Best Practices* Ideas to help you when implementing Best Practices in the Cisco Network Academy Program Best Practices Introduction Best Practices have always been an important component in the CNAP Short explanations were included in the old Teachers’ Guide 1.50 and are now included in the preface for each semester The following quote comes from the preface of Semester version 2.1: A list of Academy Best Teaching Practices has been compiled It is imperative that you use a wide variety of these Best Practices to present the Cisco Networking Academy Curriculum; these practices have been demonstrated to be successful with a wide variety of learners The Best Practices include Challenges, Design Activities, Graphical Organizers, Group Work, Journals, Kinesthetic Activities, Lab Exams, Mini-Lectures, Online Study, Oral Exams, Portfolios, Presentations, Rubrics, Study Guides, Troubleshooting, and Web Research…Note that lecture (and PowerPoint or other such leader-led presentations) comprises just a tiny fraction of how Cisco intends the curriculum to be presented The subject matter, our goals for our graduates, and good pedagogy all dictate that a mixture of these Best Practices be used Especially important are the hands-on labs and lab exams, project-based learning (challenges), and troubleshooting For example, all Academies are required to have their students build simple LANs, use multimeters and cable test meters, terminate Cat Cabling, and perform a Structured Cabling Project as part of their first semester skill-building Feedback from instructor trainees indicates that the greater use of Best Practices means better comprehension of the concepts The Best Practices provide a variety of opportunities to learn as explained through the following: • “See” the processes through kinesthetic activities; • Apply the processes through labs, challenges, troubleshooting, presentations, etc.; • Obtain the knowledge through online study, mini-lectures, and discussion; • Think about the processes and concepts through study guides, reflection, portfolios, and journals; • Organize the components and ideas through graphical organizers, presentations, and study guides; and • Discuss ideas and concepts with others through group work This handout contains additional information to assist you in understanding and applying the Best Practices The handout has three components The first component has a short explanation of Bloom’s Taxonomy as it is applied to CNAP The second component is a chart that demonstrates the main and secondary purposes of each Best Practice as well as the class structure generally used during implementation The third component is an expanded explanation of most of the Best Practices Each explanation has a description, a brief statement of research, some implementation ideas and a rubric for assessing the quality of the trainee/student work • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The following Best Practices are included: Challenges Graphic Organizers Group Work Journals Kinesthetic Activities Lab Exams/Activities Mini-Lecture Portfolios PowerPoint Presentations Presentations Reflection Rubrics Troubleshooting/problem solving It is important that the CATC and Regional Academy instructors use and understand the Best Practices, as they are the link to the Local Academy instructors who work directly with students The students will have a more effective educational opportunity if Best Practices are used to assist their learning The handout is a draft and a beginning of the support that will be offered regarding Best Practices Any suggestions or comments are welcome Bloom’s Taxonomy Bloom’s Taxonomy is simply a hierarchical framework designed by Benjamin Bloom that instructors and trainers can use to analyze and develop questions and activities that encourage different types of thinking They may be used as guidelines for developing assessments that measure multiple levels of thinking The goal is to include questions of differing levels in each lesson and to help students improve their critical thinking skills at the top levels of the hierarchy The six levels beginning with the lowest level of thinking are as follows: • Knowledge • Comprehension • Application • Analysis • Synthesis • Evaluation Definitions are included for each level with examples from the networking curriculum Level Knowledge Knowledge allows students to define, describe, list, identify, label, outline, select and state facts regarding content The objective is to have students know common terms, specific facts, methods and procedures, basic concepts and principles Examples: • List the full names for the acronyms-ARP, RARP, IOS, RIP, IGRP, ACL, ISDN, etc • Identify how many bits comprise an IP address (Sem 1) Level Comprehension Comprehension allows students to paraphrase, defend, estimate, explain, distinguish, give examples, infer, predict, or summarize It requires the ability to grasp the meaning of material, understand facts and principles, interpret verbal material, and justify methods and procedures Examples: • Distinguish between standard and extended Access Control Lists (Sem 3) • Give examples of IOS commands useful for examining different router components (Sem 2) • Paraphrase the function of each of the layers (Sem 1) • Classify 191.52.7.1 as either a class A, B, and C IP address (“A”s begin with to 127; “B”s begin