Theme 3: A curriculum that uses knowledge to develop learning capacity
This is an area that I would like to develop in my teaching practice. Currently, my practice focuses too narrowly on teaching specific skills to my students in order for them to reach a pre-determined outcome. For instance, when I am planning my reading program I currently select my learning objectives (or the "knowledge" that I would like them to acquire) for the students before matching specific texts to meet those objectives. I am therefore spoon feeding the knowledge to my class without giving them any practical or meaningful opportunities to apply the skills I am hoping to teach them to any type of personal inquiry or area of interest. The recent consultation draft “Digital Technologies:Hangarau Matihiko”, states that “...our
education system needs to change how we prepare our children and young people to
participate, create and thrive in a digital world”, and that all students should be able to “use and
create digital technologies...” (MOE 2017 p4). I am aware of the need to change my practice as well.
education system needs to change how we prepare our children and young people to
participate, create and thrive in a digital world”, and that all students should be able to “use and
create digital technologies...” (MOE 2017 p4). I am aware of the need to change my practice as well.
I am going to begin to provide students with more opportunities to explore their own avenues of interest in reading by providing them with greater agency when applying the "knowledge" that I impart on them. For instance, when teaching sentence structure, I could allow students to identify the features that we are looking for in their own personal texts or through a web based inquiry program. I could also allow students greater degrees of freedom when selecting the ways that they share their learning with me, for instance, using different types of digital technologies, like Imovie, Comic Life, Book Creator and Google slides. By doing this students will hopefully begin to realize the point of learning specific reading skills and how the knowledge that we are trying to transfer needs to be applied in constructive and positive ways that are for the betterment of the individual concerned.
Incorporating my reading program into personal inquiry studies that the students undergo is another way of allowing students to apply "knowledge" in meaningful ways. Students would have to incorporate the application of set reading skills to demonstrate their understanding of a selected issue or problem. It places a large emphasis on students selecting texts that they see as valuable to them and will be motivated to apply the knowledge that they have gained to acquire greater understandings.
Incorporating my reading program into personal inquiry studies that the students undergo is another way of allowing students to apply "knowledge" in meaningful ways. Students would have to incorporate the application of set reading skills to demonstrate their understanding of a selected issue or problem. It places a large emphasis on students selecting texts that they see as valuable to them and will be motivated to apply the knowledge that they have gained to acquire greater understandings.
Of course, there are limitations to this approach that I am hoping people will give me some feedback on. How do I ensure that students are able to access the resources that they need without wasting time? Some students have excellent self management skills, whereas others need or even prefer to be provided scaffolding with their activities. There is also the possible issue of time wasting that can occur when searching for resources.
Yes totally agree. Just like you, i think my practice has been too narrow focused in order to pre-determine the outcome. And since learning these 21st century skills while on this journey it has helped me to think about the process of how i am using these. Thru my digital and collaboration assignments i focused on self regulation using Must Do/Can do activities. There are limitations to this approach and i am also still working out the wasting time process as well. All the best for your continued journey.
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