THE NEW PEDAGOGY:
Students and teachers as LearNing Partners
One constant in our world is that it is rapidly changing.
Technology is everywhere and a part of everyday life. It dominates the way many of us communicate. The way we connect is in constant flux. Society is in constant change. Students today challenge and question more than any other time in history. They are increasingly seeking independence, freedom, autonomy and choice. What worked in schools in the past doesn’t seem to fit for many of our students today and the way they perceive education and its relevance.
It is a fact that students today are moving into a world and a workforce that is undergoing disruptive innovation - Clayton Christensen: “Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave” 1995. Many experts say that students are being educated for jobs that don’t necessarily exist. So what are we doing to support our students? What skills are we providing them with and how are we preparing them to be successful and happy in their futures?
The educational environment the world over is grappling with these issues. Systems, schools and educators are being challenged to make things work. We are asking students to take risks in their learning, but the question we ask is…are we taking risks in how we are evolving and adapting to the needs of our students?
Many educationalists are looking for new narratives, ideas, innovations and approaches to engage students. We believe that collectively we need to push the boundaries of what is possible. It is crazy to continue to do the same things and get the same results. We need to look for adaptive solutions to contemporary issues in education.
Our intention is to share what we have been doing to provide a platform and space for ideas and knowledge sharing.
If schools are not looking to innovate themselves there will be a constant push-pull effect. Renown educationalist Michael Fullan from the University of Toronto describes this phenomena in his research “The New Pedagogy: Students and Teachers as Learning Partners” and “Stratosphere: Integrating technology, pedagogy, and change knowledge”. Fullan, M. (2013a).
Fullan states,
“there is currently a powerful push-pull factor in schooling. The push factor is that school is increasingly boring for students and alienating for teachers. The pull factor is that the exploding and alluring digital world is irresistible, but not necessarily productive in its raw form. The push-pull dynamic makes it inevitable that disruptive changes will occur”.
Fullan has been part of a group that has been developing innovative responses to the current challenges. He states “This response consists of integrating three components identified as: deep learning goals, new pedagogies, and technology. The result will be more radical change in the next five years than has occurred in the past 50 years.”
Fullan states that this new engagement is in pursuit of “deep learning goals,” which he refers to as the 6cs: Critical thinking and problem solving; Communication; Collaboration; Creative thinking and imagination; Character education; and Citizenship. We believe that the S.O.L.E. philosophy aligns very closely with Fullan’s belief of what the deep learning goals are and the 6 C’s reflect what we have observed in S.O.L.E.
In terms of the teacher and student relationship in the learning process he sees, “The basic notion is teachers and students as learning partners”. Fullan references John Hattie’s effect size in relation to the teacher as a Facilitator and the teacher as an Activator.
Fullan states, “Hattie’s findings are provocative and raise several critical questions concerning the new pedagogy. First, they say to me that the reason that the first cluster had such a weak impact is that they were used so to speak “poorly pedagogically.” Put another way, the guide on the side is a poor pedagogue; or we don’t want “a guide on the side” anymore than we need a “sage on the stage.” More proactive partnership will be required.
Second, it is not clear exactly what the new pedagogy would look like. In general terms I would take it as teacher as “change agent or activator,” and student as proactive partner in learning.
Not only would this require radically new learning relationships between students and teachers, but also among them. The next step, and that is what we are working on, is to map out what this new learning relationship would look like - what it is, and why it would be good for learning.”
We are advocating that the S.O.L.E. methodology is a viable and contemporary classroom strategy that sits alongside other teaching strategies employed in classrooms the world over. It is a method that supports greater student choice and autonomy.
It is a strategy worthwhile trailing in your classroom so you can see for yourself and make up your own mind.
What is the worst thing that can happen?
Technology is everywhere and a part of everyday life. It dominates the way many of us communicate. The way we connect is in constant flux. Society is in constant change. Students today challenge and question more than any other time in history. They are increasingly seeking independence, freedom, autonomy and choice. What worked in schools in the past doesn’t seem to fit for many of our students today and the way they perceive education and its relevance.
It is a fact that students today are moving into a world and a workforce that is undergoing disruptive innovation - Clayton Christensen: “Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave” 1995. Many experts say that students are being educated for jobs that don’t necessarily exist. So what are we doing to support our students? What skills are we providing them with and how are we preparing them to be successful and happy in their futures?
The educational environment the world over is grappling with these issues. Systems, schools and educators are being challenged to make things work. We are asking students to take risks in their learning, but the question we ask is…are we taking risks in how we are evolving and adapting to the needs of our students?
Many educationalists are looking for new narratives, ideas, innovations and approaches to engage students. We believe that collectively we need to push the boundaries of what is possible. It is crazy to continue to do the same things and get the same results. We need to look for adaptive solutions to contemporary issues in education.
Our intention is to share what we have been doing to provide a platform and space for ideas and knowledge sharing.
If schools are not looking to innovate themselves there will be a constant push-pull effect. Renown educationalist Michael Fullan from the University of Toronto describes this phenomena in his research “The New Pedagogy: Students and Teachers as Learning Partners” and “Stratosphere: Integrating technology, pedagogy, and change knowledge”. Fullan, M. (2013a).
Fullan states,
“there is currently a powerful push-pull factor in schooling. The push factor is that school is increasingly boring for students and alienating for teachers. The pull factor is that the exploding and alluring digital world is irresistible, but not necessarily productive in its raw form. The push-pull dynamic makes it inevitable that disruptive changes will occur”.
Fullan has been part of a group that has been developing innovative responses to the current challenges. He states “This response consists of integrating three components identified as: deep learning goals, new pedagogies, and technology. The result will be more radical change in the next five years than has occurred in the past 50 years.”
Fullan states that this new engagement is in pursuit of “deep learning goals,” which he refers to as the 6cs: Critical thinking and problem solving; Communication; Collaboration; Creative thinking and imagination; Character education; and Citizenship. We believe that the S.O.L.E. philosophy aligns very closely with Fullan’s belief of what the deep learning goals are and the 6 C’s reflect what we have observed in S.O.L.E.
In terms of the teacher and student relationship in the learning process he sees, “The basic notion is teachers and students as learning partners”. Fullan references John Hattie’s effect size in relation to the teacher as a Facilitator and the teacher as an Activator.
Fullan states, “Hattie’s findings are provocative and raise several critical questions concerning the new pedagogy. First, they say to me that the reason that the first cluster had such a weak impact is that they were used so to speak “poorly pedagogically.” Put another way, the guide on the side is a poor pedagogue; or we don’t want “a guide on the side” anymore than we need a “sage on the stage.” More proactive partnership will be required.
Second, it is not clear exactly what the new pedagogy would look like. In general terms I would take it as teacher as “change agent or activator,” and student as proactive partner in learning.
Not only would this require radically new learning relationships between students and teachers, but also among them. The next step, and that is what we are working on, is to map out what this new learning relationship would look like - what it is, and why it would be good for learning.”
We are advocating that the S.O.L.E. methodology is a viable and contemporary classroom strategy that sits alongside other teaching strategies employed in classrooms the world over. It is a method that supports greater student choice and autonomy.
It is a strategy worthwhile trailing in your classroom so you can see for yourself and make up your own mind.
What is the worst thing that can happen?
