Through implementation of assessments that encourage critical thinking and application, I aim to help students bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical use. Additionally, my teaching philosophy has been shaped by the recognition that inclusive and supportive learning spaces empower students to take intellectual risks, ask difficult questions, and develop confidence in their abilities.

How does your learning today inform your growing teaching/learning philosophy?

Through writing an initial teaching philosophy and examining the Active Learning Spectrum, I was able to formulate the baseline of my teaching and learning philosophy, and pay pay special attention to the variety of different techniques and activities that can enhance learning. Through the in-class activities today, these concepts were demonstrated through hands-on experiences like the Syllabus Snowball, Gallery Walk, and the team matching game. This combination shows how theoretical understanding can be enhanced through practical application. The matching game activity particularly illustrated how collaborative learning can make complex concepts more engaging and memorable. This emphasized to me that learning concepts and then providing an activity for hand-ons assessments can help solidify important knowledge and make it more engaging.

How would you ensure access for all students when implementing the active learning spectrum in your teaching environments?

Looking at today's activities, accessibility was demonstrated through:

• Providing multiple participation formats - as shown by the different team options for in-person, online, and asynchronous students.

• Clear pre-work instructions with specific goals, as demonstrated in the pre-party section

• Variety in learning approaches - from individual reflection (Padlet writing) to collaborative activities (Gallery Walk, matching game)

To ensure access for all students in a collaborative communication-based classroom, I would focus on creating a welcoming climate where all voices are valued. This includes building comfort & readiness, where one would start with check-ins, open-ended questions, and space for students to express concerns before engaging in deeper discussions. I also think balancing content & dialogue, by recognizing that learning is not just about delivering information but about fostering meaningful engagement, ensuring time for discussion, reflection, and questions, is crucial for learning. I really loved how we ended our discussion today with the emphasis on learning in the classroom is what students take away, and not necessarily how much "content" was covered.

2. To ensure engagement for all learners when implementing active learning modalities:

• create inclusive movement options that accommodate different physical abilities and comfort levels

• Integrate short bursts of movement throughout lessons rather than long, intensive physical activities

• Use movement as a tool for learning and memory retention, not just as breaks

I also think explaining to students the science behind why we're incorporating movement will help them understand how physical activity enhances their learning capacity and cognitive performance.

Regarding my specific learning outcome for my students for scientific article interpretation, I recognize several key components that align with both cognitive and affective domains. Students will progress from receiving phenomena (demonstrating willingness to engage with scientific articles) through responding (participating in discussions) to valuing (demonstrating commitment to scientific analysis).

To assess whether students achieve these outcomes, I will provide weekly discussions where students demonstrate their knowledge through cognitive levels - from basic recall to synthesis of complex research findings. Team-based learning activities will showcase organization skills as students arrange and integrate different research perspectives. Individual reflections will show internalization of scientific values and methodological approaches.

My teaching methods will address multiple learning domains. At the receiving level, students will identify and describe key components of scientific articles. As they move to responding, they will participate in class discussions, present findings, and practice analytical skills. The valuing stage will be used as students demonstrate commitment to analysis and propose their own interpretations.Organization skills will develop as students compare and synthesize findings from multiple sources, formulate arguments based on evidence, and integrate research into a comprehensive understanding. 

I really enjoyed the zoom lecture today and found it effective through multiple interactive elements, including slide participation (via writing) and verbal engagement. I myself teach a zoom class and want to use elements like we used today into my future interactive lectures. 

Moving forward, my teaching philosophy will value creating conditions where students can move forward naturally through these affective domains while developing cognitive skills. This means designing assessments that measure both understanding and emotional engagement with scientific material.

Freeman et al. (2014) provided compelling evidence that active learning improves student performance and reduces failure rates. This supports my belief that learning should be interactive, where students construct knowledge through discussion and reflection. Although I was sick and missed the in-person session, I can imagine the collaborative dialogue strengthened understanding. I still engaged by contributing to the double-entry journal on Padlet, allowing for structured reflection.

Today’s activities were multimodal, engaging reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The Double-Entry Journal required critical thinking, while cooperative learning encouraged discussion and diverse perspectives. Visual representation of ideas further reinforced comprehension.

This experience strengthens my belief in fostering active learning environments. I plan to incorporate cooperative strategies, such as think-pair-share, and emphasize metacognitive reflection through journals. Moving forward, I aim to refine my approach to maximize student engagement and create an inclusive classroom where students actively shape their learning.

Merrill’s problem-centered approach will help me shift from passive content delivery to more active engagement. I think using real-world animal behavior case studies, guiding students through analysis and hypothesis-building, will be key. Using pre-assessments, I can tailor support early on, ensuring students connect new concepts to prior knowledge. Frequent, low-stakes quizzes and reflection prompts will also encourage participation and application of learning. All and all, by using these models, I hope to create a better online learning environment that promotes critical thinking, engagement, and deeper understanding of animal behavior principles.

1. Teachers engage students through interactive, hands-on learning experiences rather than traditional lectures.

2. Inclusive and supportive environments ensure all students feel valued and able to participate fully.

3. Both educators and students maintain growth mindsets, viewing challenges as opportunities for continuous development.

My teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that learning should be active, inclusive, reflective, and connected to real-world applications. I strive to create a supportive, student-centered environment that fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and personal growth through collaborative learning and multimodal engagement. I design outcomes that emphasize both content knowledge and affective development, encouraging students to build confidence, reflect, and apply their learning meaningfully. I use formative assessments like low-stakes quizzes, reflections, and structured discussions to monitor progress and adapt instruction. I’m particularly inspired by the UDL framework and aim to implement multiple means of engagement so all learners feel seen and valued. However, I recognize areas for growth: I want to more clearly articulate the alignment between my learning outcomes and specific assessments, improve how I use assessment data to redesign curriculum, and more intentionally scaffold metacognitive development. I also plan to deepen my understanding of disciplinary alignment to ensure my strategies fully support the core knowledge and skills of my field.

To test this generalization, I would document the arrival times of different bird species throughout spring, record environmental conditions including temperature and precipitation, map preferred habitats of returning species, and compare findings with similar mountain valley systems in other regions.

Flowing through Kolb's Cycle helped me engage with my surroundings in a more structured and mindful way. Rather than just casually observing the landscape, I thought to examine it through multiple lenses - sensory, emotional, and analytical. This activity exemplifies several principles of Universal Design for Learning by allowing learners to engage with their environment in multiple ways, providing flexibility in how observations can be recorded, and connecting personal experience to broader scientific concepts.

If this were to be evaluated for grading purposes, I would suggest incorporating a rubric that evaluates depth of observation and reflection, including options for different forms of documentation, adding components that connect personal observations to course concepts, and establishing clear safety guidelines for outdoor observation.