The concepts of choice and voice have gained popularity in the push to empower students in their education. Numerous studies indicate that when students have agency over their learning, they experience increased motivation and academic achievement. Additionally, they are more successful in their post-secondary endeavors because they have the skills to direct their own learning. However, simply deciding one day to give students control in the classroom is not enough. Lauren Boucher, a digital teaching and learning consultant, emphasizes the importance of laying the foundation before granting students autonomy. As she presented at a conference, Boucher stated that choice alone is not true agency; it is merely a strategy to help students develop agency.
Boucher highlights the need for teaching students how to have autonomy, self-regulation skills, organization skills, and time-management skills before allowing them to take charge of their learning. Letting go of power as a teacher can be challenging, as it raises concerns about being held accountable for test scores. Therefore, Boucher suggests starting small and making small adjustments to curriculum and assignments to gradually give students more choices and control.
To introduce more student agency into the classroom, Boucher recommends the following strategies:
1. Set clear expectations and provide guidelines and rules.
2. Explain the purpose of the learning to students and have them reflect on their role in the standards.
3. Foster a respectful classroom environment where students can express their opinions and thoughts.
4. Facilitate formative conversations that encourage critical thinking by asking open-ended questions and allowing for uncomfortable silence.
5. Implement problem-based learning projects that connect classroom learning to real-world problems.
Boucher acknowledges that not every assignment can be learner-driven, but teachers should aim to have a balance across the continuum of choice. By gradually giving students more agency and control, teachers can empower them to become independent learners.
According to Boucher, providing feedback is extremely important for empowering students. She emphasizes that even if students have the freedom to choose their own tasks, without constructive feedback, they will not be able to progress. Boucher suggests postponing the grading process and implementing a feedback loop instead. This means that after a student submits their work, the teacher provides feedback and allows the student to make improvements. The teacher then has the option to either end the loop or continue offering feedback and revisions for a few more rounds. Boucher advises against using feedback loops for every student and every assignment, but rather suggests staggering them. Her objective is to engage with each student through a feedback loop at least once during a marking period.
