Can We Teach Students How To Provoke Their Own Learning?

What happens when we are provoked? Something in our minds doesn't make sense. There is a gap in our knowledge that challenges us to think about things in a new way. When something is provocative we are stimulated by the content or image. Our curiosity gets the better of us. We are driven to discover more about it or reflect about what we have experienced. We seek answers to the questions that have been posed by the new knowledge. Why is our curiosity peaked? When we as humans do not know something, when we feel we should know it, we have an emotional need to figure it out. A desire to resolve the discrepancy, to answer the unknown. Can we draw this emotion out from others? Can we spark this need in our students?

How can we set up a classroom where students provoke their own learning? Ask a question and do not answer it. Do not quell their curiosity by answering the question for them. Open-ended questions can push students forward throughout the week. For example, Is the human body efficient? Endless answers, endless possibilities for research, curiosity, and discussion. This question although need not be answered quickly, needs to be promoted by information and feedback from my instruction. I give them data but they need to piece it together to formulate a response. If the question is too challenging students will lose interest, if it not challenging enough they will get bored and answer it with little effort. Open-ended but also provocative.

Students should be given an outlet, Seesaw, Canvas other locations where they can blog, podcast and share their ideas. Communication and collaboration are essential for this type of questioning to be successful. The more opportunities they have to share both in class and on-line the more they see all sides of the question. The more they can be prepared for a debate or Edcamp at the end of the week. When we listen to other points of view we either cement our own or check ourselves for validity. When the question is open-ended students are less likely to have cementation and are more likely to listen and learn from others. They are curious to see if they are right. The debates or Socratic seminars we have are more fun and interesting because they have heard and read the opinions of others and can formulate arguments based on research not on their isolated personal views.

Through the use of questioning, blogging, podcasts, and class debates and Edcamps we as teachers can put students in the drivers seat and let them provoke their own learning. Let them own their own learning, they will challenge themselves more because they will feel a personal connection and an individual determination to conquer the challenges. Success is a strong motivator and when we let them guide and steer their own learning they will be more successful and this will create life long learners.