Overview
What we know about learning has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. MRI scanning that allows us to see inside the brain as learning occurs, and landmark studies such as John Hattie’s Visible Learning (Hattie, 2008) mean that we now have a much better idea of how learning occurs. As a result of these developments and others, we know that quality learning is a combination of the following elements:● Personalised learning: no two individuals learn in the same way, nor do they bring the same prior knowledge to a learning experience. The way we learn is as unique as our fingerprint.
● Socially constructed learning (Johnson, 1981): the collaboration, peer-tutoring and reciprocal teaching that occurs when students work together results in a deeper understanding of the material being covered.
● Differentiated learning (Bloom, 1974): the prior knowledge we all bring to a task means individuals require different levels of challenge, pace, content and context.
● Learning that is initiated by students themselves (Ramey & Ramey, 2004): typically when a student initiates a learning experience or exploration, they learn more.
● Learning that is connected to the physical world and authentic contexts: children learn through interaction with others and the physical world (Malone & Tranter, 2003). Learning about pond ecosystems is more powerful if students visit a pond in addition to learning about them in a classroom or textbook.
Most of New Zealand’s school buildings were built in a time when direct instruction was considered the only pedagogy that resulted in effective learning. “Factory-style’ learning (where all students learn the same things, at the same time, in lock-step fashion) has largely disappeared from our classes. However the actual classrooms largely remain as they were originally designed, and still retain the suggestion of factory-style learning.
Features of modern learning environments Modern learning environments that align better with what we know about the brain and student learning can facilitate traditional pedagogies such as direct instruction if needed, but they typically offer students and teachers much more:
● Flexibility: the ability to combine two classes into one for team-teaching, split a class into small groups and spread them over a wider area or combine different classes studying complementary learning areas.
● Openness: modern learning environments traditionally have fewer walls, more glass and often use the idea of a learning common (or hub) which is a central teaching and learning space that can be shared by several classes. They provide opportunities to observe and learn from the teaching of others and be observed in return. They also provide access to what students in other learning areas and level are learning, so that teaching and learning can be complemented and enhanced.
● Access to resources (including technology): typically a learning common is surrounded by breakout spaces allowing a range of different activities, such as reading, group work, project space, wet areas, reflection, and presenting. There is often a mixture of wireless and wired technology offering access as and when students need it, within the flow of their learning.
Kurt Soares and Kirsty Soames, from South New Brighton School, describe how they started team teaching and constructed a collaborative space from a traditional classroom with their students. Kurt comments, "It’s been an easy process and it’s certainly improved learning in my class."
Anne Kenneally: Student designed learning spaces from EDtalks on Vimeo.
Anne Kenneally (@annekenn) has been on a year long learning journey visiting classrooms around New Zealand. Anne has decided to create a radically different learning space for her learners from the one they are used to. We talk to Anne at the beginning of 2012 as she awaits the arrival of her students to start her trial of 'doing learning differently'.
Part 3 three of series revealing the transformation of a crowded classroom to a space that facilitates new and deeper ways of teaching and learning enabled by the physical changes.
Anne Kenneally: Creating learning spaces from EDtalks on Vimeo.
Anne Kenneally started the year looking at desks in rows and thought there just has got to be a better way. She has spent this year experimenting with student designed learning spaces, allowing the students to take the lead in deciding what spaces they need for different activities. In this EDtalk Anne explores the changes in her students and their learning environment.
http://mle.education.govt.nz/
What I have learnt:
- Link the pedagogy to the modern building.
- MLE cater for the environmental needs of the students to improve their learning: air flow, access to natural light, ergonomic furniture, flexible furniture, quiet spaces, open spaces that allow collaboration.
- MLE give the children more autonomy.
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