How Students Learn
To be a student centered school educators must first know and understand how our students learn. Educators must be aware of where students come from and the learning tools they are most familiar with. Educators must also have an understanding on how to motivate students to learn and what challenges they will face when entering the work force of tomorrow.
Research has shown that too many students are disengaged and alienated from school, seeing little or no purpose for their education. Business leaders say there is a widening gap between the skills of the workforce and the needs of businesses seeking competitive advantage. Additionally, technology and the networked era threaten to further stretch the already-wide equity gap in education unless there is decisive intervention and a strong public agenda. |
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In 2001, Marc Prensky began to bring ideas to the forefront about a new generation of students. In a landmark article entitled "On the Horizon" Prensky popularized the terms “digital native" and "digital immigrant". What he portrayed in these terms was the idea that there is a gap between generations as they experience and learn from the evolution of technology. What can also be suggested from these terms is that technology may be creating an ever widening gap between each generation. Bridging the gap to the digital divide means that education will need to learn as our students learn. This is the starting point that immerses the educator in the learning tools of the millennial student.
To say the least, if we are to be missionaries of learning then we must get among the natives. This means that education must create learning environments that are conducive to the digital native. Educators must begin to learn as the digital native learns. Metaphorically, educators will need to build their campfires with the tools the natives use. Visit the watering holes where collaboration is ongoing. Hangout in the caves of posted hieroglyphs of creative thought. Nothing about what we say is primordial as the digital natives become restless they show us a new way to become engaged.
To say the least, if we are to be missionaries of learning then we must get among the natives. This means that education must create learning environments that are conducive to the digital native. Educators must begin to learn as the digital native learns. Metaphorically, educators will need to build their campfires with the tools the natives use. Visit the watering holes where collaboration is ongoing. Hangout in the caves of posted hieroglyphs of creative thought. Nothing about what we say is primordial as the digital natives become restless they show us a new way to become engaged.
Project Based Learning in a Connected Learning Environment
Project Based Learning (PBL) in a connected learning environment provides opportunities for teams of teachers to design a curriculum framework that is multidisciplinary, student centered, and authentic to 21st Century skills. The curriculum framework design is based on research in constructivist learning, and helps teachers pull together elements of Common Core Standards, college and career readiness skills while providing high engaging deep learning opportunities for students. The connected learning model for PBL unit development provides for a facilitated instructional approach where teachers are matched to relationship driven instruction that uses rigor and relevance as a map for concept development. The key components of the curriculum design model is to construct common core standards into authentic tasks.
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These authentic task within each unit are designed to stimulate student thinking through an inquiry process while using 21st Century skills. Skills included within the curriculum framework of the unit design template emphasizes the use of technology as a connected resource to establish networking tools to expand learning through digital media literacy. Digital media literacy skill sets are designed to enhance a student's ability to answer a question or solve a problem that reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom. Students who engage in these complex connected learning environments learn how to communicate, network resources, manage time, organize, self-assess, reflect and participate in groups while taking leadership responsibilities. Taking the student centered approach to Project Based Learning unit development in a connected learning environment can provide teachers the opportunity to facilitate learning. Students on the other hand will have the opportunity to become a partner to instruction allowing them to reflect upon their own ideas and opinions, exercise voice and choice, and make decisions that affect project outcomes and the learning process in general.
Connected Learning Unit Defined
A traditional unit is defined within the Common Core as a three to six week series of specific lessons, learning experiences, and related assessments based upon designated Essential Standards and connected Supporting Standards. Supporting Standard are those standards that are related to and support the teaching of an individual Essential Standard or of the overall unit.
Each unit of study should have at least one to two reading standards included as well as the Lexile range in complexity of text tied to material selection. Each CLU should be named to give it meaning of purpose. One method in naming a skill based unit of study could be according to their purpose and the dominant Reading and Writing focus throughout the unit.
On the other hand an Connected Learning Unit (CLU) has a different design, in that an essential question drives the theme of the unit. One way to outline the essential and supporting standards for a connected learning is to develop a Curriculum Web. To create an effective unit each essential standard should be represented in at least one unit and may appear in multiple units. In a growth curriculum Essential Standards will be split across multiple units especially if skills detected in a particular standard are determined in need of additional instructional support. In one unit an essential standard may be a supporting standard. To determine the opportunity to learn, standards becomes essential in a growth curriculum as it is measured within the Zone of Proximal Development. The particular units of study should be named according to their purpose and the dominant Reading and Writing focus throughout the CLU. When constructing a CLU supporting standards like NET Standards need to be taken into consideration when building capacity for the development of 21st Century Digital Media Literacy skills.
Each unit of study should have at least one to two reading standards included as well as the Lexile range in complexity of text tied to material selection. Each CLU should be named to give it meaning of purpose. One method in naming a skill based unit of study could be according to their purpose and the dominant Reading and Writing focus throughout the unit.
On the other hand an Connected Learning Unit (CLU) has a different design, in that an essential question drives the theme of the unit. One way to outline the essential and supporting standards for a connected learning is to develop a Curriculum Web. To create an effective unit each essential standard should be represented in at least one unit and may appear in multiple units. In a growth curriculum Essential Standards will be split across multiple units especially if skills detected in a particular standard are determined in need of additional instructional support. In one unit an essential standard may be a supporting standard. To determine the opportunity to learn, standards becomes essential in a growth curriculum as it is measured within the Zone of Proximal Development. The particular units of study should be named according to their purpose and the dominant Reading and Writing focus throughout the CLU. When constructing a CLU supporting standards like NET Standards need to be taken into consideration when building capacity for the development of 21st Century Digital Media Literacy skills.