Note: If you're new to the series, read on (or refer to Post 1).
Note: If you're not new to this blog series, feel free to go here.
It's no secret endurance is important to me. As an educator and consultant, it's my core mission. Essentially, endurance plays a pivotal role in various aspects of life, contributing significantly to personal growth, success, and overall well-being. A couple that come to mind in terms of the reasoning of this post series about enduring within the artificial intelligence frontier (in terms of education) include . . .
Achieving Goals: Many worthwhile goals require perseverance and resilience. Endurance helps individuals stay committed and overcome obstacles along the way. Whether it's in academics, career pursuits, or personal development, the ability to endure challenges is essential for progress.
Career Success: In the professional world, endurance is often key to success. It allows individuals to withstand the pressures, setbacks, and demands of their careers. Those who can persevere through challenges tend to excel and achieve their long-term career aspirations.
Personal Growth: Endurance contributes significantly to personal growth and self-improvement. It enables individuals to push beyond their comfort zones, embrace discomfort, and take on new challenges. This continual growth is essential for self-development.
Leadership and Decision-making: Endurance is a quality often admired in leaders. Leaders who exhibit endurance inspire confidence, navigate uncertainties, and make steadfast decisions even in challenging situations.
In essence, endurance is not merely about enduring hardships; it's about the ability to persist, grow, and thrive despite challenges, ultimately leading to personal development and success in various facets of life . . . in this case, the educational frontier.
There's no shortage of artificial intelligence applications currently, and the pool to choose from is growing by the minute. For the purpose of this post, we will focus on creating additional content with the use of Zelma.
Zelma, (a partnership between Brown University and Novy), allows anyone to get up-to-date insights and visualizations of student performance data in the form of charts, graphs and tables. Zelma allows users to conversationally query data, similar to a search engine or chatbot.
Let's try it shall we?
Application: Zelma
Step 1 - Decide On the Data Desired
*For this task, I'm focusing on the top reading scores for the state of Michigan.
Step 2 - Prompt and Output
*Proficiency rates of top performing reading districts in Michigan.
*If you hover over a particular bar, you can obtain further data.
*There's even an 'About' section that further explains the data provided along with methodology.
Step 3 - Output Decisions
*THIS PORTION IS KEY! Work with artificial intelligence to make something special together. Make it personal. How can the data provided drive instructional practices, etc.? In this instance, it would seem prudent for districts to communicate and work together, asking pivotal questions regarding top district's reading program approaches.
For example, one could reach out to South Arbor Academy and discuss the following:
Goals and Objectives:
What are the primary goals of your reading program?
How does your program align with the school's overall educational objectives?
What specific learning outcomes are expected for students participating in the program?
Student Assessment and Evaluation:
How are student reading levels assessed before and during the program?
What evaluation methods are used to track progress and measure success?
How do you adapt teaching strategies based on individual student needs?
Curriculum and Materials:
What reading materials are used in the program? (Books, texts, digital resources)
How diverse and inclusive are the reading materials selected?
How does the curriculum cater to various reading levels and interests?
Instructional Strategies:
What instructional methods and approaches are employed (e.g., guided reading, independent reading, read-aloud sessions)?
How is technology integrated into the program to enhance reading skills?
What strategies are used to foster a love for reading among students?
Support and Resources:
What support systems are in place for struggling readers or students with learning differences?
How are teachers trained and supported to effectively implement the reading program?
What additional resources or partnerships (community involvement, libraries, etc.) enhance the program?
Parental and Community Involvement:
How are parents involved in supporting their child's reading progress at home?
How does the local community or volunteers contribute to the success of the reading program?
What communication strategies are used to keep parents informed and engaged?
Progress Monitoring and Adaptation:
How frequently is progress monitored, and how are adjustments made based on the data collected?
What strategies are in place to motivate students and maintain their engagement throughout the program?
How is feedback from teachers, students, and parents collected and used to improve the program?
Long-term Sustainability and Growth:
What measures are taken to ensure the sustainability of the reading program beyond the initial implementation phase?
Can the program be adapted or expanded in the future to accommodate changing student needs and educational trends?
Step 5 - Reflect
*Reflection is perhaps the most important step in this entire process. Reflection is crucial for personal growth, learning, and development. It involves taking time to contemplate, analyze, and evaluate experiences, thoughts, actions, or situations. Reflect on this experience, to extract meaningful lessons and insights. By examining what worked well and what didn’t, you can gain a deeper understanding of future creations, enabling you to make more informed decisions in the future.
*Need help bringing your work environment into the fold of artificial intelligence progression and integration, feel free to contact us and bring New Horizons Global to help you along the journey!
Be on the lookout for Part 9 in this new blog post series from Teach4Endurance!