Technology in the Lutheran Classroom: Martin Luther--A New Look!

One of the greatest uses of technology is allowing students the freedom to express their learning in many different ways. Check out this video from YouTube and tell me if these students understand the the Reformation? Reformation Rap Battle: Martin Luther v. Pope Leo X

I recognize that there is a bit of vulgarity in the rap (which within itself is a bit odd because of the content!). Undoubtedly these high school students understand many of the political and religious overtones of the protestant reformation. Could this knowledge have been assessed in a different way? Could they have written an essay? Taken a multiple choice test? Created a poster comparing and contrasting the views in question? Sure, but which assessment made a greater impact on these students? What other "secondary skills" did these students learn and develop in the process of creating this video.

That brings up a good point: Should secondary skills really be "secondary" anymore? Is video/sound/photo editing a skill worthy of regular student consumption? As teachers, how much freedom do we give students to take side trips in education to learn skills that don't necessarily meet curriculum goals, but are still worthy of learning?

Probably more important than learning the skill, is teaching students to think about the skills they are learning. I can't really quote a spefic source because this topic of metacognition has been in so many conversations. The future in education will not so much be about content and knowledge as it will be about teaching students to be good learners. How do students learn something, unlearn something, and learn something new again. These will be the valued, flexible skills of the future!

BUT...what happens when the content you are learning is TRUTH? Now here is where the distinction line is drawn in relation to teaching the Christian faith! That sounds like a blog topic for a different day :-)