I think that it is Interesting that we are reading this in Month 11 as we are heading out of the program and on to our new lives as Full Sail Alumni. This book so far has re-iterated what we have been doing this whole time in the EMDT program. It's like we just needed a reminder in words of what it is we have been doing and how it is a good idea for us to do the same in our profession.
The thought of giving an A at the beginning of a class sounds pretty crazy to a lot of people and they would wonder where the motivation to do quality work would come from. But this is the same kind of stuff we have been doing in this program and I have started to do in my own classes at my job. I ask the students to create and I want them to try their best in my class as we learn new programs and tools that they can use for all subjects in their education. I know that they don't all have the same talents and skills so I can't realistically ask them to create the same quality work for everything that we do. What I can ask them to do is to try their best, and they will only do this if they know that they will not be penalized for this and therefore won't be risky. So I took this idea from one the first months in the program (i can't remember which one) and created Risk Free activities that allow students to try different programs and projects with no risk to their grades. In doing this I have seen students give me some pretty awesome things that they normally wouldn't have done and would have just followed the rubric exactly to get the grade. The Art of Possibility spells this out with great examples of how this truly is the best way to get the most out of your students and make them not just play it safe for the good grade.
Risk Free might have been from Beth's class, though many of us use the concept just as you described, as a way to free up the student from the anxiety of a grade and focus on bringing all that they have to their creation. After all, the objective is to learn something new and find new ways to use the info, the objective is not a grade.
ReplyDeleteYou’re right. Since all students will not be able to create the same quality of work, giving students the “A” will hopefully ensure that they will strive to be and do the best they can do. I think it increases their level of thinking. Who knows…they may ENGAGE themselves so much that they may get that “A”. ☺
ReplyDeleteI like how you are incorporating the risk free projects in your classroom. You are stepping out of the box and your students will appreciate that later in life.