Horizon Report Post 1

  How do we deepen student learning?  This is a question that is asked by educational professionals on a regular basis.  There are many theories out there that will help deepen student learning.  One way that has been long accepted is to teach by learning styles.  That is to teach to the different strengths of each student.  The theory implies that some students learn better through visual learning, others through auditory learning, and others through kinesthetic learning.  Teachers should plan lessons that offer a variety of activities that incorporate these different learning styles so that all students have the opportunity to learn based on their individual learning style.  However, recently, that theory is coming under question as to its validity.  Many educational professionals are now considering learning styles more of a myth than a theory.  In Reed Gillespie's blog post titled "10 Statements Disproving Learning Styles" Mr. Gillespie narrows down research from top educational professionals that contradict the long accepted theory of learning styles.  These research studies state that there is no evidence that learning style even exist.

   So if learning styles don't exist what can teachers do to reach all students?  The trend may be shifting from learning styles to choice.  Student choice in how they learn.  In her article "7 Ways to Hack Your Classroom to Include Student Choice," Ronan cites different conducted research that suggests that student choice in how they learn leads to more interest and deeper learning.  She offers 7 ways for students to have more input and ownership in their education.  The 7 ways she suggests are through choice of:

• ·         seating: letting students choose who they sit by and work with can help students feel more comfortable willing to work
• ·         homework: letting students choose which problems to solve as homework.
• ·         choice boards:  having multiple activities to choose from
• ·         summative projects: letting students have choices in how they present projects
• ·         learning celebrations: let students decide how they will celebrate success at end of unit/project
• ·         assessments:  providing options on types of questions and number of questions to answer on tests.
• ·         unstructured innovation time:  giving students free time to create something of their choice.

The idea of summative projects is also endorsed by the Horizon Report 2015.  Horizon cites many schools and educational studies that support the use of self-directed project based learning modules resulting in statistics indicating an increased level of learning through such projects. 

   In my own classroom I already use the first strategy.  My decision of this was based solely on my experience in my own classroom.  I teach an elective course that includes laboratory experiences.  I learned quickly that students who choose to work together tend to collaborate better and have better unity within the group. From Ronan's list I would like to try choice boards.  I have looked into creating tic tac toe boards which would allow students to choose different activities to reach the goal or competency of the particular unit or project.  As in playing the game tic tac toe, the student would pick three activities from a provided table either in a row, column or diagonally.  The activities would need to be strategically created for students to meet the objectives of the unit regardless of the activities chosen.