Alice Wei's Portfolio
First, my mindset shifted from focusing on covering content to facilitating learning for students. I have developed the competencies to design and deliver high-quality and engaging lessons that are aligned with student-centered learning principles, which I have described in my week 2 Weekly Guiding Question sections of my Digital Learning Development (DLP). I have also incorporated student voice, choice, and collaboration into my lesson design and delivery, and observed how this improved their motivation and learning outcomes. Questioning and diagnosing students with all levels of questions is an interactive and students-focused teaching process. It helps teachers re-evaluate students' learning and knowledge, and adjust teaching strategies or instructional levels to meet the needs of students before new topics are introduced to the students. For example, in week 7 guided questions, I have listed the detailed questions I may use to assess student learning using the categories of Bloom’s Taxonomy and KACT. I used these questions to guide students’ learning levels from low-level thinking (such as remembering and understanding) to high-order thinking (such as evaluating and creating). From this practice, I can monitor and evaluate student learning using various assessment strategies. The focus of my teaching was not to cover all the content but to facilitate student learning progress.
One of the key competencies that I have acquired is lesson planning. I have used backward design, student engagement strategies, and technology tools to create lesson plans that are meaningful and personalized for my students. My shift in lesson planning, which I have described in my weeks 3, 5, and 6 Weekly Guiding Question sections of my DLP, is also supported by the relevant literature that I have read in the course and online. According to Wiggins and McTighe (2005), backward design is a framework for designing curriculum, assessment, and instruction that focuses on the desired results and aligns them with the evidence and learning activities. According to Marzano (2007), student engagement is a key factor in enhancing student achievement and motivation. In my lesson plans designed for the Foundation I Course or other courses, I used backward design to start with specific expectations for planning goals, then plan for teaching activities and instructions, as well as the assessment to help students achieve the goal. I found that using this backward design is more efficient in organizing my thoughts and implementing the plan, which is like having a fun trip with a clear route and destination.
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Another area of teaching and learning that has shifted since starting the course is my use of technology to enhance and support the educational environment. According to Roblyer and Doering (2014), technology integration is using technology to support and enhance teaching and learning goals. These authors provide theoretical background and context for my topic and support my current views and practices. They also challenged my previous views and practices, which were more focused on the content and the teacher rather than the outcomes and the learners. Technology integration is the well-coordinated use of digital devices and cloud computing as tools for problem-solving, deeper learning, and understanding. Technology facilitates access to the curriculum but is not the curriculum itself. In my teaching practice, I have learned how to use various technology tools, such as Jamboard, Answer Garden, Kahoot, Educaplay, Pixton, virtual simulations, and online platforms, to create engaging and interactive lessons for my students. For example, in my speaking lesson for a small group of IELTS students, I used Jamboard to facilitate a mini-debate on a controversial topic. I asked the students to write their arguments on sticky notes and place them on the board, and then respond to their peers’ arguments by adding comments or questions. This activity allowed the students to practice their speaking, listening, and critical thinking skills, as well as to share their opinions and perspectives. The principal later told me that my lesson was one of the best they had experienced, and I never received such positive feedback in the past teaching years. I have also taught a science lesson using a hands-on experiment, a video, and a Kahoot quiz assisted by using Kahoot, Answer Garden, Jamboard, and Educaplay activities. Both students and my instructor have thought highly of my microteaching practice.
Reference
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Marzano, R. J. (2007). The art and science of teaching: A comprehensive framework for effective instruction. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, A. H. (2014). Integrating educational technology into teaching. Pearson.
2025 Reflective Analysis
When I entered the Bachelor of Education program at Ontario Tech University in Fall 2023 (paused in January 2024 for health and work until Fall 2025), I viewed teaching as a structured process of delivering content and assessing results. Through coursework, practicum observation, and my Digital Learning Portfolio (DLP) reflections, my understanding of teaching and learning expanded dramatically. Over time, my philosophy of education shifted in four major ways through both classroom experience and foundational theories:(1) from content delivery to experience design,(2) from teacher-centred to student-centred,(3) from lower-level to higher-level questioning,(4) from summative to formative and reflective assessment.
