A New Culture of Learning

People have evolved since the 19th century. That much is clear. So we should ask ourselves why we are still operating on a 19th-century learning model. The same education system has been used for over 100 years. There is no way with as many advancements that have been made in the world that we should still be expecting our students to learn in this outdated manner. This model was put in place to get students ready for the industrial age. The rate memorization and sit-and-get model prepared those students for their careers operating simple machinery. However, we are no longer in the industrial age period. So why are we still using this learning model? We are doing our students an injustice by not preparing them for their careers in this new age. This learning model is being forced upon us with the state standards taking the wheel of learning. This fosters a teacher-centered classroom, in which the teacher is all-knowing and the only one in charge of transferring knowledge universally. According to the state, a good education allows the student to pass a one-size-fits-all test.  This is saddening because we are not allowed to give our students what they truly need for their bright future, which is creativity, voice, and ownership in their learning. 

 

In A New Culture of Learning (2011) authors, Thomas and Brown, proclaim that the old method of “educating” students is described as a “mechanistic approach” (p. 35).  This notion describes learning as a series of tasks to be completed as though students were learning how to operate machinery.  They even take this a step further by comparing the students to the machines that are programmed to perform a specific duty or outcome. With this learning approach, students are stripped of any creativity and true connections to their knowledge, which ultimately fails. If students are not truly connecting with their education, they will not retain the information that is pounded into their brains through rote memorization and drill methods. The tests that are so valued do very little to capture the student's retained knowledge.

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If what we have been doing is wrong, you might ask what can we do to update these learning practices?  Thomas and Brown (2011) motivate educators to focus on the learning environment. Current research proves that changing the learning environment can produce life-long learners.  We have the world at our fingertips and can transform the environment to include the students and give them choice, ownership, and voice through the many digital innovative technologies available to us.  As educators, we should not have to do the most work in the room. We should be able to step back and observe as the learners take charge of their learning. This is my goal as the current year continues. I plan to put forth the many ideas that I have attained from the book, A New Culture of Learning (Thomas & Brown, 2011). Below you can find all of the great ideas that Thomas and Brown have outlined in detail.  

 

Inquiry-Based Learning

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According to Thomas and Brown (2011), “In communities, people learn to belong. In a collective, people belong to learn” (p.52).   Thomas and Brown (2011) also say that traditional methods of education have conformed from explicit knowledge, which is “easily identified, articulated, transferred, and testable” to tacit knowledge, which is “understood as a product of experience and interaction” (p. 74). Tacit learning is when you know something through experience but cannot put that knowledge into words. According to Thomas & Brown this tacit learning “plays a key role in shaping the process of inquiry” (p. 83).  Knowing this, the new culture of learning is a curious one. Inquistivity is one of the driving forces of the new learning culture. In this culture, one question leads to another as we are never done learning and can always learn more. 

Recently I have proposed and implemented the Project Learning model in my classroom.  Project Based Learning is a model that encourages students to research and solve real-life problems through inquiry. In this learning model, students will develop their inquiry skills through practice while naturally researching the topics they have a mutual interest in and attempting to use their creativity to solve worldly issues. They also get to showcase their inquiries and journey to solve problems through a variety of 21st-century digital technologies. They also get the opportunity to collaborate and work with their peers to innovate their solutions. 

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Peer-to-Peer Learning

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According to Thomas and Brown, “People learn through their interaction and participation in fluid relationships that are the result of shared interest and opportunity” (2011, p. 50).  This idea is great because students truly learn from each other when they are speaking and doing things that they have a deep mutual interest in. This will allow me to step back as the teacher and let the students take further charge of their learning, acting as a sort of guide. I will still be in charge of the classroom and making sure that it runs efficiently, but I will hand over the reins to the students to be in charge of their learning.  I will encourage my students to be the “teacher” when it comes to the learning of their peers. Being an elementary educator this should work rather well, being that the students love to play as though they are the teacher and teach their classmates what they know. Students gain motivation when they are put in charge of teaching their peers and they unknowingly develop a deeper understanding of the content that they are teaching. Through this collaboration, students will be able to connect with their peers and share their interests, knowledge, and learning in a meaningful manner that boasts the learning opportunities through the environment. 

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Learning Through Play

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Play is one of those things that we naturally learn to do as babies. The more we played as children, the more we learned. When we play we are practicing real skills that will teach us how to function as humans and skills that will lead to more learning such as creativity, inquiry, collaboration, and much more. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) “Play can improve children's ability to plan, organize, get along with others and regulate emotions.” (The Power of Play: How Fun and Games Help Children Thrive, 2023) They also say that “play helps with language, math, and social skills, and it even helps children cope with stress.” In a clinical report, The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children, written by the AAP they found that: 

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“Play is not frivolous: it enhances brain structure and function and promotes executive function (ie, the process of learning, rather than the content), which allows us to pursue goals and ignore distractions.” (Yogman et al., 2018)

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With this knowledge, I have no other choice than to utilize the full benefits of play in the learning environment that I set in place.  Over the years our students have unfortunately lost many play opportunities. It has slowly been stripped away from the normal day-to-day lives of our students. With an increase in the hustle and bustle of life, parents are quick to give their children a screen to keep them entertained. Many times this screen time is being used to watch meaningless videos, not to play and be creative even though the screen time has the full potential to do so. We must familiarize our learners and even parents with the right entertainment. The internet has plenty of games and such that allow students to be creative and collaborate safely.  Another hurdle in the face of play is state testing. Play has been removed from many classrooms due to the “need” to focus solely on the standards that the test with cover. If teachers are not teaching to the test, then they are often reprimanded. This forces teachers to allow very little time for true “play” to occur. 

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Implementation Obstacles

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I know that transforming my classroom setting to a more holistic and student-led classroom will face many challenges. These challenges will be with myself, students, parents, and possibly even the administration. Handing over the reins to the learning that is taking place alters the teaching methods that I have performed for years. This will take practice, organization, and careful planning on my part. Students need to have structure to stay focused and ultimately learn in an environment that optimizes that learning. We will need to practice and slowly release students so that learning takes priority and things do not become overwhelming and messy. If I were to release students without training them on procedures and how to drive their learning then no learning would take place. Parents may also have some concerns when students come home and say that their teacher tells them to attempt to figure things out on their own before immediately rushing to their aid. However, I think that if these concerns arise, once I explain to them why I practice this method, they will agree. Parents want the best for their children and being a good problem solver is what is best. Administration may also have concerns when they see more play and less standard-focused lessons. This is when I will continue to gain buy-in through current research. Research proves what is best to develop generations of life-long learners and ultimately as educators that is what we are in the business for. I am blessed to have administrators who have the kids' best interests at heart. Therefore, I do not foresee much pushback from them in this aspect. 

 

‌References:

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The Power of Play: How Fun and Games Help Children Thrive. (2023). Healthychildren.org. Retrieved October 17th from https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/power-of-play/Pages/the-power-of-play-how-fun-and-games-help-children-thrive.aspx

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Thomas, D., & Brown, J.S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace

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‌Yogman, M. W., Garner, A. S., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh‐Pasek, K., & Roberta Michnick Golinkoff. (2018). The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children. Pediatrics, 142(3). Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-2058