Transforming our students’ experiences - Future-focused learning design - Karen Melhuish Spencer

Transforming our learners’ experiences:
Future-focused learning design
Karen Melhuish Spencer | @virtuallykaren | #corebreakfast |

Our roadmap
● What is
transformation? Why
future focus? Why are
we talking about it?
● Our why: Ways of
being
● Our how: Ways of
working
● Our what - signposts,
contexts & approaches
● Where to begin?
KarenMelhuishSpencer|@virtuallykaren|#corebreakfast

What is this
‘future-focus’? 3

Buzzword Bingo
4
What words come to mind
when you hear about
‘future focused’ learning?
Lee Reynolds, Bingo Numbers: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/4789356849

Zeitgeist Bingo
5
What words come to mind
when you hear about
‘future focused’ learning?
Lee Reynolds, Bingo Numbers: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/4789356849

beanbags
modern
learning
environment
(MLE)
flipped
classrooms
21st century
learning

beanbags
modern
learning
environment
(MLE)
flipped
classrooms
21st century
learning
transformation MOOCs coding
growth
mindset

beanbags
modern
learning
environment
(MLE)
flipped
classrooms
21st century
learning
growth
mindset
student led
learning
open
classrooms
collaboration gaming

beanbags
modern
learning
environment
(MLE)
flipped
classrooms
21st century
learning
growth
mindset
student led
learning
open
classrooms
personalised
learning
innovation inquiry

beanbags
modern
learning
environment
(MLE)
flipped
classrooms
21st century
learning
growth
mindset
student led
learning
open
classrooms
personalised
learning
innovation inquiry
anything to
do with
digitalKaren Melhuish Spencer | @virtuallykaren | #corebreakfast |

11
“cells and bells”

13

14

15
#

“the jobs that don’t exist yet”

https://www.flickr.com/photos/freeparking/3790779599
“I always felt like I was on the edge of being in trouble. I would experience
…cutting expressions. So I learnt how to fit in and play the game. With
hindsight I wonder what it might have been like if people had just talked to
me and come to understand what was going on for me. But that wasn’t the
way then. Many disorders hadn’t even been invented by then. Education
was done to you. I think some things are different now. But only in an adhoc
way, not systemically.” - growing up with autism/ADD, 1970sKaren Melhuish Spencer | @virtuallykaren | #corebreakfast |

19

20
Kāhuarau - Transformation
not reformation
C/N N/G https://www.flickr.com/photos/ravages/3514023879

21Robert S Digby; https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewdevalle/2258264771
“A market
economy
cannot thrive
without the
well-being of
average
people, even
in a gilded
age.”
- Jaron Lanier, Who Owns
the Future

“ The future is not
something that is
done to us but an
ongoing
process in
which we can
intervene.” - Facer
A mindset, not a destination

Ways of
being - our
why
ethical.
social.
culture.
people.
relationships.
23
https://www.flickr.com/photos/poetprince/4825163375

ways of
working -
our how
shared vision.
inquiry.
reflection.
community
engagement.
24https://www.flickr.com/photos/infomastern/14519782386

signposts
&
indicators
- our what
25https://www.flickr.com/photos/-w/6713602

Our why:
ways of being 26

“All educators need to
be finding small and
large ways to challenge
the status quo.
Do not accept that you
are working in an
environment that won’t
allow this.
Find small ways to
challenge every day. “
- Karyn Gray, Te Karaka Area School, Gisborne -
27

Learner
agency - the power to act
Hobsonville Point Secondary SchoolKaren Melhuish Spencer | @virtuallykaren | #corebreakfast |

Global connectedness
global citizens

30Karen Melhuish Spencer | @virtuallykaren | #corebreakfast |

31

Learner orientation
“whose interests are being served?”

Inclusive
design -
removing barriers
to increase
opportunities &
offer choice
https://www.flickr.com/photos/yaccesslab/5294588069

http://inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/developing-an-inclusive-classroom-culture/

Think about inclusive and learner-
focused approaches for your
learners. What might be ripe for
review?
https://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/kalexanderson/8322744542

Our what:
Signposts 37

1.Learners at the centre
2.Learning is social
3.Emotions are integral
4.Recognise individual differences
5.Stretching all students
6.Assessment for learning
7.Building horizontal connections
7 Principles of Learning
The Nature of Learning (Dumont, 2010)Karen Melhuish Spencer | @virtuallykaren | #corebreakfast |

39
• Passionate about helping students learn
• Forge strong relationships
• Clear about what they want their students to learn
• Adopt evidence-based strategies
• Monitor their impact & adjust their approaches accordingly
• Actively seek to improve their own teaching
http://www.evidencebasedteaching.org.au/hattie-his-high-impact-strategies/

40

Networked organisations
….distributed expertise, on demand

New
approaches to
assessment
targeted,
visible &
relevant

45
I made it very clear from the
start that I wanted to get to
know these boys …really well. I
wanted to know why they did/
did not enjoy Science.
I wanted to know what they
enjoyed learning about and
what they enjoyed doing in
their spare time. I wanted to
know what mattered the most
to them about learning…
Then I assured them that I
cared, and that we could
achieve credits AND enjoy the
learning/course.”
- Matty Nicoll, St Andrew’s College, http://
classroommatt.blogspot.co.nz/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/beryl_snw/7590218158

Maker
culture
active
creation, not
passive
consumption
https://www.flickr.com/photos/karenmelhuish/17162376680

image of Evie with robot / Aimee in Chch

Innovation & entrepreneurship
fail fast. take risks.

49

Learner analytics
Data that is useful & used.
http://www.sanctamariaprimary.school.nz/2651/pages/649-reporting

Digital convergence
changing roles.anytime access.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cgc/5302468


52

Flexible, active, networked, a
chance to innovate.. Where is this
happening? Where might you
review?
https://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/kalexanderson/8322744542

Transformation.. “can only
occur when a school
community chooses wisely
from the myriad of innovations.
And that is only the first step.
Whatever you choose must be
fit to your context. Nothing can
be directly implemented from
elsewhere.
Everything must be
designed to fit your
uniqueness.”
56
- Bill Martin on Fullan; Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/87752573@N00/2676290755

Most people do not enjoy
change, even teachers for
whom change is a certainty.

Set up to succeed
1.Clarify the vision &
need to change
2.Develop a shared
process
3.Provide skills and
resources
4.Take first steps
5.Reduce risk
Source: Jo OwenKaren Melhuish Spencer | @virtuallykaren | #corebreakfast |

Manage the process
Valley of Death
Transform methods
The Valley of Death - are we there yet?

61
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hunts_pics/5545208987
Te Karaka Area School,
Gisborne
- Clear vision, value and beliefs

- Engaged with local marae, students,
whānau

- Trust that change would become a tipping
point

- Connected to other schools, events,
learning, research - and shared their own

- Hired staﬀ to lead learning and grow
relationships

- Structured learning around learners

- Grew collaboration and student
responsibility

- Learning communities - no silos

62
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hunts_pics/5545208987
Te Karaka Area School,
Gisborne
“It’s because we don’t
believe a normal school
meets the needs of lots of
kids any more, if it ever
did.”

https://instagram.com/p/4cKi56IgyO/

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