Voice and Choice
Are you looking for a dynamic way to gauge student learning beyond assigning a traditional quiz or discussion forum post? Have you ever considered asking your students how they would like to demonstrate their learning? Consider giving students voice and choice by differentiating learning. Doing so also provides you, the instructor, differentiated student submissions to look at for grading (how refreshing 🙂). With a little pre-planning, organization and communication, differentiated learning can be a meaningful enhancement to your course. The following is an example of applying this concept to an online class.
Learners’ Choice
In this example, students are presented with a Learners’ Choice Activity Board and four categories to choose from. Students can complete each category only twice. Leaners’ Choice is a weekly culminating activity and is applied to 8 weeks of the course. One student-chosen activity is due at the end of each week. The content of the activity must be focused on the subject topic from that week. Rubrics can be helpful to assessment. Since topics vary week-to-week, activity rubrics can be designed at a higher level (independent of a specific subject topic) yet still provide students feedback on meeting activity requirements and the depth of the learning that they have demonstrated for the week’s topic.
Thoughts, questions, or feedback, please comment below. – Mahalo