Term 3 Week 1 - Focus for the term

-
Our focus this term is on professional learning and curriculum review that is likely to lead to the sorts of changes we wish to make. It will be important to keep these complex systems dynamics in mind as we consider ways to shape learning networks to make desired outcomes more likely to be achieved.

Five conditions that increase the likelihood that new insights will emerge in a complex network of learners:


  1. It is important to draw on diversity to access the power of collective thinking.

  2. While diversity of input is essential, redundancy also matters. There must be common ground where the people who are interacting can stand together and share the same vision.

  3. Control and authority must be able to be distributed across the group.

  4. Creating spaces for interaction is essential to the emergence of new insights and ideas.

  5. Somewhat paradoxically, setting a clear structure and boundaries around planned learning activities will make it more likely that the other four conditions can be met, but obviously this must be done in a manner that does not limit learning possibilities.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Term 4 Week 6: Collective & Individual Intelligence

-
Thank you for your collective contribution to the discussion on Friday – it had me thinking about the power of collective thought which led to this article: Is Collective Intelligence Like Individual Intelligence? by Tom Atlee (2003). The article follows. The capacities I explore here are perception, communication, memory, reflection, problem-solving, creativity, implementation, and feedback. They are listed in a loose order (we perceive first, then think about what we saw, then implement what we decide, etc.). Keep in mind, however, that these capacities are not really separate or linear. Most of them are deeply involved in each other's functioning. But I think you will find it interesting to explore them separately with me here... PERCEPTION - Seeing, hearing, feeling, etc. -- these are different ways we absorb information from our environment, or gather it from within ourselves. This information is the foundation for everything we do with our intelligence. HOW DO WE DO THIS CO...
Read more

Classroom Focus: Learning Styles, revisited

-
As teachers we recognize that each person prefers different learning styles and techniques. Learning styles group common ways that people learn. Everyone has a mix of learning styles. Some people may find that they have a dominant style of learning, with far less use of the other styles. Others may find that they use different styles in different circumstances. There is no right mix. Nor are learning styles fixed. Students can develop ability in less dominant styles, as well as further develop styles that they already use well. Traditional schooling tends to use mainly linguistic and logical teaching methods. It also uses a relatively limited range of learning and teaching techniques, although this paradigm is changing as we move forward. Many schools still rely on classroom and book/document/website sourced teaching, much repetition, and pressured exams for reinforcement and review. A result is that we often label those who use these learning styles and techniques as "bright....
Read more

Classroom Focus: Making considered choices

-
Taking action in ways that address identified issues. This competency is about being actively involved in communities. Communities include family, whānau, and school and those based, for example, on a common interest or culture. They may be drawn together for purposes such as learning, work, celebration, or recreation. They may be local, national, or global. This competency includes a capacity to contribute appropriately as a group member, to make connections with others, and to create opportunities for others in the group. Students who participate and contribute in communities have a sense of belonging and the confidence to participate within new contexts. They understand the importance of balancing rights, roles, and responsibilities and of contributing to the quality and sustainability of social, cultural, physical, and economic environments. The future of this competency is to reflect on the sorts of learning students might need to access if they are to be and become "confiden...
Read more