Running Head: CLEAR LEARNING TARGETS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

Week One Assignment

Clear Learning Targets for Student Success

Nermin H. Fialkowski

National University

AAL- 652 Creating Clear Learning Targets

Professor Mark LaCelle-Peterson

January 13th, 2019

CLEAR LEARNING TARGETS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS 2

Delivery Method & Audience

For my work on presenting the importance of clear learning targets to parents, I selected a
PowerPoint as method of delivery. The reason I selected a PowerPoint, is to present and
highlight the key components and benefits of students having clear learning targets. A
PowerPoint, versus a paper, addresses the most pertinent information. Through a bullet-point
format, I am to demonstrate linearity between topics and sub-topics. I am also able to physically
highlight key words that support the importance and benefits of clear learning targets, such as:
roadmap of curriculum, accountability, guides learning, student-friendly language, common
focus, effective teaching, tracking and reporting information, level of achievement, descriptive
feedback, self-assessment, goal setting, communication of success, self-regulated, highly
motivated, and intentional learners. The main reason for selecting a PowerPoint as my method
of delivery, is based off my audience, parents.
The audience members of my Clear Learning Targets for Student Success presentation
are the parents of students at my school site. The parents and family members at my site are
culturally diverse. My school, Southwest High School (San Diego), is just five miles north of
the U.S./Mexico International Border. Because of its close proximity to the border, 39% of the
school’s population has limited English proficiency, while 85% come from homes where English
is not spoken. Southwest High Schools is a Title I school, where 79% of the students are eligible
for free or reduced lunch (Southwest High SARC). The intention of my PowerPoint presentation
is so that information on the importance and benefits of students having clear learning targets can
be shared with parents. The platforms for my presentation include: orientation, open house,
progress report meetings and English Learner Advisory Committee meetings. The reason I want
to share this information with parents is because they are stakeholders in their students’
education and in the district. It is imperative that they be aware and informed of their students’
education.
Parental involvement is so crucial to student success that even the State of California
makes parental involvement one of their priorities in their Local Control and Accountability Plan
(LCAP) (State Priority Related Resources). The purpose of LCAP is to be used “a tool for local
educational agencies to set goals, plan actions, and leverage resources to meet those goals to
improve student outcomes” (Local Control and Accountability Plan). At my site, parents “are
encouraged to take an active role in their child’s education by volunteering on campus, serving
on parent committees, attending on-site parent meetings and communicating with staff”
(Southwest High SARC). Additional events parents can participate in are: School Site Council,
Title I Advisory Committee, ELAC Advisory Committee, and Parent Meetings (grade level,
progress report, interventions) (Southwest High SARC).
My site is a Title I school, which is directly affected by the Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESEA). Through ESSA, there is an expectation that there will be accountability and action to
effect positive change in low-performing schools. It advances equity by upholding critical
protections for America's disadvantaged and high-need students. There is a focus that students
be taught to high academic standards that will prepare them to succeed in college and careers.
And in order for students to reach these high academic standards, the must be clear learning
targets. Having clear learning targets is also related to our schools Mission Statement and Raider
Way. The Raider Way has students actively engage in their learning and personal growth by
having high expectations and communicating effectively, but this can only be achieved when
students are presented with clear learning targets.
Clear Learning Targets for
Student Success

Nermin Fialkowski
AAL 652
Today’s Learning Targets

u Be able to identify the five classifications of learning targets

u Understand the benefits of clear learning targets

u Know at least two benefits of clear learning targets for

teachers, students, and parents

u Understand the purpose of feedback

“ Students can hit any
target they can see and
that holds still for them. ”
Chappuis, J., Striggins, R., Chappuis, S. & Arter, J. (2012)
Student Learning

u In the context of school, it’s purpose is student learning

u “The first thing students need to learn is what they're supposed to
be learning” (Moss, C.M., Brookhart, S.M, & Long, B.A., 2011).
u What we want students to learn and be able to do is what drives all
planning, instruction, and assessment

u Having clear learning targets is what drives instruction

u Provides a roadmap of curriculum

u Clear learning targets provide students with expectations and

holds them accountable for their learning
Writing Clear Learning Targets

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:clear%20learning%20targets
Clear Learning Targets

u Guides learning
u They describe the lesson-sized chunk of information, skills, and
reasoning processes that students will come to know deeply
u Written in student-friendly language
u Shared throughout the lesson, so that students can use them to guide
their own learning.
u Provide a common focus for the decisions that schools make about
what works, what doesn’t work, and what could work better
u They help educators set challenging goals for what expert teachers and
principals should know and be able to do
u Learning targets are the first principle of meaningful learning and
effective teaching
(Moss, C.M. & Brookhart, S.M, 2012)
Clear Learning Targets

(Moss, C.M. & Brookhart, S.M, 2012)

Types of Learning Targets

u Knowledge
u Factual information, procedural knowledge, conceptual understanding,
knowing by reference
u Reasoning
u Thought process students are to learn to apply effectively within a range
of subjects
u Patterns of Reasoning
u Inference
u Analysis
u Comparison
u Classification
u Evaluation
u Synthesis (Chappuis, J., Striggins, R., Chappuis, S. & Arter, J., 2012)
Types of Learning Targets

u Skill
u Real-time demonstration or physical performance, which is the
heart of learning
u Product
u Artifacts, where creation of a product is the focus of the learning
target
u Disposition
u Attitudes, motivations, and interests that affect students’
approaches to learning

