I like the concept of the A-T approach. There are so many different competency levels and learning styles in a classroom that this method would lend to greater success for all students. Also, it increases student accountability which I think needs to be a bigger focus than a final assessment.
All to often, I feel that the teacher is scrutinized when some students don't succeed and on the other hand some students do very well. This method would allow the individualized instruction for the students who may not be getting the help that they require. In a lecture format, it is not clear who has got it until the assessment and typically after the assessment, it is time to move on to new material. Unless the student is willing to stay after school, there is really no time for review and recovery.
I look forward to developing this module to see what impact it can have on my student success. I believe self-paced independent study can be ideal for any student as long as they know they have the necessary support which this system provides through ISS and SAS.
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That's a good point -- the use of the A-T approach is a good way to shift the accountability partially to the student. But, at the same time, we have to remember that many of our students need to be taught self-discipline (doesn't that sound like an oxymoron??). I know that if I turned some of my students loose with an A-T session, they would jump through it to get to the end, say "I'm finished," and then complain that it wasn't very good because they didn't learn anything. Argh!!!!! I've really found that those students are the ones who need somebody to sit down with them, 1 on 1, and explain things to them. After a few sessions like that, you can give them some freedom and ask them to work over a small section by themselves, and then go over it to see how they have done. The A-T approach would work well in those situations and can help them develop the self-discipline they need!
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