with 128 to 191; “C”s with 192 to 223 (Sem 1) Level Application Application allows students to demonstrate, relate, show, modify, prepare, solve, give examples, manipulate, or generalize It requires them to use ideas and material they have learned in new situations, apply theories to practical situations, and demonstrate correct methods or procedures Examples: • Demonstrate the construction of a patch cable (Sem 1) • Modify the following IOS statement so that it assigns 193.1.7.5 as the static route for all packets on 199.4.5.0: ip route 193.1.7.5 255.255.255.0 199.4.5.0 (Sem2) Level Analysis Analysis allows students to brainstorm, point out, differentiate, separate, and discriminate It’s the purpose of breaking material into its components so that the organizational structure is understood; recognizing unstated assumptions and logical fallacies; distinguishing between fact and inference; and evaluating relevancy of data Examples: • Brainstorm the problems tha t can cause a PING to fail (Sem 2) • You are troubleshooting the 5-router network Distinguish between observable network symptoms and what problems you might infer are causing those symptoms Level Synthesis Synthesis allows students to combine, devise, compose, organize, plan, reorganize, revise, rewrite, and generate It involves the ability to put parts together to form a whole item; write a well-organized essay; write creatively; integrate learning from different areas in to a plan for solving a problem or form a new scheme for classifying ideas and events Examples: • Generate a design for an elementary school LAN (Sem 3) Generate a design for a School District WAN (Sem 4) • Plan a school-wide structured cabling installation for Net Day (Sem 1) • Compose a subnetted IP address scheme for a class C network (192.18.9.0) which leads to Level Evaluation Evaluation requires students to appraise, compare, contrast, criticize, support, conclude, or interpret It’s the ability to judge the value of material for a given purpose and to evaluate logical consistency of written material and the adequacy of conclusions Judgements should be based on specific criteria given by the instructor of determined by the students Examples: • Your company has decided to use Category UTP (instead of CAT 5, 5e, or 7) – support their decision • • • • • Interpret the following result of a “show ip interface command: Serial is administratively down; line protocol is down” Contrast the metrics used by RIP with the metrics used by IGRP (Sem 2) Use a rubric to compare the Threaded Case Studies LAN and WAN solutions designed by the class groups (Sem and Sem 4) Compare the following two LAN technologies for use in a high school environment on a limited budget: 10BASE-T Ethernet and 100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet (Sem and Sem 3) Compare the following two WAN technologies for a high school on a limited budget: ISDN and Frame Relay (Sem 4) Best Practices Challenges Description: Challenges are problem-based labs or projects, advocated by AAAS Project 2061 (a science education reform project) These exercises are the opposite of cookbook, or step-by-step, labs Instead, they encourage students to work on their own to develop solutions to various problems or challenges The challenges vary in content and duration (from fifty minutes to three weeks), and are comprised of two basic parts First, the lab asks students to solve a given problem Second, it asks the students to create a product For example, a simple 50-minute challenge lab for the first semester might be titled “Make a Patch Cable that Works Successfully” A three-week challenge that could teach more complex tasks might be called “Wire the School Computer Lab” Research: While little research deals with challenges per se, many of the components that make up a “challenge” have been thoroughly studied and have consistently shown positive results Research shows that the most effective learning patterns occur when students are closely involved with the curriculum such as what happens when an assignment translates theoretical learning to a “hands-on” setting Tasks that require students to the following: • apply previously mastered basic learning to a new situation • use both analysis and synthesis to create a workable product • evaluate both the process and product • are demanding and allow the assessment of higher order thinking skills Challenges are a part of the category of active learning that has been explored for use with almost any subject matter and with any population Numerous strategies have been devised to successfully promote active learning with any age level, but is most successful with older children and young adults Implementation: The degree of independence in solving challenges should vary according to the level of knowledge and the complexity of the task Begin using the less complex and shorter challenges with the students Have them work in pairs until they are familiar with the process and gain confidence in their skills Make certain that they record key ideas in their journals as a record of their progress After each challenge, discuss the process and what they learned in completing it Have them identify strategies that would be helpful when they complete the next challenge As students gain in knowledge there should be less guidance and more individual solving of the problem When they