(Chappuis, J., Striggins, R., Chappuis, S. & Arter, J., 2012)

Benefits of Clear Learning Targets

u Benefits of clear learning targets affects everyone

u Teachers

u Students

u Parents
Benefits of Clear Learning Targets for
Teachers
1. Knows what to teach

2. Knows what to assess

3. Knows what instructional activities to plan

4. Avoids “coverage” at the expense of learning

5. Ability to interpret and use assessment results

6. System for tracking and reporting information

7. Common ground for working collaboratively with other teachers

(Chappuis, J., Striggins, R., Chappuis, S. & Arter, J., 2012)
Absence of Clear Learning Targets for
Teachers
u Without clear leaning targets teachers are unable to:

u Know if their assessments adequately covers an samples what they

taught

u Correctly identify what students know and do not know

u Correctly identify students’ level of achievement

u Plan next steps in instruction

u Give detailed, descriptive feedback to students

(Chappuis, J., Striggins, R., Chappuis, S. & Arter, J., 2012)
Feedback

u The bridge between teaching and learning

u Clear learning targets gives teachers with the opportunity to provide
students with focused and descriptive feedback
u Allows students to self-assess and act upon feedback, with a goal on
growth and achievement
u Providing effective and meaning feedback during the instructional
process
u Improves classroom achievement
u Supports and improves student learning
u Improves attitudes, aspirations, and mindsets
(Assessment Literacy Standards)

u Used to support and motivate students

(Witte, R.H., 2010)
Feedback

https://youtu.be/Pk7Gt_Y0ecU
Benefits of Clear Learning Targets for
Students
1. Understands what the are responsible for learning

2. Understands and acts on feedback

3. Prepared to self-assess and set goals

4. Able to track, reflect on, and share their own progress

(Chappuis, J., Striggins, R., Chappuis, S. & Arter, J., 2012)

What Student Success Looks Like

u Provide students with the information that will allow them to

be successful
u Communicate what success looks like
u “Students cannot regulate learning, use thoughtful reasoning processes, set
meaningful goals, or assess the quality of their own work unless they
understand what success looks like in today's lesson” (Moss, C.M., Brookhart, S.M,
& Long, B.A., 2011)

u Creates classrooms of empowered, self-regulated, highly

motivated, and intentional learners
Absence of Clear Learning Targets for
Students
u Students must first be able to, see, recognize, and understand the
learning target from the very beginning of the lesson, otherwise, the
teacher will always be the one providing the direction, focusing on
getting students to meet the instructional objectives.
u While students only focus on doing what the teacher says, rather than on
learning (Moss, C.M., Brookhart, S.M, & Long, B.A., 2011)

u ”Poorly defined learning expectations cause similar problems to

poorly defined behavior expectations- confusion and conflict- which
set students up for failure down the road” (Chappuis, J., Striggins, R., Chappuis,
S. & Arter, J., 2012)

u Students are unable to self-assess and set goals

Benefits of Clear Learning Targets for
Parents
1. Help students at home

2. Understand grade report

3. Focus discussion at conferences

Recap: Today’s Learning Targets

u Be able to identify the five classifications of learning targets

u Understand the benefits of clear learning targets

u Know at least two benefits of clear learning targets for teachers, students,
and parents

u Understand the purpose of feedback

Exit Slip

u As a parent, identify two ways in which you will help support

your student in their academic work.

https://community.articulate.com/articles/how-to-write-good-e-learning-objectives-for-your-online-course
Resources

u Assessment Literacy Standards. Michigan Assessment Consortium.

u Chappuis, J., Striggins, R., Chappuis, S. & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom
Assessment for Student Learning: Doing it Right- Doing it Well (2nd ed.).
Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
u Moss, C.M. & Brookhart, S.M. (2012). Learning Targets: Helping Students Aim
for Understanding in Today’s Lesson. [E-reader Version]. Retrieved from:
http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/books/learning
targets-sample-chapters.pdf
u Moss, C.M., Brookhart, S.M, & Long, B.A. (2011). Knowing Your Learning Target.
Retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-
leadership/mar11/vol68/num06/Knowing-Your-Learning-Target.aspx
u Witte, R.H. (2010). Assessment Literacy in Today’s Classroom.
CLEAR LEARNING TARGETS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS 3

Plan & Schedule

Present and share content with:
Math Department- Next Math Department Meeting: January 23rd, 2019 at 7:55 AM
PLC Lead Committee- Next Curriculum Specialist, PLC, and Blended Learning Specialist
Meeting: January 30th, 2019 at 7 AM
Faculty Advisory Committee- Next FAC Meeting: January 30th, 2019 at 2:45 PM
School Site- Next Faculty Meeting: February 6th, 2019 at 7:55 AM
School Site Council- Next SSC Meeting: March 12th, 2019 at 2:45 PM
Parents
A-G Meeting: February 20th, 2019
ELAC Meeting: February 25th, 2019 at 9 AM
Progress Report Meeting: March 1st, 2019 at 9:30 AM

Resources

California Department of Education. Local Control and Accountability Plan. Retrieved from:
https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/lc/

California Department of Education. State Priority Related Resources. Retrieved from:

https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/lc/statepriorityresources.asp

“Southwest Senior High School Accountability Report Card Reported 2016-17”. (2017). [PDF
file]. Retrieved from: http://sarconline.org/SarcPdfs/9/37684113730124.pdf