One effective teaching strategy that I love to use in all of my classes is asking questions within the discussion forums that require students to use higher level thinking skills.  Many times when I post the initial weekly discussion questions, students tend to respond with answers that use the knowledge, comprehension, or application levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.  To encourage students to use the analysis synthesis, and evaluation levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, I post follow-up questions to the initial student responses, such as asking students to make judgments about current research in education, and its application in the field. By asking questions that require students to respond to questions beyond their comfort zone, I have found that students take what they have learned in the discussion forums and apply the use of the analysis, synthesis, and evaluation levels of Bloom's Taxonomy within their written essays, PowerPoint Presentations, and CLC group projects. I am seeing the improvement of the use of higher level thinking skills in the students' written assignments in my course. Evidence exists that the students are taking what they learn at Grand Canyon University and applying the skills within their own classrooms and schools.

Faculty Spotlight:

Dr. Michael L. Hixon lives on the west coast of the United States in Porterville, California. Porterville is a rural, agricultural community in the Central Valley that is half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. He is happily married to his wife, Liezl. They have one son, Matthew, who is three years old, along with one hairy, little canine named Susie-Q.

Dr. Hixon has taught various courses in educational leadership, English language learner foundations and instructional strategies, elementary education, and secondary education within the College of Education at Grand Canyon University since September 2008.  In addition, he has taught elementary school aged students for 11 years. Currently, Dr. Hixon is teaching fifth grade at Princeton Street School in the same school district. For the previous five years. Dr. Hixon taught fourth grade students at Harvest Elementary School in Delano, CA. He was an active member of the leadership team and the grade level chairperson. Prior to his tenure at Harvest Elementary School, he taught second grade at Del Vista Elementary School in the same school district for six years. At Del Vista, he was the vice chairperson of the school site council, the second grade level chairperson, a member of the student study team, and a member of the leadership team.. 

Dr. Hixon is a graduate of Walden University, with a Doctor of Education degree in Teacher Leadership. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Multicultural Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in History, from California State University, Bakersfield. He has additional training from Porterville College and Chapman University. Currently, he is furthering his education in administration and school leadership within his school district's leadership institute.

Additionally, Dr. Hixon has specialized training in English language development strategies, classroom management and discipline techniques, and differentiated instruction strategies. His research interests include English language learners, learning theory, teacher collaboration, professional learning communities, classroom management, andragogy, quantitative and qualitative research design, online education, academic writing, and lesson study.