I learned there are some distinct differences between planning lessons and designing lessons. As teachers, we do both and both have a place.
Teachers as designers means that teachers need to think about the problems they need to tackle, the goals they want to achieve, and the constraints of the curriculum in order to design activities. With this in mind, Teachers use their curriculum knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and technological knowledge to innovate new activities that accomplishes the desired outcome and modify and adapt as new problems, goals, and constraints arise or are made apparent. This is supported by the need for designing to be intentional and purposeful over just filling time for students in the day.
These all happen, to some extent, subconsciously for teachers, myself included. My practice will be impacted by bringing these thoughts to the foreground and to increase the frequency of “designed” activities over “planned” activities.
Hi, Will! You're right: many elements of design are subconsciously integrated into many good teachers' practices. Do you currently have a unit or lesson that has elements of design embedded within? I'm not familiar with the 5th grade curriculum.
ReplyDeleteI would say we do in the Global Awareness Technology Project FCPS has 5th grade complete. Students use technology to solve a problem (researching and then teaching about two ancient Civs). Students have to choose technology that meets their needs from the research stage all the way through their final product. As a teacher, we have to think about how to guide them and provide the technology and skills they'll need (including many that we don't expect at the beginning)
DeleteWill, I don't know about you but I am excited to start to pulling the differences between when I am planning and designing. Even outside of school just this week I have been looking at everything I do as whether I have designed or planned it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your 5th graders will also enjoy and grow successfully with the designed activities that you begin to pull out. I can't wait to hear about it.
Hi Will! I think it's interesting that you stated teachers plan subconsciously. We know our standards and our expected outcomes. Learning the difference between planning and designing will completely change how our students learn, but not the standards we expect them to learn. I have been a high school teacher and am now a middle school teacher. I always wonder what it's like for a elementary school teacher to plan for all content and keep students constantly engaged.
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