What is what is student autonomy<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nStudent autonomy is the ability for learners to take control of their learning, allowing them to actively participate in the learning process and make meaningful decisions about how they engage with content. This approach involves promoting learner autonomy by creating a learning environment that supports student choice and encourages autonomous learning. By encouraging students to take ownership of their education, teachers can help them become more motivated to learn and better equipped with skills like problem-solving. Student engagement thrives when students feel empowered to take control, reflect on their learning, and make decisions about how they approach tasks. This shift not only increases student ownership in the classroom but also fosters a culture of curiosity, engagement, and independence in the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to promote student ownership in the classroom<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n1. Provide meaningful choices<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s unlikely that, given the option, most students would ever choose to learn trigonometry or take a test on animal classifications. All teachers have standards and skills they need to teach, but that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t provide truly meaningful choices to your students along the way! Here are some ideas for student choice you can suggest during your units for student ownership strategies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Create open-ended assignments and projects. Offer suggestions of a fictional character students will write about, objects on which they can practice calculating volume, or insects they\u2019ll make a diorama for \u2013 but ultimately allow them to decide what they want to concentrate on. They\u2019ll develop the same skills regardless of their specific topic, and they\u2019ll be more motivated by focusing on something they already care about.<\/li>
- Solicit ideas for homework assignments and in-class activities. Students know what they like to do \u2013 so listen to them! There are plenty of ways to spice up vocabulary practice or a history presentation, and according to the American Psychological Association<\/a>, \u201cWhen students feel a sense of ownership, they want to engage in academic tasks and persist in learning.\u201d Nearpod’s Collaborate Board<\/a> makes it simple to collect and discuss ideas during class.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"Nearpod](\"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Nearpod-Collaborate-Board-Share-your-mood.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n- Allow students to set their own pace with <\/span>Student-Paced mode<\/a>. Nearpod lessons allow teachers to easily keep all of their students\u2019 devices in sync, but sometimes it\u2019s even more effective to let kids determine their own individual pace. If they want to spend an extra couple of minutes exploring a map or a diagram of the human body, all the better!<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2. Establish clear learning objectives<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen students begin a new unit, it\u2019s critical that they know what to expect. In some cases, it may even be possible to allow students to design their own individualized learning objectives. The better students know what is expected of them and can track their own growth in tangible skills throughout a unit, the more motivated they will be to achieve success. When lesson planning<\/a>, ensure you establish clear learning objectives for students. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAs an example, imagine a middle school unit on writing short poetry. All students will naturally build basic reading and writing skills, but there are targeted areas students can elect to focus on in their own poems: rhyme, figurative language, visual imagery, reading their work aloud, etc. Have students determine one or two specific skills they\u2019d like to target and create a journal or visual tracking system they can own throughout the unit to keep track of their personal progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Give and leverage instant feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nOne of Nearpod\u2019s coolest features is its integrated formative assessments<\/a>. It\u2019s remarkably easy to include quizzes, polls, and more formative assessment activities as quick knowledge checks directly within your lessons. Students appreciate being able to demonstrate new knowledge immediately, and they can quickly correct mistakes within their learning before those mistakes become internalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Growth](\"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Growth-Mindset-lesson-poll-example-1024x649.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAs a teacher, you can leverage the data collected from these assessments as well. Imagine introducing a class to long division, and just minutes later you have real-time data showing you which students have it mastered and which students will need further practice. Not only that, you can see precisely where students are struggling and adjust the rest of your lesson accordingly. By differentiating your approach with specific students using the data they just provided, you\u2019ll ensure all students are building and practicing the right skills at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Provide meaningful choices<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s unlikely that, given the option, most students would ever choose to learn trigonometry or take a test on animal classifications. All teachers have standards and skills they need to teach, but that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t provide truly meaningful choices to your students along the way! Here are some ideas for student choice you can suggest during your units for student ownership strategies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Create open-ended assignments and projects. Offer suggestions of a fictional character students will write about, objects on which they can practice calculating volume, or insects they\u2019ll make a diorama for \u2013 but ultimately allow them to decide what they want to concentrate on. They\u2019ll develop the same skills regardless of their specific topic, and they\u2019ll be more motivated by focusing on something they already care about.<\/li>
