After the second group talked about giving students choice of technology in the classroom, I started thinking more about how this would play out. For the classes I teach, we often talk about making sure that things are fair, so that everyone has a way to complete the assignment even if they are not using the method that the teacher prescribes. For example, I have my students write journals for class, but they have the option of handwriting those or writing them on computer, whichever they are more comfortable with. So, if a student did not have access to a computer they could always write them by hand and still get full credit.
Although choice and fairness is good, I am now thinking that there have to be some sort of limit to this. For example, having two options of doing an assignment, so that students can interact with each other in a way they are comfortable with, but not having five or six different formats of assignments to grade and organize . Yes, students should be given reasonable options, but teachers are still in charge in the classroom and can and should place limits on that, or else students might just take advantage of them. As long as the crux of the assignment is the same it should not be a problem allowing various presentation methods, but if there are distinct differences in the requirements of each, it might be unfair.
Can students be given too much choice?
Yes, I believe so. I think there are instances when having too many choices can be disruptive and interfere with the content you are trying to teach. I'm definitely not against giving students say one other option for an assignment, but definitely not something like 3 or 4 options.
ReplyDeleteIt is true we are all here to devote our time (and lives, in some instances) to teaching and learning, but we shouldn't be wasting our time making up 4 different rubrics and grading 4 different homework versions to teach the same material to all the students - is that really the most efficient way? Our time could be better spent on other teaching-related issues.