Learning for the Digital Age – a practical reflection

Lately have been working on several strands of digital learning that in the end inter-connect towards supporting learning evolution for a digital age

I have been

• preparing to support a teacher learning upgrade around the SAMR model
• looking at the newpedagogies project and its focus on new pedagogical models
• working with a Grade 6 class on improving presentation skills and techniques and Grade 5 on computation thinking through learning about programming with Javascript
• working with Grade 7 and 8 students on Project-Based Learning with its emphasis on developing efficient and effective learning processes

How do these all interconnect?

Firstly, the SAMR experience focuses on why one need to look for new ways of learning. To my mind we are as educators should always be looking to take advantage of new task creations that support new skills and understandings of value for learning and working in the digital age.

Which links to the newpedagogies project, which calls for deep learning arising from better understanding of teaching and learning in the digital age (or 21st century if one must refer to what I consider old vernacular).

And finally to the practical, those learning partnerships involving co-teaching, student ownership of learning and learning explorations that push traditional envelops. An encompassing approach to new tools, new ways of thinking, and new ways of expression thta are available to all schools and await our appropriate valuing.

Deep learning, deep knowledge and deep teaching are all integral to meeting digital age education needs.

This interconnection informs both at the micro and macro levels the digital directions teachers and school are willing to set.