One thing I do to teach students to learn by using technology is a focus my plans around the objectives. After I have a guideline I allow the students to use their creativity to manipulate and design whatever they want in order to show mastery. I give students choices to allow for individualized products and assignments. I also make sure to show students just how important collaborating is. My students often meet online to create products together that demonstrate mastery of a standard. They love the freedom and the complexity of creating a product together.
We can teach them to demonstrate their mastery/understanding when they aren't given explicit requirements through modeling and examples. Ultimately, it is very hard for students to complete an assignment that doesn't have explicit requirements. We must show students through working together that assignments can be creative and unstructured but still result in learning. Getting students involved in the modeling will help to lead students to the right track.
YES! Sometimes, we underestimate the value in gathering models/examples. A solid model, created by a student/students is sometimes worth more than our explanation of whatever it is. =D
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