It is a common sight these days that a virtual class session slips into a talking head one-way approach. Even when there is an addition of a PowerPoint or a few interesting videos to add the focus of the child gets disturbed and the session usually ends up being audible.
How does one assess the learning, how does one see if the student is learning…How can one decipher this? How can we figure out how to make this happen in virtual learning?
Visible Thinking is a flexible and systematic research-based conceptual framework, which aims to integrate the development of students’ thinking with content learning across subject matters. Based on the Reggio Emilia approach to learning, Visible Learners highlights learning through interpreting objects and artifacts, group learning, and documentation to make students’ learning evident to teachers. Visible Thinking Routines loosely guide learners’ thought processes. They are short, easy-to-learn mini-strategies that extend and deepen students’ thinking and become part of the fabric of everyday classroom life.
This process focuses not only on what students are learning but on how they are learning it. As students engage in visible thinking strategies, they are more aware of their learning, which can contribute to improved metacognition.
The goal of education is to make an impact on student learning in the classroom, but the question is how to achieve that impact? What truly influences student learning and achievement in the classroom? What makes the biggest difference?
Students may explain their thinking through discussion, model it with manipulative, or create a drawing or sketch to explain or demonstrate their thinking.
For instance, if they are learning a new poem encourage them to recall and illustrate. Ask the learners to create a new path to the bus stop when they are learning map work. Let them gather seashells, leaves and sort them according to their attributes. Encourage the learners to express and display their learning through creative forms. Let them enjoy the process of learning.
