What is Student-Centered Leaning: Some Definitions

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1 Student-Centered Learning: Planning for Student Success Empower17: ASCD Annual Conference Anaheim, CA March 27, 2017 Carol Ann Tomlinson Curry School of Education University of Virginia What is Student-Centered Leaning: Some Definitions An alternative to one-size-fits-all classrooms. It can be called personalization. The term personalized learning or personalization refers to a diverse variety of educational programs, learning experiences, instructional approaches, and academic support strategies that are intended to address the distinct learning needs, aspirations, or cultural backgrounds of individual students. The general goal is to make individual learning needs the primary focus in educational and instructional decision-making, rather than what might be preferred, more convenient, or logistically easier for teachers and schools. The teacher is no longer the keeper of knowledge, basing instruction on standardized curricula at one level. Instead, the teacher s role is to manage resources and supports that students need, when they need them, in order to reach mastery. Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 1

2 Some Comments from Expert Sources on Student-Centered Learning/(Personalization?) A kind of differentiation Little evidence of efficacy of computer-based approaches Teachers may not be prepared to guide the models Can also take the form of blended learning, small learning communities, schools within schools, internships, dual enrollment, independent study, advisories, community-based learning & project-based learning downloaded from & Personalized Learning (Differentiated Learning?) Is Mr. McCombs adapting content, process, or product with his students? Is he attending to students readiness, interest, and/or learning profile needs? To what degree would you say the class is student-centered? Is he differentiating instruction or personalizing instruction? How would you distinguish between personalization & differentiation? HS Eng 12:16 Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 2

3 Personalized Learning Requires Effective Teaching First, Technology Second The U.S. Department of Education describes Personalized Learning as: Adjusting the pace of instruction so that instruction is more individualized. Adjusting the learning approach so that instruction is differentiated. Leveraging student interests and experiences so that learning is more... personalized. Personalized learning should not be about technology, but about meeting students needs. Technology can help, it is not the solution. Personalized learning requires teachers who: Know their students deeply, Know their content and pedagogy deeply, Know how to effectively manage multiple activities occurring simultaneously, Know how to use a variety of assessments to guide planning, Know how to access and use a wide variety of resources. Ledesma, P. (2012). Leading from the Classroom. In Education Week, retrieved from effective_teaching_firsttechnology_second.html?gclid=cjoo7-ty8micftfp7aod0qiavg Personalized Learning From The Glossary of Education Reform & the National Education Policy Center Definitions Uses of the Term Goals Concerns Refers to a diverse variety of educational programs, learning experiences, instructional approaches, and academic support strategies that are intended to address the distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, or cultural backgrounds of individual students. Student-centered learning Widely used by on-line companies selling on-line learning programs Can also take the form of blended learning, small learning communities, schools within schools, internships, dual enrollment, independent study, advisories, communitybased learning & projectbased learning A kind of differentiation Eliminate academic tracks in favor of heterogeneous grouping Reflect students personal interests, career aspirations, or cultural heritage Give students more voice, personal choice and personal responsibility in the instructional process Concept so encompassing that it breeds confusion too broad & vague to allow for meaningful evaluation or policy May not align with standards Implementation models matter not clear how those work in many instances of personalized learning Little evidence of efficacy of computer-based approaches Teachers may not be prepared to guide the models On-line may overlook need for community, connections with teachers, varied student approaches to learning downloaded from & Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 3

4 "DIFFERENTIATION is not an instructional strategy, a collection of strategies, or a teaching model. It s a way of thinking about teaching and learning that advocates beginning where individuals are rather than with a prescribed plan of action that ignores student variance." Carol Tomlinson (2014) The Differentiated Classroom (2nd. Ed.) Personalized learning is a Kind of Differentiation. If it promises learners they can learn anything they d like, at any time, and anywhere they d like, then it s a kind of differentiation that radically extends the boundaries of schools and classrooms. If, on the other hand, students are still expected to master designated content, then personalized learning provides students with choice about how to learn required content and circumstances under which they will best learn it which are motivators for learning. In these circumstances, personalized learning mirrors the intent, processes, and practices of differentiation. In instances where common goals/learning targets/standards to not apply, the student may be a co-designer (with the teacher) of the curriculum itself. In these instances, the principles of differentiation still apply with the exception of the assumption in differentiation that schools will generally have specified learning goals that shape (but should not remove) student choice about learning. Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 4

