Larissa Pizzolato

Reflection
Keys to Teaching and Learning

Teaching Philosophy (Start of Semester)

To foster a collaborative learning environment where students can explore their curiosities,
while building and drawing connections between class content, the environment, and the world
in which we live.

Putting ‘ah-ha’ moments…

• Tailor the course, starting with where the students are at, to do this, we can use pre-
assessment quizzes (e.g., Blackboard, PollEverywhere)
• Start the class with learning objectives for the activities to come, then revisit how they
have been achieved at the end of class. I equate this to setting off on a road trip, you
know where you want to go, what accessories (e.g., Google maps, snacks) and by the
end of the class – though activities, labs, and lectures – you get to your end destination
(or your learning objectives).
• At the end of class, leave students with a preview of what is to come in the following
week, or subsequent weeks. This gives students an opportunity to begin thinking about
upcoming topics and themes and start drawing connections with their existing
understanding of the topics/themes, before having them formally introduced to them.
• Several peers suggested using an exit ticket, this could also be done in conjunction with
the ‘what’s to come’ slide at the end of class. [Definition: Exit Ticket - Have students
write something they have learned, enjoyed, or struggled with in today’s class]

…into practice.
• Next semester, I intend to do a pre-assessment quiz in my GIS (geographic information
systems) classes, to find out where I need to start regarding computing literacy. This will
help all students have the computing foundation required to succeed in GIS, without
spending too much time on computer literacy that they may already have.
• I will continue to start the lecture with an outline slide but build on this by also including
a slide on learning outcomes, and ‘what’s to come’ at the end of the class.
• Using the BOPPS lesson plan template (see page 2) to help organize lecture, lab, and
activity components. This also allows me to pin-point activities that took longer/shorter
than expected, helping me plan for future iterations of this course.