A little run of posts inspired by my favourite educationalist of the past decade, Dylan Wiliam. He's the chap that explained formative assessment to me in twelve pages flat, and changed my practice forever.
In this two-minute clip he pleads with us to move away from IRE questioning (Initiate a question to the class, Response comes from one child, Evaluation comes from the teacher ["that's right", "interesting answer" etc etc). He describes this form of questioning as table tennis question and answer, where all questioning, thought, wisdom and learning revolve around the teacher, and occupy just one child at a time. Back and forth, back and forth...
He asks us not to do table tennis Q&A - play basketball instead. Pose a question, pause, ask another kid to evaluate the answer child one gave, and ask a third for an explanation of how and why that's right or wrong.
Finally, don't allow hands to go up to give an answer - your students results will be worse than if they do otherwise. Instead, the teacher can encourage certain students to take part in this three-way questioning activity, and work over time to get them playing question basketball for themselves.
Bang goes plan to use train journey to catch up with #mscidel tasks. Can't sign up to 2nd life from iPad. Time to write blog (offline)!
RT @jar: #mscidel is invited to a special #mscel seminar event, 21 Feb in Second Life. Smartphone learning, blogs and OERs. http://t.co/XvAFiVC6
#mscidel is invited to a special #mscel seminar event, 21 Feb in Second Life. Smartphone learning, blogs and OERs. http://t.co/XvAFiVC6
RT @A_L_T Worth it? Findings from a study of how academics assess students’ Web 2.0 activities by Kathleen Gray et al. ow.ly/8RCgP #mscidel
Can anyone 'overseas' see if these BBC video & audio links work outside UK? http://t.co/bHcggIkY http://t.co/uQpgQmWC Thanks! #mscidel
MT @EllaTasm: Work pressures in unis? http://t.co/uLl1MdC6 No mention overspill to Facebook etc < implications for online tutoring #mscidel
MT @GoodwinMJ: 'Universities: a series of indiv faculty entrepreneurs held tog by common grievance over parking' Pres UCLA< #mscidel agree?
RT @tes #mscidel ow.ly/1FuDqE -The Must-Have Guide To Helping Technophobic Teachers
Journal of Virtual Worlds Research may be of interest? http://t.co/FfGUqc5b #mscidel #mscel
second life next week - looking forward to it #mscidel
@karenwatchman - it happens to everyone - don't worry, we'll all prob being falling in the sea :) #mscidel
@CMSinclair Not sure it has its own grammar as such, but maybe a unique form of shorthand is being created through its use? #mscidel
MT @chris_coltrane: eBooks with DRM? Turns out they're basically just HTML. Why Apple/Amazon are bastards: http://t.co/iSqUtdmj #mscidel
@OsbertL indeed SL next week! I think healthy dose of scepticism is good thing: please bring it, along w a reflective approach :-) #mscidel
@mafrado it's second life next week is it? Must check schedule! I'm *extremely* sceptical of 2nd life. #mscidel
#mscidel Latest Research in Learning Technology journal now available free at http://t.co/sxnCju2x
RT @mafrado: Looking forward to meeting #mscidel course participants next week in #secondlife to explore learning, identity & presence in #virtualworlds!
by @mafrado: Looking forward to meeting #mscidel course participants next week in #secondlife to explore learning, identity & presence in…
Looking forward to meeting #mscidel course participants next week in #secondlife to explore learning, identity & presence in #virtualworlds!
@giles_julian I have yet to start completely cold with a new student on Skype- no unfamiliarity to present challenges #mscidel