Personalised Learning in Chemistry

 

Student ownership of learning occurs when they feel intrinsically motivated. To allow for this to occur students’ opportunities must be made available which allows for students to develop a sense of ownership to continue learning.

Students’ learning experience can be personalised with the assistance of technology which today allows for much of this to occur. Technology provides students with the opportunity to work at their own pace and being responsive and responsible to their own individual needs (Corbett, Koedinger & Anderson, 1997 in Lindgren, R 7 McDaniel, R. (2012).

To facilitate deeper thinking in students I have used the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy which enables students to develop increasingly complex levels of understanding of the subject matter. I have further aligned this to the New Zealand National Certificate of Achievement (NCEA) objectives provides clarity on learning outcomes. A snip of this unit plan is given below:

Personalised learning

 

The unit of work that I have been working with is for target age group years 16-18. Using SOLO and 0365 tools I have personalised the learning experience for my students to be able to work at their ability level. Learning objectives have clearly been identified for ability levels and students will be able to target their learning based on diagnostic feedback from the teacher. SOLO taxonomy model is useful for students who are trying to make sense of what they are learning, how they need to learn it and next steps to achieve the learning. See http://pamhook.com/solo-taxonomy/ for more information.

0365 tools have allowed for powerful communication between student and teacher in personalising learning experiences. I have used Onenote Class Notebook to share teaching units with my students.

Onenote classnotebook

This tool has enabled me to post useful links, PowerPoints of teaching slides as well as tasks all on the same page. Such clarity has only been achieved through Class Notebook which has made the user experience for students easy.

Class notebook learning tool add-in have allowed further personalisation of students learning through the use of learning tools add-in for students with learning difficulties.

Learning tools

Further to this is the use of ‘translate’ and ‘language’ tools which has been particularly useful for my second language students in understanding a difficult subject such as chemistry. Overseas students have always found it challenging to translate learning in their own language which often may be at an advanced level to English which is the main medium for teaching in New Zealand. These tools have allowed me as a teacher to have powerful conversations with my students around their learning and effectively provide feedback.

Language

I have found my students to engage with the learning tools and SOLO taxonomy which has made teaching and learning engaging for them.

To find out more about this unit of teaching contact me @ChhayaNarayan.

 References

  1. http://pamhook.com/solo-taxonomy/
  2. Lindgren, R 7 McDaniel, R. (2012)