HEARD OF PERSONALISED LEARNING?

What does “Personalised learning” mean to you?

It is a phrase we are hearing more about at the moment. Click here to check out Wikipedia’s entry

Looking on the net shows it has been around for a few years now and is often linked to learning for the 21st century. Reading the wikipedia entry is exciting and makes me feel good about what we are doing in the cluster e.g. student blogging systems certainly support these developments.

Personalised learning is a must inquiry as schools consider their practice and future planning.

So what does Personalised Learning mean to me? Hmm… P. L. goes beyond individualized learning and into the depth of ownership in learning. It goes beyond the old cliché of students being actively engaged in learning. Students are involved in the processes involved in learning. Processes are transparent. Students know how they learn, why they are at school and their learning environment is just that! P.L. impacts into all areas of teaching and learning. There is strong emphasis on learning in schools, rather than teaching.

Have a look at your schools vision for learning. How strong is the learning statement within this?
(Do you know it off by heart? Is this vision the focus for all you do? Is it real, regularly considered and revised? Or is it a heading with little substance?)

P.L. includes individual and group learning, with students knowing how they learn and able to discuss the what and, more importantly, the WHY of their learning. Students know and own how their learning will make a difference to themselves and/or those around them. It’s about learners being able to transfer and apply their learning in different situations.

This is sooo exciting!

Pam raised the issue of Staff Changes and how they affect a Cluster's direction within a school....

How good it is that you are there helping push the barrow at Maketu, Pam. High staff turn over is certainly a stumbling block for ongoing development and innovation. Changes in Principals during a contract like ours can also have a backward step although this hasn't been the case at all in our cluster fortunately.

For the new members, it takes time to settle in, read the situation and link into an existing vision. That's why our cluster and a school's vision for learning is so important. When the vision is an active work in progress, understood and owned by all, it is easy to merge the new in "like a zip".

The vision is the greater entity, needs to be flagged at the interview stage and again during the process. If you have seen the school's ICT Plan, this is clearly flagged under Staff Capability. Incoming staff can be asked to contribute into the journey to assist the vision being realised.

Would love to hear from people on the following:

- How active is your school’s vision?

- What is it and how was it formed?

- How do you as a learning community discuss it?

- When is it reviewed?

Lorraine