* Visioning New Curriculum strand

Task Discussion

• 
  Liz Renshaw   Oct. 24, 2012, 10:28 p.m.

  How can different approaches to curriculum like these support standards
  and promote deeper learning?

  Like karen and Paul I see the core standards or in our case the course competencies as being a creative challenge. From my experience in the post secondary education/training sector, as teachers we do have a choice about the methodologies we use to achieve this 'standards'. 

  We do try and choose ways of achieving these competencies that have are flexible and responsive to the learning needs of the students. For me, it's always been about 'daring to be different' and coming up with creative options that engage both me and the students in a terrific learning process.  I aways ask myself the question ' are students powering up' when they are learning with me, or 'powering down'?

  Teachers have a rich pedagogical toolbox and are really professional craftsman in the art of teaching, so let's use our expertise to put deep learning back at the forefront of our work and reclaim learning back from the ' assessment and testing and number crunching maniacs'.

  So, my suggestion is to be brave, daring and connect with others who are seeing core standards/ competencies and outcomes ( Australia) as an opportunity to be harnassed for change.

   

   

• 
  karen   Oct. 24, 2012, 10:21 p.m.

  Tonight I had the great pleasure of getting to remix the ideas in this video with a great group of friends and colleagues.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1PSDsuAxD0&feature=youtu.be&a

• 
  Chris Sloan   Oct. 24, 2012, 6:38 p.m.

  I was struck by Kevin's comment about the value of vocational education. A lot of the maker work that's gaining popularity now has been going on in these settings all along. I think the same is true for agricultural education. Maker Faires and projects that incorporate gardening into the curriculum seem to share a lot of elements with vo-tech and ag ed. I'd like to learn more from some vocational and agricultural educators.

• 
  karen   Oct. 24, 2012, 6:39 p.m.
  In Reply To:   Chris Sloan   Oct. 24, 2012, 6:38 p.m.

  And don't forget culinary arts (what we used to call home ec :).

• 
  Jose Rodriguez   Oct. 27, 2012, 6:48 p.m.
  In Reply To:   Chris Sloan   Oct. 24, 2012, 6:38 p.m.

  I have experimenting incorporating the idea of a school vegtable garden into the curriculum. It worked best when it was right outside my classroom door. This works especially when you get others involved like parents and community volunteers. This past school year we started an afterschool club. The club was open to all students in the school. Interesting to see cross age mentoring and tutoring in these "classrooms" These are steps that make the curriculum come alive. These otuside the classroom experiences are what makes learning more exciting. 

• 
  karen   Oct. 29, 2012, 1:09 p.m.
  In Reply To:   Jose Rodriguez   Oct. 27, 2012, 6:48 p.m.

  I LOVE this idea!

  We have been working with a farmers market this year and have been fortunate to have students from a school with a community garden participate in selling with us. This has taught these kids a lot, not only about nutrition and growing, but also about entrenpreneurism, math, and communication skills. (Also, this school got quite a large grant to start the garden.)

  Bravo to everyone who undertakes projects like this.

• 
  KevinHodgson   Oct. 24, 2012, 5:45 a.m.

  Such interesting elements, Karen, and it is fascinating to think about the ways that we can shape, and reshape, our curriculum goals and frameworks within this world of many options -- digital or otherwise. I was interested in your slides of what learning looks like, and thinking of how many of those elements we really value and bring into our classroom.

  I also thought: much of that kind of learning goes on in our vocational high schools, which have all too often been the lost cousin of traditional high schools (at least in our area of the world). And wouldn't it be great if there was more sharing and overlapping curriculum between vocational and academic (wrong term, I know) high schools.

  I think that the whole concept of remixing is one of the most fascinating element of the digital writing world, and I still struggle with what that looks like with my sixth graders, and how to connect it to the curriculum frameworks that I am required to pay attention to. I want to do more with the expanding tools from Mozilla and get my students to feel empowered as writers/creators with the remix process, and understand how to change the agency of interaction.

  Kevin

• 
  karen   Oct. 24, 2012, 6:30 p.m.
  In Reply To:   KevinHodgson   Oct. 24, 2012, 5:45 a.m.

  So true about voc ed-type studies. The most powerful learning experiences I've had lately have been around a construction project. I'd really love to do a construction summer camp for kids.

• 
  Liz Renshaw   Oct. 24, 2012, 8:06 p.m.
  In Reply To:   karen   Oct. 24, 2012, 6:30 p.m.

  An interesting conversation allowing me to find out a bit more about the US system of education. I see you have vocational type high schools. We have technical and further education colleges - TAFE that deliver vocational education and training programs and also preparatory vocational programs. So, I;ve worked extensively with disengaged youth over the years. One model of learning which has been very successful is 1/2 vocational stuff and 1/2 Literacy/numeracy/job seeking/employability skills. We deliver this program in an integrated way so that the Literacy/numeracy is fully integrated with the 'hands on' stuff. Usually a 6 month program this has really good participation, retention and job outcomes. The vocational component is very 'hands on' usually community based projects.