If anyone truly looks at the education system, they will see that we have not changed with the times. The world is constantly changing, and we have to change and evolve with it. With all this change, ultimately, the workforce had to change with it. For us to truly prepare our students to be successful in today's society, we have to make sure that we are fully preparing them for their future. Sadly, we are failing them in this aspect.
When we are born and start our learning journey, we tend to learn naturally. We learn how to crawl, walk, talk, color, and many other things easily. So why is it that when kids get to school, they start to struggle to learn and retain information? Why have we, as educators, not stopped and looked at this problem years ago? Why did we have to wait so long for it to become such a huge problem before we woke up and realized something major needed to change? I find myself asking these questions a lot.
Yes, some schools are trying and are one-to-one with technology, but we are still extremely behind and stuck in the old ways. We have to move away from the style of factory teacher-led learning method and move towards creating a significant learning environment in our classrooms. For us to be able to shift and remodel education, we have to start reintroducing play to mirror what learning truly looks like. With technology at our fingertips, the possibilities of getting information are endless. In the book, A New Culture of Learning, authors Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown stated we need a “massive information network that provides almost unlimited access and resources to learn about anything.” (pg.19, 2011). We as teachers are not the only way students receive information. The teacher's role has to shift from content provider to context creator. By doing this, it will allow our students to take ownership of their learning, and we can foster imagination and passion/interests. Seems like it would be something simple, right? Well, I know for me it is hard when it feels like I am just giving up control in the classroom and not just “teaching”. The thing is, if we as teachers step back and give the kids control over their learning, we will still be there to support them on their learning journey. We can offer suggestions and be more of a facilitator than someone who lectures up at the front of the classroom. This will help them truly learn how to learn, and they will be able to make more meaningful connections along the way.
Stepping back and allowing our students to learn in a more student-led environment is not the only thing that needs to change to truly create a new culture of learning. Yes, they need a massive information network available, but we need to combine that with a structured environment where students can experiment and explore. This will allow for unlimited agency to build and cultivate imagination, which in turn will create a more effective and authentic learning environment within the classroom. To create a significant learning environment (CSLE) alongside a A New Culture of Learning, we have to ensure that we focus on the students, learning. We need to put it all together, embracing passion, imagination, and play, with unlimited resources to let our students have an opportunity to truly grow and explore for themselves. Just like Thomas and Brown stated, “play becomes a strategy for embracing change, rather than a way for growing out of it” (2011). We have gotten to where we want the kids to “grow up” and we have taken the fun and imagination out of school. If we want to embrace a student-centered learning environment with a new culture of learning, we have to bring that back. The students need time to explore and collaborate with their peers while using a variety of online programs to build critical thinking skills.
The problem I see with giving students unlimited access to a massive network of information on the internet is that within the districts, there are so many filters and site blockers built in to protect our students from ads, spam, data collection, and inappropriate sites. With all of this having to be implemented to ensure the safety of our students, are we giving them access to “unlimited” resources for research purposes? Then we also need to look at the aspect of this leading us to once again not letting our students truly have a choice over their learning. I see this possibly becoming an issue with my Implementation outline because I want to be able to have a blended learning environment that is student-centered to help them become independent thinkers. For them to truly be able to be independent thinkers, I feel they should have full control of what they want and can research based on their interests and passions without restrictions (COVA). In a school setting, I am not sure this is possible. I will have to look into this and reevaluate parts of my plan before proceeding with the implementation process. I need to discuss with the technology department to determine whether we can reduce restrictions during certain hours or compile a large list of acceptable websites for use. Ensuring that we have a large list of varying sites with information on a wide range of subject matter might be a compromise we could use while implementing my plan. I also want to do some research and see if I can find a platform the students can use to collaborate and also have it so that they can self-reflect over time.
Another problem I see in my future when I am trying to pilot my Innovation Plan is trying to convince my district to let me even try blended learning. If I can get them to agree, I will also face time constraints with juggling grades, quizzes, and exams. All while trying to ensure that all TEKS and requirements have been met for the standardized testing we have to do.
If my district adapts this new culture of learning while creating a significant learning environment, it could drastically change education and the future of our students. We will see increased involvement, higher student satisfaction, information retention, and greater satisfaction with teachers, which in turn would hopefully have an impact on turnover rates.
References
Harapnuik, D. (2015, May 9). Creating Significant Learning Environments (CLSE). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ-c7rz7eT4
TEDx Talks. (2012, September 13). A New Culture of Learning, Douglas Thomas at TEDxUFM [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM80GXlyX0U
Harapnuik, D. (2015, May 8). Creating significant learning environments (CSLE) [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ-c7rz7eT4
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. CreateSpace.
