Enabling Students to Achieve Learning Goals
Arguably, one of the most important aims for educators is to help students to achieve learning goals which are set out in the curriculum. As educators, it is important to have theories and knowledge of how these learning goals can be achieved for every individual within the classroom. In this essay, it will be argued that, as educators, we can help students to achieve these learning goals through promoting motivation, developing learning strategies, teaching for learning transfer and by using assessment. All of these arguments can go hand in hand, therefore, links between these key ideas will be made throughout this essay.
As educators, we can help students achieve learning goals by analysing and …show more content…
Transfer is when knowledge learnt in one context is applied in another context (Van Deur, 2016). Students may have functional fixedness, where they believe that materials have a specific function and can only be used in that function (Mclnerney & Mclnerney, 2010, cited in Van Deur, 2016). When this functional fixedness is combined with a fixed mindset, students may believe that they are unable to do particular tasks even when familiar content from other subjects is present. As promoting transfer is important to help maintain motivation, as educators, it is our role to prompt students to apply their knowledge to ensure this transfer is made. This can be implemented by getting students to practice using their knowledge in different situations, having an emphasis on problem-solving using their knowledge from all subjects, outlining the benefits of developing rules to help problem-solving, teaching students to inquire and giving students clues to help them retrieve relevant information when problem-solving (Van Deur, 2016). Prior knowledge can indicate what appropriate learning activities can be used to promote learning transfer. Knowing this prior knowledge is important as it can be used as a tool to transform and create new schemas and expand understandings among students (Lawson, 2016). This prior knowledge can be collected in the form of pre-assessment in a summative …show more content…
Assessment is an ongoing process, central to learning, which occurs for, of and as learning. Assessment of learning is a summative process which usually is outplayed in the form of end of term tests, essays and grades. As educators, we can use this assessment to help students achieve learning goals by using the ‘backward design’ model. This is where the learning goals are outlined, the evidence needed to be collected is determined and then learning experiences are planned out. This model ensures that grades can be accounted for and relayed to parents and moderators when needed (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013, cited in Van Deur, 2016). However, research suggests that assessment given in the form of grades is not in the best interest of the students. Instead, it is diagnostic feedback that produces the most success and growth among students (PERTS, 2016). This form of assessment, assessment for learning, is obtained through observation within the classroom (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016). Diagnostic feedback reinforces the growth mindset as students are not given set grades, however, students are given feedback on ways they can improve and therefore promoting motivation. Assessment as learning occurs in a self-monitoring and reflection format. This type of assessment is extremely important as it encourages students to be self-regulated learners who are able to reflect on their
Arguably, one of the most important aims for educators is to help students to achieve learning goals which are set out in the curriculum. As educators, it is important to have theories and knowledge of how these learning goals can be achieved for every individual within the classroom. In this essay, it will be argued that, as educators, we can help students to achieve these learning goals through promoting motivation, developing learning strategies, teaching for learning transfer and by using assessment. All of these arguments can go hand in hand, therefore, links between these key ideas will be made throughout this essay.
As educators, we can help students achieve learning goals by analysing and …show more content…
Transfer is when knowledge learnt in one context is applied in another context (Van Deur, 2016). Students may have functional fixedness, where they believe that materials have a specific function and can only be used in that function (Mclnerney & Mclnerney, 2010, cited in Van Deur, 2016). When this functional fixedness is combined with a fixed mindset, students may believe that they are unable to do particular tasks even when familiar content from other subjects is present. As promoting transfer is important to help maintain motivation, as educators, it is our role to prompt students to apply their knowledge to ensure this transfer is made. This can be implemented by getting students to practice using their knowledge in different situations, having an emphasis on problem-solving using their knowledge from all subjects, outlining the benefits of developing rules to help problem-solving, teaching students to inquire and giving students clues to help them retrieve relevant information when problem-solving (Van Deur, 2016). Prior knowledge can indicate what appropriate learning activities can be used to promote learning transfer. Knowing this prior knowledge is important as it can be used as a tool to transform and create new schemas and expand understandings among students (Lawson, 2016). This prior knowledge can be collected in the form of pre-assessment in a summative …show more content…
Assessment is an ongoing process, central to learning, which occurs for, of and as learning. Assessment of learning is a summative process which usually is outplayed in the form of end of term tests, essays and grades. As educators, we can use this assessment to help students achieve learning goals by using the ‘backward design’ model. This is where the learning goals are outlined, the evidence needed to be collected is determined and then learning experiences are planned out. This model ensures that grades can be accounted for and relayed to parents and moderators when needed (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013, cited in Van Deur, 2016). However, research suggests that assessment given in the form of grades is not in the best interest of the students. Instead, it is diagnostic feedback that produces the most success and growth among students (PERTS, 2016). This form of assessment, assessment for learning, is obtained through observation within the classroom (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2016). Diagnostic feedback reinforces the growth mindset as students are not given set grades, however, students are given feedback on ways they can improve and therefore promoting motivation. Assessment as learning occurs in a self-monitoring and reflection format. This type of assessment is extremely important as it encourages students to be self-regulated learners who are able to reflect on their