become proficient, the students could be placed in competitive teams to solve a challenge This is especially appropriate during Semesters 2, and Students can record information regarding their successes and failures in solving challenges in their journals Periodically, have the students review their journals for comments regarding challenges Have them look for evidence of growth in solving them, improved strategies, and general increase in content knowledge Some students may wish to include their challenges in their portfolios Rubric: A quality challenge solution will meet the following criteria: • Use a problem solving format • Use a logical process • Solve the challenge correctly • Demonstrate the thinking process • Show evidence of critical thinking including analysis, comparison, synthesis and evaluation • Show thorough understanding of content • Use references effectively (web research or instructional manual) Best Practices Graphic Organizers Description: These terms refer to a large group of visual tools (diagrams and schematics) used to represent concepts and ideas They are implemented to facilitate comprehension of expository text They seek to replicate the patterns used by the brain to recall linked information or detail Some types of graphic organizers include semantic maps, summary sheets, concept maps, semantic feature analysis grids, story maps, structured note taking, PERT charts, Venn diagrams, webbing, main ideas, cause and effect frameworks, fact/opinion frameworks, classification frameworks, flowcharts, story mapping, brainstorming webs, pictures maps and graphs Those especially useful in electronics and engineering are cluster diagrams, problem-solving matrices, flowcharts, block diagrams, topological diagrams, voltage versus time graphs, voltage versus frequency graphs, layered communication diagrams, frame format diagrams, and standard internetworking symbols These graphic organizers are discussed in detail in the Instructors' Guide Research: Research indicates that the use of organizers benefits all learners in all content areas In addition, specific testing was completed to study visually/spatially talented and visually/spatially challenged student learners to determine who benefited most as a result of using visual tools It was found that both groups benefited A secondary outcome was a more positive outlook toward the subject matter with greater gains by the challenged learners Instructors have indicated in studies that their instruction was improved through the use of graphic organizers Implementation: Each type of organizer has its unique purposes and uses These are described for ten of the organizers in an in-depth explanation in the instructors' guide One main guide is that the graphical organizer chosen should be congruent with the instructors' purpose and enhance the concepts of the topic being discussed Organizers can be copied and given to each learner or presented electronically for them to sketch Some instructors complete the organizer on a chart, whiteboard or poster while explaining the information This provides a visual model for learners to copy and should be used when first using organizers or when presenting exceptionally complex concepts Learners can use the graphical organizers to review with a partner or group before a project or a test These could be placed in their journal or portfolio The most effective graphic organizers have been those made by the instructor for the specific material being presented Instructors and learners can often design a graphic organizer together Certainly, critiquing a completed organizer for its effectiveness for learning the content encourages learners to design their own tools for understanding new content Rubric: An effective graphic organizer should meet the following criteria: • Provides an appropriate and logical visual for the content and concepts presented • Shows relationships among concepts • Utilizes a design that is easily understood by all learners • Focuses the learners in the content through questions and/or clearly stated objectives • Results in a organized plan, processes, and/or a product that demonstrates learning • Provides for analysis and redirection of learning Further research needs to be conducted to determine if there are “best” age levels or subject content for portfolio use Implementation: Trainees and students begin the portfolio process by designing a web site based on the requirements for Semester The Semester requirements for trainees are as follows: • A syllabus for traini ng classes, if you are a CATC or Regional Instructor, and a syllabus for student classes, if you are a Local Academy instructor • The lesson plan developed by your group • Some practice wiring diagrams • Examples of your use of the decision matrix • A plan for a wiring project • A flowchart of a Semester topic Local instructors may set requirements for their students Requirements might include diagrams and explanations of specific concepts, practice wiring diagrams, a plan for a wiring project, reflection on lab exercises, designs, examples of graphic organizers, and other materials that the instructors may assign Discuss the requirements and the scope of CNAP to assist the trainees and students in including all the items they might need, e.g., elements of the Threaded Case Study Note: A list of the elements will be included