From time to time when I'm scouring the internet (I'm supposed to be researching for my studies), I will inevitably fall into a rabbit hole and find things that have absolutely no relation to my initial intentions.
Check out this fascinating article that I stumbled upon today:
First, what is the difference
between a convergent question and a divergent question?
A convergent question has a
specific answer. Although the answer could
be ‘yes’ or ‘no’, any question that requires an answer that could be considered
right or wrong is a convergent question.
A convergent question is often logic driven. On the other hand, a divergent question is
open-ended. A divergent question may
also be considered right or wrong, but the answer is often open to interpretation
by the inquirer. A divergent question is
often creativity driven.
What are some of the ways that
convergent and divergent questions are best?
Since a convergent question often
lends itself to logic, there are many reasons why this type of question is best
applied to math or science. An example of
a convergent question may be, “what is 2+2?” or “in what time zone is the state
of Iowa”? It is important to note that many multiple-choice questions with one
answer are convergent in nature.
Since a divergent question often
lends itself to creativity, there are many reasons why this type of question is
best used for provoking the imagination.
An example of a divergent question may be, “Why do you think one side of
a ‘V’ of flying birds is longer than the other side”? While this question can be asked convergently
because there is a scientific explanation, asking this question in a divergent
manner inspires someone to contemplate.
So, why is it important to ask
both convergent and divergent questions when lesson planning?
The number one reason I believe
asking both types of questions when lesson planning is because offering both
types of questions facilitates a way for students to discover their own
learning styles. In fact, using both
styles of questions in a lesson plan will allow an instructor to differentiate
lessons to the different learning styles and thinking.
This is just a short synopsis on
the use of convergent and divergent questions for the purposes of this
blog. If you would like to know more,
check out the links below.
(PDF)
Teaching and Learning of Divergent & Convergent Thinking Skills using DCT
(researchgate.net)
Convergent vs Divergent
Questions - YouTube
Convergent Thinking Versus
Divergent Thinking - YouTube
Here is an article that I recently read, and I found myself
pondering a couple of things.
Students
with special needs: The challenges of online learning - CNN
Are we doing enough as future teachers to educate
ourselves so that we can contribute when we are in-service teachers? Can we ever?
This article snapshots
the lives of many different people and families and their perspectives on the
challenges the pandemic has required them to address. The mother of two special needs children
(ages 12 & 16) is featured first; background information and a description
of daily battles that her and her children encounter during the current school
year are discussed. Some perspectives this article discusses are the
introduction of the concept of the “virtual learning paradox”, we meet a lawyer
advocating for families of special needs children discussing her legality
doubts about the aspect of virtual learning and educational rights, and Betsy
Devos’ stance on virtual learning is touched upon.
The
Genius Hour
What happens when a
student has the freedom to choose their own path to education? The student is excited about his or her
learning and he or she participates with a deeper level of critical thinking than
he or she would if the material is not self-selected.
Enter the concept of
Genius Hour. “Genius hour is a movement that
allows students to explore their own passions and encourages creativity in the
classroom. It provides students a choice in what they learn during a set
period of time during school.”(“What
Is Genius Hour?,” n.d.). A Genius Hour is an hour of class that a
teacher splits up typically over a week where students are permitted to work on
their “passion projects”. This is like
what might happen in some corporate jobs.
Genius Hour effectively puts students in charge of their own academic
destinies. Look at this YouTube link to
see some of the products of Genius Hours.
2014
Genius Hour Projects in 3.5 Minutes - Bing video
What is Genius Hour? (n.d.). Genius Hour.
Retrieved March 4, 2021, from http://geniushour.com/what-is-genius-hour/
What is UBD? How Do I Apply UBD to a Lesson in My
Classroom?
“Think big,
start small, go for an early win”(Grant
Wiggins - Understanding by Design (1 of 2) - Bing Video, n.d.). UBD or Understanding By Design, is a way of
recreating a lesson so that it is useful, relevant and immersive. It’s a framework that teaches and assesses for
understanding and transfer. To do this
the first question we need to ask is: What in this lesson content is worth
understanding? To answer this question,
we need to evaluate the larger concepts and processes across the content and
then, wait for it… start backwards! Start backwards? Yes!
Figure out what ideas the students should be able to demonstrate as a
goal outcome from the lesson first and then build your lesson from there!
3 key
items to keep Top of Mind while building your UBD lesson
1. Choose
topics that you, as a teacher, are interested in.
2. Remember
that you get what you put into your lesson (Grant
Wiggins - Understanding by Design (2 of 2) - Bing Video, n.d.). So, if you plan your lesson with critical
thinking and creativity, your students will think critically and be creative.
3. Your
goal statement should not be the content with a pronoun in front of it. Your
students need to know what they are doing AND why they are doing it. Your goal should ultimately be a performance
or understanding goal.
Here is a link to better understand UBD: Authentic Education -
What is UbD™?
Grant Wiggins—Understanding by Design (1
of 2)—Bing video. (n.d.).
Retrieved February 28, 2021, from
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ubd&&view=detail&mid=5F059F49EF48CE86DC2E5F059F49EF48CE86DC2E&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dubd%26FORM%3DVDRESM
Grant
Wiggins—Understanding by Design (2 of 2)—Bing video. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2021,
from
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ubd&ru=%2fvideos%2fsearch%3fq%3dubd%26FORM%3dVDRESM&view=detail&mid=DE8CAB805A3849AE8BE4DE8CAB805A3849AE8BE4&rvsmid=5F059F49EF48CE86DC2E5F059F49EF48CE86DC2E&FORM=VDMCNR
How
to Engage Students with Whole Brain Teaching
Searching
for a way to engage and keep your students engaged in your lessons? How about Whole Brain Teaching? Whole Brain Teaching was first introduced as
a method to keep students engaged in the classroom in 1999 by Chris Biffle, to excite
students about their learning and make learning "brainbased, fun and free"(Lindstrom,
2010). To watch a teacher in a classroom, seem to “play
a game” with students, while they are learning, is absolutely jaw-dropping to
see. The method is fast-paced and highly
effective. "The core of our method
is to get kids to teach each other," said Chris Biffle, founder of the
Whole Brain movement. "When they're teaching each other they're seeing,
saying, hearing, doing and feeling whatever the lesson has to be, and that's
the whole brain."(Lindstrom,
2010) In the link below, 1st grade
students are learning with whole brain teaching for the first time.
Lindstrom,
N. (2010). WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING COMMANDS STUDENTS’ ATTENTION: Funny gestures,
chants spice up daily lessons. In Daily Press (Victorville, CA). Daily
Press (Victorville, CA).
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=n5h&AN=2W63400156084&site=ehost-live
Whole
Brain Teaching: Starting WBT With 1st Graders - YouTube
