This module emphasizes the power of having students design their own tasks for the generation and testing of hypotheses. When students participate in designing the kinds of project-based tasks described in the previous module, they reap many benefits. Specifically, students develop a heightened sense of motivation and efficacy when they are allowed to engage in self-designed authentic tasks that require them to transfer knowledge to the world beyond the classroom. The more learning and assessment tasks are reality based, the more students understand curriculum content at higher levels. A fundamental condition for higher levels of understanding is that students engage in self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and self-regulation. This module will also revisit a recurring theme in The Art and Science of Teaching—the power of shared experience and cooperative learning as essential building blocks of the teaching-learning process.

Reflecting on Your Current Beliefs and Practices

Before examining the strategies in this module, take some time to reflect on your current beliefs and practices by answering the following questions:

1. How do you ensure that students take a direct role in task design, when appropriate?
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2. To what extent do you attempt to incorporate student interests into task design?
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3. How do you encourage students to engage in ongoing processes of self-monitoring, self-regulation, and self-evaluation?
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4. How do you encourage students to engage in cooperative learning processes and structures to reinforce their understanding and higher-order thinking?
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Recommendations for Classroom Practice