in the final version of this document Trainees or students may wish to work in pairs as they design each of their web site portfolios The results can be presented to the class Students in high school settings can present their portfolios as part of the parent/student/instructor conference Rubric: A quality portfolio meets the following criteria: • Contains examples of all the requirements for the Semester • Contains materials that demonstrate understanding of specific skills/concepts learned • Uses explanations for those items that are self-selected • Explains progress toward goals for the Semester • Shows evidence of organizational skills • Provides evidence of growth and progress • Demonstrates excellent work, format and design Best Practices PowerPoint Presentation Description: A PowerPoint presentation is a to 45 minute presentation utilizing an overhead projector, an “In-focus” projector, a “Proxima” projector, or another form of equipment that allows a pre-written set of documents, charts, graphs, outlines, etc to be projected on a wall or screen It is usually used to present information for a small or large group so that all can see The PowerPoint presentation may be an outline of talk points or a series of words, phrases, diagrams, charts, etc that helps to facilitate a lecture or mini-lecture It can be used to generate questions, facilitate discussion, show answers to questions, or present information It provides a conte xt for the content that is to be learned and is used in conjunction with either an oral presentation or discussion Animation may be used (if projecting from a computer) to specify points of discussion or to make the presentation more engaging Research: Researchers have pointed out the advantages and disadvantages of using PowerPoint presentations Advantages are as follows: • ideas and information can be viewed by a large number of participants • note taking is facilitated by using talk points or an outline form, particularly when using the PowerPoint handouts (either or slides to a page.) • presentations may be developed in advance, can be modified easily, and can duplicated for handouts or use by other persons • provides a framework or structure to assist students in connecting ideas and concepts Some of the disadvantages are as follows: • such presentations cannot contain all of the information to be learned/presented – when used in this way they are very ineffective • too much lecture for each “talk point” can distract from the content • is best used for brief periods of time for introduction, review, or a brief presentation of important information • may not be as effective if used in a passive presentation, i.e., students listen and instructor talks Using a PowerPoint presentation is an effective way to communicate ideas and information when focused on specific content It facilitates discussion and understanding when used effectively Implementation: A PowerPoint presentation is especially appropriate when used to accomplish the following: • provide an outline of content as an introduction or summary • pose focus questions that will be addressed and/or discussed • clarify understanding through graphs, diagrams, or descriptions • provide an outline of main topics or points for note taking • show connections between one element and others Strategies to make the PowerPoint presentation more effective include the following: • using animation to focus major points • using analogies and real-life stories to engage students • providing handouts of each slide with space for note taking • keeping the presentation to as few slides as possible • timing and reviewing the presentation and notes prior to audience use • using a reflection question at the end of the presentation The design and content of the PowerPoint presentation should encourage discussion and interaction by participants Animation, as long as it does not detract the viewer, can be very effective for focusing the participant on the important point being made It can engage the participants by creating interest and can focus attention to both the screen and the speaker Handouts (with three or six slides per page) can assist the participant Connections to prior knowledge and new content can be made with notes that participants take Handouts help the participant to keep focused on important concepts and facilitate summary discussions and questions Using the concept of “less is more” with the number of slides helps the presenter focus only on the important issues and helps the participant clarify the learning Brief presentations used at the beginning or as a summary of content presentation can help connect important concepts and can generate and hold participant interest PowerPoint presentations are not to be a replication of information provided in another media (IE Textbook, on-line material, etc.) Practicing and reviewing the PowerPoint presentation with an audience of one or more persons prior to the actual presentation can help the presenter clarify the learning objectives and make certain that all major points are made Getting an idea of the length of the presentation will assist in the total lesson or session plan Using a reflection question throughout the presentation but particularly at the end of the presentation assists the participants in their understanding of what was learned A question focusing on the