- Solicit ideas for homework assignments and in-class activities. Students know what they like to do \u2013 so listen to them! There are plenty of ways to spice up vocabulary practice or a history presentation, and according to the American Psychological Association<\/a>, \u201cWhen students feel a sense of ownership, they want to engage in academic tasks and persist in learning.\u201d Nearpod’s Collaborate Board<\/a> makes it simple to collect and discuss ideas during class.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n- Allow students to set their own pace with <\/span>Student-Paced mode<\/a>. Nearpod lessons allow teachers to easily keep all of their students\u2019 devices in sync, but sometimes it\u2019s even more effective to let kids determine their own individual pace. If they want to spend an extra couple of minutes exploring a map or a diagram of the human body, all the better!<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2. Establish clear learning objectives<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen students begin a new unit, it\u2019s critical that they know what to expect. In some cases, it may even be possible to allow students to design their own individualized learning objectives. The better students know what is expected of them and can track their own growth in tangible skills throughout a unit, the more motivated they will be to achieve success. When lesson planning<\/a>, ensure you establish clear learning objectives for students. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAs an example, imagine a middle school unit on writing short poetry. All students will naturally build basic reading and writing skills, but there are targeted areas students can elect to focus on in their own poems: rhyme, figurative language, visual imagery, reading their work aloud, etc. Have students determine one or two specific skills they\u2019d like to target and create a journal or visual tracking system they can own throughout the unit to keep track of their personal progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Give and leverage instant feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nOne of Nearpod\u2019s coolest features is its integrated formative assessments<\/a>. It\u2019s remarkably easy to include quizzes, polls, and more formative assessment activities as quick knowledge checks directly within your lessons. Students appreciate being able to demonstrate new knowledge immediately, and they can quickly correct mistakes within their learning before those mistakes become internalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAs a teacher, you can leverage the data collected from these assessments as well. Imagine introducing a class to long division, and just minutes later you have real-time data showing you which students have it mastered and which students will need further practice. Not only that, you can see precisely where students are struggling and adjust the rest of your lesson accordingly. By differentiating your approach with specific students using the data they just provided, you\u2019ll ensure all students are building and practicing the right skills at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n- Allow students to set their own pace with <\/span>Student-Paced mode<\/a>. Nearpod lessons allow teachers to easily keep all of their students\u2019 devices in sync, but sometimes it\u2019s even more effective to let kids determine their own individual pace. If they want to spend an extra couple of minutes exploring a map or a diagram of the human body, all the better!<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2. Establish clear learning objectives<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When students begin a new unit, it\u2019s critical that they know what to expect. In some cases, it may even be possible to allow students to design their own individualized learning objectives. The better students know what is expected of them and can track their own growth in tangible skills throughout a unit, the more motivated they will be to achieve success. When lesson planning<\/a>, ensure you establish clear learning objectives for students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As an example, imagine a middle school unit on writing short poetry. All students will naturally build basic reading and writing skills, but there are targeted areas students can elect to focus on in their own poems: rhyme, figurative language, visual imagery, reading their work aloud, etc. Have students determine one or two specific skills they\u2019d like to target and create a journal or visual tracking system they can own throughout the unit to keep track of their personal progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Give and leverage instant feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
One of Nearpod\u2019s coolest features is its integrated formative assessments<\/a>. It\u2019s remarkably easy to include quizzes, polls, and more formative assessment activities as quick knowledge checks directly within your lessons. Students appreciate being able to demonstrate new knowledge immediately, and they can quickly correct mistakes within their learning before those mistakes become internalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAs a teacher, you can leverage the data collected from these assessments as well. Imagine introducing a class to long division, and just minutes later you have real-time data showing you which students have it mastered and which students will need further practice. Not only that, you can see precisely where students are struggling and adjust the rest of your lesson accordingly. By differentiating your approach with specific students using the data they just provided, you\u2019ll ensure all students are building and practicing the right skills at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Virtual](\"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/ezgif.com-optimize-2.gif\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n