The emergent students also benefit from this as they feel included in the activity and a sense of community is formed within the classroom.

This ties directly into Bruner's theory of  scaffolding, which states that the support given during the learning process should be directly linked to the needs of the student. (Structural learning, 2023).

Collaborative learning also ties directly into Lave and Wenger's theory of communities of practice, which states that groups of individuals who share a concern or a passion for something, they learn how to do it better as they interact regularly (Lave & Wenger, 1998).

Ultimately, collaborative learning helps the students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills as they work together to find solutions to progressively more difficult academic problems (Leonard, 2018).

Some of the techniques that I regularly make use of are the following:

Think pair share

I like to use think pair share in conjunction with open ended questions in a variety of situations and scenarios:
- Ice breaker
- Start a classroom discussion
- Review activity
- Plenary activity
- Concept check and peer feedback

The private nature of the think pair share model allows the shier students to feel less anxious about sharing their ideas, but it also allows the students to explore their own level of understanding. More often than not, students identify ideas and concepts that they would like more clarification on, and as a result, I am able to let my students answer one another's questions (Cowling, 2021).

Jigsaw

A recent example of the application of this technique was in my Grade 10 IGCSE Business Studies class: as we are currently working on the 7P's of marketing, and as such, I broke up the class into 7 small groups and asked them to prepare a 10 minute presentation using whichever online or offline tool they wished to educate the rest of the class on their sub-topic.

After 4 periods of research and planning, the groups were given time slots (first come first serve) and were then made responsible for educating the other groups on their new area of expertise while the audience was asked to 1. take notes and 2. jot down some questions to ask at the end of the presentation

This activity went extremely well, giving different types of students the chance to utilize his or her strengths to contribute and take ownership of their part of the mini project.

It also allowed me to break away from the traditional teacher centric approach of "lecturing" and breathed a little creative energy into the classroom. 

References

Cowling, T. (2021, October 19). How to use the think-pair-share activity in your classroom. Hey Teach! Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/how-think-pair-share-activity-can-improve-your-classroom-discussions1704.html

Laal, M., & Ghodsi, S. M. (2012). Benefits of collaborative learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 31, 486-490. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.12.091

Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity.

Leonard, B. (2018). Student-Centered Collaborative Classrooms and Critical Thinking Skills [Master’s Thesis and Capstone Project]. Northwestern College, Iowa.

Scaffolding in education: A teacher's guide. RSS. (n.d.). Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/scaffolding-in-education-a-teachers-guide#:~:text=The%20word%20%E2%80%9Cscaffolding%E2%80%9D%20was%20first,to%20use%20that%20knowledge%20independently. 

According to Wolpert-Gawron (2016), The 4 Steps of Inquiry-Based Learning are as follows:

1. Students develop questions that they are hungry to answer. Have them develop a problem statement that requires them to pitch their question using a constructed response, further inquiry, and citation.

2. Research the topic using time in class. It’s crucial to have some of this be classwork so students have access to the head researcher in the room—you. You aren’t going to do the work for them, but you are going to guide them and model methods of researching reliably. 

3. Have students present what they’ve learned. Students should create and present a culminating artifact. When I have my students present what they’ve learned, I use a rubric with “Able to Teach” as the acme of what to reach for. After all, many people can understand content, but can they communicate it? Students can develop a website using Weebly, or perhaps a slideshow using Google Slides.

4. Ask students to reflect on what worked about the process and what didn’t. Reflection is key. And it isn’t just about asking them to think back on their opinion of the topic. It’s about reflecting on the process itself. That’s where you can work in metacognition—thinking about thinking. Have students focus on how they learned in addition to what they learned.

In order to push student centric learning in my classrooms, I typically make us of projects that depend heavily on student collaboration, communication, creativity, research, and critical thinking.

When students work together to actively consume the course material, and collectively decide which aspects of the curriculum they wish to focus on, actual learning takes place. (LaLopa, 2005).

When necessary I front load just enough information for my students to get started on their individual, project specific investigations, and then spend the majority of our class time guiding them and/or giving them real time feedback on their respective works in progress. 

The important things that should always be at the heart of the project are the following: encoding, storage, and retrieval (Frisella, 2019): as long as the students are able to read up on, understand, absorb, and present their research in a cohesive, and academically sound manner, I am able to ascertain whether or not they are making the required progress needed to eventually attain mastery. According to Frisella (2019), understanding how to connect information across different areas of research can help students build their memory and understanding through association.

