Designing Pedagogy for Innovative Learning Environments

Credit: DLR Group, Missouri Innovation Center, Michael Robinson photography

By Marilyn Denison, K-12 Education Planner at DLR Group

Equipping learners with the skills and capacities for a successful future – including self-directed learning, global awareness, collaboration, and creativity – is no small matter. Many educational leaders are finding that traditional forms of education are not keeping students engaged; assisting students in taking responsibility for their own learning, or providing opportunities for students to work together. Pedagogies must evolve and respond to the changing world in order to remain relevant to the next generation of learners. Many schools are working on transforming their spaces, but often focus on influencing only one aspect of education – either academic standards, instructional practices, or the physical environment, but seldom all three. This can prohibit reform efforts, and produce less than desirable results.

Research has been a staple of my career to illuminate the needs of students and how environments affect learning, and I shared this position Dr. Diana Saylak, a former coworker and educator at Coppell Independent School District. We both value direct feedback, so she connected me to a central Texas student and a teacher, also known as a facilitator, who shared with me on the condition of anonymity how today’s spaces can create lifelong learners and prepare students for the future. Their stories demonstrate successful transformation of changing behaviors in a new space – what happens when pedagogy meets an innovative learning environment.

Teacher and Student to Facilitator and Learner

“When my students saw a news clipping about the state of water across the world, they really were concerned. So, I gave them an opportunity to decide how they wanted to make a difference. They determined it was important to make people aware of the issues with water conservation. Some chose to develop a website, some chose to design brochures and pamphlets, while others chose to create a digital multi-touch book. They also chose their own groups for this challenge based on common passions. I reviewed regular updates throughout the project, and the experience also included a presentation of their finished projects to me and their peers.”

The facilitator also shared that this innovative approach to teaching and learning is much more impactful than lecturing in a traditional educational setting. In previous years, she followed the same lessons year after year, lecturing to students and assigning homework every night. She felt the older, traditional approach made it difficult to build relationships with learners because of the constant pressure to get through the curriculum and prepare students for the state test, and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be an educator in a new, modern learning environment.

“At the new school, we follow the challenge-based learning model to deliver instruction. Students collaborate with each other throughout the day and are much more involved in their work as they develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. I can guide my students in a way that personalizes learning based on their passions, interests, strengths, and needs. And when they feel like they need more support, I am there to work with them. They can even use our class Google doc to request a workshop, or a small group lesson, on a topic that will fulfill a need and help them move forward, such as quadratic functions or finding expert leaders in a specific field. This way of teaching allows me to understand the curriculum better, and allows me to use my creativity to ensure my students gain the necessary skills and knowledge they need to be successful in life. It is an exciting way to facilitate learning, and I will never go back to traditional teaching!” 

And her student shared the same sentiment.

During the 2017-2018 school year, this student attended a traditional high school. Her eight classes per day were held in classrooms where the desks were arranged in rows and her teachers lectured day after day. She told me that she rarely talked to other students outside of lunch, and therefore did not make many new friends during the school year. This learner also said by the time she returned home each day, she struggled to remember the goal of her homework lessons. Later that year, however, she began attending a new school – one that supports modern pedagogies and is designed to be flexible, with furniture that can be easily moved to accommodate varying teaching styles, and spaces that can accommodate changing technologies. She said her experience in this innovative learning environment is vastly different than the one she recounted from her the traditional school.

“I love my new school! Here, the content in our classes is integrated and we learn in more of an open environment with additional small and medium spaces, so we can choose where we want to research, practice skills, and create projects. We have comfortable furniture that we move to where we want to sit, or move to work in groups or by ourselves. Our teacher is called a facilitator and she sets up challenges where we have choice in how to research and find solutions. I also get to work with students in other grade levels.”

As she described one of her favorite learning experiences with me, her enthusiasm was palpable. “Today was another amazing day as I shared with the class the digital multi-touch book that I created with two other students for our water conservation challenge project. The three weeks of research and preparation really paid off. When I got to class, I chose a spot next to my friends in my project group. Of course, one of my friends wanted to sit in that big, blue bean bag chair, but I got my favorite spot on the pillow chair behind him. The three of us worked so hard on this project, we even chose to work outside of the school day because we enjoyed doing the project. Our facilitator gave us feedback along the way, so I knew we were going to be successful.” I could sense the knowledge and confidence she gleaned from this collaborative, hands-on experience.

These two stories reinforce my belief that instruction and physical design share equal sides of the educational coin – they work with one other to support educational success. In order to best prepare students for their futures, school districts should approach change from a holistic perspective, simultaneously focusing on the architectural design components of the facility as well as the pedagogy that will be shared in that space. In doing so, these districts can create meaningful change for the learners of today, and flexible solutions for the learners of tomorrow.

Interview With John Dale, EDmarket Architect Member

EDMARKET MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Name: John R. Dale

Firm: Harley Ellis Deveraux (now known as HED)

Title: Principal, National Pre-K12 Studio Leader

Years in the education business: 22 years in school design, 36 years in the architectural profession.

Brief history of your firm:  Our company was founded 110 years ago in Detroit as an architecture and engineering firm. The work in the early years ranged from breweries and industrial complexes for the auto industry to large private residences.

What was your first job? My first job was doing residential work for a local general contractor one summer in London, Ontario when I was in high school. My first job working as an architect was for a big firm in Toronto – Niesch Owen Roland and Roy Architects (NORR), an offshoot of one of Canada’s first modernists, John C. Parkin Architects.

