The End...Is Never the End. No Good-Byes in Learning!
- PME 810 Module 5
- Aug 6, 2017
- 6 min read
Putting everything together and synthesizing the content in a way that I can make meaning of it, seems like the best outcome for me to take out of this exercise. It is summer, and a lot of teachers are taking the time to re-charge and that means unplugging from
the professional realm to give time to push the re-set button. That makes this particular exercise difficult in many respects. I am not interested in seeking out connections that I may not be able to continue after summer. I want connections that have an authentic relationship that is based on time and trust not just momentary posts with hopes that someone “likes” or “re-tweets” my work and takes the time to add to it or not. I have demonstrated my “out in the world” links, and in fact I continue to live it, by maintaining a twitter feed since 2011. https://twitter.com/Heatherenzie.
I do take the time daily to read, and professionally share ideas and posts that I feel push me out of my comfort zone or add to my professional toolkit. The value of the daily professional learning is immeasurable. In addition, I have created and co-created many ideas and projects and have shared my blog throughout all my PME courses. http://heatherenzie.wixsite.com/mysite/blog
Now, other than peer feedback, it is difficult to know if what has been produced is worthy of putting out there to share in the “outer world”. What I do know is that I have learned new ideas and have been challenged to think about theory, curriculum, planning, instruction, and assessment.
Moving forward, I have a renewed desire to see my vision of formative assessment to spread and to be embraced by the students in a way that makes this type of learning more relevant. I chose to become more of an active member of a site that is more of a one-way dialogue venue. However, the power of the site comes from the fact that the information is collected and shared among professionals.
Summary of Summer learning from PME 810
Learning is not intended to linear. Learning cannot be a one size fits all. Learning may be best when it’s messy and people reflect on their own time and in their own way. But where does learning begin? All well intentioned ideas come from a researched theory or philosophy, that guides the efforts of all, who base their work on it. It is essential in education that we mix the appropriate amount of theory with practice to ensure that the status quo is never the standard that we are satisfied with. The theories studied all have certain elements that have cross over ideas that come out in practice. Depending on the power structure of the governments of the time, theories are chosen, embraced, and utilized to support the vision. The theories may be obvious or more of a hybrid style depending of the users. I certainly have my favored theories, but I think it’s best to stay open to the learners and the needs of the current needs of the community. Referring to my earlier blog work:
“The development of cognitive processes (Eisner and Vallance, 1974) may have consistent staying power in the field since intellectual process and the development of the same, are consistent in the field of education and are not under the power of a political agenda with when governments change. Building the learner’s intellectual autonomy is hard to argue with, regardless of whatever bureaucratic interest may be in charge.” http://heatherenzie.wixsite.com/mysite/blog
“The critical-exploratory theorizers may have staying power because of relevancy and reflection. By looking at past directions and mistakes, they move forward, always considering intellectual and social contexts. (Al-Mousa, 2013). This type of theorist group considers social order or personal experiences through learning, influenced in part, by teaching professionals.” http://heatherenzie.wixsite.com/mysite/blog
“Another theory of curriculum comes from a humanist approach. Students are to determine who they are meant to be. Experiences can support the child through personal liberation, growth, and development. (Al-Mousa, 2013). One can see why, in an age of individualism, how a theory such as this might be relevant to the learner. This brings up the idea of agency and how people are interested in becoming who they are meant to be, by making autonomous decisions in their learning environment.” http://heatherenzie.wixsite.com/mysite/blog
Delving into the history and logic behind the learning philosophies, allowed me to transfer ideas into my own practice, and ask myself, where do I teach? Where do I learn? There will always be a necessary partnership between philosophy, curriculum, instruction, and assessment. A partnership among stakeholders that includes; parents, school boards, governments, teachers, students, political and economic climates will serve to guide, correct, control, and negotiate the terms of what is chosen to be deemed worthy of knowing. Certainly, one philosophy will not do it. We need to keep and consider all philosophies in our vision, planning, instruction, and assessment.
I would be interested to see what students and teachers would choose if you gave them the summarized work that was compiled in our group work. Consider revisiting our work on informative comparisons of theory, planning, instruction, and assessment.
Our summary of learning certainly ties up our thoughts on where the philosophies fit into our self-directed practice. In our last assignment, we are asked to join and partake in a community of learners exploring ideas that we would like to consider. I chose a provincial assessment consortium that is supported through a membership of school boards throughout Alberta. The membership site is not really a two-way site that doesn’t allow for member input. As such, I will share on my blog and make sure that I share it with my PLC within my school once school commences in September. I am excited about the opportunity to share the work and to get other teaching professionals to revisit the theories and to reflect within themselves to see where they are and where they might like to be.
Consider this quote from an earlier post. Just as Sig Mutra said: “Children will learn to do what they want to learn to do”. If we try to embrace the idea of life-long learning, and collaboration among staff we may find more incentive to reach out beyond our comfort zones. My re-exposure to the theories, with hands-on experience in practice, allows me to look at curriculum and practice in an alternate way. One might say that it re-energizes my enthusiasm to move practice forward in a way that touches on a few of the theories that have been put under our microscope this summer. The process has also clarified the possibility for planning, instruction, and assessment from the teachers and students point of view, which must both be considered moving forward.
I think this captures my thoughts:
There is a set, government mandated curriculum which we are obligated to cover. However, that doesn’t mean that it must be restrictive in every way. We are given just enough autonomy as professionals to turn curriculum into meaning for the students, the way we want. The result will usually look quite different than what was intended. Students must be taught to become life-long learners in the information rich world. There is not one philosophy that is going to meet the needs of all the students. Hybrid design within all the theories, will be essential to give students the hard and soft skills necessary within and beyond the K-12 curriculum. Students need it and teachers need it! Here’s to continued learning…
Sources:
Al Mousa, N. (2013). An examination of cad use in two interior design programs from the perspectives of curriculum and instructors, pp. 21-37 (Master’s Thesis). Eisner, E., & Vallance, E. (Eds.). (1974). Five conceptions of the curriculum: Their roots and implications for curriculum planning. In E. Eisner & E. Vallance (Eds.), Conflicting conceptions of curriculum (pp. 1-18). Berkeley, CA: McCutchan Publishing.
McNeil, J. D. (2006). Contemporary curriculum in thought and action (6th ed., pp. 1-13, 24-34, 44-51, 60-73). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Ornstein, A. C., & Hunkins, F. P. (2009). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues (5th ed., pp. 2-9). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Shiro, M. S. (2008). Introduction to the curriculum ideologies. In M. S. Shiro, Curriculum theory: Conflicting visions and enduring concerns (pp. 1-12). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
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