Education: Fighting the "Boss"

I am mainly a coordinator of learning in the digital classroom, every once in a while gently steering the conversation to a truer north, but students are mostly on their own to find their path. I lay out the tools along the way that will help them on their quest. It's up to them whether or not to pick them up and wield them to their advantage.

In my experience, they rarely pick up those tools that can help them. As if in a Zelda video game, these students often randomly wander place to place, trying to figure out which swatch of grass will release treasure, or which person to talk to. But unlike when playing a video game, my students are often much less engaged, and instead of exploring, they go straight to the rooms with treasure that will score them points. In this manner, they miss some vivid experiences and hidden gems along the way.

When it comes to tackling the Boss--a big paper, a portfolio, an exit Capstone--these students who don't create their own experience through their education or utilize the tools given to them don't have the know-how to conquer the big Boss, and die.