Assessment criteria, targeted feedback, and self reflections

Providing students with clear instructions and a detailed mark scheme give the students a very clear idea of not only how to succeed in completing their assignment, but shifts their focus from obtaining an arbitrary score to actively and deliberately practicing the skills they will need to build real world competence: by engaging with a task driven assignment, students are forced to revisit knowledge, review classroom concepts, ask questions, reflect on their feedback, correct their mistakes, and in turn, expand their skillset (Frisella, 2019).

In my Business Studies class I have used the "Shark Tank" business plan competition model to get students to not only plan out their business ideas, but to go out and actually execute it by:
- Building a brand
- Calculating the capital requirements
- Forecasting sales and cash flows
- Creating a marketing strategy
- Sourcing the financing
- Sourcing suppliers and manufacturers
- Selling their products

The students sold everything from designer stickers, to customized bubble teas, to cotton candy, to branded phone cases.

The idea of project based and student centered learning is supported by Vygotsky's theory of Social Constructivism, which states that students learn primarily through interactions with their peers, teachers, and parents, whereas teachers stimulate and facilitate conversation through harnessing the natural flow of conversation in the classroom (Hofmann & Asmundson, 2017).

Frisella, C.(2019, September 25). Measuring What Matters. Retrieved October 19, 2019, from https://www.iste.org/explore/empowered-learner/measuring-what-matters.

Hofmann, S. G., & Asmundson, G. (2017). The Science of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Elsevier Gezondheidszorg.

LaLopa, M. (2005). Using Student-Centered Assessment to Enhance Learning. Retrieved October 20, 2019, from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/59 vol17no8_student_centered_assessment.html.

Miller, A. (2015, September 2). Using Assessment to Create Student-Centered Learning. Retrieved October 20, 2019, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/assessment-create-student-centered-learning-andrew-miller.

Wolpert-Gawron, H. (2016, August 11). What the Heck Is Inquiry-Based Learning?: Teachers use inquiry-based learning to boost student engagement. Edutopia. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron

References

Hofmann, S. G., & Asmundson, G. (2017). The Science of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Elsevier Gezondheidszorg.

Lee, J., MD. (2020, November 17). A Neuropsychological Exploration of Zoom Fatigue. Psychiatric Times. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/psychological-exploration-zoom-fatigue

Michelle E. Ferrer & David D. Laughlin (2017) Increasing College Students' Engagement and Physical Activity with Classroom Brain Breaks, Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 88:3, 53-56, DOI: 10.1080/07303084.2017.1260945

Strauss, Valerie. (January 2015). Letting kids move in class isn't a break from Learning. It IS
learning.Washington Post.http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/01/19/lettingkids-move-in-class-isnt-a-break-from-learning-it-is-learning/

Using Physical Movement to Increase Student Engagement and Learning | U-M LSA LSA Technology Services. (n.d.). https://lsa.umich.edu/technology-services/news-events/all-news/teaching-tip-of-the-week/using-physical-movement-to-increase-student-engagement-and-learning.html

 

References

Acquavita, F. (2016).  A Language Arts Program with a Student-centered Approach.  Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute.

 Retrieved from http://teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/1978/1/78.01.01.x.html.

MacMeekin, M. (2017).  28 Student-Centered Instructional Strategies.  Teachthought.

 Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/28-student-centered-instructional-strategies/.

Mansaray, H. (2013).  Nine Strategies for Reaching all Learners in English Language Arts. Edutopia.

 Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/stw-expanded-learning-time-individualized-learning-hassan-mansaray.

Moon, A. L., Wold, C. M., & Francom, G. M. (2016). Enhancing Reading Comprehension with Student-Centered iPad Applications. TechTrends, 61(2), 187–194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0153-1

In a truly student-centered learning environment:
- Teachers and students work collaboratively to co-create a learning plan or pathway that best suits the needs of each individual learner. 

-  Teacher helps to create an environment that is personal to each student’s learning needs. 

-  Learning is competency-based

- There is continuous monitoring of student needs.

- Technology is used to help monitor students’ progress and to help both teachers and students evaluate and adjust learning pathways

- Lessons mirror what happens in life and the workplace; you have to set goals, take action, manage your time, reflect and revise, and have a belief in yourself that you can improve

A student-centered learning model has four main characteristics: 

Two pedagogical theories that stand out to me when it comes to student centered learning are the following:

- Bloom's mastery of learning, which states that students must master each learning unit before proceeding to a  more advanced learning task (Teaching Experiment Academy, n.d.)

