Where Standards Meet Students: Creating a Culture of Learning

Outline

Walk-In (Pre-Session Entry): Participants write an academic standard, learning target, or performance objective on an index card provided to them.

Discussion / Activity / Modeling (10 min): The presenter will present the prompt, "Is education performance-based or learner-based?"Participants discuss in small groups. The presenter uses inquiry and questioning to guide whole-group discussion. Presenter shares guiding questions for both tyoes of cultures. Participants reflect and discuss, drawing their own conclusions.

Demonstration / Modeling (10 min): The presenter explains how they used the following strategies to cultivate a culture of learning in the session:
- Using the Inquiring Minds Framework as a method and model for instruction.
- Posing clarifying questions to encourage explanations and justifications from the audience.
- Letting participants choose who to hear from next—boosting engagement and expression.

Instruction / Discussion (5 min): The presenter explains how the learner-based guiding questions shape beliefs, mission, and vision. The participants discuss how these questions could be addressed and applied in their classroom and on their campus.

Instruction / Activity (10 min):
Presenter explains how Depth of Knowledge as concept, framework, and language can be used to cultivate a culture of learning that's standards driven and student supportive. Participants learn how to use the language to determine the DOK Levek of the standard they wrote on their card and specify the depth and extent students must demonstrate and discuss their learning.

Instruction / Activity (10 min):
Participants learn to rephrase their standards into good questions that will encourage and enhance student comprehension and communication. First, on the back of their index card, they will write the following question stems “How do you…” (assessment), “How can you…” (instruction), “How could you…” (inquiry). Then they will share their rephrased questions with the participants sitting near them. They can also choose to consider what their standard is asking and rephrase it into a subject specific question. Their questions will set the instructional focus, serve as the assessment, and personalize learning.

Closure (5 min):
Presenter and participants clarify how the guiding questions for a learner-based culture, DOK, and inquiry and questioning will enhance teacher clarity, empower student learning, and ensure the teaching and learning experience is standards-driven and student-supportive.

Outcomes

1) Understand the difference between a performance-based and learner-based culture.
2) Address the guiding questions that promote a learner based culture when planning and providing teaching and learning experiences.
3) Analyze how Depth of Knowledge checks and confirms the cognitive demand of learning expectations and experiences.
4) Apply the DOK Levels as a multi-tiered method and model for establishing, evaluating and enhancing student learning.
5) Use the language of Depth of Knowledge to clarify what exactly and how deeply students must comprehend and communicate their learning.
6) Pose good questions that will engage and encourage students to demonstrate and discuss the depth and extent of their learning.

Supporting research

Francis, E. M. (2016). Now That's a Good Question! How to Promote Cognitive Rigor Through Classroom Questioning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Francis, E. M. (2022). Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge: A Method and Model for Deeper Teaching and Learning. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

Francis, E. M. (2024). Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing Good Questions to Promote Student Inquiry. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

Grant, A. (2021). Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know. New York: Viking.

Sinek, S. (2019). The infinite Game. New York: Portfolio/Penguin.