EDLD 5313 Final Compilation
What does a significant learning environment look like? How do I create a significant learning environment? These felt like overwhelming questions at the start of this course. I was introduced to the concept of significant learning environments in my very first course in the ADL program, but even after reading the COVA ebook, I did not feel like I had a firm grasp of what this concept looked like and certainly did not know how to create it (Harapnuik et. al., 2018)! I am very grateful to have participated in this course focused on understanding the features of significant learning environments and how to design my own courses that create significant learning conditions. I now feel confident in my ability to look at learning environments holistically. I have tools I can utilize to guide my course design that supports intentionally considering the many factors that affect a learning environment.
One of the many things I appreciate about the ADL program is that it practices what it preaches. The further I progress in the program, the more I see how everything I am being asked to do aligns with and models what I am learning. As I compile my work from the course and synthesize my learning, I can see the intentional backward design, and I recognize the alignment of the outcomes, assessments, and learning activities. This also applies to the alignment of the program as a whole.
Having a clear vision of what a significant learning environment looks like allows me to evaluate my innovation plan through a fresh lens. While I believe that I am on the right track with my innovation plan, I am revising it along the way as I gain new insights into the details of its execution. In this course, specifically, I have thought deeply about the learning outcomes for PL attendees participating in my innovation plan. I made adjustments to the course to focus on developing educators who embrace the role of learner and continually strive to reflect and adjust their foundational literacy teaching practices to ensure optimal student outcomes. This post outlines how I arrived at these adjustments.
The overwhelming questions I mentioned at the start of this post were addressed as I read A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Change (Thomas & Brown, 2011). The rapid growth of technology tools and information access has changed the landscape of learning. Understanding and creating this new culture of learning allows us to discard old ideas of a teacher-centered classroom and instead shift towards a learner-centered model. Educators need to create a context and significant learning environment that ignites learner imagination and connects their passion with the learning outcomes. This can be achieved through collaboration, inquiry, and experimentation which are all fostered within a supportive and growth-oriented environment.
The science of learning is fascinating to me. I enjoyed studying the various learning theories. In my Learning Philosophy, I think deeply about my personal beliefs about learning and teaching. I also explore my own traits as a learner and connect them to the learning theories that I identify with most. This personal reflection allowed me to more fully understand the significant learning environment that I personally thrive in, which transfers to my learners as well.
Aligning Outcomes, Assessment and Activities
One critical step in creating a significant learning environment is intentionally designing courses that are learner-centered, thinking holistically about the environment, and aligning the activities and assessments with the learning outcomes. After reading A Self-Directed Guide to Designing Courses for Significant Learning (Fink, 2003), I utilized the guiding worksheets and followed the 3-column table development structure to create an overview of my innovation plan course. What I liked the most about this approach was the consideration of many environmental and situational factors.
Now that I had an overview of the course design and had considered many environmental factors, I next read Understanding by Design (McTighe & Wiggins, 2005). The UbD framework guided me to build on the 3-column table outline for my innovation plan course, to a more robust, full course design utilizing a 3-page template. In my UbD template I identify specific learning goals and outcomes in stage 1, describe the assessments and pieces of evidence used to evaluate whether those goals and outcomes are met in stage 2, and finally outline the specific learning activities and experiences in which learners will participate in stage 3. Connecting each part of the design back to learning goals ensures that the learning environment remains engaging and allows learners to connect to their purpose.
Learning about a growth mindset and how to encourage it in others has been an emphasis throughout the ADL program. Thinking about growth mindset development with the perspective of significant learning environments allowed me to reflect on my Minding the Mindset plan I developed in EDLD 5302. These reflections impact my growth mindset plan, as well as my innovation plan as I have formulated specific learning goals around growth mindset and developed activities to support those learning goals.
References
Fink, L. D. (2003). A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning.
McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. P. (2005). Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of Constant Change. Createspace.
Facilitation Innovation 