Today students face an uncertain and ever changing future (2Revolutions LLC, 2012). Bolstad, Gilbert, McDowall,Bull, Boyd & Hipkins (2012), note that a paradigm change in education is needed to help students meet these demands; “The old understanding of knowledge is no longer sufficient” p. 14. How we use, apply and think of knowledge has changed. Students need to be actively involved in their learning rather than passive recipients of content.
The 2012 report written by Bolstad et al, Supporting Future-oriented Learning and Teaching - a New Zealand Perspective, outlines key themes for educators to work towards to help prepare students for 21st century life.
- Personalising learning
- New views of equity, diversity and inclusivity
- Knowledge to develop learning capacity
- Rethinking learner and teacher roles
- Continuous learning
- Partnerships and relationships
- Current and emerging technologies
- The role of the collaborative process
At the heart of my change in practice since working with Mindlab, has been a focus on ‘knowledge to develop learning capacity’. This moves away from traditional subject/ content/ learning area focus towards a shift in thinking to ‘knowledge as a verb’, Ministry of Education (2012). Creating and using new knowledge to solve problems and find solutions, with ‘just in time’ teaching and learning.
A colleague and I created a learning experience to develop our students’ collaboration skills. Although this was our focus, the learning outcomes were much broader than we could have ever imagined.
So what did we do?
Noticing a lack of student voice in our community correspondence we implemented HTV - a student-led and designed digital television programme. As educators, we wanted to allow our students to take charge of their learning, work collaboratively and leave their mark. We put a lot of work into the foundations of this project. Setting up a shared vision and purpose of HTV, establishing an understanding of collaboration, co-constructing success criteria, and setting up frameworks to support students as they took over the running of the project through agile and design thinking learning processes.
Then...we handed the reins over. This involved a rethink of the roles of both teacher and learner. Together we were learners. Students were in charge of organising their learning, making decisions, sorting out disagreements, researching and finding solutions about how to do things. They had use and apply their digital learning in a professional way to create the HTV episode and hold a premiere evening for whanau and caregivers.
Was this the regular and tidy learning programme- no?! It was messy at times and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had to stop myself from directing students and allow them to make mistakes. If I did that it would take away their decision-making processing, their autonomy and their voice; and that was really challenging! I became the question asker- what do you think, can you look at this in another way, who else could help with this etc?
My students too, found this very challenging - why wasn’t I playing the game? Wouldn’t it be easier for me to just say what to do or give an answer? Some students found it very hard to make decisions in case they were ‘wrong’. Others didn’t seem comfortable having to think for themselves. And on the other hand… some students just flew- they relished in the opportunity and surprised us with how they worked, what they learned and the skills they demonstrated.
Constructionist theory (Papert & Harel, 1991) underpins this learning. Bers (2007) outlines four key elements important to constructivism in the classroom.
Students need to be challenged and given more opportunities to think for themselves, to create together, to give back to their community. Messiness is okay (truly it is) and the learning gained from this can be uncomfortable at first but is so empowering. That way we can more fully prepare students for their futures.
References:
A colleague and I created a learning experience to develop our students’ collaboration skills. Although this was our focus, the learning outcomes were much broader than we could have ever imagined.
So what did we do?
Noticing a lack of student voice in our community correspondence we implemented HTV - a student-led and designed digital television programme. As educators, we wanted to allow our students to take charge of their learning, work collaboratively and leave their mark. We put a lot of work into the foundations of this project. Setting up a shared vision and purpose of HTV, establishing an understanding of collaboration, co-constructing success criteria, and setting up frameworks to support students as they took over the running of the project through agile and design thinking learning processes.
Then...we handed the reins over. This involved a rethink of the roles of both teacher and learner. Together we were learners. Students were in charge of organising their learning, making decisions, sorting out disagreements, researching and finding solutions about how to do things. They had use and apply their digital learning in a professional way to create the HTV episode and hold a premiere evening for whanau and caregivers.
Was this the regular and tidy learning programme- no?! It was messy at times and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had to stop myself from directing students and allow them to make mistakes. If I did that it would take away their decision-making processing, their autonomy and their voice; and that was really challenging! I became the question asker- what do you think, can you look at this in another way, who else could help with this etc?My students too, found this very challenging - why wasn’t I playing the game? Wouldn’t it be easier for me to just say what to do or give an answer? Some students found it very hard to make decisions in case they were ‘wrong’. Others didn’t seem comfortable having to think for themselves. And on the other hand… some students just flew- they relished in the opportunity and surprised us with how they worked, what they learned and the skills they demonstrated.
Constructionist theory (Papert & Harel, 1991) underpins this learning. Bers (2007) outlines four key elements important to constructivism in the classroom.
- Learning is designed in communities, is interactive and students evaluate, assess and debug their learning as they go.
- Technological tools are used for collaborative teamwork and feedback.
- New ways of thinking assist in the creation of powerful ideas which have a personal connection for students.
- Learning about learning through technology. Students use technology safely, make positive contributions to themselves, their community, the world and technological development.
Students need to be challenged and given more opportunities to think for themselves, to create together, to give back to their community. Messiness is okay (truly it is) and the learning gained from this can be uncomfortable at first but is so empowering. That way we can more fully prepare students for their futures.
References:
2Revolutions LLC. (2012). The Future of Learning. [Online Video]. 1 March 2012. Available from: https://youtu.be/xoSJ3_dZcm8. [Accessed: 30 November 2017].
Bers, M. U. (2008). Blocks to robots: learning with technology in the early childhood classroom. New York: Teachers College Press.
