Mapping the “Deeper Learning” Literature using Cohere

OLnet Visiting Fellow: Helen Jelfs Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol

OLnet Team: Simon Buckingham Shum, Anna De Liddo, Michelle Bachler Knowledge Media Institute, Open U.

Work in Progress Seminar, Institute of Educational Technology, Open Univ, 12 July 2011 Slides, discussions and replay: http://cloudworks.ac.uk/cloud/view/5618 Cohere knowledge-base: http://bit.ly/paoq7F

Deeper learning

Deeper learning prepares students to:

§  Master core academic content §  Think critically and solve complex problems §  Work collaboratively §  Communicate effectively §  Learn how to learn (e.g. self-directed learning)

The Hewlett Foundation

http://www.hewlett.org/programs/education-program/deeper-learning

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“...delivers the skills and knowledge students will need to succeed in a world that is changing at an unprecedented pace”

Key Questions for this literature analysis §  What evidence is there to suggest that mastering core academic

content, critical thinking and problem solving, effective communication, working in collaboration, and learning how to monitor and direct one’s own learning are the essential elements of deeper learning?

§  What research into these topics been carried out and what does it indicate?

§  What is known about the mastery of these skills and their contribution to ‘success’?

§  What evidence is there for positive links between deeper learning, economic success, and civic engagement?

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Key Questions for this literature analysis §  What deeper learning tools and curricula are available?

§  What improved assessments are available to measure student’s academic growth?

§  What support will teachers and school leaders need to teach for deeper learning?

§  What is the difference between enquiry based learning, project based learning and problem based learning?

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Diary snapshots from the use of Cohere to conduct the literature analysis

Available on Cohere at:

http://bit.ly/paoq7F

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ConnectionNet visualization: 11 Apr 2011 After about a month’s work, a set of islands...

“This is indicative of the stage I've got to — I

haven't seen the other connections yet”

ConnectionNet visualization: 31 May 2011 7

A few weeks later, and more connections are visible…

“I’ve gradually managed to make more connections between different ideas”

ConnectionNet visualization: 01 June 2011 8

“I began looking for ‘nexus points’ by

which I mean those ideas/concepts around which there is a cluster

of connections ”

It’s now a complex network of interconnected ideas…

Learner autonomy: 22 June 2011 9

‘Learner autonomy’ is emerging as a key idea ...

“‘Learner autonomy’ represents a variety of overlapping and

effective learning practices, and implies the learner can give

meaning to learning and create new learning tools”

Learner autonomy: 22 June 2011 Focal idea + immediate neighbours (depth=1)

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Managing self/Self-directed learning: 22 June 2011 11

“To be more self-directed, learners need opportunities to plan,

manage and monitor their own learning. This means we have to

make relevant skills and capabilities ‘visible’ to students

and develop a language for learning development.”

Promoting self management in learning...

Making thinking and learning explicit: 22 June 2011 12

“Learners are assisted in getting to know themselves and discover the internal aspects of learning when

facilitators model their own strategies”

Make the internal dialogue more explicit....

Skills for a complex life: 22 June 2011 13

“Integrating 21st century skills into the traditional core

academic disciplines is essential if schools are to offer a broader set of skills to students so as to enable them to succeed in the

21st century”

??...

Learning How to Learn: 22 June 2011 14

LHTL promotes learning autonomy...

“LHTL is a family of positive learning

processes that promote learner

autonomy”

Learning Power: 22 June 2011 15

“The Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP)

devised 10 pedagogic principles for effective pedagogy”

Evidence-informed pedagogic principles ...

Social/Cooperative learning: 22 June 2011 16

“An essential feature of what learning is about is the interactions and

relationships within which learning takes place. In the future the distinction

between teacher and pupil, or expert and novice, may well become blurred ”

Learning is not just individual but social...

Meaningful learning: 22 June 2011 17

“Students gradually appreciate that enquiry is an active learning process in which there is scope to explore existing knowledge, to

shape and change it, and thereby make their own, individual contribution to

knowledge.”

A different view of knowledge - 'something actively worked on'...

A commonly held learning language: 22 June 2011 18

Structuring a coherent approach to learning...

“Discourse about learning can only happen if there is a commonly held

language that can be understood and enacted by students , their teachers

and their parents”

Teachers’ beliefs about learning: 22 June 2011 19

“Teachers whose practice illustrates effective pedagogy

have an essentially progressive, rather than fixed,

view of what goes on in any given lesson”

To bring about change teachers need to engage in learning ...

Authentic intellectual work: 22 June 2011 20

“An explicit academic purpose/goal within a school community and the basis for professional dialogue, cooperative planning

and the development of professional communities”

A common language for schools...

Authentic pedagogy : 22 June 2011 21

“What is fascinating here is the suggestion that teacher and

learner should maintain a stance of 'continual

becoming’”

The possibility of a transformative learning interaction...

I like the way knowledge is described as that

which is produced in the transformative

relationship between teacher and learner - as

opposed to the transmission of

content from one to the other

Where next?

§  Complete annotating identified literature

§  Begin to formulate ‘answers’ to the questions

§  Think about how best to organise for other users e.g. students on Msc Systems Learning and Leadership; Hewlett Foundation

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