content, process, a product, or their progress in learning can lead to small group discussions, a brief summary to be submitted, a self-reflection to be recorded in their journal, or as a brief reflective thought by each individual Reflection questions can generate other questions from the participants and can provide the instructor/presenter with learning feedback Rubric: A quality PowerPoint presentation will meet the following criteria: • Focuses on one concept or specific content • Organizes information for ease of understanding • Shows relationships among content elements using animation, diagrams, charts, etc • Provides an overview or framework of understanding • Outlines talk points and major learning points • Includes questions or poses problems that engage participants • Uses reflection questions to enhance learning • Is used as a supplement to clarify and enhance content and not to present all of the content Best Practices Presentations Description: A presentation allows the trainee/student learner to demonstrate content knowledge by presenting the findings of an inquiry regarding a specific topic to an audience Presenting allows the learner to explain the methods that were used, to report the results of the inquiry, to present his/her analysis of the findings and to state importance of the findings to the audience It requires the learners to synthesize and organize data in a way that increases understanding In this context, a presentation refers to the presenting of individual or small group knowledge regarding specific content of the curriculum That knowledge can be a suggested lesson plan including all strategies for the content as implemented by trainees or a presentation illustrating challenging concepts as demonstrated by students A key element of the presentation is the opportunity it allows the speaker to respond to questions from the audience This process helps the speaker and audience clarify concepts and become aware of connections to other content For networking students, a presentation provides experience in explaining a design, a project, or a solution As a networking associate, this practice will enhance presentations to potential customers and will ensure more professionalism Research: Research suggests that clearly expected outcomes of a presentation prior to the preparation period are essential for presenters and listeners Most studies encourage the development of a rubric to deal with both content of the presentation and the process of the presentation These rubrics provide a clear expectation for preparing the presentation and for assessing the quality of the presentation Rubrics become the standard by which instructors and trainees/student learners diagnose growth in applying the content knowledge and skills Implementation: Prior to a presentation, the instructor and class members should establish and review rubrics regarding the content of the presentation and the process of presenting The use of rubrics not only gives guidance to the presenter, but also increases the engagement of the listeners The role of the audience or listeners during presentations should be identified prior to the development of the presentations Listeners can use a rubric form to record their opinions regarding the degree to which the presentation met the rubrics The form should include an area for "evidence" so that they can be specific regarding the various aspects of the presentation These completed forms can be used as references during the postpresentation discussion or during small group discussions to help analyze successful elements of a presentation and determine the degree to which the presentation met the rubric criteria Presenters may wish to a self-assessment reflection prior to the class discussion or goal-setting reflection following the discussion Rubric: An effective presentation should meet the following criteria: • Shows evidence of organization, focus, and a clear understanding of the topic • Uses proper body language, voice volume, vocabulary, eye contact, "energy" and audience awareness • Utilizes demonstrations, kinesthetic activities, and visual or technological tools, when appropriate • Demonstrates higher level thinking (analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating), answers questions effectively • Presents sound and logical content/ideas that engage and are understood by the audience (See the rubric below for content to be used by trainees.) Rubric for the content of Lesson Plan: An effective lesson plan design meets the following criteria: • Provides clear objectives for the lesson • Connects to prior learning through focus questions or review • Selects appropriate Best Practices and strategies to deliver instruction • Selects effective performance labs, demonstrations, kinesthetic activities, and/or multimedia, as appropriate • Uses appropriate assessment strategies to determine learning • Provides reflection questions regarding at least one of the following: content, process, progress, or product • Selects appropriate homework or follow-up activity (optional) Lesson Plan Presentations (Teachbacks) Rubric Criteria Rate 1- Brief explanation/observation Presentation: Shows evidence of organization, focus, and clear understanding of the topic Uses proper body language, voice volume, vocabulary, eye contact, "energy", and audience awareness Utilizes