Kim Steele
Southeastern Randolph Middle School
Lead Teacher & Governor’s Teacher Network Participant
Bridgette Kiser
Southeastern Randolph Middle School
6th Grade Science Teacher
CCSA Presentation – March 30, 2015
Kim Steele
ksteele@randolph.k12.nc.us
Lead Teacher – Southeastern Randolph Middle School
Bridgette Kiser
bkiser@randolph.k12.nc.us
6th Science Teacher – Southeastern Randolph Middle School
• Be attentive and participate in all activities.
• Silence cell phones
• I can create clear and appropriate learning
targets for my students.
• I can explain why learning targets should be
an essential part of every lesson.
• I can list at least 3 ways to incorporate a
learning target into every lesson.
• I can summarize the findings of the
presented action research project on learning
targets.
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Established by NC Governor Pat McCrory and NC
Department of Instruction Spring 2014
Funded by Race to the Top grant
Selected 450 out of 1400 teacher applicants across
NC to serve as instructional and professional
development experts and facilitators
Teachers applied for one of two pathways:
1. Professional Development
2. Instructional Resources
Video - GTN Update
GTN
Pathway 1

Create professional development sessions and
materials to address classroom instructional
needs through action research in the classroom
and increase the PD offerings in the state-wide
Professional Development system in Home Base.

Face to face (School, District, Region/State)
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Wiki Space on Homebase
My Focus – LEARNING TARGETS
Systematic inquiry conducted by teachers
and other educators to find solutions for
critical, challenging, relevant issues in their
classrooms and schools.
Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher
Researcher, 2014
Main Goals Include:
•Positively impact student outcomes
•Identify and promote effective instructional
practices
•Create opportunities for teachers to become
reflective practitioners
•Share research results with other educators
Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher,
2014
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Think of a learning target you have posted
or seen in your school.
Turn and talk to a partner to share an
example learning target and how you have
seen learning targets used with students.
My school is successful at implementing
learning targets in the classroom.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Why Have Learning Targets?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZZ6wPdcYG4
Learning Targets were included in lesson
plans and displayed in the classroom, but
were NOT:
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Introduced orally to students
Written down by students
Always the focus of the lesson
Formatively assessed
Included in the lesson’s closure
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In my action research, I will examine how
the implementation of lessons highly
focused on learning targets coupled with
summarizing strategies centered around
the learning target affect student growth
and mastery of concepts and standards.
6th Grade Science with Bridgette Kiser
 4 Groups of students
2 classes – experimental group
2 classes – control group
Research Questions
1.
Does keeping a daily Learning Target log assist
students in mastering material taught in class?
2.
Are there specific summarizing strategies that enhance
a students ability to address the Learning Targets
presented?
3.
Do students who keep a Learning Target log and
complete summarizing strategies that are focused on
the Learning Target perform better on formative and
summative assessments than students who do not?
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Specific to that day’s lesson
Student friendly language
Statement of intended learning
Tells students what to learn
Tells students how deeply to learn it
Tells students exactly how to demonstrate
their new learning
Directly connected to assessments
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With your table group, arrange the
statements in the envelope into one of two
groups:
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Group 1 – YES, clear learning target
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Group 2 – NO, not a learning target
YES
Clear Learning Target
NO
Not a Learning Target
Experimental Group
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LT posted
LT introduced orally
Students record LT in log
LT mentioned during lesson
LT center of the lesson
Summarizing strategy
centered around LT
Closure with orally
reviewing LT
Students reflect and record
response to LT in log
LTs available on teacher
website for parents to view
Control Group
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LT posted
LT introduced orally
LT center of the lesson
Closure with orally
reviewing the lesson
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Surveys (Teacher and Student)
LTs recorded on Lesson Plans
Teacher daily LT Checklist/Reflections
Student daily LT Log/Reflections
Summarizing Strategies
Formative and Summative Assessments
Pre assessments
Post assessment
Benchmarks
Parent guestbook on website
Teacher Surveys
Student Surveys
Teacher Results
Student Results
1. Find one quote that speaks to you.
2. Walk to the corner of the room with that
quote. Discuss with others why you feel that
quote stands out for student learning.
Contact Information
Kim Steele
Bridgette Kiser
ksteele@randolph.k12.nc.us
bkiser@randolph.k12.nc.us
Lead Teacher
GTN Participant
6th Grade Science
Southeastern Randolph Middle
School
Southeastern Randolph
Middle School
Randolph County Schools, NC
Randolph County Schools, NC
Project Wikispace:
http://gtnpd83.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/