10 Tips to Make Learning REAL

Another Christmas has passed and I am continually amazed by the technologies that kids now have access to. For example, my son received a drone from my mother-in-law and has been playing with it non-stop for days now. At first, he was focused on just the basics of flying the device. After having mastered take off, landing, and balance, his focus now is on using the camera to take photos and video.  It is awesome to see how engaged he is with the drone, but that he is also learning in the process.   Technology for him, like most kids today, has become an embedded component of their lives. They have grown up in a world where they have become accustomed to the fast-paced evolution of everything digital. 

The world as we know it has fundamentally changed our learners.  It is not that they are learning differently per se, but the environment in which they learn has dramatically changed.  The challenge for educators and schools today is to make learning REAL (relevant, engaging, authentic, and lasting) for all students and align it more with their world.  A great deal of emphasis has been placed on personalized opportunities for students. Whereas there are many benefits with this approach, the reliance on technology platforms and human interaction can take away from intended outcomes. REAL learning places a greater emphasis on making learning personal for students. 

Below are some quick tips that can make learning more REAL (relevant, engaging, authentic, and lasting):

1. Provide students access to real-world tools to do real-world work (i.e. makerspaces).
2. Allow students to select the best tool to complete a learning task while moving away from a one-size-product-fits-all approach.
3. Provide meaningful feedback in a timely fashion.
4. Connect standards and learning outcomes to their interests and passions.
5. Implement Academy programs (school within a school).
6. Offer virtual course options and innovative self-paced learning opportunities in lieu of traditional independent study programs (i.e. IOCS).
7. Transform outdoor spaces into flexible classrooms and stimulating learning environments.
8. Broaden student horizons by bringing in experts both face-to-face and virtually who work in emerging fields of work. Take kids on field trips through virtual reality technology.
9. Move away from traditional grading and homework practices.
10. Clearly articulate the “why” all the time so that students understand how what they are learning impacts them now and in the future.

REAL learning should be a reality for all of our students.  What would you add to the list I have started above? 

Digital Learners Need (and Deserve) Digital Leaders #DigiLead

I recently read this Education Week post by  Jill Berkowicz and Ann Myers titled We Have 21st Century Learners Who Need 21st Century Leaders.  I couldn't agree more. They go on the summarize the following:

"Essentially, the 21st century leader has to develop a renewed understanding of how children are learning now.  It isn't about using technology because it exists. It is about how the technologies of the world have already influenced how children are learning. Bringing a technology agenda forward with the intention of improving student understanding and demonstrated success is essential.  Leading the transition from 20th century to 21st century schools includes attention to the human toll it takes when such large changes are being required.  Ongoing professional development, constant review and analysis of successful attempts at the changes in learning opportunities and the increasing use of technology offer momentum."

The world has changed and technology has had a big impact.  As the world and our lives have become more connected and influenced by the evolving technology-rich landscape our learners in turn have become wired differently.  Not only are they engaged more outside of school then in, but in many cases they are constructing new knowledge, communicating, collaborating, and attempting to make sense of an array of media messages.  All of these examples are at the core of essential skill sets that most schools "want" students to possess, but many schools do a poor job of creating a culture that integrates them across the curriculum. Students deserve leaders willing who are willing to extend themselves beyond their comfort zones in order to create a culture that aligns with a new vision for learning.  This involves a leader's desire to take calculated risks, adapt, learn, and ultimately evolve in ways to break free of the status quo in order to create digitally rich environments that meet the needs of today's digital learners.

Image credit: http://inspiringtheact.org.au/event/unconventional-gas/

The number one responsibility and challenge for digital leaders is to create a relevant, meaningful, and authentic learning culture that allows students to create learning artifacts to demonstrate conceptual mastery. It also requires an open mind, vision, and strategic plan to allow students access to real-world tools to do real-world work. A common misconception is that you have to be "tech savvy" in order to be a digital leader.  Of course it helps, but it is not a necessity.  What is needed is a thorough understanding of what constitutes effective leadership and determining how these characteristics, skills, and practices can be improved and/or enhanced with a new mindset that views technology as a tool to support learning as opposed to just a frivolous add on.  Some of the most effective digital leaders, or just leaders for that matter, build capacity in others to move the change process further.  If you are a leader looking to do so, begin to have conversations with your teachers, and more importantly your students, to collaboratively create a system that works for learners as opposed to one that just acts to control them.

Societal changes as a result of technology now demand leaders to also look at how they perform other essential responsibilities to improve and move schools forward in the digital age.  The Pillars of Digital Leadership provide a practical framework for any leader, regardless of technological proficiency, to improve professional practice.  The tenets of leadership still apply.  It should also be noted that this isn't about giving us more to do in a time when it seems like more and more is being dumped on a leader's plate. The guiding question is how can we do what we do better to become more effective and efficient while becoming improved learners, collaborators, communicators, storytellers, and change agents.  If we look at the digital age as an endless era of opportunity to engage students in deeper, more relevant learning then the next logical step is to act.

We can no longer stand by idly while everything changes except for schools and learning environments. View this post as a call to action.  If you are a digital leader how will you help support, cultivate, and inspire others to follow a similar path? The Age of Information and Personal Learning Networks (PLN's) provides ample resources for any leader (classroom, building, district) to find success, not to mention my new book on Digital Leadership.  The challenge is to get those who do not value the role of technology in learning today, are not connected, or who are blinded by fear, misconceptions, or lack of knowledge on board.  Learners across the globe are counting on our success in this endeavor.  Are you up for the challenge?

E-learning and Canned Instruction: A Contradiction in Terms?

The following is a guest post by Laura DeSena.

Not all online education programs are the same. Currently, most conversations on the topic on online education are oversimplified.  Complexities must be addressed on this topic for a true critical assessment of online education to actually happen.

Image credit: http://teamblearningmodalities.blogspot.com/

The first significant distinction that must be considered for the conversation about online learning to be valid is that between synchronous and asynchronous instruction.  In synchronous or live online instruction, students and teachers log on together in the virtual classroom. This is pure -- unfiltered by reflection -- interaction and in this live setting the social element of learning is not compromised.
 The exceptional moment occurs in meaningful inspiration and encouragement in the timber and inflection of a voice, in the subtleties of harmony of thought process in synchronous time and the authentic epiphany.

The teacher cannot be factored out of the equation of learning. Teaching in the moment is quite different from the packaged/canned asynchronous learning environment -- particularly in terms of critical discourse. Canned/pre-packaged curriculum with asynchronous online education does not embrace reflection in the way that Web 2.0 tools – like collaborative sites such as discussion boards  and online presentation tools – do and curation sites  -- like Pinterest -- do.  Synchronous fosters expression and  non- pre-packaged asynchronous encourages reflection – both elements of the learning process are necessary ones. . Oversimplification of the definition of online learning is not helpful to anyone and it seems that online learning has a negative connotation that it does not deserve.

Laura DeSena is a Teacher of English at West Milford High School (NJ).   She is also the Founder of Innovations in Online Education, Inc.  You can check out her blog HERE.