Artifact #9- 4 Shifts Protocol Analysis

Description:

This assignment was completed individually in fall 2024 with Professor Li for the Educational Leadership and Technology course. For this assignment, the 4 shifts protocol was used to redesign a lesson. The 4 shifts protocol is a discussion protocol used to assist educators when planning, redesigning or integrating technology into the classroom consisting of 4 categories including higher order thinking, authentic work, student agency, and technology infusion. The purpose is so that technology is not just being used for technology's sake and is being integrated with purpose.

This assignment looks at a social studies lesson that was recently redesigned through Harford County Public Schools and updated with technology components that I included to better meet the needs of learners with various learning styles.  The lesson has been used and is intended for a classroom of about 20 first grade students of various ability levels including IEPs, 504s, and English language learning needs. The lesson objective is that students will be able to analyze celebrations that are shared by a school community. Through the analysis of each of the 4 categories of the protocol, the lesson and the way that it was redesigned to incorporate technology is considered appropriate and meaningful for students. The lesson gave experiences in each category of the protocol and there were many strengths.

 

Standard Alignment:

Standard #5- Professional Learning Facilitator

5c. Evaluate impact of professional learning and continually make improvements in order to meet schoolwide vision for using technology for high-impact teaching and learning.

This assignment required me to evaluate a new lesson that was revised based on my professional learning in regards to incorporating UDL and using technology. The 4 shifts protocol was used for the evaluation of the integrated technology in this lesson to ensure that the integrated technology was meaningful and appropriate. This allowed me the ability to make improvements if necessary and gave me a protocol to use for future technology integrations for a schoolwide vision of appropriate and meaningful technology usage.

 

Reflection:

The 4 Shifts Protocol Analysis used a lesson that was recently updated in social studies for the first grade unit of civics for Harford County Public Schools. I also incorporated technology into the lesson to help boost student engagement and learning based upon the UDL guidelines. The lesson was analyzed using the 4 shifts protocol in the areas of higher order thinking, authentic work, student agency, and technology infusion and was considered meaningful and appropriate based on this protocol. The lesson has been used at Red Pump and Magnolia Elementary in Harford County with classes of about 20 students and varying abilities.

The 4 Shifts Protocol Analysis addresses the ISTE professional learning facilitator standard through the indicator of 5c involving the evaluation of impact of professional learning and making improvement to meet a schoolwide vision for using technology for high impact teaching and learning. This analysis connects to this indicator because it involves the evaluation of a lesson based around professional learning and uses the 4 shifts protocol to determine that it is appropriate and meaningful. This protocol allowed for me to make improvements if needed and provided me with a way to further evaluate the technology that is being integrated within lessons to help create a schoolwide vision of appropriate technology usage.

The 4 Shifts Protocol Analysis was effective in evaluating the lesson and this protocol will further be used to determine whether the integrated technologies are meaningful and appropriate.