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Provocative questions

They are designed to help teachers, new to the key competencies, consider for instance:

Are the indicators really as strong as I would like them to be in my teaching? What else could I be doing?
Can I give examples of these key competency indicators really happening in my students’ experience of learning? What other possibilities are there?


Indicators	Provocative questions to prompt reflection about the indicators
Students are likely to:
take an active role in decisions about the content, process, and assessment of learning	Who decided the topic? Who decided the resources you’re using? Is there ownership of the programme by all of those with a stake in the learning?
take an active role in learning	What proportion of the time today were students passive versus active?
wait less, and learn more	Have there been any times today that students have been waiting, when they really could have been using the time more productively?
be interested in their learning	Do students talk about the learning programme outside of class time? Do they come enthused to continue with the learning?
feel empowered to make suggestions	If a student suggested a variation to an activity you had planned – what would you say?
ask questions of themselves, the teacher, and others.	Is there a climate of mutual trust and respect whereby students can ask the questions they need to ask?
The teacher is likely to:
notice, recognise, and respond to learners, which may necessitate adapting plans in the teaching moment	Does the classroom culture feel responsive to the extent that there is spontaneity – responding to learning moments as they arise and moving in new relevant directions?
give quality feedback and feed-forward that relate to the learning areas as well as the key competencies	Has any of the feedback you’ve given on written tasks related to how students might participate?
alter and adapt plans in response to learners	How open are you to altering and adapting, even when it means changing your favourite activity?
revisit learning plans with students	Have students seen the plans for teaching and learning? Have you involved them in the plans?
show themselves as learners	Have you modelled being a learner by sharing examples of things that are new or challenging for you?
do things they’ve never done before.	Do you consider and try new approaches and activities?

Updated on: 23 Oct 2013

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