Creating a Fishbowl

            The book's fifth chapter, Rigor By Design Not Chance, focuses mainly on designing complex tasks and that performance-based assessments should vary. In performance-based assessments, students should apply multiple concepts and skills to the project. The students, therefore, create complex solutions. These complex performance assessments develop opportunities for students to think critically and creatively. The best way to complete these complex tasks is to work with others. On page 93, “...we can tackle much more complex, performance-based tasks when we work on them with others than if we work on them alone, especially when we’re first learning how to do those tasks” (Hess, 2023). There are many different ways to approach a complex assessment. Collaboration is an excellent way for students to understand what is being asked of them. 

The chapter also discusses the importance of progression when building complex performance tasks. The Actionable Assessment Cycle is aligned with performance tasks as the tasks should be built up to create advanced learning. Think of it this way: if someone jumps in the deep end of a pool with no experience and has never been in a pool before, it will take much longer to swim and even longer to have good form. But if someone has practiced their form in the water many times, it will be less scary and more fluent. The same goes for learning. We must build students' ability and stamina to complete tasks to create deeper learning as the unit progresses. The student could still complete the job without the buildup steps, but it would be much more strenuous, frustrating, and time-consuming. As educators, we must help our students succeed in the most beneficial way possible. It is more impactful when the more profound task is done, and the students can connect to the activities leading up to it. 

Collaboration is a great strategy to use throughout the process. As I said earlier, it helps students understand what is being asked of them. It also allows them to feel supported and see the different perspectives of their peers. The swimming analogy also relates to collaboration. If someone jumps in the pool with no experience, then others also jump in the pool with no experience; it is still challenging to get out, but it will go much faster than being on their own. The different perspectives can help the swimmers find solutions quickly. The same goes for someone who jumps in the pool with much experience. The others also practiced with them and learned how to communicate with each other and learn from each other while they were practicing, so now that they have a more profound task, they can communicate more effectively. 

Collaboration can be used at any stage and any depth of learning. Still, I found a strategy in stages four and five of the Actionable Assessment Cycle that would be beneficial to implement later in the process. It is called the Fishbowl strategy. For this, the class is divided into two groups. The first group leads a discussion while the second group observes and gives feedback. The students generate discussion questions ahead of time. The teacher may provide a topic of conversation if they choose. This activity can be manipulated to whatever works for your classroom. The point of this activity is for students to show their problem-solving and thinking skills. 

The academic journal I found supports the Fishbowl strategy and collaboration in the classroom. It is titled: Effect of Fishbowl Activity on the Academic Achievements of Secondary School Students. The journal shows the research conducted to prove the effectiveness of collaboration and the Fishbowl method. On page 17, “The statistical analysis of students’ retention revealed that the students who were given the treatment as collaborative learning had overall higher retention level of subject matter or text materials than the students, taught through lecture-based instructional method” (Akbar 2018). The journal shows that collaborative learning allows students to retain information better. It is shown that engaging students with each other will enable them to better understand the content. 

The fishbowl strategy is most effective at the secondary level. They can have more complex and constructive conversations as they have the knowledge and practice. However, as a future upper elementary educator, I want to incorporate a different Fishbowl conversation. In my field placement next semester, I can include a few sessions where the class does the Fishbowl in small groups. This way, I can help the students learn how to have these conversations. The point of these conversations in my classroom would be to help the students gain experience with their collaboration skills and understand their importance. 

References

Akbar, E., Farooq, R., Tabassum, R. (April 2018). Effect of Fishbowl Activity on the Academic Achievements of Secondary School Students. Bulletin of Education and Research. Vol. 40, No. 1 pp. 11-18. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1209697.pdf

Hess, Karin. (2023).  Rigor by Design, Not Chance: Deeper Thinking Through Actionable   Instruction and Assessment. ASCD ASSN SUPERV CURR DEV, 2023.