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Summative Video Analysis

Leyla Jordan
GMU 614
Professor Dodman

Description of Lesson Context
In my summative video, I observed how many of my teaching practices
contributed to student learning while others fell short of being effective. In this video, I
recorded a lesson following a 6-week unit on traditions and culture for my 7
th
period
students in Spanish 7-8 Honors at Point Loma High School in San Diego, California. In
this class 13 students are native Spanish-speakers and 8 are non-native speakers. The
contrasting experience with the Spanish language among students constantly has many
implications I will discuss later in my analysis. Of the 9 female students and 12 male
students three students have IEPs that require accommodations that include preferential
seating and extra time. Of the entire school, about 60 percent of students are from the
affluent surrounding neighborhoods while others are bussed in from other areas of San
Diego. As a result, the student body varies significantly in socioeconomic status and not
all students have access to computers at home. During this lesson I observed that fewer
native Spanish-speakers have keyboarding skills and lack familiarity with navigating
websites. Although San Diego Unified School District is a part of the same large-scale
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roll out of iPads and classroom technology, mentioned in the New Literacies and the
Common Core article, we are in the fifth year of the plan and have yet to receive new
technology (Kist, 2013).
In the recording, I am demonstrating to students how they are able to use Weebly
as an online portfolio to display their work. This lesson involves giving instructions and
explaining assignment expectations, interacting with students individually and addressing
the whole class, answering questions and differentiating. The lesson takes place outside
of the normal classroom environment. Students are working in the computer lab, seated
at a computer in a room with four rows that are forward facing toward the Promethean
board where directions are projected.
Lesson Plan
In this lesson, students had already taken their summative writing assessment, a 5
paragraph formal writing, and were uploading it to their online portfolio using Weebly.
Their writing focused on comparing and contrasting various traditions in Spanish-
speaking cultures and their own. They used website to create a final version of their
formal writing. The purpose of applying a technological element to this summative
assessment was to give students experience using technology as it relates to the Spanish
curriculum, and to have students create a final product that they can keep beyond the
scope of this honors course. This lesson was designed using backwards planning rooted
in the following World Language Content Standards for California Public Schools:
Standards Objective planning Evidence of differentiation
Learners understand and
produce cohesive texts
composed of multiple
paragraphs.

Students learn about
composition of various
components of formal
writing to include
introduction, body, and
Teacher explains, models,
and gives students printed
resources for structure,
grammar, syntax, and
transitional expressions.
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concluding paragraphs, as
well as citation of sources.
Students use structures to
communicate (writing
systems, word/sentence
formation or text structure).

In cultural lessons, teacher
activates students prior
knowledge of thematic
vocabulary, grammar, and
culture. Formative
assessments for vocabulary
and grammar guide
instruction.
Note taking, visual and
audio presentations,
kinesthetic activities,
graphic organizers,
independent, group work,
and technology
accommodate various
learning styles and multiple
intelligences
Students comprehend and
produce learned words and
phrases, sentences and
strings of sentences,
paragraphs and strings of
paragraphs or coherent,
cohesive multi-paragraph
texts.

Students receive feedback
from teacher and revise
their composition in a
writing workshop in which
they compose an
introduction with thesis
statement, body paragraphs
including topic sentences
and cited sources, and
conclusion paragraph.
Higher achieving students
are encouraged to use
higher level thinking skills
to synthesize information on
multiple cultural traditions.
Lower achieving students
are encourage to compare
and contrast newly learned
traditions to their own
experiences.
Students demonstrate
understanding of
similarities and differences
within target cultures and
among students own
cultures.

