Enhancing Learning through a strategic design process

Again, a lot of work has gone on behind the scenes with this blog serving to demonstrate some of that learning.  In the process of building my knowledge and resources around learning, I have developed a number of documents to support the processes at the time and I felt it was important to ensure this one was present in order to see movement and formalise my planning process from here.

Learner Agency development plan found here

Reflection and Inquiry Process

There are a number of important aspects of learning I've been immersed in throughout 2015 and at this point I'd like to reflect on some of the things that have grown in importance for me throughout the year.

As I'm aware of all the numerous factors that make education so complex and our tendency as teachers to overload ourselves and feel overwhelmed, I would like to take some time to unpack the things I have developed an interest in and those things I feel are vitally important based on the learning I've undertaken.

Three aspects that have been highlighted as important by ERO in recent years, that continue to be important issues include:

• placing the student at the centre of the learning
• rich and relevant meaningful learning for learners
• assessment for learning - involving students in the learning process to empower them in their role as central to the learning process

CORE education's TEn trends this year include:

Learner Agency - student autonomy and voice

Learner Analytics - using large datasets to benefit all learners

Digital Convergence - the merging of digital technology into our everyday lives

Learner Orientation - placing the learner at the centre

Networked Organizations - networks, collaboration, connectivism and the cloud

Inclusive Design - considering the diverse strengths of learners

New Approaches to Assessment - exploring new ways of assessing learning

Global Connectedness - enabling learners to connect globally

Innovation and Entrepreneurship - innovation, startups and the knowledge economy

Maker Culture - making, coding, programming and creating

The 2014 Trends were all identical to these except 

Gamification which was in place of Inclusive Design, and 

The Singularity - which was the idea of the convergence of separately used technologies

The fact that these trends have persisted, suggests that while movement is being made, that we are still currently very much in the midst of the concept of 'an education' changing.  There is much research into the movement of our education system from an industrial model, which worked very well to serve learners in the past, who could be guaranteed a good, secure job by developing sufficient levels of knowledge to attend and complete university..... however, the current global economy and development of advanced technology means that learners are heading toward a very different future to the one the industrial model was designed to fit.  As such, major shifts are needing to occur in order to best meet the needs of all learners in our classrooms, including teachers.

Through critical reflection and analysis of my learning and leadership throughout 2015, particularly in conjunction with The Mind Lab, I have begun to ask some concise and important questions of myself in my learning:

• What am I doing to develop a manageable programme of learner-centred, rich, meaningful and real-life learning in our learning spaces?

• How can I go about developing a better understanding of assessment for learning practices, so that assessment is empowering my learners and preparing them for future learning processes?

• I know I have not undertaken my Inquiry and reflection around my target learners well this year.  Starting now, how am I best to go about developing a structured process for myself to undertake in order to best support my target learners (and thus benefit all learners) in ways that I am routinely accountable and aware of the impact I'm having on these learners?

• How am I best to go about this process in a way that leaves me feeling empowered and effective while still ensuring quality of life balance for myself and my family?

Although I feel as though the year has not benefitted my learners and feel a huge amount of guilt around what I haven't done to enhance their learning, I am aware that this state of disequilibrium is necessary for my practice to change and am now highly focused on how to best ensure movement in my practice for the future.

I have worked hard to ensure all I undertook was manageable this year and although it hasn't been manageable at times, it has certainly been easier than it could have been. Immersed in learning, is one way to describe the year and although I have drowned in it at times, the challenges to my thinking have been hugely important and have aided my thinking considerably.  

For example, aspects of importance for me for next year include:

Beginning with a concrete programme of teaching of learning habits and collaborative tasks in the first six weeks of school in order to develop my knowledge of my learners and teach the process of learning.  Designing activities with the goals being around completion, collaboration and reflection on learning.

Beginning the year with a bank of meaningful, real life contexts of learning for our learners and structuring checkpoints with assessment for learning tasks throughout the process so all learners know where they are in terms of their:

learning habits, core learning areas, credits for learning, ability to monitor their learning

Focusing more on the process of learning and celebrating learning habits and progress at every turn - daily MFCs (Most Focused Contributors) and MFLs (Most Focused Learners) who would then be eligible for a weekly celebration prize.

I once spoke to a family friend who is a respected teacher and she told me that as a teacher, one day I would wake up and wish I was able to meet the needs of all my learners.  Never in my career have I felt this need more strongly.  I feel this in terms of my own practice as well as the policies and practices our current system binds us by, that need to change.  Change is upon us.  

Reflection on Reflection

Wow it seems such a long time since I've updated this blog - which doesn't bode well for my upcoming appraisal and attestation.  However, I think it will be obvious why when viewing my Team 17 blog and Agency to Learn blog - there has just been so much learning going on!

At the beginning of this year, my goals were wide and varied.  I had no real idea what the year was going to bring with:

• Mind Lab Postgraduate study
• e-Learning Co-Lead role (facilitating professional learning)
• a busy class of Year 8 learners
• commitments to Teach Xpo and Google Summit

My goals included:

Goal No. 1

Make learning visible to parents to encourage home school partnerships and increase impact and effective learning programmes.

Goal No. 2

Get students more involved in creation of learning in order to ensure greater depth of content knowledge and greater collaboration (who is working the hardest in our classrooms?)

Goal No. 3

Create positive classroom tone for all members to feel safe and secure.

Goal No. 4

Create a classroom where students are involved in facilitating their learning and have ownership over their learning.

Goal No. 5

Ensure adequate time is available and time management is well-planned in order to manage and balance:

Class learning

Team commitments

Any necessary professional development workshops for ICT/Chromebooks

MindLab commitments

Google Summit commitments

TeachXpo commitments

I remember when meeting with my lead teacher, Rae Black, at the beginning of the year, that Rae was concerned that there were too many goals on my list.  At the time though, I felt they were all viable and important and so persisted with them.

Reflections on these goals can be found on my Professional Goals document

One major reflection I have is that it's been challenging to be updating these regularly with all I've had on as my learning has raised new and interesting sidelines for me and I am not secure in my Inquiry Process. So that is one need to address next.