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Viable Learning Outcomes and Other Awesome Things

Viable Learning Outcomes and Other Awesome Things

We sat as a team as Bea McGarvey vibrantly spoke on Viable Learning Outcomes. We chatted and bantered at each breakout about how to put these lofty concepts into action - a daunting and necessary task.

Tutorials, Seminars, Labs and Mentorships. Shifting the mindset with strategic direction and strategic alignment. The so-called ‘soft’ skills - Habits of Mind and Dimensions of Learning. (I wonder if they are the most important skills?)

What matters? What is a viable learning outcome? Who is able to say what we ALL should know?

Excitement permeated the room. Learners at the center! You could hear the buzz, wondering how these concepts of learner centered would fit into each setting. The cool thing, I think, is that it may never look the same twice.

We talked about Skill and Will. What separates the two? Why do I think one thing matters and someone else has another opinion? Why are grades important? How can we really ever assess what a learner knows? How am I measured? Against my colleagues? Myself? What I do or what I do not do?
Luc Galoppin

So, as I drove across Route 80 one more time this month I reflected on these ideas. How does motivation play into the skill and will of learners? Can we use our OER Commons more? We can help teachers understand how to access good, free, learner experiences? Learners who can recover or accelerate their learning anytime - not just when it is convenient for the adults? Would learner skill and will improve?

I listened as I traveled to a German class that was in session, then a Japanese class. I was impressed by how much a Japanese Level 1 learner could speak Japanese just seven (7) short months. It is amazing what we can do and learn (skill and will) in a short period of time if what we are learning is relevant and meaningful. I respect that these learners and facilitators are thriving as they achieve hard things!

I appreciate learning about the culture, too. Learning that people are different; customs and cultures vary. I am in awe of how many ways there are to do things correctly.

I also like learn - so I read and  listen to books, recently I consumed Great at Work by Morten T. Hansen, Originals by Adam Grant and Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders . I was fortunate to hear Jaime Vollmer (Schools Cannot Do it Alone), Noelle Ellerson Ng (AASA Policy Fellow) and Tom Ryan (COSN) speak about the shifting landscape of school at the PASA Ed Congress.

Viable learning outcomes, Schools Can’t Do it Alone, Policy and Technology - reading helps me realize that we are leading and learning in challenging and complex times. Do I have the skill and will to implement new and different strategies and tool? Support others? Or am I stuck doing it my way? What would you recommend I read next?

Listening and learning makes me want to jump to action… yet, I need to be sure to include my ‘tribe’, to hear how others hold all the information. I am learning how to hear new and difficult concepts and strategies, before I jump to action (react).

Sorting what works, the current local situation, and wondering what small change to start with?? These challenges excite me!

So…  here are a few ways the IU8 WOL and Open Campus can help you explore the shifting landscape! Let me know if you want to talk about these ideas or ways you are thinking about leading in the shifting landscape!

OER - links to what is available in the OER Commons

We would like to do a webinar for teachers to help them use the content in the OER Commons (AIU8 - CLX) for Keystone review.

Giving us recommendations on times that teachers might show up would be helpful. We want to run this in the beginning of April.

Summer School CR - links to our course list and other options

By using the link above you can see what courses we offer for Summer and CR. Let us know if you want to learn more.

WOL What We Offer

Would what we have help you to be more learner centered?

 

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