Technology will never replace a good teacher. I have found that giving students control over their learning does improve motivation. In our culinary labs, I let students choose between items they will produce in lab provided they do some prior research and analyze different recipes. They must demonstrate to me that they understand the cooking method first; and then are rewarded when they are able to create their own interpretation of the dish. I let them know it is important to evaluate different recipes and that they have the ability to add and delete ingredients as it relates to the overall method they should be learning. Giving them power and choices not only creates excitement about participating in the lab, but I also feel as though they gain a deeper understanding of the objectives.
