Activity 2: A Change in My Practice Towards Future-oriented Learning and TeachingHow has this course changed my teaching to date? I’m not totally convinced I have made any radical changes in my practices (yet), however it has made me reflect on my teaching and learning pedagogy and given it some credibility through research literature. The biggest “change” I am going through at the moment is all around the notion of knowledge. The more I read about 21st Century learning and future orientated learning, the more this concept of acquiring and using knowledge resonates with me. I have begun to critically reflect on my perception of knowledge in a classroom setting and how I need to change my program to incorporate more critical thinking and less knowledge acquiring. So that’s what I am going to base this reflection on today. During both my Leadership Assignment 2 and the course reading this week’s reading by the Ministry of Education (2012) Supporting Future-oriented Learning and Teaching: A New Zealand perspective I have had a few “a-ha” moments. I have learnt that knowledge and critical thinking is not about learning stuff and then regurgitating it, but turning it into something new. Which when I read it out loud it seems so simple, I wonder how I could not have made that connection sooner! I think on reflection I have always held strongly onto the idea that every unit of learning needed a “so what’ moment, a reason for the children to gain knowledge, but in recent years getting the children to know stuff seems to have become the “so what”. I feel I have taken the easy option of getting them to create a presentation, an iMovie or book in Book Creator to present their knowledge and I should have explored more opportunities for children to design or make something new. As discussed in the Ministry of Education (2012) knowledge should not been seen as the end result, but something that allows children to “do” something. I really like the way this article talks about knowledge traditionally is thought of as a noun, but future oriented learning changes it into a verb. Very clever... I am going to use this! When I think about this perception of knowledge, I can see how the Maker Movement really embodies future focus teaching and learning. Core Education (2014) talks about the maker movement “is all about putting the making back into learning”. Which is not a new concept if you look to theorist such a Dewey who was an advocate for hands on learning. Critical thinking or knowledge construction as discussed in the 21st Century Learning Design rubric (2012), requires children to do more than just reproduce what they have learnt. They should be encouraged to go beyond this to generate ideas and understandings that are new to them. I haven’t implemented this change yet, it’s a work in progress and I feel it requires more research and a deeper understanding of how to develop critical thinkers in a classroom. I know that my future assignment will help me gain this “knowledge” so that in 2018 I can turn my new understanding into action. I need to turn my knowledge from a noun to a verb. REFERENCE
Ministry of Education.(2012). Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching: A New Zealand perspective. Retrieved from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/109306 Core Education (2014) Ten Trends 2014, Retrieved from ,http://www.core-ed.org/research-and-innovation/ten-trends/2014/maker-culture/ ITL Research. (2012). 21CLD Learning Activity Rubrics. Retrieved from https://education.microsoft.com/GetTrained/ITL-Research
2 Comments
Ida Uea
11/27/2017 07:42:19 pm
I like the points you have made about using 21st Century Learning Design and Future Orientated Learning being useful to developing your professional practice. I can relate to what you said about falling into the routine of getting learners to create digital presentations as a means of showcasing learning, however, now it should be about re-design to nurture creativity. I feel like these sources of knowledge are a great tool to begin your journey and I have no doubt given the wealth of ideas and creativity you have as a teacher that this will result in a brilliant transition of 'knowledge' from noun to verb! Keep up the good work!
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trudi Fausett
11/27/2017 07:47:23 pm
I think in our first assignment we scratched the surface with children being able to use their knowledge, but we really needed more time. You really need to trust the process and be confident in your own knowledge and understanding to really invest the time into it. I am hoping that with the next big assignment I can learn a bit more so I'll be ready for next year.
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