Triangulation
Triangulation is a word that can be used in many contexts e.g. surveying, politics, psychology, navigation, even in chess as an endgame manoeuvre!
In education, triangulation refers to assessment. To fully evaluate a student, one triangulates by using three assessment tools: products such as a test or quiz, conversations with the individual student and within groups, and observations of what the student is doing, how they do it and why they do it. Last fall, Crescent teachers participated in professional development to sharpen their triangulation skills to improve how they assess student learning.
Another definition is triangulation of information. This is a powerful technique that facilitates validation of data through cross verification from two or more sources. For me, this directly relates to the checking and cross-referencing of the outcomes of the strategic academic planning work that Crescent staff have been busy doing this year. I will quote some of the reaffirming sources:
“Learning just canned stuff does not trigger your inspiration, but when you are doing a project that is open-ended or of personal interest, it gets you engaged. There should be more opportunities to trigger each and every student's passion. Every student is different and should be given opportunities to showcase their unique talents.” [Crescent Alumnus, Class of 2012]
“What we do know is that students will need to know what to do when they don’t know what to do. So that is where we must focus our efforts. Content is of course important, because students can’t think critically without something to think about. But we cannot possibly teach them everything they might ever need to know. Schools need to re-examine assumptions about what must be covered and pare the required content down to what is truly essential. Students will naturally learn the content they need to pursue their interests. What they need most are the skills that allow them to learn quickly and effectively, and to work with others to use what they learn to solve novel problems in creative ways.” [“The Real World Starts Now: College Prep is No Longer Enough” ISM Ideas & Perspectives, Vol.42 No.5, April 2017]
“Seeing our boys work together, pushing themselves to their limits - these boys have learned that with hard work and collaboration they can achieve higher goals than they have ever imagined.” [Mr. Don Morrison, Crescent Faculty]
“...at a minimum, our educational systems must be retooled to maximize these needed skills and attributes: strong fundamentals in writing, reading, coding and math; creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration; grit, self-motivation, and lifelong learning habits; and entrepreneurship and improvisation--at every level.” [Thank you for Being Late: How to thrive in a time of tectonic shifts in technology, globalization and climate change by Daniel L. Friedman, 2016]
Words like collaboration, critical thinking, passion and adaptability are critical to Crescent’s Strategic Academic Plan in development. More than ever, these skills must play an important rule in student triangulation as we confidently move forward in our increasingly complex, ever changing and connected world.
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Another definition is triangulation of information. This is a powerful technique that facilitates validation of data through cross verification from two or more sources. For me, this directly relates to the checking and cross-referencing of the outcomes of the strategic academic planning work that Crescent staff have been busy doing this year. I will quote some of the reaffirming sources:
“Learning just canned stuff does not trigger your inspiration, but when you are doing a project that is open-ended or of personal interest, it gets you engaged. There should be more opportunities to trigger each and every student's passion. Every student is different and should be given opportunities to showcase their unique talents.” [Crescent Alumnus, Class of 2012]
“What we do know is that students will need to know what to do when they don’t know what to do. So that is where we must focus our efforts. Content is of course important, because students can’t think critically without something to think about. But we cannot possibly teach them everything they might ever need to know. Schools need to re-examine assumptions about what must be covered and pare the required content down to what is truly essential. Students will naturally learn the content they need to pursue their interests. What they need most are the skills that allow them to learn quickly and effectively, and to work with others to use what they learn to solve novel problems in creative ways.” [“The Real World Starts Now: College Prep is No Longer Enough” ISM Ideas & Perspectives, Vol.42 No.5, April 2017]
“Seeing our boys work together, pushing themselves to their limits - these boys have learned that with hard work and collaboration they can achieve higher goals than they have ever imagined.” [Mr. Don Morrison, Crescent Faculty]
“...at a minimum, our educational systems must be retooled to maximize these needed skills and attributes: strong fundamentals in writing, reading, coding and math; creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration; grit, self-motivation, and lifelong learning habits; and entrepreneurship and improvisation--at every level.” [Thank you for Being Late: How to thrive in a time of tectonic shifts in technology, globalization and climate change by Daniel L. Friedman, 2016]
Words like collaboration, critical thinking, passion and adaptability are critical to Crescent’s Strategic Academic Plan in development. More than ever, these skills must play an important rule in student triangulation as we confidently move forward in our increasingly complex, ever changing and connected world.
