“We need to move away from rote learning to helping kids solve problems”, write Mark Potterton and Julie Dawjee. What creative, low-tech solutions have you used, seen or heard of that can help foster skills like critical thinking and collaboration in resource-constrained environments?
There are many ways this coulld be done, depending on the constraints perhaps placed on teachers by their school leadership teams. Of course the ideal and long term solution would be curricula that is more flexible to allow for project-based and inquiry-led learning, and with that, the assessment systems must evolve beyond rote memorization
- Perhaps get students to work in collaborative groups to create a detailed map of their own community (beyond the geographical). Groups could be assigned to map different “layers”: one group maps sources of clean water, another maps local businesses (formal and informal), another maps medicinal plants identified by elders, and another maps potential safety hazards.
- Identify skilled individuals within the community—a weaver, a mechanic, a farmer who uses traditional irrigation, a storyteller, or an elder. The class prepares for the expert’s visit by brainstorming questions in groups. After the visit, students work together to create a presentation, a written guide, or even a physical model explaining the expert’s skill.
- In my own teaching I have used something like this often –> The teacher poses a provocative statement relevant to the curriculum (e.g., “Progress always requires destroying nature,” or “It is better to be a leader than a follower”). The four corners of the room are labeled “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Disagree,” and “Strongly Disagree.” Students move to the corner that represents their opinion. They then must collaborate with the others in their corner to build the strongest possible argument for their position, which they then present to the other groups.
- Complex systems like economics, civics, or ecosystems can be taught through interactive games that require no digital technology. Divide the class into several groups. Give each group a different set of limited resources (e.g., Group A gets all the paper, Group B gets all the pens, Group C gets scissors and rulers). The final task is for each group to produce something that requires all the resources (e.g., a decorated, folded paper airplane). The groups are not allowed to simply give their resources away; they must negotiate and barter with other groups to acquire what they need.
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Thank you for sharing your insights, Steve. How do you feel these activities have improved learning?