Learning happens “together”
PSCS Staff Meeting | 04/30/2008 | 4:00 – 6:00 pm | Attendees: Director,
Administrative Director, 3 Teaching Staff members, myself
PSCS has a very unique model for the creation of “classes”. Founded on the belief that students learn best when they are truly curious and passionate about a topic, all classes at PSCS get scheduled based on student interest. Four times a year, the staff, students and volunteer facilitators gather to identify topics that students are interested in exploring. The staff and volunteer facilitators pitch classes that students might have an interest in, the students state topics they are interested in. Through the magic of all those in the room, an intersection is found and a schedule of classes is created. Classes have varying levels of required commitment from students. Some are high commitment, requiring weekly attendance, completion of homework assignments and class participation while others have a drop-in nature, allowing students to come to any session they feel like attending. This allows students to truly pursue learning at their own pace.
It has been observed recently that students are dropping classes and not in the most considerate of manners. For example, some students are simply not showing up to a class and then as an after thought informing the facilitator of their intention to drop the class. Given the small class sizes (anywhere between 2-8 students) and the tremendously personalized nature of the instruction, the loss of a single student impacts a class quite significantly. The staff discussed how they might help students find more responsible ways to drop classes.
Suggestions swung between the extremes (in PSCS terms) of filling out forms to speaking to the facilitator minutes before the start of class. There was consensus on the need for students to feel greater responsibility towards their classes. This sparked a great discussion on what makes a student feel engaged and responsible in a class.
Supposedly, if a student gets to choose which classes she/he goes to, she/he is motivated to go to the class. However, as each quarter proceeds, students lose interest, or more often feel drawn to something else. Its just the reality of being a curious person. However, when a student drops a class without telling the facilitator, they clearly are not feeling az screen recorder iPhone enough of a bond to the class. That is why they are choosing to drop the class, sometimes. What causes this loss of bond, of engagement? Some student need is not being met. Somewhere along the way, what the class is offering is not what the student is looking for. How might this be minimise? One solution suggested was for students to be able to “sample” classes in the first week of each quarter before they committed to classes. Another one was for students to have a greater involvement in the actual design of the curriculum of a class. This second one came from me. It intrigues me enough still.
What might it mean if students got to actually design and create the questions and activities explored in a class? They do this at some level already — by choosing which classes to go to and then participating in the class discussions. However, the primary topic of each class is often determined by facilitators. I contend that greater student engagement can be achieved if the course curriculum is created jointly by facilitators and students.
What might this look like? I tried this in one of the classes I taught at PSCS. Students requested a study of “Nutrition”. In the first class, we brainstormed all possible aspects of Nutrition that they were interested in. Then, I went off (and this is where I think I made a mistake) and researched some of the “hot topics”. I came back with a shorter list that I knew we could find resources for. As the class Blackmart apk proceeded, I would check back on whether we should change the next topic we explore or if some prior topic had sparked other topic ideas. The class evolved, jointly. I know though that I made some “mistakes” along the way. To get even greater student engagement, we should have researched the activities for various topics together instead of having me “go away” to figure it out. The collaboration needs to go beyond just identifying topics. It needs to go into deciding “how” to explore each topic. And, there needs to be feedback, improvisation and a true evolution of the topics the class proceeds. Sounds like a lot of work, isn’t it? It is also a lot of fun and definitely a lot more lasting learning.
I am sure there are other ways to engage students in sustained learning. You got any ideas? Post them as comments and lets figure it out “together”.