As teachers who use technology, how can we stress the responsibility that comes with students taking control of their learning and not lessen their Sense of Self?
As students begin a new course it is important that they are given a task in which they can experience success right away. A good way to start an online class would be to have students introduce themselves and respond to one another (Vilkas & McCabe, 2014). This also provides a nice way to get to know our students. Much of the advice about building self-efficacy in students involves building relationships while in the classroom, for example by welcoming students at the door. Fortunately, most of the suggestions can be transformed to work in our online classrooms as well.
Here is the link to my personal journey.
“In Albert Bandura’s thorough examination of self-efficacy, he defined the concept as a person’s beliefs about his/her abilities to complete specific actions” (Vilkas & McCabe, 2014). As we have shifted quickly from traditional education to online and hybrid models, students are being thrust into new challenges every day. As teachers, working with and through technology, it is important that we promote student self-efficacy.
Everything I read this week about self-efficacy included four factors that affect an individual’s self-efficacy.
- Experience of mastery
- Vicarious experience
- Social persuasion
- Physiological factors (Vilkas & McCabe, 2014)
Vicarious experiences can be achieved through “provid(ing) positive feedback to students in the public discussion forums and invit(ing) other students to read the student’s responses” (Vilkas & McCabe, 2014). We can also have students work in groups and learn from their peers. Zoom allows us to place students in breakout rooms to work as groups from their own homes. Google tools also allow students to collaborate without needing to be in the same room.
Providing timely feedback can increase student efficacy. “Truly personalized and actionable feedback shows your students that the work they do is genuinely valuable, seen, and evaluated by someone who knows and cares for them” (Gunn, 2018). There is also value in setting clear expectations and encouraging students to be actively involved in class discussions. This can be done in a number of ways; blogs, Zoom, collaborative Slides, and more. In addition to this, we should “encourage students to assess their own learning progress by using charts or keeping journals, so they can evaluate the progress they are making as they acquire relevant knowledge and skills” (McCombs, 2010).
Finally the fourth factor is all about teachers providing support and encouragement in order to reduce any nervousness or anxiety students might have (Vilkas & McCabe, 2014). In an online setting this can be a bit more tricky than in a traditional classroom, but not impossible. Zoom gives us the feel that we are all in the room together, but if a teacher suspects a student is uncomfortable they can email or call them as well. Making those connections is key in eliminating extra stress for our students during these already stressful and uncertain times.
In order for students to be able to take control of their learning they have to believe in themselves so we must set them up for success as much as we possibly can and we need to believe in them too. Education is always challenging, but right now it is just plain difficult. It is important that we remind ourselves that students will struggle if they have a low self-efficacy. We should start by helping them build confidence in themselves, then we can provide opportunities for them to learn.
Here is the link to my personal journey.
Resources:
Gunn, J. (2018, December 19). Small Actions That Have a Positive Impact in Classrooms: Resilient Educator. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/effective-small-classroom-practices/
McCombs, B. (2010). Developing responsible and autonomous learners: A key to motivating students. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://www.apa.org/education/k12/learners
Vilkas, B., & McCabe, C. (2014, May 20). Promoting Students' Self-Efficacy in the Online Classroom. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/promoting-students-self-efficacy-online-classroom/
Nice work. It is important to help students become the masters of their own learning. And helping them to develop good habits for learning. We are all accountable to ourselves in the end, so we need to be sure we are good learners. The challenge after they begin to take control of their learning is to help them become perceptive and discerning learners. Now that might be a more difficult task considering what social media and such have out there.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post heather—I particularly noticed the emphasis on promoting success as a way of building early confidence, and on relationship building. These two factors have made me feel much more connected to my work. Another point you made that resonated with me was the importance of feedback that is specific and individualized. It was always a pet peeve of mine when a paper had a grade, or a generic saying of “great work!” without specifying what made it that way. After knowing how my answer mattered I could become a more discerning student as to what answers were most relevant and interesting to the reader.
ReplyDeleteDr. Fredenberg mentions that the more advanced student is perceptive and discerning; and I think quality feedback is a pivotal step for those more advanced abilities.