eBook Reflection 4-6

--Some educators are asking how you can implement CSLE+COVA??? What about in elementary classrooms?? What if we aren't one-to one???--

I am hoping to answer a few of those questions throughout this post.

So WHY COVA+CSLE?

Well when we think of projects in most classrooms today we will see students being given a platform and a rubric to complete their assignments. However, when we do that we are actually taking away critical parts of the learning process. The choice and ownership. When students use rubrics they step away from the assignment and look at their "checklist" to complete the project and receive an acceptable grade. Students are not fully engaged and thinking about the learning process. They are simply relying on the rubric to satisfy a requirement. There are some times where step by step instruction can be beneficial, like when you are scaffolding instruction to help the learner understand the deeper meaning, however, you want to ensure you give back control to the learner to create a significant learning environment. In COVA +CSLE Model the teacher will provide guidance and support but allow students to make executive decisions in their own learning process to produce the authenticity and ownership in their final product.

Creating Significant Learning Environments (CSLE) are so very powerful, when we incorporate this method into our classrooms we will see peer learning, teachers being the facilitator, shared learning, and peer based collaboration to enhance student learning. When we provide our student with choice, ownership, voice, and authentic learning opportunities we are creating that significant learning environment where highly engaged students are a part of their own learning experience. COVA allows students to have a passion and pride in their own work. With that passion we see that it contributes to the why of learning. Students need to understand WHY something is important to truly want to understand and take the time to learn the idea. When we instill the why we begin to support the how and what that goes into the learning process. For example, in third grade we talk about money. I always tell, my student to come up with examples of using money. We discuss paying bills, receiving change back, knowing if you have enough to purchase something, or even calculating a tip on a dinner tab. Once students realize why it is so important to have that skill that supports our learning when we introduce how we will learn and what we will need to learn. It creates buy in within the learning process.

Some of the common push back of ePortfolios are that not all students have devices and that not all students are proficient in technology to be able to produce these products. Which is why I support the idea that COVA can look different depending on the level and clientele of your classroom. My classroom does not have one-to-one devices, so you could implement a Bring You Own Device (BYOD) day into your classroom, you could schedule computer lab time, or you could have station rotations to meet with each group of students and allow them to work on their ePortfolio. I also would not allow complete freedom. I would spend some time at the beginning of the year introducing new applications and showing students how to use the features. After introducing 3-4 applications I would then allow the students to choose what they would like to use. I would show examples, share ideas of things they could include, but ultimately allow the students to design, decide the format, and other options. 

Resources:

COVA eBook- Written by Dwayne Harapnuik, Tilisa Thibodeaux, and Cynthia Cummings

Published under a Creative Commons License.