CSLE Response
Creating significant learning environments is essential reaching all learners. Reflecting on my personal learning philosophy has helped me to think about my beliefs about learning and learning environments. In the course, Creating Signifiant Learning Environments at Lamar University, we dug deeper and learned about learning theories, how to plan for outcomes by aligning assessments and learning activities for significant learning environments/situational factors with planning tools such as the 3 column table and the UbD design framework. These helped me fine tune and zoom in and out of the planning process to see the big picture and the detailed
integration of professional learning to implement my blended learning innovation plan. I also had the opportunity to think deeper about growth mindset and how I can improve my growth mindset plan to intentionally embed and nurture a growth mindset in a significant learning environment, carefully paired with other imperative components. This course has helped me refine and improve my innovation plan and develop a deeper understanding of how the planning process is crucial to creating a significant learning environment.
Learning Philosophy
Human learning is inevitable, but it can be accelerated or stifled, saturated or dehydrated depending on the stimulation and experiences in the learning environment. The human brain learns by taking in experiential information through the senses and construct knowledge, strengthening schemas as they experience the world around them.
I believe learning is personal and fueled by interests, talents, passions, strengths, and will to try. The learning environment has huge impact on the amount of learning that takes place. Learners need to feel safe to inquire and explore while seeking solutions to problems they can relate to and can impact the world around them.
Teaching and learning go hand-in-hand, as the teacher has the most important job of setting up the learning environment to nurture curiosity within constraints. Without the teacher facilitating and guiding, the learner may not be aware of desired learning outcomes and may not meet certain foundational milestones needed for life.
I believe I am a learner who will only embrace the learning process when I can comprehend the benefit it will have to me and my purpose in life. If I am uninterested in the learning, I do not put much effort into it. When the learning is interesting to me, I will work beyond the expectations. I find great pleasure and joy learning about things I am passionate about and interested in.
I believe “JOY” needs to be at the root of learning. When you can find a way to embrace joy in the learning process paired with interest or passion, the learning comes to life and has a magical force behind it. Shareski (2017) explores the need for joy in effective learning. that This contradicts our current educational system with standardized testing, where everyone is supposed to learn the same content at the same time, but learning is personal and not just receiving information. We need to make sense of information through active learning and experience. If we are interested in it, then we will learn more deeply. I truly believe that true learning is very hard to capture and measure. Passion learning that can open up possibilities outside our typical pathways is the only way we will truly embrace the unique gifts and talents our learners have to offer the world.
My beliefs on the difference between a learning philosophy vs a teaching philosophy are that they are intertwined, but through different lenses. The learning philosophy is what I believe about the learning process, so my teaching philosophy stems from those beliefs and how I can intentionally plan and facilitate learning.
I am a combination of mostly Constructivist and a bit of Cognitivist. I identify with these theories because I believe experience is the greatest teacher and that is how we take in knowledge and make connections in our brains. John Dewey’s constructivist theory is the one that I best relate to because he believes in providing learners experiences to connect the learning to the immediate real world around them. This idea of the personalized “why” being at the core of every learning experience just makes sense. Learners should understand the connection to the real world and be able to construct meaning through the process of learning. Piaget, the gradfather of constructivism, combines with his theory the idea cognitive development. His interesting link to cognition makes him my favorite theorist. The cognitivist theory essentially explains that one can connect thinking to past experiences or make connections and form ideas based on prior knowledge. Piaget says it is dependent on stages of development. I truly believe that we experience to learn, but that we can build our knowledge by connecting schema over time, and as we experience more we can connect and understand more deeply the world around us.
My learning philosophy has influenced the development of my innovation plan on all levels. From the professional learning implementation outline plan for teachers that will implement to the learning environment intentionally planned for learning for students, you will see the constructivist and cognitivist theories intertwined. The launch is active, and provides an opt in model for those who feel passionate about the work to embrace personalized and joyful blended learning to impact the world around them. Experiential learning is at the core of my innovation plan, and frequent check-ins to make connections and adjustments to the new learning as well. As a change agent, it is my goal to infuse the active inquiry and creation into the personalized learning continuum for learners, intentionally geared toward passions and joy.
References:
Bowman,K. (2021). Grow wild: The whole-child, whole-family nature-rich
guide to moving more. First printing, 2021.
This book aligns with the constructivist theory of experiential learning through inquiry, exploration, and in this case interacting with the natural environment around you. Movement and play are common learning themes throughout the book that encourage growing wild in the environment.
November, A. (2012). Who owns the learning? Solution Tree Press. 2012.
This book shares the experience and expertise of an international leader of instructional technology. It is very informative about successfully setting up a blended learning environment to embrace student agency.
Pink, D. (2010). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us .
YouTube. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=lM80GXlyX0U&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
This video talks about what motivates humans to get better. The passion a person has about a particular agenda is the driving force for improvement.
Robinson, K. (2012). Bring on the learning revolution! Sir Ken Robinson at TED.
