Student-Led Academic Teams

Defined Learning & Student-Led Academic Teams (PDF)

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Observational “Look-Fors”: Defined Learning & Student-Led Academic Teams

When instructional leaders observe classrooms that use student-led academic teams and Defined Learning performance tasks, they should focus on several key elements to ensure the effectiveness of this instructional approach. Here’s what they should look for:

Attributes	N/A	Beginning	Developing	Accomplished	Notes
Student Engagement and Participation: Observe if all team members are actively participating and engaged. Leaders should look for signs of enthusiasm, interest, and involvement from all students.
Collaboration and Interaction: Note how students interact with each other. Effective student-led teams demonstrate skills such as active listening, respectful communication, and constructive feedback.
Roles and Responsibilities: Each team member should have a clear role and responsibility. Leaders should check if roles are defined and if students understand and fulfill their respective duties.
Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Observe the team’s approach to problem-solving. Are students critically analyzing issues, brainstorming solutions, and making decisions collectively?
Learning Environment: The classroom should foster a safe and supportive environment for learning. Leaders should observe if there is a culture of trust, respect, and encouragement among students.
Teacher's Role: While the focus is on student-led teams, the teacher's role is still crucial. Observe how the teacher facilitates, guides, and supports the teams without dominating the process.
Instructional Strategies: Look at the strategies used to facilitate team learning. Are there clear instructions, relevant resources, and tools to assist learning?
Assessment and Feedback: Pay attention to how assessment is integrated into team activities and how feedback is provided. Effective teams use feedback for continuous improvement.
Diversity and Inclusivity: Observe if the teams are inclusive and considerate of diverse perspectives and learning styles.
Learning Outcomes: Finally, evaluate whether the student-led academic teams are effective in achieving the intended learning outcomes.