Visible Learning
Are you teaching to accommodate you students learning preferences or simply teaching with your learning style in mind?
This was a point of discussion in todays Manaiakalani digital immersion PLD which focussed on the notion that visible teaching and learning enables accelerated shift. We looked at this in the context of creating visible learning through our class sites, which must be both behaviourally engaging or interesting, and cognitively engaging which could be achieved through multi-modal activities.
I believe that while my learners have learning preferences, they learn best when offered the opportunity to access information in a number of modes. While I have been successful at introducing topics in multiple modes and using a variety of multi-modal create activities, much of my teaching in reading has focussed on my learners first responding to a text orally and in written form. However, our class site and 1:1 classroom environment allow me to go further than this and create something more engaging.
Check out my full site here
As such I created the above webpage to engage my learners. Last week they became 'hooked' on the topic of World War 2 and asked to learn about it in reading. In my haste to respond to this interest and change my planning, I simply created a digital worksheet and create activity that I was planning to use on Thursday. However, this PLG and a change of plans have allowed me the time to create a webpage for them instead, that will extend their learning and maintain their engagement. It is not perfect as I planned and created it in a couple of hours, but for a few lessons of teaching I am happy with what I have accomplished and know that they will find the topics of interest.
This was a point of discussion in todays Manaiakalani digital immersion PLD which focussed on the notion that visible teaching and learning enables accelerated shift. We looked at this in the context of creating visible learning through our class sites, which must be both behaviourally engaging or interesting, and cognitively engaging which could be achieved through multi-modal activities.
I believe that while my learners have learning preferences, they learn best when offered the opportunity to access information in a number of modes. While I have been successful at introducing topics in multiple modes and using a variety of multi-modal create activities, much of my teaching in reading has focussed on my learners first responding to a text orally and in written form. However, our class site and 1:1 classroom environment allow me to go further than this and create something more engaging.
As such I created the above webpage to engage my learners. Last week they became 'hooked' on the topic of World War 2 and asked to learn about it in reading. In my haste to respond to this interest and change my planning, I simply created a digital worksheet and create activity that I was planning to use on Thursday. However, this PLG and a change of plans have allowed me the time to create a webpage for them instead, that will extend their learning and maintain their engagement. It is not perfect as I planned and created it in a couple of hours, but for a few lessons of teaching I am happy with what I have accomplished and know that they will find the topics of interest.
I really like the layout of your site Danni, but what I love even more, are the elements of choice you have in your activities. It will be interesting to see what your kids come up with from this topic!
ReplyDeleteThanks Heath! I'm trying to offer my students more choice in their activities this term, its really interesting seeing what they can create.
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