demonstrations, kinesthetic activities, and visual or technological tools, when appropriate Demonstrates higher level thinking (analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating), answers questions effectively Presents sound and logical content/ideas that engage and are understood by the audience Content (Lesson Plan): Provides clear objectives for the lesson Connects to prior learning through focus questions or review Selects appropriate Best Practices and strategies to deliver instruction Selects effective performance labs, demonstrations, kinesthetic activities, and/or multimedia, as appropriate Uses appropriate assessment strategies to determine learning Provides reflection questions regarding at least one of the following: content, process, progress, or product Selects appropriate homework or follow-up activity (optional) This form can be used by the instructor and other trainees during the presentation to guide the discussion of the teachback Best Practices Reflection Description: Reflection is an important element of instruction that takes only a brief amount of time but helps the students analyze their own learning and become responsible for their learning During reflection the student thinks back upon some aspect of the lesson and expresses or writes a reaction to that aspect This inte rnalization of the learning assists the student in making sense of the learning process and linking prior learning to the present as well as future learning in the way of goal setting Reflections assist the student in moving the learning from short term to long term memory Reflection can be done using any of the following categories: content, product, process, and progress Goal setting for future learning is often the result of reflection A question or statement is used to focus the students on their learning Examples are as follows: • (Content)The most important concept/s I learned in this lesson was… • (Process) Strategies that worked well in doing this performance task/product were… • (Product) This product demonstrates my skills in the following wa ys… • (Progress) I can apply what I have learned in… Research: In studies dealing with primary aged children through adult learners, there are references to student reflection Reflection can be promoted through surveys, journals, portfolios, self-evalua tion, inventories, self-portraits and conferences Students are encouraged to think about their learning experience Researchers have linked these self-reflective ideas to a greater depth of understanding of the learning experience and of the students’ t king greater responsibility for their a school or trainee program Students developed their metacognitive skills and developed a way to assess and chart their own progress Despite the limited time involved in these activities evidence shows that students went beyond the basics to a deeper understanding of content Implementation: Reflections can be entered into a journal or just jotted down during the lesson Longer reflections can be used regarding major projects and labs Short exercises in reflection can be effective when focused on important concepts in the course For example, when the students are trying to gain the knowledge base required in Semester 1, it would be useful to stress the content through daily reflections Reflections could include any of the following: • • • • From this assignment I learned… What I needed to know better before I started was… What I need to learn more about is… This content helps me understand the connection from to _… Allow about 2-3 minutes for students to complete the statements Occasionally, have them share responses with a partner Periodically, have the student complete statement focused on the process used or their progress learning the content The statements below are suggested for each category Process: • Strategies that did not work well for me in doing this were… • Working in a small group was because… • The instructor helped/hindered my learning by… • If I had done _, I would understand… • I learn best by… Product: • This product demonstrates my skills in the following ways… • This product would have been better if… • A better way to demonstrate my skills might have been… Progress: • Some goals for further learning include… • I still need to work on… • I am more able to… • By doing this lesson I now know that I… At the end of a chapter or several chapters, have the students review their reflections and think about their progress Rubric: (This rubric is a guideline for learners since each student’s reflection is a personal expression of their learning.) • Contains key ideas from class presentations, discussions, lesson content, and activities in terms of content, process, product or progress • Is a personal analysis showing a connection with the content purpose • Questions or statements which indicate a need for further clarification or inquiry • Attention to the process involved in accomplishing an important task or product • Specific applications of what is being learned to other content or subjects demonstrating the connections between concepts or content Thoughtfulness as reflected in goals for improvement and/or another action that demonstrate the application of learning to self Best Practices Rubrics Description: Rubrics are specific criteria used to assess the quality of a performance The performance may