2.

3 Authentic Learning - model and facilitate the use of digital tools and resources to
engage students in authentic learning experiences.

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The artifact is an Engaged Learning Project performed with Ninth Grade Literature
and Composition students. My contribution was teaching students about literature
from outside the U. S., modeling communication with someone from outside the U.S.,
and connecting students to literature through authentic learning by using text they
were interested in and ePals for written communication.

This artifact demonstrates authentic learning by utilizing various aspects of student

interests. My students share an interest in the current pop cultural phenomena of
Anime and KPop. It is this commonality that led to searching for ePals in Japan. I
modeled communication before they started their own communication with their
pal. I also utilized my student’s prior knowledge of relationships between the U.S.
and Japan which supported authentic learning experiences. I facilitated the use of
digital tools and resources to engage students in this authentic experience by
sharing texts to read digitally, using Google Doc for students to create their
expositions, and using ePals to share the communication.

After completing this artifact, I learned that only providing students with 50 minutes
of writing a week was not enough for this project. In order to improve this artifact, I
would provide a day to create an outline for their ideas and brainstorm. By providing
more time for pre-writing, the quality of student writing for this artifact would
improve.

The work that went into creating this artifact improved my teaching by collaborating
with someone else. Student learning was also impacted through experiencing
communication with someone from outside the U.S. The impact can be assessed
through the collections of student writing in their Google Docs. Students could also be
asked questions on impact and authentic learning through a Google Form.