As educators have access to more and more technology in the classroom, we need to rethink the student role in learning. In a technology-rich classroom, the role of the student as strictly a memorizer and regurgitator of content MUST change. Students need to see themselves as people in control of their own learning, and not just passive receivers of information.
Because we were most likely born BG – Before Google – we have not seen the power of networked learning in action as students – we may only now be beginning to experience its power as adults. Chances are strong that we were not as networked as our students; If you’re like me, you probably lived through an era where being online was a cool add-on to what we were already doing. But today, the networking landscape is far different, and teachers must catch up. We cannot view technology–and its various devices–as a nuisance or obstacle to rich and reflective learning. Those days are long gone.
So how do we teach in a new way that we may not have fully experienced as learners? Many of us see this problem, and that is why we turn to any resources we can get. Social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have become indispensable and relevant assets for knowledge-thirsty teachers. And while the online teaching and learning community has revolutionized teacher development, it is still difficult to sort through ideas to determine what would best meet our own professional needs and the needs of our students.
The Infused Classroom not only helps teachers rethink their approach to teaching and learning with technology but also turns our attention to the student and their needs in the age of networked learning. A student with a computer has more than just access at their hands, but also an incredible opportunity to become an active and engaged learner. These students no longer need the teacher to disseminate all the information. This may be a difficult adjustment, but put away your PowerPoint, and consider stepping back so students can take charge of their own learning process.
As we guide learners to take ownership of their learning in an access-rich classroom, four parts of the learning cycle shift dramatically to the forefront:
- Activity Curiosity: Before before we begin any unit, give students time to peak curiosity by exploring and asking their own questions about the content first. This creates a learning atmosphere that is guided by student interest.
In this phase, students go out and explore some interesting information about the content you need to cover – but they do so in a low stress and fun way. This gives them a chance to activate the curiosity that will help move them through a more meaningful learning experience.
Example of Exploration:
- Try an Exploration Text Set (Much like a HyperDoc – but not a HyperDoc)- See this example of a Text Set Refugees HERE from Lisa Highfill and Scott Padway.
Example of Questioning:
- Educators no longer need to tell students what they will know at the completion of the unit. But what qualifies as a good question, and how do we learn how to ask it? A good way to spark curiosity is to use The Question Formulation Technique. Rather than standing in front of the classroom and having students raise their hands, begin by giving each student time to ask questions in a structured way. With this expectation, students learn to ask deeper and more meaningful questions, and each student participates. To learn more, visit The Right Question Institute. Students can now pique their curiosity through an exploration or question intro activity and get their brains really interested in what they are about to learn. This process helps solidify learning. It is also important to conduct an assessment of each student’s prior knowledge here, so you have a starting point in order to chart every kid’s learning journey. This is how we begin the REAL personalization process.
A NOTE ON LEARNING GOALS:: After the student has had a chance to explore the content and you have gathered an assessment of prior knowledge it’s time to allow THEM to set their own learning goals. These should be written down and then referred back to at the end when they reflect on their learning.
- Manage and Keep Track of Learning: This step asks students to take an active part in keeping track of their learning journey. As students make their way through the learning cycle, whether by acquiring content, constructing knowledge or taking part in inquiry, they keep track of their learning progress. In this way, they watch as their knowledge builds. Later, they use the information as they apply the learning, and reflect on it. To track their own learning journey, students take most of their learning artifacts, check for their own understanding, and curate the artifacts in a useful application like Google Drive, SeeSaw or Book Creator. This way they have an idea of where they started, where they are at present, and how far they progressed by the end. Along the way, a teacher who understands the craft of teaching facilitates the process to make their thinking and learning visible. This will play a crucial role as students reflect on the journey at the end of this process.
- Apply and Demonstrate Knowledge This is a very important part of any learning journey. To show and apply their learning, students might create a learning artifact that demonstrates their understanding of the content. For deeper learning, students can take this new knowledge and apply it to a novel or different situation. This is called “Transfer of knowledge”, and it’s where deep learning begins to take root. This can be done with many apps, but I might use something like Adobe Spark for this – where students can take their learning and wrap it up in a media creation. Here is an example of an Adobe Page from a 5th grade writing assignment.
- Reflect Students return back to their learning journal to begin the process of reflection. John Dewey says, “We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” Reflection allows students and teachers to understand and own the full learning journey. The learning should include all assets of the experience; assessment of prior knowledge, where did I start? What questions did I have at the beginning? Which questions popped up along the way? What artifacts of learning did I produce demonstrate my learning? How can I apply that learning to a new or different situation in order to take advantage of an opportunity for a transfer of learning? Finally taking all of those learning artifacts – a student then explains and reflects on the learning process and turns this all in for a grade – instead of taking a multiple choice test. A great way to get at reflection can be using an app like Flipgrid where students articulate in a video response what they have learned and how they reach their learning goals. Students who passively take in information forget it. In reflection , students not only gain knowledge of content, but understand their own learning process, and keep that curiosity alive for their next learning experience.
The multifaceted use of technology changes the game in the classroom. It means that students now have a more purposeful role in their own learning. It also means that we educators must make a shift from the expert to facilitator and guide. This way, the classroom becomes truly student-centered and personalized. It also becomes a springboard for lifelong curiosity and deeper learning. And isn’t that what we want for our students?