(2010, May 24). YouTube. Retrieved January 25, 2023,
from https://youtu.be/r9LelXa3U_I
This video is an invigorating speech centered around the idea that education has been a bit of a misfortune to our society because the success of communities is dependent on a variety of gifts and talents. We don’t all need to be good at the same things. We need to embrace what we are good at.
Shareski, D. (2017). Embracing a culture of joy. Solution tree press. 2017
The author explains how joy plays a vital role in effective learning. His book is a collection of stories as well as ideas of how to embrace joy in the teaching and learning process.
Thomas, D. and Brown, John, S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the
imagination for a world of constant change.
This book walks the reader through several stories of innovative learner centered learning experiences. The experiences are enhanced with digital technology and embrace the idea of tacit learning.
Learning Environment/ Situational Factors Outline & 3 Column Table:
Aligning Outcomes, Assessment & Activities
An important component of developing significant learning environments is planning how to get from point A to the end goal prior to implementation of the innovation plan. To do this we need to start with the big overarching idea and then flexing perspective in and out to make sure no ends are left loose. L.Dee Fink’s A Self-Directed Guide to Designing Courses for Significant Learning was insightful in how to start big picture and then narrow down to the fine details to align the desired outcomes, assessments, and learning activities (Fink, 2003).
Using Fink’s (2003) 3 Column Table along with two other provided worksheets, I was able to think big, reflect, and pay attention to details as I processes how blended learning can truly be implemented in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The 3 Column Table below brings clarity to my plan and the specific learning goals, activities, and assessment activities (Fink, 2003).
The next worksheet helped me widen and narrow my view and focus to fully understand where I plan to go with my implementation plan and have a systematic and purposeful plan tot intentionally guide my learners to not only the end goal, but also the smaller learning goals along the journey. This process was helpful in zooming in and out, and really thinking about the order in which different goals are aimed to be met. Below are the two worksheets that I was provided to walk me through this planning and reflective process.
This last worksheet provided me prompts to think about the learning environment and the situational factors I need to consider when implementing my innovation plan. I considered things like class size, length of time, device availability, expectations, and the nature of blended learning with my specific population of learners. I also had time to reflect on myself as the leader of this course and consider my philosophies of learning and teaching, my experience, and strengths.
This process was very helpful in making sense of my innovation plan and “connecting the dots” for me. I learned the importance of not just providing a ton of “dots”, but opportunities to connect them is what deepens the learning (Godin, 2012). I believe my implementation of blended learning in my district is more refined and closer to launching with intention from going through this process.
References:
Fink, L.D. (2003). A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant
learning.
Godin, S. (2012, Oct. 16). Stop stealing dreams: Seth Godin at tedxyouth@bsf.
YouTube. Retrieved Feb. 8, 2023, from https://youtube.be/sXpbONjV1Jc
Harapnuik, D. (2016, June 16). Mapping Your Learner’s Journey. It’s About Learning. Retrieved
February 8, 2023, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=6420
Understanding by Design UbD
Learning about Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005) Understanding by Design framework for planning has provided a framework to fine tune each of the sections of the work I previously did in Fink’s (2003) 3 Column Table that I utilized as an overarching professional learning outline for the grand implementation of my blended learning plan. The UbD framework narrowed my focus to hone in on the details and alignment of my blended learning implementation outline and plan for professional learning to launch my innovation blended learning plan in our district. UbD provides a structure to start with the learning goals, move to the assessments, and then finally the learning activities to ensure everything aligns and is meaningful to the learner(s) to reach the desired outcome(s). Below I used the UbD framework to take a deeper look specifically and in more detail at the INTEGRATION section from the 3 Column Table used for planning the “Big Picture” of the professional learning plan. I was able to build out a course specific to the integration that is over a period of 2 months and will include 24.5 hours of work, both synchronous and asynchronous.
Both the 3 Column Table and the UbD framework have been valuable tools to enhance and improve my professional learning plan for my blended learning innovation plan. They provided me two different perspectives on what I am trying to do so that I make sure everything is aligned and leads to my ultimate goal. It is important to zoom in and out with perspective. The 3 Column Table served as a tool to see the broader perspective of my plan as a whole course and the UbD framework allows me to look closer at specific sections or units of my course to fine tune, align, and ensure all learners understand the goal, how they will achieve the expected goal, and intentionally design the learning experiences so that the learners can reach the goal.
As I continue to develop and improve my innovation plan, I will fill in the UbD template for each section of the 3 Column Table to get a closer look and make sure every detail of my plan is aligned and clearly planned out. This will provide a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the implementation and professional learning that is imperative to the plan’s success. I believe the big picture of the 3 Column Table will benefit the conversation with our CEO and Technology department, while the more detailed view of the UbD template will provide a clearer picture for our CAO and Area Superintendents. It is imperative to get all of the decision making stakeholders onboard at the correct vantage point for my innovation plan to come to full fruition and have the impact I am planning for.
Resources:
Fink, L.D. (2003). A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant
learning.
Wiggins, G.P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (Expanded 2nd).
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.