Seven Resolutions for Responding Creatively to Uncertainty in the Classroom
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Instructor’s Name
Date
Seven Resolutions for Responding Creatively to Uncertainty in the Classroom
Introduction
Uncertainty is part and parcel of teaching and learning in any classroom. Although a certain level of uncertainty is needed when learning, it should not go unsolved at the end of the class. Additionally, there should not be too much uncertainty, which calls for efficient resolutions for responding creatively to uncertainty in the classroom (Chen et al., 2019). Even so, schools neither incorporate methods of managing uncertainties nor teach about them in their daily learning. Dealing with uncertainty is a fundamental part of what scientists do every day. In that regard, this paper discusses seven resolutions for responding creatively to uncertainty in the classroom.
Establish Creative Openings
The instructors should make slight adjustments to their existing lessons that may be a source of semi-structured uncertainty among the students. For instance, the teacher can allow the students to share and test their ideas and personal perspectives regarding a particular assignment or activity (Beghetto, 2017). For instance, the teacher asks the students not only to solve a math problem accurately but also to come up with as many ways as possible of solving the problem and share the findings with others. Another example is to let students demonstrate their comprehension of what was written.
Put students’ academic learning to the creative use
Teachers can help students respond creatively to uncertainties by teaching them how to utilize content knowledge in meaningful ways to respond to such uncertainties. This may entail everything from using subject-matter knowledge to addressing hypothetical and even fantastical situations. According to Chen et al. (2019), the teacher can use both the resource and social negotiation to help students creatively respond to uncertainty. After successfully debating the various idea, the teacher may step into the conversation to mitigate the uncertainty. During this conversation, the teacher and students work to converge ideas to reduce uncertainty.
Provide honest, supportive feedback
According to Beghetto (2017), it is essential to remind students to apply their unique idea and perceptions to a task at hand. This can be helpful to the students to encourage them to put their unique twist on an idea or product and to help them, decide whether creative thought and action are necessary or worth the risk for a specific task. Honest and supportive feedback would promote student-instructor apport. Communication is important in honest, supportive feedback (Basinger et al., 2017). The teacher should provide clear expectations of the course as well as point values and due dates for assignments. To apply this strategy, the faculty could review weekly topics and objectives in weekly overview presentations as well as in weekly welcome and weekly wrap-up messages posted to class each week.
Provide examples of domain-specific creative responses
Beghetto (2017) states that educators should teach students recognize what needs to be done to move from creative ideas to creative accomplishments. Instructors can accomplish this by including biographies of historical figures who have applied creativity to respond to ill-defined problems in various subject areas. Sometimes, the teacher can invite some individuals or local professionals to the classroom to share their examples regarding how they have used creativity to respond to uncertainty. This strategy will help students understand creative responses to uncertainty. Providing such examples will help change student behavior. According to Basinger et al. (2017), sharing experiences is an effective way of responding to uncertainty. Others create student-instructor rapport by responding quickly to student emails/questions.
Provide opportunities for students to productively struggle with uncertainty
Teachers can sometimes over-structure students’ experiences, hence removing opportunities for them to creatively respond to uncertainty. In other cases, teachers under-structure students’ experiences and generate unnecessary frustration, lack of clarity, and confusion (Beghetto, 2017). When students struggle with uncertainties, they explore and find better resolutions for responding to the uncertainties. Teachers need not provide all answers to uncertainties to help students explore and become perfect resolutions.
Provide opportunities for students to address uncertainty in their lives, schools, and communities
This strategy involves identifying and addressing complex problems facing students, their peers, and their community. The kind of bullying that happens in class or school often goes unnoticed by teachers and adults (Beghetto, 2017). Having students’ opportunities to address uncertainties can help identify such situations and respond to them appropriately. It is also important to recognize when new thinking or action is and/or is not needed.
Let teachers lead the way
The most important thing that teachers can do, if they want to approach the uncertainty, they face a spirit of possibility thinking and take the risks necessary to respond creatively, is to lead the way by doing so themselves (Beghetto, 2017). It does not require taking making radical changes to the existing teaching practices. However, it requires teachers to take their time making slight adjustments in how they approach their teaching, and uncertainty as a creative opportunity.
Conclusion
Uncertainty in a classroom is inevitable. Students should find proper ways of responding. Schools often omit the fact that students face serious uncertainties in the classroom. The seven resolutions for responding creatively to uncertainty in the classroom include establishing creative openings, putting students’ academic learning to creative use, and providing honest and supportive feedback. Others include providing an example of domain-specific creative responses, offering opportunities for students to productively struggle with uncertainty, offering opportunities for students to address uncertainty in their lives, schools, and communities, and letting teachers lead the way.
Reference
Beghetto, R. (2017). Seven Resolutions for Responding Creatively to Uncertainty in the Classroom. EducationWeek. https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-seven-resolutions-for-responding-creatively-to-uncertainty-in-the-classroom/2017/01
Basinger, K., Crawford, T., Critchley, L., & Romano, J. (2017). Using Uncertainty Reduction Theory to Help Students Deal with Stress and Anxiety and Improve Their Overall Classroom Performance. Disabled World. Retrieved November 27, 2021 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/education/uncertainty-reduction-theory.php
Chen, Y. C., Benus, M. J., & Hernandez, J. (2019). Managing uncertainty in scientific argumentation. Science Education, 103(5), 1235-1276. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21527