Event Information
ISTELive Content1. Introduction and Overview (10 minutes)
Content:
Brief overview of the session's goals and objectives.
Explanation of the importance of background knowledge in driving student engagement and comprehension.
Engagement:
Scenario: Participants will be given instructions for how to connect a bluetooth speaker, but with nonsense words instead of tangible instructions. They will have a few minutes to try to navigate the paragraph, then they will be given a vocabulary list of the nonsense words.
Questions:
How did Group A's background knowledge of these nonsense terms help them understand the instructions?
What challenges did Group B face when trying to figure out unfamiliar terms on their own?
How does this activity relate to students encountering unfamiliar vocabulary or new concepts in academic reading
Process:
Peer-to-peer collaboration and discussion
2. Research Highlights: Impact of Background Knowledge (5 minutes)
Content:
Overview of key research findings that demonstrate the impact of background knowledge on comprehension, critical thinking, and learning outcomes.
Exploration of the relationship between background knowledge and equity in education.
Engagement:
Participants will take part in a quick, live polling activity (using devices or simple hand-raising) to gauge their familiarity with the research and their current practices in integrating background knowledge.
Process:
Device-based polling or physical polling to stimulate participation and quick feedback
3. Digital Tools to Support Diverse Learners (20 minutes)
Content:
Introduction to digital resources and tools that help scaffold learning for students with varying abilities and backgrounds.
Demonstration of tools that allow for differentiation based on students’ background knowledge as well as teacher technology comfort
Beginner:
Padlet
Edpuzzle
Intermediate:
Wakelet
Padlet Sandbox
FigJam
Advanced:
Hyperdocs
AI Chatbots and Platforms
Engagement:
After being given a brief overview of the tools, participants will have time to explore examples and templates provided, then discuss with the people around them their insights and knowledge they have learned.
Process:
Device-based activity where participants actively use the digital tools being introduced, then participant discussion
4. Strategies for Integrating Background Knowledge (15 minutes)
Content:
Presentation of tried and true actionable strategies (Think pair share, gallery walks, and jigsaw strategy) for integrating background knowledge into lessons, with a focus on diverse student populations.
Examples of how to apply these strategies using the digital tools explored above
Engagement:
Small group discussions: Participants will work in groups to brainstorm how these strategies can be applied with the digital tools above, then adapted to their specific classroom settings. Each group will designate a speaker to briefly share with the whole group
Process:
Peer-to-peer interaction through group discussions and idea sharing.
5. Group Reflection and Q&A (5 minutes)
Content:
Participants will reflect on the session, discuss key takeaways, and share their thoughts or remaining questions.
Engagement:
Open floor Q&A, participants share reflections on what they found most valuable and how they plan to implement what they’ve learned.
Process:
Group discussion with presenter facilitating and addressing participant questions.
https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/background-knowledge/articles/building-background-knowledge
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1041608023000286
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1094210
https://ascd.org/blogs/setting-the-conditions-for-building-knowledge
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