techieMusings

• Why are we framing questions beginning with we and I? Why are we making it all about us?
• If you want to engage learners, it can’t be about “I” and “we.” It is not about the teacher, but about the learner
• Failure is okay. Think about video games: we might fail 20 times before succeeding
• We don’t need problem solvers, we need problem finders!
• The world doesn’t need problem solvers who can solve teachers’ problems. It needs problem finders.
• How do we embrace failures in schools?
• Must allow for analysis and reflection
• 5 circles to finding problems:
• 1. empathy and observation – scour for interesting problems
• 2. define – define the problem that you want
• 3. ideation – ideas about how you can solve that problem
• 4. protyping
• 5. feedback and self-assessment
• The importance of formative assessment:
• A systematic review of the impact of summative assessment and tests on students’ motivation for learning: http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/EPPIWebContent/reel/review_groups/assessment/ass_rv1/ass_rv1.pdf
• We need to make “wondering” questions. If you can google the answer, you have not created a good question. Have students use laptops as a tool to try to figure out unanswered problems. Answers to previously solved problems should be tool to getting at the larger problem that is being worked out.
• How do you convince parents?
• Invite them into the school! They probably had bad experiences in school. Show them what the engagement is all about and they’ll be convinced.
• Schools must engage the community (after school community centers)
• Boredom is a great motivator
• “If you want to improve attainment, you must improve engagement”
• ‘Non-epic’ questions = pseudo problems
• “Don’t think, try”

Readings:

• Design Thinking Stanford Design Thinking Workbook: http://bit.ly/nBvFuw
• Learning Futures PDF: http://www.innovationunit.org/sites/default/files/Pamphlet%203%20-%20Principles%20and%20practice.pdf
• Learning Futures blogpost by Ewan McIntosh: How to Engage Students – http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs/2011/04/learning-futures-how-to-engage-students.html
• Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment – http://weaeducation.typepad.co.uk/files/blackbox-1.pdf
• The 3rd teacher: http://www.thethirdteacher.com/