edutopia Every teacher I've worked with over the last five years recalls two kinds of digital experiences with students. The first I think of as digital native moments, when a student uses a piece of technology with almost eerie intuitiveness. As digital natives, today's teens have grown up with these tools and have assimilated their logic. Young people just seem to understand when to click and drag or copy and paste, and how to move, merge and mix digital elements. The second I call digital naiveté moments, when a student trusts a source of information that is obviously unreliable. Even though they know how easy it is to create and distribute information online, many young people believe -- sometimes passionately -- the most dubious rumors, tempting hoaxes (including convincingly staged encounters designed to look raw and unplanned) and implausible theories. How can these coexist? What to Believe? Understanding this extends beyond customary generational finger wagging. 3 Exercises in News Literacy
Getting teenagers to talk Keep the conversation peer centred: plenty of pair or small group collaboration.Avoid asking discussion questions around the class: this puts them in the spotlight and causes potential embarrassment in front of friends. You also risk dominating the talk.Give them a concrete list of statements or opinions: help them to choose their own ideas. Don’t expect them to have fully formed opinions on all things teenage! Discussion activities Here are some stimulating discussion topics which have worked well with teenagers. Teenage time capsule Each group of students is going to bury a box in the ground for future generations to find. Students must choose their objects/photos together and each member of the group describes it to the rest of the class or another group. Let the punishment fit the crime This generates lots of discussion on what exactly constitutes unacceptable behaviour but also what the students and their schools think is acceptable punishment. The 10-day trip
Giving Peer Feedback Helps Writers Grow I recently participated in a two-session writing class, and at the end of the first session, we were tasked with writing a short scene that we would share and discuss in small groups the following week. Knowing I was to share my work motivated me to put time and effort into it. I was both anxious and excited—I was curious to see what others thought of my work and to hear both criticism and validation. Workshopping is a very active process, both intellectually and behaviorally, and requires students to read, formulate comments and suggestions, and discuss in a small group setting. Giving peer feedback allows students to see concrete examples of what works and what doesn’t in similar types of writing, strengthens their language around writing, encourages them to think of their peers—and not just the teacher—as their audience, and helps them develop their “editor’s voice” that they can take back to their work. Helping Students Give High-Quality Feedback Giving good feedback takes practice.
Questioning That Deepens Comprehension Editor's note: This post is co-authored by Nancy Frey, a Professor of Literacy in Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator. Questions are a common way for teachers to check for understanding, right? The answer we’re looking for is "yes." Who hasn't questioned a group of students to determine whether or not they understood the content? Unfortunately, not all questions are created equally. We propose four over-arching questions that can be used to scaffold students' thinking about complex texts. What does the text say? What does the text say? The questions in this category require students to think literally about the text. The amount of time that teachers spend at the literal level will vary based on student responses. Questions at this level could include: What is the relationship between the narrator and the main character? How does the text work? What is the _______ referenced by the narrator?
How to Motivate Students in the Online Learning Environment “Correction does much, but encouragement does more“ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe How can course instructors encourage their online students to learn? In this post I’ll describe how course instructors can foster learning in their online classes. I’ll also examine how the needs of online learners differ from students of traditional learning and how instructors and institutions can support non-traditional students. This is the third post in a four-part series on strategies for online instruction. In post one and two I introduced the Online Learning Support Framework that divides an online course by weeks into three distinct learning phases. Self-Directed Learning (willingness and capacity to conduct one’s own education) The Online Learning Support Framework is a model that can help educators understand the distinct needs of the online student. And what about the Teaching? Below I’ve listed several strategies that have great potential to encourage students. How can Institutions Encourage?
Do No Harm: Flexible and Smart Grading Practices My Edutopia post When Grading Harms Student Learning generated a lot of buzz. Grading is an emotional subject, with strong-held opinions and ideas. I was really excited to see discussion on all sides of the issue. Address Behavioral Issues Affecting Academic Achievement Points off for late work may not motivate students. Request to Retest This is a great way to put the student in the driver’s seat of what they'll redo and how they'll redo it. Redo Parts of an Assessment Some assessments that we give students have very clear categories. Reflect on Assessments One strategy that I've seen many educators use is ongoing reflection throughout the assessment process, whether we're talking about a small quiz or a major exam. Were you prepared for this test? These questions allow students to recognize their strengths and weakness in what they need to learn, and how they can better prepare to learn the material. Pick Your Battles You know your curriculum. Again, It's About Hope
Teaching Strategies to Enhance Memorization The memory demands of school-aged children are more regimented then they were a decade ago. While many schools’ main teaching strategies are not mainly on memorization, but more on higher-order thinking skills, the ability to memorize information is still vastly important. Children are constantly being inundated in the classroom with information on new topics and concepts. While some children may find it to be easy to recall words or math facts in an instant, others’ short-term memory may find it more difficult. Luckily, there are teaching strategies that you can use to enhance their memory. Try integrating the following teaching strategies into your curriculum to help your students develop a more efficient memory. Mnemonic Devices Mnemonic devices have been thoroughly studied and have been proven to be an effective way to help one remember information more efficiently. Chunking Words and Activities Encourage your students to chunk. Students Teaching Others Using Mental Imagery
Getting teenagers talking Why it's important Long-term and short-term memoryLanguage fitness & agilityAuthenticityWhy they don't use English Peer pressure Lack of motivation Lack of support How we can get students talking Explain why it's important Confidence tricks Attainable goals Conclusion Why it's important Long-term and short-term memory Theoretically, we retain information in two ways: In short-term and long-term storage. We transfer information from one to the other by convincing our brains that facts in the short-term memory are valuable enough to be put in long-term storage - otherwise, the information is discarded. Our native language is stored in the long-term memory. Language fitness & agility Language learning and maintenance uses a surprising number of muscles - most importantly, the brain, and the more obvious muscles in the mouth and jaw. It follows logically that just as with any other muscle, the more you exercise it, the easier it is to use. Authenticity Why they don't use English Peer pressure