Teaching and learning are constant. However, the approach constantly changes with resources, tools, strategies, programs, and enhancements. The evolution over the years is incredible when you look at pictures of classrooms a decade ago compared to the one’s today.
Artificial
The addition of technology and artificial intelligence influences has impacted the educational setting. ‘Hey, Siri, can you tell me the capital of ?” “Alexa, how many miles is it around the Earth?”
We can ask a question, and it can be answered for us in a matter of seconds. This piece of technology changes the way we look at teaching and learning
Assessing what is known
To gain a clear understanding of what students know, understand, can apply, and communicate, assessments utilized have always been questioned. True and False questions are not at the depth of learning; students need to have application knowledge. Multiple-choice questions are used as a summative assessment, usually to determine the learned understanding of the content. This has been a good assessment tool when also combined with short answers.
Assessing student learning and growth is under debate every year. The test score reported to the Federal Government reflects a summative assessment of multiple choice and some writing in the reading section.
Student
In every part of the learning journey, the student is the key to every door. Learning occurs when the individual student assigns meaning. My saying is, “Education is something we do with children, not to them.”
As educators, our continued growth in assessing and instruction will always need to focus on the reality of student meaning. Until students can place value and importance on learning, they cannot make connections.
Here are some of the ways to help:
- Provide an opportunity for debate- Have students take a position on something they have learned and defend it. Then have another student develop an opposing argument. It is a great way to help students dig deeper into their learning and provide an action to stay with them.
- Conversation Club- Create a particular time or day when you design questions based on the learning and pose a question to the group. Conversation starters. Then pose it to a student, they respond and pass the microphone (your prop) to another student. Continue asking questions and passing. This gives students opportunities to share what they know, connect it and communicate with others—a great way to assess knowledge.
- Demonstration time- Provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate learning by creating a project. (Display board, a commercial, or however they want to share with the class.) This is an opportunity to deepen, sequence, and share the learning process.
- Other- Creating diagrams, Art projects, essays, Skit, Be the Teacher, designing a Game, and many other ideas!
Students may come up with an idea of their own to present to you as a way to demonstrate their knowledge and share it with the class. It is a strong belief of mine that children can create and do more if we give them more space to do it.