5 Random Musings The possibility of widespread personalization is (a) slim unless we change our sense of what curriculum means, and (b) nil where we continue to value standardized test scores as major metrics of student, teacher, and school success. What we know about the complexity of moving to schoolwide differentiation is no greater than the complexity of moving to schoolwide personalization and is probably less complex. It s interesting to think about whether personalization is a kind of differentiation, differentiation is a kind of personalization, and/or whether they are simply partners in student success. Whatever form of student-centeredness, personalization, or differentiation we employ, we still have the same elements around which planning will necessarily occur content, process, product, learning environment, affect, readiness, interest, and learning profile. Differentiate Content With shared responsibility for classroom operation & community of learners Differentiate Process Differentiation begins w/ agreed upon goals and a focus on the learner Based on student readiness, interest, approach to learning Differentiate Product/ Assessment Differentiate Learning Environment Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 5

6 If we don t know where we re going, the chances of our getting there are greatly diminished. Some Student-Centered Instructional Approaches Project-based learning Problem-based learning Inquiry Learning Authentic Learning Montessori Flipping Computer based-learning Blended learning Maker Spaces Independent Studies School of One (and peers: Sudberry Valley School, Big Idea) Personalized learning plans Bloom s Mastery Learning Advisories (vs. homeroom or study hall) Small schools Schools within schools Genius Hour Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 6

7 The Teacher The Student The Content Artful Teaching as a Love Triangle Tomlinson, 1995 Some Goals of Student-Centered Learning Student voice Choice Motivation Agency Student identification with content Joy Autonomy, Independence, Self-management Responsibility Preparation for the world ahead User satisfaction Relevance Deep learning Transfer More pathways to learning success Differentiation De-tracking 21 st Century Skills (including creativity & problem-solving) Habits of mind and work Move away from teaching to the test Increased test scores Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 7

8 Most student-centered instructional approaches call on students to work toward proficiency in: Designing work/production plans, following those plans, modifying the plans as needed Locating meaningful resources effectively and in an ethical manner Learning from/drawing conclusions from resources Displaying the habits of mind and work of successful people Establishing and effectively responding to criteria for quality work Demonstrating significant content mastery (knowledge, skills, understanding, application, transfer, modification Communicating knowledge accurately, effectively, and with ethical standards that reflect those of the discipline(s) represented in their work Collaborating (with teachers, peers, community members) Most teachers and students have little experience in working with these skills in a standards-based and standardized-test-driven era. Both students and teachers will have to learn the intent, vocabulary, skills, and routines associated with the key skills of student-centeredness/personalization. Developing competence and confidence in these areas is absolutely worthwhile. But that won t happen easily, smoothly, automatically, --or at all, if we don t understand at a fairly deep level what the skills mean, what they imply for teaching, andl learning, and how to develop them. Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 8

9 Expert Practitioner Apprentice Novice Planning Quality & Use of Resources Habits of Mind & Work Collaboration Communication Content Mastery A Dozen Questions We Should ask Before We Move Deeply into Student-Centered Instruction 1) What do you mean by personalization/student-centeredness? 2) What goals do you hope to achieve with personalization/student centeredness? 3) Why is now the right time to move toward student-centeredness? 4) What is the match between your curriculum and student-centeredness? 5) Who will experience personalization, when, and for how long? 6) What if personalization falls short for some students? 7) Who will be asked to implement personalization? 8) What sorts of support will teachers need to be successful with personalization? 9) Who will help teachers re-tool for implementing personalization/student-centeredness? 10) How prepared are school leaders to lead schoolwide change for successful personalization? 11) How prepared are parents to understand and actively support the change? 12) What aspects of the school environment/practice would need to be altered to be a match for personalization? (e.g. scheduling classes, assigning students to classes, grading, disciplinary policy, classroom design, assigning class rank, standardized testing, teacher evaluation ) Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 9

10 A Final Thought Our approach to schooling needs a remodeling, a renovation, a reconstruction ground up, top to bottom, inside-out. It does not need a touch-up. We don t yet have much evidence that personalization works (Edwards, 2015) or for whom, or under what circumstances. What we have is an idea or a nest of ideas that could be the seed of something educationally more promising than most of what we ve seen over the previous two decades. It could also be an empty promise. The determination will stem not from jumping on a personalization bandwagon but rather from deep thinking, informed planning, and wise leadership exercised reflectively and persistently case by case, site by site, classroom by classroom, over many years ahead. I hope we have that in us. Tomlinson, C. (2017). Celebrating personalization: But not too fast. Educational Leadership. Copyright 2017 Carol Tomlinson 10