David Price OBE, recently started a discussion on Linked In. It can be found at http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&discussionID=5821013489681969152&gid=3795424&trk=eml-anet_dig-b_pd-ttl-cn&fromEmail=&ut=0-yzWIj-172S41
The predominant part of his discussion refers to an excerpt from his book, Open: How We’ll Live, Work, and Learn in the Future. Here is my reflection after reading the excerpt.
With “customization and personalization” (of student learning) comes the need to both challenge and support students to become self-directed learners. If students can self-direct, that is ‘know’ themselves as learners, it will best allow for what the Singaporean Minister calls for…. a “new concept of educational success focuses on the nurturing of key skills and competencies such as the ability to seek, to curate and to synthesize information; to create and innovate; to work in diverse cross-cultural teams; as well as to appreciate global issues within the local context.”
Developing ‘self-directed learners’ can be done, and indeed is being done, through the provision of learning opportunities which provide students with increased decision making about content and pace of learning. The ‘content’ could come from “the arrival of MOOCS, social media and informal learning” as schools will need get better at “putting together units of study that appeal to their passions,”
Also, through extensive use of collaborative digital technologies and by making learning relevant to ‘their’ real world, students can direct their learning based on their interests, abilities and motivations. This requires teachers to unlearn the old ‘stand and deliver’ paradigm and relearn the new ways of coaching students and facilitating their “self-directed learning.”
What are your thoughts?
Greg.
LEARN AND LEAD 