Source: Student Disengagement, it´s Deeper than You Think. Click
Are you able to assess how well your students participate in classes and in college/university-life, what leads to disengagement of some of your students, and what could be changed in order to foster more engagement?
Until now, in this course we have focused mainly on planned learning results, even though some students may have many more questions and expectations, than those you have planned for.
Students are required to fit into a restrictive structure; culture and curriculum, colleges & universities often do little to fit themselves to their students.
Your students´ expectations are a goldmine of information for you, but you may only mine these data by letting your students become your teachers: Let your students inform you about their expectations.
Following is a thematic overview with some examples of expectations of American students. You can use the themes to structure your discussions with your students, and the examples as starters: You might say ”So, these are the questions which a sample of American students expect (or hope) their teachers are able to answer positively; what are your own expectations?”
Here are the examples:
Do my teachers know about me, my interests, and talents, and personal problems?
Do my teachers help me form relationships with adults and peers who might serve as models, mentors, and coaches concerning my career interests?
Is the teaching relevant to my interests, including my career interests?
Do my teachers help me understand how my learning and work contribute to my community and the world?
Do I have real choices about what, when, and how I will learn and demonstrate my competence?
Do my teachers help me make good choices about my learning and work?
Do I feel appropriately sufficiently challenged in my learning and work (school work)?
Am I addressing real-world issues? ... according to meaningful high standards of excellence?
Is the learning and work I do regarded as significant outside of college/university by my communities of practice, experts, family members and employers?
Does the community recognize the value of my work?
Do I have opportunities to apply what I am learning in real world settings and contests?
Do I have opportunities to contribute to solving problems that my community and the world are facing?
Do I have opportunities to explore - to make mistakes and learn from them - without being branded as a failure?
Do my teachers coach me in tinkering, experimenting, and speculating?
Do I have opportunities to engage in deep and sustained practice of the skills I need to learn?
Do my teachers guide me in practicing correctly? Again, how large is the class? How much time is there for all the activities that you mention? How many classes is each teacher responsible for?
Am I given sufficient time to learn at my own pace?
Am I allocating sufficient time for my learning - to go deep as well as broad?
Can I pursue my learning out of the standard sequence?
Do my teachers help me determine the right time for pursuing a project or taking a course?”
(Based on: Washor and Makowski (2014): Student disengagement. It's deeper than then you think. Kappan. Page 8-10 Kappan ( magazine), May 2014. Click
Here is one of many ways to discuss your students’ expectations:
1. Give your students a few minutes to read and discuss which of the themes mentioned above is most important to them, and why.
2. Discuss their expectations and how you and the institution might do better to live up to their expectations.
3. Consider afterwards when you plan your next teaching sessions how you can interpret and live to up to relevant expectations expressed by your students to create more engagement. Maybe you will also benefit from discussions with colleagues and leaders on how to interpret student frustrations and expectations, and what to change.
Keep ON going - Teach better by use of evaluation and action plans A warm welcome to all teachers at highshool, college and university-levels Click
Evaluate your own courses + Inspirational active learning methods handouts Click Take small steps every day Click Planning of deeper learning Click Focus on the theoretical framework: "You need a framework …” Click
Evaluate your courses together with your students 5 steps to turn inspiration into action & plan a MIDWAY EVALUATION in your courses Click Inspiration for how to develop better homework results Click Inspiration for your next steps: What to learn from your students Click Evaluate together with a colleague/colleagues , … and train your colleagues Click Inspiration for your next steps Click Sources and references Click
(Furthermore, LNKS to 30 inspirational documents are to be found in these blog posts) |
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