In many cases, pupils don't feel encouraged to engage with literature. They neither want to read long passages nor feel motivated enough to work with them. As a result, they have difficulties in finding access to novels or poetry in particular. If we set up a literary platform to awaken pupils to literature and create a place where they can describe and discuss their own reading experiences, in what ways will this virtual classroom help teachers to arouse their pupils' interest in literature?
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Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Students Taking Space Race Quiz- responsible approach?
Critique on the method ‘Space Race Quiz‘ by Socrative First, when one sees this video showing eager pupils and the positive comments of the teacher, one might think the ‘Space Race Quiz’ by Socrative is a fun method to get pupils to work and have fun. But soon various questions came to my mind, especially because I am studying to be a special needs teacher. One task for a whole class presumes a homogeneous learning group in which every individual is at the same level. But in most cases, this does not apply. In today’s schools, especially since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we have a range of children with diverse abilities and special educational needs. If we set up a quiz which asks the same questions for everyone, which also have to be answered as fast as possible, we disregard the individual learner. Questions for children with a learning or mental disability might need to be formulated in simple language while faster learners need to be challenged so as not to be bored. One needs to read the questions out loud for pupils with a visual impairment or project the task on a bigger screen than an ‘iPod touch’ can provide. Here I see another problem. Children whose parents do not have enough money or do not want to buy such an internet connected device might be excluded or bullied because of the lack of such a status symbol. Therefore, the school must provide enough devices for every student to work with. Furthermore, I see a problem in the way the students work. Instead of the learning process, only the result (which should be achieved as fast as possible) counts. The children might be so eager to achieve this and forget to really think about their answers. There is no time for their own thoughts or a reflection. Besides, the method promotes achievement orientation in which everyone works by him- or herself and tries to be the winner. Of course the ‘Space Race Quiz’ is not the only didactic method to work with pupils. A situation in which one competes and has to react fast is a lot of fun for many people and therefore it is legitimate to use this method in one’s class. But one should keep in mind the aspects mentioned above and broach the issue with one’s pupils. And - and this is self-evident if one does not want to frustrate, bore or exclude any child - it is indispensible to formulate questions of different degrees of difficulty and if needed read them out loud, either personally or via a technical device.
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ReplyDeleteCritique on the method ‘Space Race Quiz‘ by Socrative
DeleteFirst, when one sees this video showing eager pupils and the positive comments of the teacher, one might think the ‘Space Race Quiz’ by Socrative is a fun method to get pupils to work and have fun. But soon various questions came to my mind, especially because I am studying to be a special needs teacher.
One task for a whole class presumes a homogeneous learning group in which every individual is at the same level. But in most cases, this does not apply. In today’s schools, especially since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we have a range of children with diverse abilities and special educational needs. If we set up a quiz which asks the same questions for everyone, which also have to be answered as fast as possible, we disregard the individual learner. Questions for children with a learning or mental disability might need to be formulated in simple language while faster learners need to be challenged so as not to be bored. One needs to read the questions out loud for pupils with a visual impairment or project the task on a bigger screen than an ‘iPod touch’ can provide. Here I see another problem. Children whose parents do not have enough money or do not want to buy such an internet connected device might be excluded or bullied because of the lack of such a status symbol. Therefore, the school must provide enough devices for every student to work with.
Furthermore, I see a problem in the way the students work. Instead of the learning process, only the result (which should be achieved as fast as possible) counts. The children might be so eager to achieve this and forget to really think about their answers. There is no time for their own thoughts or a reflection. Besides, the method promotes achievement orientation in which everyone works by him- or herself and tries to be the winner.
Of course the ‘Space Race Quiz’ is not the only didactic method to work with pupils. A situation in which one competes and has to react fast is a lot of fun for many people and therefore it is legitimate to use this method in one’s class. But one should keep in mind the aspects mentioned above and broach the issue with one’s pupils. And - and this is self-evident if one does not want to frustrate, bore or exclude any child - it is indispensible to formulate questions of different degrees of difficulty and if needed read them out loud, either personally or via a technical device.