Comments on: “Teacher Intention” and “Learning Intention” http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/ "We learn from our experience.....if we reflect upon our experience" John Dewey Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:20:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Don’s Learning Log » Blog Archive » Teacher Intentions - can we separate from context? http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8920 Don’s Learning Log » Blog Archive » Teacher Intentions - can we separate from context? Sun, 28 Oct 2007 20:38:04 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8920 [...] when I was took part in a discussion with our newly qualified teachers last week I began to wonder if they might actually be different - or at least one being a sub-set of [...] [...] when I was took part in a discussion with our newly qualified teachers last week I began to wonder if they might actually be different - or at least one being a sub-set of [...]

]]> By: Don Ledingham http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8917 Don Ledingham Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:53:26 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8917 Ann Thanks for your input. I'd taken a look at Shirley Clarke's work on separating learning intention from the context before I posted this. I absolutely agree with you that we must try to share as much as possible with the learners but I'm not sure that always separating the learning intention from the context is possible. The group that were given the "bake a scone" task actually came up with an interesting learning intention which did separate the two e.g. To enable children to understand the importance of following a linear progression of instructions (or at least something like that). The question I'm left with is what the whether or not this type of learning intention actually includes all of the intentions of the teacher? I'm going to try to explore this is a further post. I'd welcome your contribution. It's interesting that a search on the web does not throw up significant research into this important area. Ann

Thanks for your input. I’d taken a look at Shirley Clarke’s work on separating learning intention from the context before I posted this. I absolutely agree with you that we must try to share as much as possible with the learners but I’m not sure that always separating the learning intention from the context is possible.

The group that were given the “bake a scone” task actually came up with an interesting learning intention which did separate the two e.g. To enable children to understand the importance of following a linear progression of instructions (or at least something like that). The question I’m left with is what the whether or not this type of learning intention actually includes all of the intentions of the teacher?

I’m going to try to explore this is a further post. I’d welcome your contribution. It’s interesting that a search on the web does not throw up significant research into this important area.

]]> By: Ann McLanachan http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8902 Ann McLanachan Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:43:20 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8902 It's great for our enthusiastic new teachers to have time to reflect and share and think. I wonder though - Do we underestimate children by making their learning intention different from the teacher's? The purpose of sharing the learning intention is so the children will know not just what they are going to learn but also to generate the success criteria so they will know what to do to throughout the task to be successful. As teachers we have tended to concentrate more on the activity that the purpose of the learning. The learning intention for the children should be the answer to the teacher's question "what do I want the children to learn?" The example of "to bake a scone" as Don illustrated would indeed come from the teacher's more sophisticated idea of what was to be learned. It could be learning to: follow instructions, measure accurately using grams and millilitres, understand the key features of a recipe ...... The success criteria however would be different in each case. If we don't make the learning intention explicit then when you ask the children afterwards "What did you learn?" the answer will be "to bake a scone". Was that really the teacher's intention? If the learning intention is mixed with the context it makes the success criteria much more difficult and therefore the learning less focused. By separating it from the context the children are able to see the connections and apply the same learning to a variety of other contexts. That is what we are aiming for. It’s great for our enthusiastic new teachers to have time to reflect and share and think.
I wonder though - Do we underestimate children by making their learning intention different from the teacher’s?
The purpose of sharing the learning intention is so the children will know not just what they are going to learn but also to generate the success criteria so they will know what to do to throughout the task to be successful.
As teachers we have tended to concentrate more on the activity that the purpose of the learning.
The learning intention for the children should be the answer to the teacher’s question “what do I want the children to learn?”
The example of “to bake a scone” as Don illustrated would indeed come from the teacher’s more sophisticated idea of what was to be learned.
It could be learning to:
follow instructions, measure accurately using grams and millilitres, understand the key features of a recipe ……
The success criteria however would be different in each case.
If we don’t make the learning intention explicit then when you ask the children afterwards “What did you learn?” the answer will be “to bake a scone”. Was that really the teacher’s intention?
If the learning intention is mixed with the context it makes the success criteria much more difficult and therefore the learning less focused. By separating it from the context the children are able to see the connections and apply the same learning to a variety of other contexts.
That is what we are aiming for.

]]> By: Ewan McIntosh http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8900 Ewan McIntosh Fri, 26 Oct 2007 07:59:32 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8900 There's a hint of the difference we were talking about in the T&L group maybe a year ago now, between the perceived 'authenticity' and relevance of a learning intention in the teacher's mind and how that is interpreted as authentic and relevant (or not) by the learners. I wonder how many of our intentions end up Lost in Translation somewhere in that journey? Fascinating stuff - thanks for sharing your own intentions for the day. It makes useful reading. There’s a hint of the difference we were talking about in the T&L group maybe a year ago now, between the perceived ‘authenticity’ and relevance of a learning intention in the teacher’s mind and how that is interpreted as authentic and relevant (or not) by the learners. I wonder how many of our intentions end up Lost in Translation somewhere in that journey? Fascinating stuff - thanks for sharing your own intentions for the day. It makes useful reading.

]]> By: Learning and Teaching 1. What makes the best lesson? » Blog Archive » Stuart Meldrum http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8896 Learning and Teaching 1. What makes the best lesson? » Blog Archive » Stuart Meldrum Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:05:04 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/25/teacher-intention-and-learning-intention/#comment-8896 [...] challenging questions we were asked then focus on one part. Don has already written a short post on his thoughts on the session. What was your most intense learning experience? What made it so? What was your best lesson? What [...] [...] challenging questions we were asked then focus on one part. Don has already written a short post on his thoughts on the session. What was your most intense learning experience? What made it so? What was your best lesson? What [...]

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