be a lab activity, a presentation or any task that requires the learner to tell, write or demonstrate their understanding of ideas or concepts A scale, based on 4-6 points (0 to 6) that specifies the performance objectives, content, and skills to be demonstrated is provided for each task A rubric contains the criteria that define what key elements are needed to assess the learning Examples of rubrics are the criteria used to judge certain Olympic events Some events are measured in quantitative terms such as the height gained by high jumpers, the distance reached by discus throwers, and the order of finish in races Diving, gymnastics, and figure skating are judged on criteria that describe the best performance for the event These criteria are known to the judges and the performers and have been formulated after the observation of many performances Everyone uses rubrics in everyday life, especially teachers They are constantly making sophisticated, weighted assessments and making decisions based upon that weighting Rubrics simply attempt to make more explicit, and hence more fair and transparent to the learner, what schema the assessor or instructor is using The Best Practices are performances that can be assessed by rubrics Completing a lab, participating in group work, keeping a journal and reflecting on learning can all use rubrics to assess the quality of the performance Learner and instructor development of the rubric together is encouraged so that all learners know and have a part in developing the " grading scale" of their performance lab or activity Development of the rubrics with the class helps learners prepare and organize for the learning by knowing the assessment expectations Research: Studies of classroom projects show tha t instructors are better at developing interesting tasks than they are at developing the criteria that describe quality performance, however both components must exist Another issue to be faced is when to assess performance activities It is not necessary to assess each trial for grading purposes, but learners will benefit from self-assessment and class discussion regarding their progress in meeting the criteria The final judgment of when to assess for grading purposes rests with the instructor Certain groups of learners, often those who have not met with great success in their past learning experiences, may need more frequent feedback More independent learners may benefit from more practice time Rubrics can be created that will assess cross-curricular projects When such rubrics were used there was greater disagreement as to which scores to award the various components As with all other types of learning it may be better to begin with a simple rubric on a single dimensional activity until the group has had practice in using the technique It is worthwhile to provide the group with practice since it is often the rubric itself that will help learners focus on the content to be learned The most appropriate rubrics are the ones created by the instructor in collaboration with the learners for specific criteria There are, however, commercially prepared books on rubrics that can be helpful to the teacher who has had less experience in developing these scales Several studies are looking at rubrics being developed and used in primary grade classroom with success, showing that rubrics can be comfortably used by even very young learners Implementation: The first step in using rubrics is to discuss them with the trainees or students The characteristics of the task should be discussed and the essential elements of the task identified Each of the Best Practices has rubrics for use in the CNAP When the task is assigned, each criterion and how it would look in a quality performance should be discussed The class may choose to modify the rubric during this discussion During the preparation for the performance, the trainees or students should use the rubric to guide their work They may work with a partner to receive feedback prior to the actual performance The performance may be assessed by the trainee or student, the class, small groups of trainees or students, or by the instructor only For example, the writer or the instructor may assess journals and the class may assess presentations During the assessment, each criterion of the rubric should be considered in deciding the quality of the performance The goal is to use the rubrics to improve the performance In the case of a troubleshooting activity, the trainee or student should be working toward more effective and efficient ways of solving the problem During group work, the goal should be to learn how to be a positive member of a group activity These rubrics provide a standard for learners It may take several learning opportunities before the learners have reached the highest level of competence on the rubric scale for a specific process or product In determining the level within a grading rubric that designates a satisfactory performance there may be a difference of opinion between instructor and learners in which case there may be room for negotiating a mutually agreeable consensus Studies point to the fact that when learners feel they are valued participants in the assessment process they become motivated and strive toward those criteria that designate high performance or mastery _ Rubrics: The following criteria should be considered