Students compare and
contrast cultural traditions
using a graphic organizer
that includes two newly
learned traditions from
class, and features one of
their own culture.
Giving students the
opportunity to express their
own opinion and
experiences allows them to
produce a meaningful
product. Also,
incorporating the Weebly
website allows students a
new medium that uses
technology to express
themselves through writing.
Write arguments to support
claims in an analysis of
substantive topics or texts
using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient
evidence
Students write paragraphs
with topic sentence and
supporting information to
reinforce the thesis of their
formal writing composition.
Students are able to draw
upon class materials to
provide supporting
information and citations,
and they are encouraged to
seek out their own sources.
Students can easily access
online resources for
supporting information
while working on their
Weebly website.
Write informative/
explanatory texts to
examine and convey
Students learn about 3
cultural traditions from
Spanish-speaking countries.
The student who has prior
knowledge on the traditions
from Spanish-speaking
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complex ideas and
information clearly and
accurately through the
effective selection,
organization, and analysis
of content
They read informative
texts, learn vocabulary and
grammar structures
required, and learn how to
produce a formal writing
that includes two of the
traditions learned in class,
features one of their choice
from their own culture, and
requires that the cite from a
news article provided in
conjunction with the
writing prompt: Why are
traditions important to a
culture.
cultures can extend and
synthesize their learning,
while the student that is
exposed to this information
for the first time has the
support of basic vocabulary,
grammar, and cultural
information to develop a
thesis and compose a formal
writing.
Analysis and Interpretation of Classroom Lesson
The use of technology in the lesson design is one way of incorporating a relevant
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st
century skill, and one that is interesting to students. They use online textbooks and
class blogs among other forums so technology is a medium that is already familiar to
students. In this lesson, technology allowed students to create a product that is a
permanent example of student work they will take away from the course after the year is
over. The website is also offers differentiation because of the many customizable
features. Students can express themselves creatively and may find greater meaning in
their work. Working online also gave students greater access to research and resources. I
had many students use additional sources and images that they found online. After
teaching this lesson I realized other ways that this site can be used to increase
engagement further. For example, students can add images, audio files, and post
interactive blogs. I look forward to future applications of technology and the potential
for it to compliment the Spanish curriculum.
Technology improved student learning through increased engagement. I observed
that students were excited to get started on their website and students that are not
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typically engaged were eager to start. I even noticed a few students that typically shy
away from participating were taking their own initiative to start the task. Not all students
successfully used technology however. Those with less computer experience had the
most difficulty following directions. In the video, 3 out of 4 students that asked questions
did not have personal computers at home. Lemke & Coughlin (2009) address the issue of
technology and accessibility in their article entitled Change Agents. They mention that
while technology affords enriching learning opportunities to students it is limited to
school districts that can afford to have those resources, and that emphasizing its use
assumes that funding is available and that students have access to technology. Larry
Cuban also questioned accessibility in his write up on the digital divide that scrutinizes
technology for the disadvantage it creates for some students. While I recognize that most
students can excel using technology I realize that differentiation is necessary to
accommodate students with limited access, such as providing after school use of
computers, or alterative assessment options.
A modification I made to this lesson from my initial recording was my approach
to giving instructions. In the first lesson I gave instructions to the class too quickly,
without repeating them or stopping to wait for students to ask questions. Instead I
explained instructions clearly with a visual accompaniment, modeled an example, paused
to answer student questions, and followed up with students. Students were quicker to
respond to transitions with both oral and visual instructions, and were better prepared for
the next step in a series of directions. In the video, I had to pause to ask students not to
move ahead of the instructions when I detected they were working at varying rates. Also,
in my first lesson I used technology to give students information from a PowerPoint
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presentation while they took notes but it really lacked the interactive element needed to
engage all students.
Self-Reflection
Through video analysis I believe that I have acquired a heightened awareness of
my role in the classroom in terms of my physical presence, my communication abilities
as they relate to teaching, and my interactions with students. In the first video recording I
was the authoritarian figure in the classroom, at the front of the room, explaining notes as
students were writing without opportunity for participation. In the latest recording I was
guiding and moving about the classroom to assist students as they work and
transformation of the teacher-student role from a disseminator-receiver relationship
became a collaborative interaction. As a result students asked more questions which led
to a deeper understanding.
The opportunity to use technology in a new way made me question its role in the
classroom. Will Richardson, author of the Educational Leadership article entitled,
Students First, Not Stuff, believes that the role of technology is to enhance student
learning (2013). I would conclude that using the website is a new, engaging, and relevant
medium for students to use, and one that yields a final product that student and teacher
can take pride in. Despite the limitations for some students who dont have access to
computers, technology can be appreciated for increasing student engagement, offering
differentiation, and appealing to different learning styles.
I was pleased that I selected a summative assessment as my final video recording
for the opportunity to witness how the final task successfully encompassed the lesson
objectives. I enjoyed the confidence that students had while they demonstrated their
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mastery of cultures and traditions as they enthusiastically created their Weebly site.
Working online was fun and engaging for students and a pleasant experience for me. I
feel that I improved as a teacher in my sensitivity to student understanding. I am able to
better gauge, anticipate, and respond to student inquiry. Using Weebly as an extension of
the summative assessment allowed me to explore and appreciate the potential for
technology to enhance student learning. After this experience it is only possible to
incorporate more opportunities since the ones that I have developed this year will now
become part of my curriculum. I have become comfortable using technology in the
classroom and no longer feel that I have to be an expert before trying something new with
my students.
The summative video analysis was a great opportunity to examine my practice
from many dimensions that would otherwise go unnoticed. I adopted the perspective of a
student to realize how I can create a better experience for my students. I learned how to
be more clear and helpful in the classroom. Most importantly, I really began to think
critically about the decisions I made in my lesson and connect them to student learning, a
habit I will continue to develop as I mature as a professional educator.







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References
Ertmer, P. A., & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. T. (2010). Teacher technology change:
How knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and culture intersect. Journal Of Research On
Technology In Education, 42(3), 255-284.
Kist, W. (2013). New Literacies and the Common Core. Educational Leadership,
70(6), 38-43.
Lemke, C., & Coughlin, E. (2009). The change agents. Educational Leadership,
67(1), 54-59.
Richardson, W. (2013). Students first, not stuff. Educational Leadership, 70(6),
10-14.