INNOVATIVE LEARNING

ENVIRONMENTS: A LONG-TERM

OECD PROJECT

DAVID ISTANCE

Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI), OECD

November 2013

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THE ILE PROJECT

Why learning? Why innovation?

• Knowledge central to our economies and societies - therefore, learning also central

• The difficulties of changing education systems invites a fresh focus on learning itself

• So much learning takes place outside classrooms

• Innovation needed as the learning bar continues to be raised - promoting deep learning, 21st century competences, foundations for lifelong learning

Common framework, inadequate to address learning environments & systems

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SYSTEM

SCHOOL

CLASS

TEACHER

LEARNER

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• Based in the organisation and terminology of learning (not starting with institutions, schools, classrooms and subjects).

• A holistic eco-system that includes the activity and outcomes of the learning.

• Context and time essential to understanding learning – interaction take time as does learning itself.

• ‘Environments’ assume mix – of learning approaches, experiences, and settings – not fragmented “treatments”.

ILE understanding of ‘learning environment’

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1.Understanding the lessons of “Learning Research” (The Nature of Learning: Using research to Inspire Practice, 2010)

2. Conceptualising environments & compiling inspiring “Innovative Cases” (Innovative Learning Environments, 2013)

3. Growing and sustaining innovative learning - “Implementation and Change” (Learning Leadership, 2013 (in press) Final Reports, 2014)

Building ILE from fundamentals

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THE NATURE OF LEARNING

“The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice” OECD Publications, Sept. 2010, 338pp.

The Learning Principles – environments should:

• Make learning central, encourage engagement, and be where learners come to understand themselves as learners

• Ensure that learning is social and often collaborative

• Be highly attuned to learners’ motivations and the importance of emotions

• Be acutely sensitive to individual differences including in prior knowledge

• Be demanding for each learner but without excessive overload

• Use assessments consistent with its aims, with strong emphasis on formative feedback

• Promote horizontal connectedness across activities and subjects, in-and out-of-school

Moreover, all should be present not one or two. 9

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THE ILE FRAMEWORK

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‘Innovative Learning Environments’ 2013

Based especially but not exclusively on 40 case studies from 20 systems (plus 85 self-report notes submitted by diverse sources)

Develops and presents the ILE framework

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• Integrate and apply the ILE learning principles

• Innovate the “pedagogical core”• Engage the “Design/Redesign”

formative cycle• Extend capacity through partnerships.

21st century learning environments should:

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Innovating the basic elements of the ‘pedagogical core’

Selection or outreach can alter learner profilesInnovations include:• Distant learners• Parents as

learners

Profile of ‘teachers’ may be innovated by adding: • Volunteers• learning

professionals• experts; • Distant

teachers• peer teaching

Innovation through which resources used and how used.• Digital resources• Use of learning space

Knowledge, competences & values. Innovations include:• 21st c competences• Languages, culture• Sustainability• Interdisciplinarity

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Innovating the organisation and dynamics of the ‘pedagogical core’

Teacher groupingTeam teaching to expand pedagogical possibilitiesTeam teaching to target specific learnersVarying team and individual teaching

Learner groupingVarying size & profile of learner groupsSmaller groups in larger groupsMixed age groups

Rescheduling learning timeFlexibility in timetablingPersonalised timetablingRitualsIncorporating distant & non-formal learning elements

Innovating pedagogical optionsOptions include:Inquiry-based methodsTech-rich possibilitiesStrong formative feedbackRemixing pedagogies

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Learning Leadership and the Formative Learning Environment

-Vision of learning - Change strategies, including partnerships- Distributed: Managers, teachers, learners, partners

- Formative feedback to learners & teachers- Formative evidence to the learning leadership

- Learning logs, portfolios - Visibility of teacher work- Research & evaluation by the LE on the LE- Information systems, data management

It’s the learners who learn – the diverse learning that results from the work of the learning environment

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Partnerships enriching innovative learning environments within…

-Inside the pedagogical core.-Influencing the learning leadership.

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Extending boundaries and capacity through partnerships

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All informed by the ILE learning principles

ILE Learning Principles for 21st Century Effectiveness

1) Make learning and learner engagement central2) Ensure that learning is social and often collaborative3) Be highly attuned to learners’ motivations & emotions4) Be acutely sensitive to individual differences 5) Be demanding for each learner, without overload6) Assessment coherent with learning aims & strong emphasis on formative feedback7) Promote ‘horizontal connectedness’ across activities & subjects, in- & out-of-school

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THANK YOU!

david.istance@oecd.org

www.oecd.org/edu/ceri/innovativelearningenvironments.htm