Instructional Design

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Are you using competency-based education (CBE) or outcome-based education (OBE)? Why? 

While we do not ignore outcome-based education in teaching writing in kindergarten, competency-based education allows us to be specific in the skills and competencies we instill in the student. Progress is then measured by the ability of the student to show he has mastered those competencies. It is the level at which fundamental competencies could be basic literacy, fine motor, and social skills. Allowing them to go at the child's pace, therefore, ideally helps diversity in their development. Some examples of this are being able to write their names, recognizing shapes, and sharing with others. Another ingredient would be flexibility on the teachers' part to change the teaching procedures according to the competency shown by the child so that more timely and expressly provided help may be practical. Mastery of some competency gives them a feeling of achievement, raising their intrinsic motivation to learn to write even more.

What design approach have you chosen? Why?

The chosen design approach is blended learning, which combines face-to-face teaching with online learning components. Blended learning is an approach that responds to a new social context in which the need for a renewed pedagogical model that links technological and social change with educational innovation is evident. The opportunity to integrate traditional teaching methods with digital tools can be an effective solution to address the lack of motivation for writing in kindergarten.

Specifically, the station rotation model will significantly improve students' writing skills. The focus on interactive, adaptive, and dynamic blended learning activities is part of its effectiveness. Students can easily access learning materials and collaborate with peers and teachers. It is one of the most popular blended learning approaches. The model is neither new nor exclusive to blended learning. Teachers have used learning activity "hubs" in their classrooms for decades, especially at the primary level (White J, 2019). Flexibility is one of the most essential benefits to teachers and their students in virtual kindergarten classrooms. The teacher can decide how they want to show the learning material, and children can access the course material from any place that may be comfortable with them, depending on the model type. It also fosters parental involvement through online resources and insights about teaching methodologies for better collaboration between home and school.

How will you balance assessment Or/For/As learning?

Assessment balance "For" the kindergarten writing process was achieved by integrating these three assessment strategies to develop children in writing. Assessing Learning in the Writing Process We use within our classrooms to determine if students have mastered specific competencies of writing upon completion of this unit, such as being able to write their name, properly form letters, and utilize sources such as books, websites, or experts to gather new information to include in their work The balance is based on using Assessing Learning to understand each child's progress and adjust future planning according to their abilities and needs. However, we use the Assessing Learning in the Writing Process to guide real-time instruction to improve writing skills while students are learning. This is simplified in activities such as observing how children hold their pencils and form letters and offering immediate corrections and suggestions for improvement. Use hands-on games and activities, such as tracing letters in sand or clay, and provide verbal feedback on their attempts and achievements. Balance this with activities that allow children to receive ongoing feedback, which will help them to improve their writing skills progressively.

Assessment "As" Learning in the Writing Process encourages self-reflection and self-assessment, so students become aware of their writing process and development. This involves engaging children in simple self-assessments, such as using a happy face or a thumbs up to indicate how well they think they wrote something, encouraging awareness of their progress.

Are you moving your learners into deeper learning? If not, why not?

Deeper learning is facilitated by combining intrinsic motivation, personalization of learning, active teaching, effective technology integration, continuous feedback, and a supportive environment. We must inspire subsequent generations to create changes based on their beliefs and feelings. Establish connections that last a lifetime. Children's learning is more effective when they are motivated. Integrating change, innovation, and technologies can transform the writing process in kindergarten, making it more challenging and stimulating.

It is critical to highlight that implementing change, innovation, and technology is not a whim but necessary to significantly improve the educational experience, making it more relevant and engaging. The urgency lies in the fact that if we do not adopt a more dynamic and personalized approach now, we will continue to have year after year in our classrooms students who, even in fourth and fifth grade, still struggle to think of an idea and write it down. This leaves a generation ill-equipped to conquer the future they once dreamed of.

Our vision, with the implementation of blended learning as described in the previous paragraphs, has been to prepare generations who, from an early age, develop the ability to accept the challenge of change in an ever-changing world so that they thrive as critical and independent collaborators, thinkers, and writers. It is a powerful inspiration and calls for innovation, change, and transformation. By awakening the passion of those who dream of a model where educational progress is measured by acquiring practical skills and competencies rather than time in the classroom or traditional exams, we are instilling a deep sense of hope and optimism for the future of education. We also aim to show the dangers of continuing with the status quo and highlight the opportunities our students would miss if we do not embrace this revolutionary change. Therefore, I firmly believe that today, my classroom looks different and that our learning is taking us deeper into the development of our children as we have been empowered by the theories of Carol de Week, Michael Horn, John Kotter, and many others along this journey we have come to know and put into practice.

Who controls the learning?

The blended learning model sometimes provides students with much more agency over their particular aspects of learning, such as pace and topics, within a set framework and choice of digital tools. This helps them develop more autonomous capabilities and allows students to decide how to learn better. Students learn to set goals, progress, and reflect on their learning. This particular aspect of control is crucial in developing lifelong learning skills since learning usually begins early in life.

Although learning is more autonomous, teachers are crucial as guides and facilitators. They design the curriculum and select the digital tools and resources that best support student learning. They also provide guidance, supervision, and ongoing support. Teachers can differentiate instruction based on the data collected from digital learning platforms. They can quickly intervene when a student needs additional help or adjust activities to be more challenging or accessible based on individual needs. It is a model where control of learning is shared between students and teachers, giving a leading role to the use of technology and guided by the curriculum and the school institution.

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