- Asubel's meaningful learning, which states new knowledge that is acquired must be related and connected to the foundational knowledge provided in previous lessons (Asubel, 1963) 

References

AUSUBEL, David Paul. The Psychology of Meaningful
Verbal Learning, Grune and Stratton, New York, 1963.

Green, C. & Harrington, C. (2020). Student-centered learning: In principle and in practice. Lansing, MI: Michigan Virtual University. Available from https://michiganvirtual.org/research/publications/student-centered-learning-in-principle-and-in-practice/

Mastery Learning | Teaching Experiment Academy. (n.d.). https://tea.dtei.uci.edu/resources/mastery-learning/

Choice boards allow students to select activities and research projects to practice a skill or demonstrate understanding. 

An example of this in business studies will be to give the students the option of writing a social media plan for an existing brand, create their own brand and branding/client acquisition strategy, or a shark tank style pitch to gather funds for a startup they would like to bring to the market.

Jigsaw/Stations/Centers
I also like to make use of Jigsaw stations where the students are made responsible to either explain a part of the lesson to their classmates, or demonstrate the skills they developed during the project that they chose. This not only helps all of the students deepen their own understanding, but it also fosters a spirit of collaboration and classroom cohesion.

Furniture and Seating Arrangements
I have experimented with many different seating options, but the ones that seem to work best for my classes have been the following(Allen & Phillips, 2022):

Desks are arranged in squares or rectangles with students facing each other. This is a useful configuration for encouraging student collaboration and discussion. This tends to work best for Business Studies where students have to work together to complete collaborative projects.

-  Flexible Seating

The idea of flexible seating is that a variety of seating options are provided (as opposed to standard desks), and students are able to sit wherever they feel the most comfortable. This tends to work better for Economics and Global Perspectives & Research where students have to complete mostly individual projects. 

Sometimes I'll get students to take turns seating next to me for 10-15 minutes periods so that I can give them uninterrupted feedback as the other students work on their individual research/essays/ exam review.

Classroom technology
Technology is playing a progressively bigger part in education as we approach 2030 (Moeller & Reitzes, 2011).

In my school every student has a laptop or a mobile devices, which they use mainly to take notes, do their independent and group research, complete their assignments, and to access softwares and apps like Google Classrooms, Google Drive, and Google Calendar.

This greatly helps with helping students access their assessments, progress reports, written feedback, review materials, and classroom resources in a easy, and organized way.

Augmented reality (AR) is emerging as a popular technology for learning, but unfortunately we are not currently making use of this in my school; in addition, I would have to get some training as this is a technology that I am not familiar wit.

Online games have also been used to enhance student learning: COTS (commercial, off-the-shelf) games, and games that are designed explicitly for education have been used in classrooms.

COTS game that researchers have examined include games like Civilization where the objectives include building a thriving Empire by building and organizing the infrastructure for scientific innovation, trade, military conquest, food supply etc.

Scratch is a graphic programming environment that emphasizes media manipulation and supports programming activities that build on the interests of youth, such as creating animated stories, games, and interactive presentations. This game is being used in my  school as a part of the ICT program.

I would love to make use of games in my classrooms but this is an area that I would have to do research in as I struggle to find the time to integrate these tools into my lessons.

All of these techniques tie in with Kolb's theory of experiential learning, which states that knowledge is gained through both personal and environmental experiences. Working independently, in groups, and under the guidance of the teacher, students are able to (Virtanen, 2022):
- Learn and reflect on their learning experiences
- Develop and use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience
- Develop problem solving skills based on their experiences

Allen, M., & Phillips, M. (2022, January 24). Using Choice Boards to Boost Student Engagement. Edutopia. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-choice-boards-boost-student-engagement/

Moeller, B. & Reitzes, T. (2011). Integrating technology with student-centered learning. Nellie Mae Educational Foundation. https://www.edc.org/sites/default/files/uploads/Integrating-Technology-with-Student-Centered-Learning.pdf

Virtanen, A. (2022, November 23). What Is Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory? Growth Engineering. https://www.growthengineering.co.uk/kolb-experiential-learning-theory/

According to Broussard et al. (2017), Personalizing learning is an instructional approach that empowers students to build ownership of their learning. 

Educators personalize learning by: 

- targeting instruction

- fostering collaboration and creativity

- facilitating reflection and goal-setting

- designing flexible learning experiences. 

