What do you need to change in your thought process or learning style(s) to begin to adapt to R-Directed thinking for the purpose of creating 21st Century learning environments for students?
"R-Directed Thinking is simultaneous, metaphorical, aesthetic, contextual and synthetic"
*High-concept and high-touch*
Students need more freedoms in their assignments than before. For example, a work-sheet really is not going to cut it. Worksheets allow no imaginative thought or even original thought. Instead of a pre-programmed artifact, students should pick their subject (given certain perameters) and have the ability to create something of their own. Something original. This, obviously, is going to cause more work for the teacher because her students won't have created cookie cutter work. But then again, don't we want our students to express themselves? Isn't that what makes them passionate about learning?
Also, teachers need to find new resources for learning...videos, internet, ipods, blogs, online penpals. Anything "out-of-the-ordinary" will get students to be engaged with their own learning. Thus, they will become self-reliant and self-motivated.
2 comments:
I guess I have to agree with you on some points, however I do feel that worksheets aren't all bad! It is really important for us to check up on the kids' progress and well designed worksheets can be really useful. The problem with traditional worksheets is that teachers dont make them, the text book companies do. I think that if a good teacher spends time to make a good worksheet, then that worksheet can be really useful in learning. But you are right, being a good teacher takes a lot of time and effort!
~Christy
I whole-heartedly agree with you here. Students definitely need the freedom to create something new and original with their knowledge. Not only does creating something broaden that knowledge into a deeper understanding of the subject, but it also gives students a sense of pride and self-worth ("I made that!"). Students become excited about education when they have a part in it, when education is no longer someone talking at them, but a system that is working with them.
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