Tag Archives: Cathy Davidson

#LL2LU, Connecting Ideas, Learning, Learning Progressions, Questions

Moving to productive struggle

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From “Mrs. Maas, how do I do this?” to “I finished and helped a friend.”

How might we engage more learners simultaneously, offer visible opportunities to show what they know, and personalize feedback, intervention, and enrichment?

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What if we offer learners pathways to guide progress, actions, and collaboration?  What if we encourage productive struggle by offering guidance about process, actions, and collaboration? What if we intervene with coaching?

In case you cannot read Becky‘s learning progression above, I’ve included an edited version of it here:

  • Level 4:
    I can complete my item, and I can help others with theirs, explaining the circuit.
  • Level 3:
    I can build a wired item for Mom with materials provided.
  • Level 2:
    I can plan a wired item (layout and switch) with help from classmates or Mrs. Maas.
  • Level 1:
    I can get ideas from others on a plan.

Becky guides learners to plan, collaborate, test their independence, and then, when possible, contribute to the success of others. And, through the process, learn about circuits too.

“Collaboration by difference respects and rewards different forms and levels of expertise, perspective, culture, age, ability, and insight, treating difference not as a deficit but as a point of distinction.”  (Davidson, 100 pag.)

When our learners do not know what to do, how do we respond? What actions can we take – will we take – to deepen learning, empower learners, and to make learning personal?

Davidson, Cathy N.  Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn. New York: Viking, 2011. Print.

 

Learning, Questions, Teachnology, Technology

Teachnology: Using technology “differently” (TBT Remix)

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When we ponder how, when and why to integrate technology, do we consider how learners might use digital tools as instruments of self-assessment, feedback, and tinkering to learn?

Last week I was “schooled” in using technology by a first grader.

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She was invited to write for edu180atl.  Her post was published on 5.2.12.  To draft her post, we selected two pictures to use as inspiration.  She wrote a story for each picture and selected one for submission.  HOW she used technology to write was a HUGE lesson for me.

She took my computer from me and wrote 3 sentences.  There was a word that had a red “crinkly” line under it.

 

The instant feedback transitioned the technology to teachnology; it caused her to ask herself questions.  Finally, she asked me how to spell inspired.  Then, she read her 3 sentences out loud and decided that she needed another sentence in between two of the current sentences.  (Do I do that when I write?)

She was determined to have 200 words, not 198 words or 205 words.  She wanted 200 words exactly.  She learned how to use the word count feature since both stories were in the same document.  She read out loud and deleted words.  She read out loud again and added words.  It was awesome to watch.  She chose to ask to have a “peer” editor.  “Are there 2 words that I can delete? I want exactly 200 words.”  How much more confidence would I have about my writing if I had published articles and ideas when I was younger?

This experience with my first grader makes me wonder about learning – well, anything – with technology.  What assumptions do we make about what learners will and won’t learn if we put technology in their hands?

“How can we focus on what we do best without missing new opportunities to do better?” (Davidson, 17 pag.)

_________________________

Davidson, Cathy N. “I’ll Count-You Take Care of the Gorilla.” Introduction. Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn. New York: Viking, 2011. 17. Print.

LEARNing: Using technology “differently” was originally posted on May 14, 2012

Assessment, Connecting Ideas, Learning, Learning Progressions, Questions

Drafts and the power of descriptive feedback

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Math, writing, art, language, life… How might we grow and learn through descriptive feedback?

How many rough drafts to we expect from and offer to our learners?

Austin’s Butterfly: Building Excellence in Student Work – Models, Critique, and Descriptive Feedback

What if we allow, nay, insist on drafts and mulligans? Can we unlearn the “one-and-done” assessment mentality?

“Unlearning is required when the world or your circumstances in that world have changed so completely that your old habits now hold you back.”  (Davidson, 19 pag.)

Have our circumstances at school changed so completely that old habits are holding back progress?  Am I holding on to my old habits so hard that I am holding back my learners? Every learner has access to amazing amounts of information at their fingertips via their smart phone, iPad, and computer. YIKES!  Circumstances have changed.

“It means becoming a student again because your training doesn’t comprehend the task before you.  You have to, first, see your present patterns, then, second, you have to learn how to break them.  Only then do you have a chance of seeing what you are missing? (Davidson, 19 pag.)

What habits have I tried to break or change to see what I’m missing?  What have I been willing unlearn and relearn?

How are we making learning pathways more visible to learners so that they are empowered to help monitor learning and offer descriptive feedback?

By learning to insert feedback loops into our thought, questioning, and decision-making process, we increase the chance of staying on our desired path. Or, if the path needs to be modified, our midcourse corrections become less dramatic and disruptive. (Lichtman, 49 pag.)

Davidson, Cathy N.  Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn. New York: Viking, 2011. Print.

Lichtman, Grant, and Sunzi. The Falconer: What We Wish We Had Learned in School. New York: IUniverse, 2008. Print.