Learning through social constructivism

GSSD Coaches

Andrea Hnatiuk & Cindy Smith

*We start and end on time.

*We are a community of professional learners; we have an obligation to participate and collaborate. Please consider how you are contributing.

*We create a safe place to be heard, we can take risks.

*We respect everyone’s point of view.

*We use technology appropriately in the spirit of professional learning.

What will I be able to do when I am done here today?

I can identify and implement instructional strategies that promote collaborative learning in order to increase student learning outcomes

What is important for me to learn and understand so that I can hit the target?

I can learn and understand various forms of communication and its role in helping students construct meaning for themselves

What will I do to show that I understand?

I can implement effective instructional strategies that meet and assist student learning outcomes.

Moss, C., & Brookhart, M. (2012). Learning targets: Helping students aim for understanding in today’s lesson. Alexandria: ASCD.

6

*Recognize and use connections among ideas

*Understand how ideas interconnect and build on one another to produce a coherent whole

*Recognize and apply learnings in contexts outside of school

7

*Organize and consolidate their ideas thinking through communication 

*Communicate their learning coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others

*Analyze and evaluate the thinking and strategies of others

   

8

*Students construct meaning for themselves

*Students clarify their ideas

*Students speak to each other and write about learning to reflect on their learning, self-monitor, and set goals

*We can assess students by listening and reading their ideas and understandings. We inform our practice based on what we learn about student understanding

*knowledge is constructed as the learner strives to organize his or her experiences in terms of pre-existing mental structures or schemas

10

*Length and correctness of responses increases

*Number of “I don’t know” and “no answer” responses decreases

*Number of volunteered appropriate answers increases

*Student achievement increases

*Teacher questioning quality, strategies and flexibility improve

*Teachers ask higher level questions that require greater complexity of response

Positive outcomes of three seconds Positive outcomes of three seconds of undisturbed wait time (when of undisturbed wait time (when questioning) questioning)

*How can we create a classroom environment that fosters an atmosphere of safe contribution and values communication?

*What does a classroom have to be like for our students to participate and communicate effectively?

*Before Viewing: Round Table Discussion*During Viewing:

How did the teacher contribute to an environment that allowed the students learn in this way?

*After Viewing: Create Norms

*How do we allow students to freely participate?

*Take ownership of their ideas?

*Honour each others contributions?

*Understand that we need to make mistakes in order to learn?

*Respect each others’ opinions and ideas?

*Listen and dialogue with respect?

*Persist?

*Reflective Listening