Bolstad, R., Gilbert, J., McDowall, S., Bull, A., Boyd, S., & Hipkins, R. (2012). Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching — a New Zealand perspective. Report prepared for the Ministry of Education. Retrieved from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/109306
Build Learning Capacity [Digital image]. (2010, October 14). Retrieved December 1, 2017, from https://pt.slideshare.net/StonefieldsSchool/community-consultation-14-october
Creative Clip art Thinking Cap [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2017, from http://moziru.com/explore/Creative%20clipart%20thinking%20cap/#gal_post_4664_creative-clipart-thinking-cap-1.gif
Ministry of Education.(2012). Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching: A New Zealand perspective. Retrieved from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/109306
Papert, S. & Harel, I. (1991). Constructionism. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing
Bolstad, R., Gilbert, J., McDowall, S., Bull, A., Boyd, S., & Hipkins, R. (2012). Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching — a New Zealand perspective. Report prepared for the Ministry of Education. Retrieved from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/109306
Build Learning Capacity [Digital image]. (2010, October 14). Retrieved December 1, 2017, from https://pt.slideshare.net/StonefieldsSchool/community-consultation-14-october
Creative Clip art Thinking Cap [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2017, from http://moziru.com/explore/Creative%20clipart%20thinking%20cap/#gal_post_4664_creative-clipart-thinking-cap-1.gif
Ministry of Education.(2012). Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching: A New Zealand perspective. Retrieved from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/109306
Papert, S. & Harel, I. (1991). Constructionism. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing
Great reflection on your practice! I would also find it challenging to let the students take over. I am a person that likes to control things and letting out isn't easy. I like how you are with the messiness. Some schools, don't allow for this chaos or mess to occur. The students really miss out.
ReplyDelete"And on the other hand… some students just flew- they relished in the opportunity and surprised us with how they worked, what they learned and the skills they demonstrated."
That situation above, is what we wish for all our students that are put into those situations. Also being OK with making mistakes!
All the best!
Matt
Hi Matt- thanks heaps for your comment. One real take away from that learning experience for me has been to let kids make mistakes and try to sort things out for themselves. I think when we take over, redirect, 'overly support' we deny our students the chance to actually learn. My mantra for next year is going to be don't rescue them they can do it!
ReplyDeleteHi Teresa! I just read your blog post and found it interesting. Well done for trying something different, which is exactly where we all need to go, towards this 21st century world of uncertainty to attempt to harness new ideas. I just watched the video Teaching in the 21st century and this enterprise of yours is all about teaching students skills rather than content. Your student had to create and evaluate, which is a higher level of thinking. It's your Bloom's Taxonomy right there. In the video they mentioned the fact that "good learning requires active engagement in the "whole game".4 The more people learn, the more they are capable of learning." So you got your students to hold the reins, you stepped back and allowed their learning journey to unravel and get messy. In his report: Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching — a New Zealand perspective, Bolstad states that "Knowledge, in the Knowledge Age, involves creating and using new knowledge to solve problems and find solutions to challenges as they arise on a "just-in-time" basis. So you took this initiative to develop an alternative educational idea. It is I believe what 21st century learning requires of us. Well done!
ReplyDeleteKarima Bencheikh
Thanks Karima- its so funny how Holly (my colleague-mentioned above) and I set out focusing on improving collaboration and using ICT to build knowledge and we ended up really allowing our students to grow as whole learners. It was a really rewarding experience that we are looking to replicate again next year with a whole new context. I can see my teaching practice evolving much, much more. Enjoying the journey and appreciate your thoughtful comment.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your post: what a powerful learning experience - for you and for your learners! It would certainly met all the requirements of ITL Research's 21CLD Learning Activity Rubrics in collaboratively creating something new for an authentic audience. Your post made me reflect on how I handled the mess of learning: my students made a video to share with a class in New Caledonia and at one point I couldn't help myself, I did step in and become a 'Rescue Ranger'. Do you have any tips on how to avoid doing this when things get very messy?
ReplyDeleteHi Mary- Love the rescue ranger! I'm going to use that!! There comes a point where you know your learners and as a teacher when you should step in. If students are becoming really distressed, there's no learning going on there. I suppose this is where the teacher as the guide is so important. In my post I alluded to all the work we put into before we handed the reins over. Our students are year 8's and so this could have had a factor in the process, but we had built up from the beginning of the year what it meant to be a learner, how they learned etc etc. We then moved on to cooperation, then to collaboration. We went over how to work when disagreements occur and how to resolve these respectfully. There was a LOT of teaching that went on around that. But those foundations made a big difference. I am sure that I stepped in and rescued as well, but going back to the shared criteria around what was quality work and the vision we created- that handled a lot of issues. You can redirect to questioning then- for example if the work being produced was not of a good quality - you could question, how does this meet our criteria? What could this be improved? Is this your best work -if not what can we do to improve it? How will we know? We were always shaping and evolving the classroom shared understanding. Putting in the right supports was vital.
DeleteI think you also have to be kind on yourself too- you're only human and are learning too- share that with your students. Ask them if they think you are rescuing them or allowing them to solve their own problems.
Woah- long reply!!! haha. Thanks for your question though- I appreciate it. How did your video go? How wonderful was that to reach out to another community in another part of the world.!? Very cool.
Hi Teresa - Thank you for your detailed reply - very useful. I'm looking forward to the start of a new year and new classes so that we can build our capacity together. My students and I have learnt a lot from the process of putting the movie together; it has really helped the students to see our school through different eyes and it has helped me to see my students through different eyes too.
DeleteI love how this project that the children have collaborated upon has pushed their key competencies to the fore. Did the community response motivate the children to produce higher quality work?
ReplyDelete