iTransform. A top ten teaching technique. And GREAT for retrieval practice.

Three years ago a police officer tapped me on the shoulder. ​”Don’t worry, you’re not in any trouble. I just wanted to say ​‘hello’ — you used to teach me”. As we talked PC Nicola remembered her experience of using iTransform. She’d remembered the subject content for nearly 30 years. iTransform is great for retrieval practice…

Of course, I didn’t call it iTransform in the ​’90s but the idea was the same. I’d asked my students to transform their learning into a different format and recall it from memory to their peers. All I did was set up the activity and set up the opportunity for each group to share their learning. In between times, learners worked independently of me. Which was nice. 

iTransform ​‘works’ with all subject matter and age groups. Here are five reasons why iTransform makes it into my ​‘Top Ten’ Teaching Strategies

1. VERY easy to set up — sit back and watch the fun unfold
2. Learners find it very engaging and highly motivating
3. Taps into new millennials digital skills
4. Develops independent and employability skills
5. Cognitively sound — learners have to deconstruct and reconstruct their learning