Learning in the times of COVID-19

As we enter into another period of remote learning, we've had time to consider the impact of the Term 2 experience and have reached the end of another reporting period for students. This time students, teachers and families have a clearer idea of what's ahead of us.

During this time there is no shortage of professional discussions in which to be involved. They are worthwhile learning and exchanges of ideas. One such webinar I attended included a discussion of Cognitive Load Theory and Design Learning. It's time to look closely at students and their learning environment.

The conclusions of Psychologist, Andrew Fuller were particularly worthy of discussion. He suggested we need to listen to the students who are thriving and give them a voice. Why do many of them like the new arrangements of remote learning?  He suggested the processes we put in place in the coming months will stick.

Pathways to future learning he proposed (with caution) were:

1. Retention of some model of remote learning. Some learning will be asynchronous.

2. Increased brevity of instructional elements. The exploration of ideas is more important than the provider.

3. Platforms we’re using today will quickly become out dated.

4. Current university selection criteria will be reviewed. There will be higher levels of participation online.

5. Interdisciplinary learning – there will be more linkages between subjects.

6. Personalised learning will come into its own. Character strengths will be important. Here is a chance for teachers. Less mob think and tribalism.

7. We need to help people become design learners.

8. Importance of cultural competency. Ethics of common issues and focus on values.

The overall message that came from the webinar - When nothing is certain, everything is possible.

We need to work smarter on a new way of learning.

Rethinking Learning by Mitch Resnick

Mitch Resnick (MIT Media Labs) explains the relationship between technology in the classroom and learning most succinctly in Rethinking Learning in the Digital Age.  He explains why we must rethink our approach to education to fit with the new possibilities of the digital age because too often we're not taking advantage of the possibilities.

• We tend to use technology to deliver education to the learner which is not the most productive way of learning.
• Technology has potential if used as the material to create and build things in the world - learning as the active construction of new knowledge.  Building on the theories of Piaget.  
• Let learners explore new ideas themselves.
• Sophisticated mathematical and engineering ideas typically studied in graduate courses can now be brought down into secondary level through students using technology to build and simulate ideas.
• With technology you can build a quick prototype, try it out, see if it works.  
• There's a constant spiral between ideas in your head and being able to try them out.  Technology expands the range of things we can design and therefore expands what we can learn.
• The boundaries of where we can learn and with whom we learn are being broken down.  People with a variety of ages and abilities are learning with each other.  Peer-to-peer learning. 
• Changing classroom practice and teaching methods won't happen without effort.
• Schools put up lots of boundaries that inhibit the opportunities to learn - between disciplines, between age-groups, between inside and outside school.
• The child must be in control of the technology.  If the child is not in control, the learning is not being enhanced to the extent that it could be.

Rethinking education.

Individual learners - The Future of Learning

This week, as the first week of the new school year in Australia, I've been introducing the Year 7 student intake to their learning space on the college network, activating their accounts and setting them off on their digital citizenship journey in this stage of their education.

The overwhelming impression one has after working on this routine but semi-complex task with 239 students over such a brief time frame, is the range of students in our classes.  Students who are relatively the same age, because that's how we manage schooling, but vary so broadly in abilities, interests and potential result on the NAPLAN testing they will undertake in the coming months.

Perhaps it was this week's experience that made me look closely at the following infographic published in OnCUE, the journal of CUE - Computer-Using Educators, that arrived in my mailbox yesterday. Titled A Glimpse into the Future of Learning, it provides a forecast into 'a diverse learning ecosystem in which learning adapts to each child instead of each child trying to adapt to school'. 

We have already commenced the journey. This infographic provides an overview that is worthy of a discussion with colleagues.

PISA 2012 results - Maths, Reading & Science

The PISA 2012 report of international student performance in Mathematics, Reading and Science as published by the OECD, 3 December 2013 provides an opportunity to compare literacy, numeracy and scientific literacy across countries.  Published every 3 years, it provides a benchmark for educators worldwide. 

ACER provides an Australian perspective on the report

OECD News release:  Asian countries top OECD’s latest PISA survey on state of global education

'The OECD’s PISA results reveal what is possible in education by showing what students in the highest-performing and most rapidly improving education systems can do. The findings allow policy makers around the world to gauge the knowledge and skills of students in their own countries in comparison with those in other countries, set policy targets against measurable goals achieved by other education systems, and learn from policies and practices applied elsewhere.' (OECD)

Library 2.013 - 2 days of collaboration

Over the past 2 days Steve Hargadon and the team at Library 2.0 have facilited the third annual worldwide conversation about the future of libraries via the Library 2.013 Worldwide Virtual Conference.   Held entirely online, around the clock, in multiple languages and time zones, it's been a fabulous conversation.  I only caught parts of it but am looking forward to catching up on those missed via the Session Recordings.

Alignment of the Conference Schedule to each time zone made keeping track of sessions simple e.g. the Melbourne Schedule.  All sessions were broadcast via Blackboard Collaborate. Twitter hashtag was #lib2013.

I was particularly pleased to attend Virtual Learning Commons by Dr David Loertscher and Carol Koechlin who have applied their extensive knowledge of learning and libraries to provide a framework that can be adopted by any school library.  Having spent the day with Carol in Toronto last year, this was a wonderful opportunity to further consolidate knowledge of the Learning Commons concept.

Kelly Gardner from State Library of Victoria, coordinator of the SLV/ School Library Assoc of Vic (SLAV) Personal Learning Project (#vicpln) presented Delivering Library Learning Online.  Kelly described how the concept of the VicPLN is now being applied to other services within the State Library.  A clear indication of the flexibility and opportunities offered via the online format.

The variety is astounding with presentations from experienced and highly qualified library professionals across the whole range of public and academic libraries.  Sprinkled with the experiences of developing African libraries, social media, knowledge management and MOOCs, this is a truly valuable resource.

Thanks again Steve H and team for making this collaboration and learning possible.