As I continue my first year of technology coaching I see teachers wanting to drift away from being the source of information. When teachers enter into a 1 to 1 environment I see this more and more. After sitting down and discussing with teachers what techniques they have used to get students to become owners of their own learning I have found a few that are pretty common.
Questioning: Teachers have now started to respond to questions with more questions: "Where could you find that?", "What would you search to find that answer?", or "What tool could you use to find that answer?"
I like this method. Teachers feel like they are deflecting questions, but they are starting the thinking process. Basic questions sometimes lead to the best research from a student.
Modeling: Teacher model searching for the answers in front of the class. They will do a google search or model the new tool they want students to use.
Teachers feel like they loose time here, but they are teaching a skill or process that is very much needed. We are all guilty of assuming that students know what tools or resrouces are out they but they don't. We have to show.
Encouraging Curiosity: During classroom discussion the teachers let the students guide the discussion.
I have seen classroom lecture turn into a show-in-tell time. "Look I''ve found this.", "How do I do this?", "What about this one." These are all comments that tie those students into the learning. When then are able to choose the content so to say, they are the winners.
As I look back on these techniques, I realize that these are teaching techniques that have been used for a long time. The only thing that has changed is that the tool or resources are right in front of the students. I remember being in classrooms and using these techniques to encourage students to be curious.
The only thing that I still hear from teachers is that students give up easily. This is the ultimate cop out. Students will have to work hard or maybe harder that they would normally, but this isn't a bad thing. As a teacher, I would say that you just have to create an environment that encourages all of these things.
