An Ecosystem Model for Education. "Preparing students for their future, not our past."

Robert Dillon posted comments and a TED video on an "Ecological vs Industrial" model for eduction, ecological being an extension of our so-called 21st Century Learning. (a term that Grant Litchman, in his TED Talk, notes that he dislikes) So what is an ecological model? 

Dillon starts with his views that schools in his community are doing a better job now with looking ahead 5 years in the future, rather than week by week, day by day, etc, and notes the push for emotionally and physically healthy students. The key to his comments that are connected to Litchman's TED presentation is the need for a more "personalized learning environment"; learning in areas that individuals are passionate about. What I also appreciate is that he emphasizes that we also need to specify areas for individual growth. Creating Innovators, by Tony Wagner, echoes this. Both urge schools to provide opportunities for kids to create and innovate. Dillion notes how more and more people are turning their passions (their hobbies) into businesses. Project-based, experimental, integrated (disciplines) learning models. 

Here is the blog post, A Principal Speaking / Principally Speaking, that was passed on to us at my school. Definitely worth a short read. Definitely watch the TED Talk video. (I've summarized below the embedded video)

Grant Lichtman TED Talk

Lichtman begins by explaining how we need to have our students ask more questions than give answers; have more systems rather than academic departments and institutional compartments; and we need to find problems rather than simply solve them. He set off on a tour of 64 schools.

He notes that "the bad" saw schools were large and bureaucratic, had competing interests, and lacked a culture of risk-taking. (moreover, a lack of taking on change due to a fear of taking risks) There was good as well. Model schools were solving problems and recognized that change is hard and uncomfortable for institutions.

Life outside of the 'box of industrial education' means a permeable education, includes being online, off campus, in the community, and global. Subject boundaries are crossed; reflection is done and empathy grows. Litchman lists "Natural Ecosystem Drivers": creative, adaptive, permeable, dynamic, systemic, self-correcting. He adds a new "~sphere" to the world: the "cognitosphere", which he defines as a system of knowledge creation and management. The ecosystem he refers to is global in nature. Considering that education is a knowledge-based industry, we have to get over three things in order to  move forward:

1. Get rid of "anchors": the egotistical approach - my classroom, my subject, my (teaching) time. *I interpret this as teacher-centered learning, which is still the norm. (my thoughts)

2. Get rid of "dams": have to shift from college admissions systems and college boards who label kids by content, rather than context. *How may bright kids are turned away from post-secondary education simply because our mass education model didn't fit them? (my thoughts)

3. Breaking down "silos": classrooms, departments, divisions, schools, are all segregating people who otherwise could work together at creating and innovating. *This is tough to shift in terms of the modern world, but remember that even just decades ago we still had one-room schools in which everyone learned together, but not necessarily the same thing at the same time. This would be an interesting comparison. 

Finally, Lichtman introduces his term "evolving self-learners". This is his answer to '21st Century Skills', an expression he dislikes simply because he feels the skills are timeless. (tough to argue with that one). In this same sense we need to be self-evolving organizations as well, unafraid to embrace constant change.

So what are my other thoughts? 
"Preparing students for their future, not our past." I love it.

I'd like to see more of how Lichtman approached the research he did. (wouldn't it be cool to do something similar here in Japan, or bum around SE Asia with some planned research) The 'cognitoshpere' is a clever concept and the term 'ecosystem' really resonates. Teaching and learning should include the organic and personalized. It'll be a challenge to (continue to?) develop the concept of 'evolving self-learners' in our schools but it's already being done. This shift isn't necessarily tech-centered either. (though no doubt tech helps)

Response to "Creating Innovators" by Tony Wagner

CREATING INNOVATORS (by Tony Wagner)

Over the summer (2012) I had the opportunity to read Creating Innovators, by Tony Wagner. I recommend his book. Although Wagner is a Harvard professor he writes in such a way that the reader is engaged and wants to learn more about his subjects through their stories.

Essentially, Wagner presents several individuals from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds who have “succeeded” through innovative ideas. He provides the common themes, such as allowing time to play, along with supportive parents and school leaders. With regards to playing I especially appreciate his position that children need time for creative play, learning to solve the “boredom” problem without television and video games. (he isn’t against video games, but that creative play opportunity allows the creative part of he mind to develop) Below is from p.42.

Childhood Play

ê

Childhood Passion

ê

Adult Purpose

Motivating learners of all ages demands empowering them. (p.52) Giving people the freedom to explore and make errors will ultimately lead to a culture of innovation, teamwork, and interdisciplinary problem solving. (p.57) This last idea strikes a chord with me. It requires that we as educators give learners the opportunity to apply knowledge in a variety of real world contexts. We need to guide them through solving problems on their own, in contexts outside of the classroom and textbook. I’m envisioning a simulation activity I gave to Grade 9 East Asia Studies students. We turned our school’s main field into a Silk Road map. They worked in pairs to trade along the route. There was a set of rules they had to play by, but by trading along the route while still protecting your home-base business, they acquired new knowledge about the nature of the Silk Route – by actually trading! This was a game, and the information I could elicit from students was rich and thoughtful.

Collaboration is another theme. Providing opportunities to collaborate with peers, adults in the school, and people in the community. Project-based collaboration gives students a goal to achieve together and requires discussion, debate, compromise, and skills such as active listening. Working together to identify problems (p.105) and challenges helps us flesh out solutions and develop new ideas. The yearbook class I lead is a great example. (I say “lead” because the students make the truly important decisions) One of the challenges is to compromise on content, style/ layout, and even on what roles each person takes. My approach to this is to allow students to explore new ideas. Wagner notes how some students fell they “need permission to try new ideas”. (p.110) I think this is more common in schools than we think. Another problem I see isn’t really with lessons that lack creativity, but learners not intrinsically motivated – learners who don’t want to innovate, but rather want to study and regurgitate facts and methods in order to “get an A”. (and into university) Thus our challenge as educators is to have students develop a desire to create and innovate.

Another interesting idea from Wagner suggests that rather than develop lessons plans, we “design learning experiences”. (p.162-163) This makes me think of the flipped classroom, a more recent approach to teaching and learning. How recent I’m not really certain – many of us were challenging students to do the digging and ask the questions before the catch phrase “flipped classroom” caught on. Social networking and online collaboration being so easy, as well as access to information (in the “have” countries and schools), has paved the way for the “flipped classroom” to spear it’s reach.

I should probably study some of what the experts say on the FC.

I do find I’m using some of Wagner’s vocabulary. One phrases is learners “developing competencies”, not simply skills. (p.175) The idea is that we may have basic computer skills, but are we competent using a computer in a variety of contexts. (let alone troubleshooting)

One thing I had trouble with Creating Innovators was the limited dialogue on how to assist teachers in this task of “creating innovator”. Wagner does acknowledge the problem with universities and colleges changing at glacial speed, as well as the problem of resource limitations. Educators need more professional development time, guidance, and have to be taken to task to innovate and develop as professionals. We also need more free-flowing time with students; not constrained by time and external examinations.

I think when it comes to creativity, student and teacher, demands perseverance. Giving up early on in the process can’t be a factor, and we should appreciate finding out why we failed and how we can improve.