3-Read Friday #20

Wrong answers, 100%, and unintended consequences

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Here are three blog posts that I found interesting this week.

1. Help Students Remember the Right Answers by Asking for the Wrong Answers First by Dan Meyer

I have long been interested in the role wrong answers play in learning. My motto with a multiple-choice diagnostic question is that learning does not need to stop with the correct answer. Challenging students to explain reasons for incorrect answers, or change the question as little as possible to make wrong answers correct is so powerful. In the post, Dan looks at another option that is supported by a recent research study: ask students to generate wrong answers to a question alongside correct ones.

2. 100 Percent by Dylan Kane

This post had me at the picture of the owl. But the underlying message is so important: If you accept less than 100% of students following an instruction, you risk a slippery slope. Dylan follows this up with some powerful, practical advice for achieving what can often seem like an unachievable target.

3. Task Writing – Unintended Consequences by Dan Draper

Wow, this is a great post. Dan reflects on a set of practice questions he gave his students that look perfectly fine at first glance, but which have a few unintended consequences that have the potential to confuse students and hinder learning. This hammers home the importance of careful question selection and working through tasks yourself first - something I have fallen foul of in the past.

If you found this edition of 3-Read Friday useful, feel free to share it with colleagues. Also, you can check out all the back issues of my Eedi newsletter and Tips for Teachers newsletter here. But, most importantly of all, have a great weekend.

Craig