when assessing how well rubrics are used with trainees or students: • All participants know and understand the criteria for the performance • The criteria are appropriate for the task • The criteria identify the essential elements of the task • Evidence regarding each criterion is identified • Instruction and support is provided to assist the trainees or students in producing quality performances Best Practices Troubleshooting/Problem Solving Description: Troubleshooting refers to the location and elimination of the source of trouble in any flow of work In networking, an example is messages not being sent or received Troubleshooting is interchangeable with problem solving so the same skills are required Troubleshooting/problem solving is actually a composite of several higher level thought processes such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation Analogies that may be helpful in understanding the importance of troubleshooting are as follows: • Design is to engineering/technology as puzzle-solving/paradigm-shifting (in the kuhnian sense) are to science; • Troubleshooting is to engineering and technology as inquiry is to science The National Science Standards emphasize inquiry, but it’s not so much the scientific method as its cousins, design and troubleshooting that are used in networking Inquiring into the state of a technological system, interrogating it in a systematic way, recording results, forming and testing hypotheses are all part of the process used in troubleshooting Troubleshooting skills are an absolute necessity for students who seek to design, install and maintain internetworks It is the most empowering skill that you can pass on to your students Teaching troubleshooting typically requires that you spend time on lab preparation; however, the overall benefit to the students is well worth the time Troubleshooting should be introduced troubleshooting early in Semester1, and continued as an emphasis it throughout Semesters 2, 3, and Research: Researchers have found that solving real life problems has been effective in involving students so that content was mastered more thoroughly The technique was found to be effective for all ability groups and should not limited be to use with gifted students Schools that combined troubleshooting/problem solving with cooperative groups reported that their students had high problem solving skills While some researchers looked for problem solving as the end product and others looked at higher level thinking skills as the end product, there appeared to be consensus that skills in one led to the other and that both were valuable abilities for students Click Troubleshooting/Problem solving to read more about the success of the technique Implementation: There are a variety of ways to teach troubleshooting methods One instructional method involves deliberately introducing a finite number of problems into the following areas: • host PC hardware setup • host software settings • host IP addresses • networking devices • cabling After modeling the troubleshooting process, have the students identify the parts of the process Have the students work in pairs or small groups as they learn troubleshooting skills After the activities, discuss the process using the rubric for troubleshooting As the students gain in the skills, have them some activities individually With practice, students will be able to diagnose and fix the problems in a finite amount of time Of course, this method must be integrated with labs that the following: • expose students to a working system • demonstrate the typical failure modes of that system • allow students to experience first hand the symptoms of those failure modes • provide opportunities for student to practice diagnosis and repair Rubric: A quality troubleshooting solution will meet the following criteria: • Shows thorough understanding of the content • Identifies factors that may be causing the problem • Uses logic to determine the factor/s that are most likely to be causing the problem • Uses a problem solving format • Shows evidence of critical thinking including analysis, comparison synthesis and evaluation • Solves the problem in a reasonable amount of time • Results in a solution Guide for Using Best Practices Purpose Best Practice Mini-Lecture Online Study Build Knowledge x x Student Learner Presentations Study Guide Build Conceptual Understanding Apply Concepts Class x x x x x Structure x x x Challenges x Design Activities x x x x Journal Graphical Organizers x x Group Work Oral Exams x Reflection Web Research Rubrics PowerPoint Presentations Labs Kinesthetic Activities Simulations Portfolio x x x x x x x x Lab Exams x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Small Group x x x x x x Individual x x x x x x x x x x x x x ... thinking The goal is to include questions of differing levels in each lesson and to help students improve their critical thinking skills at the top levels of the hierarchy The six levels beginning... reaction to that aspect This inte rnalization of the learning assists the student in making sense of the learning process and linking prior learning to the present as well as future learning in the. .. regarding a specific topic to an audience Presenting allows the learner to explain the methods that were used, to report the results of the inquiry, to present his/her analysis of the findings