Tag: leashes

Open – Connected – Distributed: Learning [#TLAB14]

TLA Conference Logo

On Saturday 22nd March I’ll be joining a host of other educators at the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Conference hosted by the Berkhamsted School. This is the second instalment of the conference, following last year’s highly successful inaugural event. A wide range of keynotes and workshops were delivered by a diverse group of educators. I am pleased to say that I was one of them and I’m even more pleased to be able to say that I was invited back this year to run another workshop.

Like my previous workshop, I will again be focussing on independent learning. Over the past two terms, I have been reflecting on, and evaluating the various approaches that I employ to help foster independence in my students. While in my previous session I encouraged attendees to ‘take the leashes off’ of their students, this time I’ll be asking them to consider ways to make learning in their classrooms:

Open – Connected – Distributed

In a continued effort to subvert the educator/learner dichotomy, I have ‘pushed the envelope’ in developing in(ter)dependence in the students that I encounter each year. In doing so, a set of principles emerged; whereby learning inside and beyond my classroom became: ‘open’, ‘connected’ and ‘distributed’. This workshop will illustrate the pedagogies and practices that have informed such an approach, including the use of social networking, collaborative writing and self-reflection. Moreover, it will seek to generate thought and discussion as to how you might tread a similar path with your own students.

Why Open?

Openness has become a core tenet in my educational philosophy. As a teacher and as a learner I believe that learning should be transparent. Nothing should be hidden. A part of this has been putting students at the centre of their education, inviting them to participate in setting the direction of their learning; giving them a voice.

Why Connected?

Having participated in and also having run my own Open Online Course, I believe that forming connections is a key part of how we learn. Underpinned by the pedagogical concept of connectivism there is clear evidence to suggest that independent learning is most effective when it is interdependent.

Why Distributed?

I believe that learning should be distributed and shared. Learning does not occur in a vacuum, nor does it have to be constrained by the curriculum, timetable or by physical space. Utilising a range of tools, learners can not only improve the way they learn as individuals but they can distribute their knowledge and skills for the benefit of others.

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I walked away from #TLAB13 far richer as both an educator and learner. I fully expect #TLAB14 to be just as valuable if not more so. I am also looking forward to re-connecting with many friends and to making some new ones. If you are attending the conference and the concepts that I have commented on above are of interest to you, I hope that you will join me in exploring them further.

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*Slides for my session are available here in HTML5. Double click on any slide to view them full screen.

‘Leashes not required’ – [#TLAB13]

As mentioned in a previous post, today I am running a workshop on ‘Independent Learning’ at The Teaching, Learning and Assessment Conference in Berkhamsted.

‘Leashes not required’ – In(ter)dependent Learning Inside and Outside the Secondary School Classroom

Spoon-feeding and teach-to-the-test culture seem to pervade the secondary school classroom, as teachers strive to meet increasingly demanding targets. This workshop will demonstrate that such approaches are not necessary; that adopting a strategy that encourages independence, critical and creative thinking; and values the use of new technologies produces equally outstanding results. The workshop will share both the guiding principles on which such an approach is built and also give specific examples of what in(ter)dependent learning is like in practice.

The slides have been written in HTML5 and are available here: ‘Leashes not required’ – Workshop.

* Hover over the thumbnails to view speaker notes and links (cmd/ctrl click to open in a new tab). Click on any of the thumbnails to view the slides in full size.

[Update: 18.03.13] Depending on the device/screen size you are using to look at the presentation, the speaker notes may not be that easy to navigate. As such, I have added them (unedited) below…

‘Leashes not required’ – Workshop – Speaker Notes

01 – Title Slide

  • Educator working with 14-18 year olds at Chalfonts Community College in Buckinghamshire
  • Find me on Twitter: @jamesmichie / Blog: jamesmichie.com/blog
  • Introduce students and explain their role in the workshop
  • ‘Leashes not required’ cc Kevin McLaughlin

02 – What is Independent Learning?

  • I’ve arrived at this definition through innovating in the classroom & research, as part of an M.Ed
  • You might see it as being unrealistic…but I disagree. I think that all learners regardless of age or ability can learn to be more independent
  • Perhaps, the most important factor is acknowledging that independent learning is not about independence at all. It is about developing interdependence.

03 – Discovery

  • When we’re born we learn through discovery and play… we have freedom. However, as we move through the stages of systematised education our independence is stripped away.

04 – Systematised Education

  • Systematised education is like Disneyland. It is exciting, fun even but has become a slick, well-oiled machine where ‘teach to the test’ dominates. Learning is placed into neat little boxes, organised into linear, incremental chunks.

05 – Learning is Messy

  • The problem is, learning is not liner. It’s not orderly.
  • Learning is messy!
  • It’s a tangled web of disconnected strands that over time connect together…
  • To prepare young people to become life long learners we need to stop teaching to the test, embrace the mess and rediscover learning through discovery.

