for CPCC instructors. For more information, contact James Bazan at 704-330-6154.
gll0949e/U:\Faculty Development\Lesson Plans for Title III\MASTER TEMPLATE.doc
Central Piedmont Community College