Not Just Another Learning Philosophy

What is learning?

According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, learning is the activity or process of gaining knowledge or skills by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something (2015). According to me, learning is everything but studying and practicing. I believe learning to be a natural process of deep acquisition and successful application of new knowledge or new skills that takes place within the right content and context.  

Thinking Holistically Through a New Culture of Learning

Part One: A Reflection of D. Thomas and J. S. Brown’s A New Culture of Learning

In the first page, Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown address the idea of a new culture of learning through this question: “What happens to learning when we move from the stable infrastructure of the twentieth century to the fluid infrastructure of the twenty-first century, where technology is constantly creating and responding to change?” (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 17). Well, you’d have to read the book to find out. But there is one thing I will tell you (and you might have even noticed from their foundational question), Thomas and Brown’s perspective encompass the idea of a holistic approach to learning.

Putting It All Together

Blended learning is an innovation that has the opportunity to transform the system of education. That is why I have put together all of the resources that I have created and utilized for introducing, supporting, implementing, and encouraging blended learning in the classroom.

The Best of Both Worlds: A Digital Story Narrative for My Innovation Plan

Literature Review: The Impact of Emerging Technologies on Learning Environments

Abstract

The purpose of this document is to restate and review the trends in the practices and uses of emerging technologies that have and will continue to have a large impact on learning environments such as K-12 schools and higher education. This document more specifically addresses how those emerging technologies may have an impact on the developing model of Blended Learning and within it, the Station Rotation model which includes online instruction, teacher-led instruction, and other collaborative activities and stations. The overall objective of this innovation plan is to improve the system of education in the elementary school level in all content areas by implementing the Station Rotation model via the Blended Learning model (Horn & Staker, 2015). 

My Innovation Plan: Blended Learning and the Station Rotation Model

To my colleagues and administrators:

What if I told you there was a way for students to come to school every day eager to learn? What if I told you we could have total participation and engagement from each and every one of those students in every lesson and activity?  And let’s say, meanwhile, teachers could have the opportunity to provide differentiated instruction to each and every one of those students? And they could do this every day! And for our administrators, what if I told you, from all of this, you could be handed reports of increased achievement results and data?  How does that sound?