Measuring learning

It is an essential skill for a driving instructor to be able to identify how much a pupil is learning.  There are your "silent workers" for sure; the pupils who make very little engagement with you outwardly, but inside they are working away.  As long as technical improvement is made by the "silent workers" they are heading towards their goal; happy days.

How about the pupils who do not engage with the driving instructor and improvement is not being made?  How do we assist those?

One of the advantages of continually providing high quality immediate in-car formative assessment is that it will become very obvious to both parties when technical improvement is not being made.  Imagine for a moment the advantage we have over teachers who might have 30+ students in a class. Consider how difficult it must be for a teacher to judge how much each student is engaged and understanding the content.  So we are at a distinct advantage in being in a 1:1 learning environment with our pupil. 

I will expand on just one example termed as 'elaboration'.  When a pupil considers new learning, regarding how it relates to what they have previously done and expresses it in a way that means something to them, it increases the opportunity for remembering it permanently.  It is a mark of our professionalism to encourage a pupil in this vital technique of elaboration. 

Ultimately, this is what we do.  We offer learning techniques to our pupils so that competence and confidence can be developed.  But how much they engage in them is a matter for them, and we should not be shy about making that point clear. 

As I walked with the dog yesterday morning, a hundred or so little birds were telling me that spring is coming.  It very much struck me as I was in this state of heightened pleasure walking in the sun, who has the right to dictate to a pupil how well they learn?  We offer them our expertise, our experience, and we give them options.  It is the pupil who influences how well learning takes place.

Do you feel that you could benefit your pupils by raising your awareness of other learning techniques?  Get in touch.