06 – Toward Independence

  • Some learners need to be allowed to be independent.
  • Some learners need to be encouraged.
  • Some learners need to be dragged, kicking and screaming.

07 – Skills

08 – Friction

  • I start this journey towards independence by creating friction…
    • Spelling (Student: “Sir, how do you spell…? “Me: Google it!”)
    • Breaking the rules – mobile phones are allowed in my classroom
    • Make them figure it out for themselves; encourage them to form support networks that are not you!

09 – Toward In(ter)dependence

  • Collaborating, interacting, sharing…
  • AfL – developing skills in peer and self-assessment.

10 – Network

  • Embracing connectivist principles… developing ‘Learning Networks’
    • I use Twitter with my students, the dialogue continues beyond the classroom
    • They know they can email when they need help
    • Lines of communication are ‘open’
    • I’m a learner too… were in this together
  • I seek to give students a voice through: their blogging…
    • Listening to them
    • Surveys and feedback

11 – Tools

12 – Toward Peeragogy

  • Howard Rheingold coined the term ‘peeragogy’. The learning is developed collaboratively by the learners…
  • Put students in control
    • Share, discuss and have the students develop the learning objectives and success criteria
    • Empower them in their learning – What do I need to learn? Why? How?

13 – 3 Tenets

  • When I saw slide 15 from this presentation by Catherine Cronin, I realised it described the approach I have been developing within and beyond my classroom over the last three years.
  • To embrace openness, networks, and choice.

14 – Horses Mouth

  • Break out session. Students working with a group of teachers, discussing their experiences of in(ter)dependent learning.
  • Opportunity for any arrising questions to be answered.

15 – Changing Roles

  • Empowering learners to take ownership of their own learning; to develop the skills and characteristics of a life-long learner.
  • Placing emphasis on creative thinking, sharing, collaboration, creation and reflection.

16 – Critical Skills 101

  • Dissertation for M.Ed. – “To what extent can virtual courses support the development of independent learning beyond ‘real time’ curriculum delivery?”
  • #crit101 – A MOOC aimed at towards 14-18 year-olds.
  • Built on the three tenets – “openness ~ social media ~ student voice/choice”.
  • Hard and soft skills being developed as the building blocks of effective in(ter)dependent learning.

17 – Leashes not required

  • In conclusion, I’m saying: take the leashes off, step down from the pulpit, & redefine your role.
    • I’m a learner too
    • Each year I embark on a journey of discovery with my classes
    • I can’t imagine doing it any other way

18 – Reflection

  • Time for participants to reflect and share a way that they will encourage their students to be more in(ter)dependent.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment Conference [#TLAB13]

On Saturday 16th March Berkhamsted School will be hosting The Teaching, Learning and Assessment Conference. The brain child of Nick Dennis and others, the conference is shaping up to be a ‘must attend’ event. Priced at just £40 for the day, it can well be considered a steal when you consider the eclectic mix of educators who will be speaking and leading workshops at the conference.

I am fortunate to be one of those workshop leaders.  As such, I wanted to share my recently submitted workshop outline:

‘Leashes not required’ – In(ter)dependent Learning Inside and Outside the Secondary School Classroom

Spoon-feeding and teach-to-the-test culture seem to pervade the secondary school classroom, as teachers strive to meet increasingly demanding targets. This workshop will demonstrate that such approaches are not necessary; that adopting a strategy that encourages independence, critical and creative thinking; and values the use of new technologies produces equally outstanding results. The workshop will share both the guiding principles on which such an approach is built and also give specific examples of what in(ter)dependent learning is like in practice.

The workshop will expand on my most recent TeachMeet presentation which is based on my developing practice as and educator, as well as research I completed into Independent Learning as part of the Masters in Education I am study towards.

I am excited about expanding on the approach to learning I have been taking with my students and will be bringing some of them along to participate in the workshop, sharing their views and answering questions.

I hope to see you there!

TeachMeet Tees 12: ‘Leashes not required’ (V2)

Tomorrow, I will be presenting (virtually) at TeachMeet Tees 12. Following on from TeachMeet Oxford last week, I have made a few alterations to my presentation on Independent Learning. It is a little leaner; with greater emphasis on strategies and approaches to encouraging learner independence.

Here are the revised slides. Click on the cog to access speaker notes.

To see version 1, as well as a selection of related blog posts and articles (including my M.Ed. research), follow this link: TeachMeet Oxford: ‘Leashes not required’.

TeachMeet Oxford: ‘Leashes not required’

Having spent a considerable amount of time evangelising AfL & Google Docs, I felt it was time to turn my attention towards another topic: Independent Learning. I completed an M.Ed module earlier in the year and it is going to feature significantly in my dissertation.

Therefore, I decided to pull together some of the most valuable (IMO) arguments and ideas I have encountered so far; alongside some of the strategies and tools that I have been using with my students; seeking to help them become more independent learners.

I’m giving the presentation it’s maiden run at TeachMeet Oxford this evening. Here are the slides, click the cog to access my speaker notes.

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