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A Tech Teacher on a Mission

Is Visible Thinking Enough?

12/12/2013

7 Comments

 
There are several powerful technological tools that can document visible thinking and learning for our students. Screencasting, voice recording, blogging, and video are at the forefront of the movement for student content creation and undoubtedly hold a lot of clout in helping teachers to assess for next steps in instruction.

When creating screencasts, my students' thought processes have become more complex as they speak their thinking about learning processes aloud. They take time to consider their words carefully in order to create authentic recordings of their learning. However, as my students work on these mediums, I'm not convinced that students' simple documentation of their thinking is enough. Sure, it tells something to me as the teacher, but does it reach full potentials for the student? 
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This brings me to the most incredible choice I've made in my classroom so far this year: pushing for a consistent blend student self-assessment, constructive criticism toward and from their peers, and materials that inform my future teaching.

When screencasting, there is nothing more powerful than students listening to the playback of their own thinking. This process of re-reading, reflecting, and re-vamping is necessary in so many other facets of our classrooms, though. The challenge for educators lies in teaching students how to take fair and meaningful reflections and assessments of their own work. Though this is a little bit meta  (learning how to assess your own learning ), it is amazingly powerful when students learn what they need to improve about themselves and their work, and when they choose to do so independently.

Explicit instruction and one-on-one interviews are absolutely necessary in the beginning of this teaching. It helps to set your expectations for each student's self-assessments as well as finding out about theirs. The end result helps them to shape their evaluations of themselves and base this thinking on a growth mindset: "What could I do better?" and "How can I do it better?" 

After seeing the power of this in areas such as reading and math, I have begun integrating multiple student self-assessments into every subject area both with and without technology. My conclusion thus far is that student engagement is not improved simply by use of technologies, but rather, by meaningful student-centred pedagogy. From improving recorded playbacks, to monitoring self-progress through checklists, student blogging, reflection on completed tasks, and goal creation for the future, it has been nothing short of rewarding to watch my students take charge of their own learning. 

How do you your students assess their own work? How do you help students to make appropriate and fair judgments of their own work to improve for the future? Your commentary is appreciated as I continue to build on this aspect of my classroom.

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7 Comments
David link
12/12/2013 08:15:42 pm

Victoria,

Your post has 2 very important points. The first is the power of student self-assessment. John Hattie's research would point to this being a powerful influence on student learning and research. A point that all teachers need to keep in mind. The second is the use of technology to create screencasts to make their learning visible. I have been witness to some amazing work students have completed with screencasts. It is a powerful tool. Our teachers are working on this very topic now, attempting to get students to critically reflect on their learning, encouraging them to be OK with mistakes. It is challenging work, but something in the end will provide the greatest opportunities for success.

David

Reply
Victoria Olson link
12/15/2013 07:10:31 am

Hi David,

Thanks for your comment and supplemental info. It's important for students to recognize their role in their own learning and I think tools that help them to reflect are powerful to help reinforce these skills. :)

Reply
Shelly
12/12/2013 11:06:05 pm

HI Victoria,

I'll respond to this personally as a lifelong student myself. Last month I spoke at a national conference with a friend and colleague. Our presentation was audio archived and just recently posted for all attendees to review. Upon listening to just the first few minutes, I felt quite pal[ably the power of the mirror held up to me, and was able to see right away what was working well and where I needed to make changes in how I spoke to the audience. This recording tool and the opportunity for me to live the experience over again will go a long distance to improving what I have too offer. Reflection, as meta as it can get, is a superpower for everyone.

Let's give it to our students.

Shelly

Reply
Victoria Olson link
12/15/2013 07:13:05 am

Shelly,

Thanks for sharing that experience. What a way to better develop yourself as a speaker and presenter! I often equate this type of reflection to watching game film as an athlete; you can't see the play the same way while you're in it as you can from watching a video of it.

Reply
Ann Baker link
12/17/2013 09:22:37 am

Reflection has two functions, feedback and feed forward. Each of the comments above relate to both of these. There are several uses of student recording that I want to push next year. One of them is the use of feedback prior to beginning a new task such that it then becomes feed forward. What I mean is using recordings as an aide memoir, What did I /others do with this problem? What can I learn from viewing that will enable me to get started, make a plan or identify a strategey for this problem.
Another thing that I want to push is recordings going home, both as an aide memoir and also as a communication process with parents.
If students can identify what they have done well, where they need to put in a bit more effort or have a bit more support then the whole community can get behind them in ways tailored directly to their unique needs.
Thanks for opening up this line of discussion and helping me crystallize my early thinking a little more

Reply
Victoria Olson link
12/20/2013 01:11:28 am

Hi Ann,

Thanks for your wonderful comment. I think it's important that recordings do become transparent to families to demonstrate learning at school. However, I do think students should choose to select and showcase their favourite pieces of learning before they do so. Student blogging (through KidBlog.org) will enable my students to share their visible thinking and reflections. I'm looking forward to what you have to share in the future on visible thinking, learning, and assessment.

Reply
Pam
12/28/2013 03:05:45 am

Victoria,
Thank you for sharing. Plese share with me, if you could, non-tech reflection methods you've found successful with your students. Thank you!

Reply



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    Victoria Olson
    A curious and passionate educator in Langley, BC

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