Evolution of My Thinking About Teaching and Learning
1. From Delivering Content to Designing Learning Experiences
In my Week 2 reflection, I described how a middle-school science seminar transformed a routine lesson on chemical reactions into an engaging, multisensory experience. She linked content to student interests through music and humour, then guided us in a hands-on experiment that made abstract chemistry terms concrete. I first saw this as simply “good teaching.” Now, informed by Dewey’s (1938) Experience and Education and Wiggins & McTighe’s (2005) Backward Design, I recognize that her lesson exemplified purposeful design: clear goals, a youth-friendly environment, and integration of assessment and engagement.
My own practice has moved from covering content to designing for understanding. Applying Universal Design for Learning (CAST, 2018), I plan lessons with multiple means of representation and expression—visuals, experiments, presentations, and digital tools—to meet diverse needs. This approach enables students to construct deep meaning through lived experience rather than memorization.
2. From Teacher-Centred to Student-Centred Learning
Earlier in my teaching journey, I modelled lessons rigidly and controlled classroom flow. My Week 2 DLP response, however, emphasized the need for “learning environments that prioritize students,” introducing me to constructivist thinking. Readings from Darling-Hammond & Baratz-Snowden (2005) confirmed that effective teachers begin by understanding students’ backgrounds, strengths, and interests.
During my 2023 practicum, I observed Ms.Yeung adapt a Grade 7 math lesson on patterns by activating prior knowledge through tactile pattern blocks. This is connected with Vygotsky’s (1978) concept of the zone of proximal development, where learners advance most when guided but not controlled. I now understand that student-centred learning is not a loss of structure but promotes learning to students’ ownership.
3. From Traditional Questioning to Inquiry and Critical Thinking
A key turning point came from my Week 7 reflection on a Socratic circle about climate change. During my Grade 7 science placement, I saw how open-ended questioning stimulated critical thinking and respectful dialogue. Revisiting this experience through Bloom’s taxonomy (Krathwohl, 2002) and the KTAC framework (Knowledge, Thinking, Application, Communication) helped me see why it succeeded: questions progressed from basic concepts to synthesis, promoting higher-order thinking.
When planning a Biology lesson on neurons, I now structure questions that move from “remember and understand” to “evaluate and create.” Using different collaborative inquiries (think-pair-share, etc.) to ensure inclusive participation. This shift reflects a theoretical understanding that questioning is not just assessment but a strategy for activating cognition and building learning communities.
4. From Assessment as Judgment to Assessment for and as Learning
In Weeks 5 and 8 of my DLP, my concept of assessment transformed completely. I once saw assessment mainly as a way to rank performance. Through Mr. Masciarelli’s Foundations of Assessment course and Black & Wiliam (1998), I learned that assessment is most powerful when formative—used to guide instruction and empower learners to reflect on their progress.
During placement, I observed teachers using exit tickets, peer checks, and verbal feedback to adjust teaching in real time, aligning with Ontario’s Growing Success (2010) policy. I implemented similar strategies: self-assessment checklists, reflection journals, and goal-setting activities. My view of an “assessment-centred environment” has shifted to one where both teacher and student analyze evidence to inform next steps.
Conclusion: Developing a Reflective and Inquiry-Driven Professional Identity
When I began the program, I equated teaching with presentation and control. Through coursework, practicum experiences, and the creation of my Digital Learning Portfolio (Reflective Prompts and Self-Assessment), my understanding evolved. I now view teaching as a reflective, relational, and design-oriented profession grounded in equity, inquiry, respect, and care.
My thinking has shifted from delivering lessons to designing learning experiences and from controlling classrooms to co-creating communities. Supported by educational theories from Dewey, Vygotsky, and Schön (1983), and by frameworks such as UDL and Backward Design, I see teaching as a continuous process of reflection, adaptation, and growth.
Teaching can transform students not only into knowledgeable individuals but into active learners, accountable thinkers, and collaborative community builders. As I continue my career in teaching, I carry this vision forward.
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References
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 5(1), 7–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969595980050102
CAST. (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines version 2.2. CAST. https://udlguidelines.cast.org
Darling-Hammond, L., & Baratz-Snowden, J. (Eds.). (2005). A good teacher in every classroom: Preparing the highly qualified teachers our children deserve. Jossey-Bass.
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. Macmillan.
Hughes, J. (2019). Teaching and learning in the digital age: Digital literacies for all learners. Pearson.
Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Theory into Practice, 41(4), 212–218. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4104_2
Luckin, R. (2018). Machine learning and human intelligence: The future of education for the 21st century. UCL Press.
Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). ASCD.