EduCon 2018

Most teachers want to engage students. But is it enough? Are we asking our students to “rent” their education from us as educators, rather than “own” it themselves? What does it mean to have an “engaged” student? What does it look like? How do you grade engagement? Is it linked to knowledge? Are we actually just looking for compliance? Next, how is an engaged student different from an “empowered” student? How do we foster ownership (empowerment) of learning and how do we grade such learning?

In this media-rich environment of education, where buzzwords seem to be more important than what is going on in the classroom, what does it mean to have an “engaged” student? And how does that contrast with an “empowered” student or one that has taken “ownership” of his or her own learning?

In this discussion, educators will have the chance to define and debate what it means to be engaged with learning versus having ownership (empowerment) of learning. Utilizing practical examples, participants will have the chance to reflect on what they are doing in the classroom and categorize it as engagement and/or ownership (empowerment). Two educators from a New York City public high school will share from-the-field examples, including English classes where the students create their own unit plans, lessons, rubrics and grading policies, as well as choose their own texts. Also shared will be Science lessons where students take on the role of instructor and facilitate laboratory lessons.

Conversational Practice: 1. Introduction & Appetizer Upon entry, participants will be given an index card that asks the question: “What does an engaged student look like?” Participants should write their answer on their card. Responses will be collected and entered into a digital word cloud projected on the wall. Participants can also log in to see the Word Cloud on their own device. Repeated concepts will appear bigger than lesser mentioned concepts, thus showing the commonalities of thought. Facilitators will open with a brief welcome, introduction and short discussion of the responses.

2. Renting Vs. Owning One’s Education Big Questions/Lenses Introduced: • Are we asking/expecting students to figuratively rent their education from us? • Or, are we giving students the power to create and thereby own their education with us? • And finally, when students have ownership, are they then more authentically engaged?

3. Modified Consultancy Protocol: Throughout the room, chart paper will display various questions of practice.
   • What does student engagement look like in your classroom/school? • What does student engagement sound like in your classroom/school? • How do you measure student engagement in your classroom/school? • What are some examples of student ownership in your classroom/school? Or are there none? • What helps students become more engaged/invested in their learning?