Power-up Digital Learning

One of my passions is finding ways to amplify student voice.  Our staff has embraced the goal to meaningfully integrate technology into the student learning experience.  This has translated into deep and dynamic learning for our school.

Students are collaborating with each other and reflecting on their learning using online forums, shared documents in Google Drive, and more.  They’re extending their learning through hands-on projects requiring critical thinking and creativity.  The combination of digital learning and face-to-face collaboration has been nothing short of inspiring.

We continue to have conversations about how to enhance students’ communication and achievement in this new learning paradigm.  Our goal is to move our kids from basic responses to more in-depth analysis.  We understand this is a process involving many variables.  The tool below is intended to scaffold this process.  The tool could help power-up students who are responding to a text, replying in a forum, or providing a partner feedback about his/her writing.

Providing students additional “choice and voice” in their learning will empower them to reach levels that were previously unimaginable.  It’s amazing what our kids can do when we give them the opportunity and support them when they fall!

Digital Response Power-ups

About this Document:

• The tool is based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.  The icons get progressively more involved as a student works his way towards the bottom of the document.
• The tool is based on basic tenets of gamification.  Students’ natural inclination for achievement, self-expression, and closure have been packaged into several digital badges.
• It is suggested that teachers allow students choice in what badges they will select to respond to a classmate/text.
• The recommended number of badges per assignment is 2-4 for initial responses to a text, and 1-3 for online forum feedback to classmates.
• Students should be asked to conclude each posting with the code letters indicating what badges they selected to their teacher.  (E.g. “?H+”)

What did I miss? How might we improve this tool to facilitate high levels of learning for each and every student? I look forward to your comments and sharing.

 

Image Credits: FotoSearch.com