The 4 components of personalized learning are the following

1. Student Reflection & Goal Setting

Student reflection and goal setting are practices that can

build a bridge for students between the content they are

learning and why they are learning it. 

Supporting student reflection begins with self reflection. Investigating and understanding our own identities, biases, and experiences is a crucial step to helping students navigate for themselves.

Through reflection, educators and students can develop self-awareness competencies, from identifying one’s strengths, to developing clear goals for specific tasks, amongst others (CASEL, 2020). Through reflection and goal setting, students are more well-positioned to take academic risks, learn from their experiences, and more intentionally

tackle the next task in front of them.

In order for a teacher to be effective, it is important to identify which category each of his or her students falls into to determine the level of guidance and support may need:

- Emerging

- Developing

- Advancing

- Sustaining 

2. Targeted Instruction

At its most actualized, targeted instruction means that students can articulate what instruction they are receiving and why, and students have some choice over the instruction they receive based on their data, passions, and preferences.

By analyzing data and using it to tailor the learning experiences, we shift from a one-size-fits-none

approach to a classroom environment grounded in students’ strengths, needs, and interests.

2. Teachers who target instruction:

• Have a deep understanding of where each student is academically, and share that understanding with students so they are equipped to take ownership of their academic progress

• Modify instruction to better meet students where they are

• Provide opportunities for students to have voice and choice in their instructional experience

• Regularly update groups based on relevant data sources so that as students progress they

• Continue to have opportunities to demonstrate knowledge at the highest level of mastery

3. Collaboration and Creativity

Personalizing learning encourages students to work with one another, share ideas, create new solutions and projects, provide one another with feedback, and, in the process, learn more about themselves. 

We believe that true personalization happens when students show up as their whole selves, including their values, emotions, and perspectives, and work with others to solve

creative solutions to complex problems meaningful to them and their community.

Classrooms that encourage collaboration and inspire creativity:

• Include space for students to learn more about each other and the communities in which they live.

• Challenge students to think critically, problem-solve, and design solutions for problems relevant to student’s lives, both big and small.

• Celebrate collective success and highlight the value of taking risks and learning from mistakes.

• Recognize the power in the process of learning, even over getting the answer to a question right

4. Flexible Path & Pace

Students learn in different ways and to truly personalize the learning experience, there must be opportunities for students to progress towards mastery of their learning through flexible learning pathways at different paces. 

Creating flexible opportunities for path and pace:

• Creates the opportunity for multiple, differentiated learning trajectories to guide students on their path towards mastery

• Relies on the purposeful collection and utilization of data to inform decisions for how to help students craft their learning journey

• Amplifies student ownership by giving them choice in determining the process and product of their learning

• Honors the unique talents, strengths, and abilities of students and the value that each student contributes to the learning environment

In my particular experience working in a bilingual school, I often have to cater to the needs of students that live across the entirety of the spectrum of personalization.

To that end, I make use of a number of differentiation strategies, particularly in my Global Perspectives & Research classes, where the students are required to produce a university level, 5000-word essay.

- Differentiated levels of support in selecting a research topic that suits each student's level of English ability, academic skill, and interest

- Differentiated additional formatives that help emergent and developing students acquire skills such as active reading, note taking, lateral reading, fact checking, referencing, paragraph writing etc.

- Support the emergent and developing students by providing them with easier reading materials and reading comprehension questions

- Freedom to organize and manage their time as they wish provided they have a progress chart of sorts complete with key deadlines

These ideas all relate to Kolb's theory of experiential learning, which states that knowledge is gained through both personal and environmental experiences. Working independently, in groups, and under the guidance of the teacher, students are able to (Virtanen, 2022):

- Learn and reflect on their learning experiences

- Develop and use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience

- Develop problem solving skills based on their experiences

They also tie into Bruner's theory of  scaffolding, which states that the support given during the learning process should be directly linked to the needs of the student. (Structural learning, 2023).

Scaffolding in education: A teacher's guide. RSS. (n.d.). Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/scaffolding-in-education-a-teachers-guide#:~:text=The%20word%20%E2%80%9Cscaffolding%E2%80%9D%20was%20first,to%20use%20that%20knowledge%20independently. 

Vargo, J. (2017). Six Examples of What Personalized Learning Looks Like. Retrieved October 22, 2019, from Education Elements website: https://www.edelements.com/blog/six-examples-of-what-personalized-learning-looks-like

Virtanen, A. (2022, November 23). What Is Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory? Growth Engineering.