By creating a student-centered classroom, teachers are providing opportunities for students to take ownership of their learning. Each student becomes a significant part of the lesson, which cannot go on without them. Digital learning tools such as Quizzizz Lessons can help teachers maintain student-centered classrooms by inspiring investigation, discussion, and collaboration.
Teacher as the Facilitator
Teachers can go from direct instruction to inquiry-based learning with synchronous digital learning tools. For example, when teachers use the Quizizz lessons feature, they can post thought-provoking images to their students directly to their screens. Students can make comments, observations, or questions about the picture. The student observations will guide the lesson while teachers are collecting data from student responses. The teacher also has the ability to change the students’ screen to the next question or to keep them on the current slide.
In Science, the image could be related to a scientific phenomenon.
For Math, the image could be a pattern of exponents in expanded form.
In Social Studies, it could be an image of a map or a major battle in history.
For English Language Arts, the picture could be a sentence that needs to be corrected.
When students see the image, teachers can pose guiding questions to spark discussion:
“What do you notice or wonder about the image?”
“Do you see any patterns?”
“What is missing?”
Student Responses Drive the Lesson
After the teacher poses the question on the Quizizz platform, students can quickly make their
observations. You can make student comments anonymous by turning on Quizizz’s anonymous
name generator or allow students to take ownership of their answers by asking them to type their
names at the beginning of the lesson. As students begin to type their observations, the answers
will start to pop up on the screen. When students finish submitting their responses, the teacher
can use the student responses to guide the lesson. The collection of student responses allows
teachers to notice any prior knowledge present about the topic. For example, instead of having
students memorize the exponent rules, demonstrate problems already worked out and develop
their own rules through their observations.
Most teachers use Quizizz as the gaming quiz option. However, the Quizizz lessons feature should definitely be considered to use in the classroom. Teachers can quickly create lessons that will collect student data. The data can be sent to parents or to students as a reflection report.
Teachers have the option of creating their lessons from scratch OR upload an already existing presentation. I love this option to upload an already created presentation because it saves time!
After you upload an already created presentation (Slides or PowerPoint) teachers can add questions throughout the slides that will collect data from students.
Teachers can add multiple choice, checkbox, fill-in-the-blank, open-ended, and poll questions throughout the lesson! When the lesson is complete, check the reports section on the Quizizz menu to see individual student data.
Student observation could also work well in a remote setting when teaching scientific phenomena like gravity. Quizizz also has a video feature where a teacher could add several videos to the presentation for students before asking a question. A Science teacher could post several videos of dropping different size objects from the same height when teaching about gravity. Students can observe gravity occurring in the real world rather than memorizing the laws of Isaac Newton. By utilizing this feature, teachers can move from direct instruction to inquiry-based learning in their classrooms. Students will have more opportunities to investigate, problem-solve, and produce original thoughts.
Student Collaboration
To maintain a student-centered classroom, teachers can also find ways for students to collaborate online. Google Meet breakout rooms is an efficient way to pre-select or randomize groups of students to further their discussion on the observations throughout the lesson. The teacher can enter each group to observe student discussion and progress on work. Students can present their comments to the whole group when the teacher turns off breakout rooms. As students present their wonders, observations, and questions to the class, the teacher can summarize the learning from student responses to conclude the lesson or to introduce the next topic.
Student-centered classrooms can transform remote learning with meaningful discussion and collaboration. Students can take what they have learned to solve real-world problems and share ideas on improving the world around them.
Have you tried the Quizizz lessons feature yet? Reach out and let me know how it went!
Saved By the Beldin 