How did the new approach affect student learning and motivation?
The teacher found that there were a number of positive results for students, including: • a feeling of being more in control of their learning – ‘It [picking our own assignments] was better because we weren’t stuck with something (sic) we didn’t want to do’ (student written reflection) • more enjoyment in their work – ‘I learned more because it was fun’ (student written reflection) • greater participation in activities (teacher observation) • growth of students’ independence (teacher observation) • more successful learning (assessment). The teacher also commented that one of the most successful outcomes was the transformation of the classroom as a result of the work her students had produced: ‘The interest and motivation in my classroom is amazing…My own students came in and did not go to their seats…They were more interested in taking a stroll around the room to see what was new. They wanted to measure and record observations…They wanted to talk to their classmates about the murals ar
