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| http://ikit.org/fulltext/2002AERAAnn.pdf |
Knowledge Building which I have been tinkering with in one of my classes for a few years, puts the student at the center of their learning - they are agents in it and as legitimate knowledge creators in our learning community. It is really scary for some students as they haven't known anything other than direct instruction. But the rewards are huge for when they get it.
I guess the question is how to empower students to see themselves as being capable of inquiry ... and also how to scaffold them so we're not throwing them in the deep end before they've learned to swim!
So in my inquiry, I'm thinking about 'learning how to learn'. How can I give my students the skills that they need to create knowledge? How can I give them the tools that they need to reflect on their learning and be empowered as epistemic agents?
For those of you who have been working with knowledge building and collaboration for a while, how do you support metacognition in your students? Are there particular resources or tools that are really effective?
My inquiry hunch is that knowledge building will improve self-efficacy over time.
To identify a shift I will need to gather qualitative data over time. I was thinking of using the Learning Dispositions survey that we often use with NetNZ students. Teachers, can you think of any other good ways of getting a picture of students as learners? The main thing really is that I'm collecting student voice about their learning as self-efficacy is defined by the learners' beliefs about their abilities.
Please share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback with me.
Interesting reading your statement about empowering students to be inquirers and how to scaffold them sufficiently to build knowledge through their own discovery. I have been trying to work this one out in my classes as well and have found that some students get it while others struggle or lose interest or give up. I don't allow them to give up, we find strategies to work through what they don't get it. At a previous school I taught at, Learning to Learn was implemented, based around habits of mind. The students hated it, but little did they realise what was actually happening to them. They were in fact becoming 'thinkers'. There was also the Building Learning Power programme, which also incorporated the habits of mind. And yes, self-efficacy did improve.
ReplyDeleteKia ora Prue,
ReplyDeleteThat's a thought. I used to use the Habits of Mind a lot when talking to students about developing a knowledge building mindset. I had completely forgotten about it. You've inspired me to return to this with my inquiry. Yay! Isn't it interesting that though students sometimes dislike meta-cognitive strategies, they do in fact discover the value of them eventually. I found with Knowledge Building last year, though it was challenging use knowledge building strategies and some were uncomfortable with it, they did get a lot of value out of it. "I appreciated the visual mind map format of the site, and the ability to build on others’ ideas to create a conversation. This allowed us to have effective and structured discussions on Art History concepts. Collaborating ideas and considering different viewpoints really helped me to clarify my own thoughts" " felt that Knowledge Forum was effective in aiding the creation of a more connected virtual classroom. I was able to discuss topics with other students and receive input from my teacher, which minimised the differences between a regular class and a VLN class and helped me to achieve. Despite being the only Level 3 Art History student from my school, I was able to connect with others and still felt as though I was part of a class."
What did learning to learn look like in your class room?