#Edchat Weekly Roundup: Importance of Student Voice
One of the most commonly used education hashtags (asides from #edchat) is #stuvoice. An abbreviation of “student voice,” the popularity of this hashtag is demonstrative of just how important the voice of students is in today’s educational climate. In a time where schools seemed to be more focused on testing than teaching, it’s now more important than ever to let #stuvoice be heard.This past week’s #edchat discussed two aspects of student voices. At 12pm ET, the topic discussed was the Flipped Classroom Approach, a teaching model that inverts the traditional teaching methods by bringing “homework” into the classroom, and delivering online instruction at home.
For more information about the Flipped Classroom model, take a look at Knewton’s infographic “The Flipped Classroom: Turning Traditional Education on Its Head."
The 12pm topic posed the following question:
“Has the flipped classroom model been tried by you or a colleague? What has the result been?”
Allowing students to take charge of their learning is a large part of the Flipped Classroom model. This model allows students to take “center stage” and direct their own learning, and places teachers in a more “facilitator” position.
See below for some of the great conversations that happened during the 12pm ET #edchat:
This is the YouTube generation. Students need to be creating content, not consuming it. #Edchat
— Sean Junkins (@sjunkins) February 18, 2014
Problem with #flipclass is that it can exacerbate technology inequity at home #edchat
— Michael J Maher (@MJ_Maher) February 18, 2014
@ShellTerrell @tarawaudby #edchat flips can shorten time on hw. Spend more time in class learning.
— STEM Nation LLC (@STEMNation) February 18, 2014
What if we involved the kids in making the content and used it to teach other kids and teachers #edchat
— Starr Sackstein (@mssackstein) February 18, 2014
The night’s 7pm topic also tackled an issue of student voice, posing the question:
“If kids learn at different rates, why do we house them by age? What are the alternatives?”
It’s no secret that all students learn differently. While it seems some school administration has adopted an almost “one-size-must-fit-all” attitude towards measuring student learning and comprehension, we must not forget that student learning styles vary by student, and that the best way to ensure success for your whole classroom is to differentiate instruction. However, this week’s #edchat made teachers think one step further: instead of differentiating our teaching from student to student, why don’t we just group our classrooms by ability rather than age?
See below for some of the innovative commentary made by this week’s 7pm ET #edchat:
Bottom line is that we have to find the best answer for each child. There is no one approach for everyone. #edchat
— Jerry Blumengarten (@cybraryman1) February 19, 2014
Change may have to be gradual. Changing grouping in schools will drastically change social climate and environment as a whole #edchat
— Lindsey Farnsworth (@LFarnsworth12) February 19, 2014
What kind of technology could be used in classrooms grouped by ability rather than age? #edchat
— Jessica Blauwkamp (@JessBlauwkamp) February 19, 2014
If we stop grouping by age, should students be in different groups for every subject? #edchat
— Borne Digital (@BorneDigital) February 19, 2014
#Edchat Weekly Roundup Archive
- 2/11/14 - 21st Century Teaching Tools
- 2/4/14 - Taking Care of our Teachers
- 1/29/14 - Introducing #Edchat Weekly Roundup
How do you make sure your students' voices are heard in your classroom and overall curriculum? Comment below or tweet us at @teachdotcom and share your stories!