How did you get interested in school design? In 1996, having spent many formative years working on a wide variety institutional and educational work with Barton Myers Associates in Toronto and Los Angeles, I was encouraged to apply for the position of Design Team Leader at the newly opened Pasadena office of Perkins + Will. The Principal in Charge of the new office, Gaylaird Christopher, was a passionate and dedicated school architect. I was quickly caught up in the energy and excitement of working on innovative school designs for an enlightened School Superintendent, Sherry Eagle, in West Aurora, just outside of Chicago. I got hooked and have been focused on school design, almost exclusively, ever since.

What makes your firm unique? Our combined expertise in architecture and engineering includes building science. This has put us in an excellent position to do innovative sustainable design in many sectors within our design portfolio.  As a highly collaborative culture, we have a strong reputation as team players. We work collaboratively with a wide variety of other design firms, sometimes as executive architects but increasingly, as design collaborators. Our portfolio is therefore innovative, diverse and tremendously varied in scale and character.

What do you like best about designing school projects? I am constantly inspired by educators and students who are dedicated, energetic and open to new ideas. The most moving moments in my career have been at the completion of a project when students have approached me and expressed their appreciation of the results.

What is your typical day like? Insane. There is always more to do than the hours available. My time is split between the design and coordination of active projects, client outreach, proposals for new work, conferences, workshops and presentations. I am Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Council on Open Building, a North American network of professionals that advocates for buildings designed for resilience and change.

What do you like to do in your spare time? What is ‘spare time’?  My ancestors where architectural engravers and when I have time, I search the internet for their books and illustrations. When there is more time, I travel with my family – to the East Coast or Europe or to a lake north of Toronto, Canada, where we share a summer cottage.

What has been your involvement with the AIA-CAE? I have been a member of the CAE and attending conferences sponsored by the group for over a decade. About 8 years ago, I was invited to chair a subcommittee on Alternate Learning Environments and was then selected to part of the Leadership Group. I served four years in the LG, culminating in a year as Chair in 2016. I was an ex-officio member of the LG the following year and served on the Board of the CAE Foundation. I continue to be active with subcommittee work and participation in conferences.

How do you think the partnership between EDmarket and AIA-CAE has helped companies like yours? The partnership has created stronger ties between the education furniture industry and our studio leaders, helped keep us current and given us the opportunity to share our ideas about the education environment to a broader audience.

What advice would you give other architects thinking about joining EDmarket? Get involved. Offer to do a presentation; volunteer to design a classroom of the future; connect to your colleagues in the industry; see great educational environments by your colleagues in person.

Diving into the Future of Educational Facilities: EDspaces 2018

A virtual who's who of key decision makers at schools, colleges, and universities involved in the design, build, management or renovation of an educational facility converged at EDspaces 2018, November 7-9 in Tampa, FL. Nearly 2,300 education leaders (architects, distributors, Pre K-12, colleges, universities, independent manufacturer representatives, exhibitors, and corporations) gathered to explore challenges, strengthen skills, and build networks. 

Two pre-conference events, the Learning Lab, Safety & Security and Educational Distribution Symposium on Tuesday kicked off the event, while visionary keynoters inspired the audience each full conference day. Wednesday Plenary session was delivered by Michael Horn, author of Amazon bestseller, Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns, and Thursday featured a joint presentation by Chris Lehmann, Science Leadership Academy CEO, and Diana Laufenberg, Executive Director of Inquiry Schools, who shared their message on Creating the Schools We Need.

EDspaces is the only event featuring six innovative classroom designs, inspiring attendees and exemplifying the future of educational facilities. Each is developed to accommodate a wide variety of presentations, demonstrating learning areas for students of various ages, as well as a comfortable space for adult learners. 

Attendees explored the intersection of free play and enhanced learning at the PLAYces Specialty Area sponsored by EDmarket Knowledge Partner, KaBOOM!, built onsite in the exhibit hall. Creative principles of STEAM and the application of child-directed, unstructured play through hands-on, inquiry-based learning will be featured. The Specialty Area illustrates how play positively impacts innovation, collaboration, and critical thinking, creating opportunities for enhanced learning.

Expeditionary learning occurred on two distinct tours, one focused on the school environment and one showcasing higher education spaces, with educationally-rich site visits featuring sustainability, creative design, and innovative interiors. Additional evening tours were offered at nearby USF Health Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS) and the University of Tampa’s Plant Hall & Henry B. Plant Museum, with its famous onion domes. Every tour included an educational component in a variety of learning environments, and each qualified for AIA LU/HSW credit.

It was a good week for Hillsborough County public schools that not only approved a 10-year sales surtax that will pump $131 million annually into much-needed upgrades at hundreds of aging campuses across the county on election day during EDspaces, but also was the recipient of  truckloads of furniture donated by EDspaces exhibitors. Vendors donated their EDspaces display furniture to 9 different Hillsborough County Achievement Schools. Donations ranged from desks to shelves, chairs, rugs, cabinets, and more. In total, the donations of classroom furniture and equipment were donated over the weekend to local schools at the conclusion of EDspaces, valued at more than $215,000.

Each year, EDspaces evolves progressively to encourage networking and give participants an opportunity to forge lifelong professional connections throughout the education sector and experience product innovations in educational facilities. Next year's event will take place October 23-25 in Milwaukee, WI. For more information, visit www.ed-spaces.com

Creating the Schools We Need

An Interview With EDspaces 2018 Keynote Speakers: Chris Lehmann and Diana Laufenberg

Education innovators Chris Lehmann and Diana Laufenberg share their vision for creating learning institutions where all members of the community — students, teachers, and administrators alike — see themselves as active learners.

What is “inquiry-based learning” and how does it differ from traditional teaching and learning?

Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) is predicated on the idea that learning starts with curiosity and uses that curiosity to intentionally build experiences honoring student ideas, questions and wonderings. The teacher creates space for student ideas, questions and wonderings to grow utilizing a wide range of curricular materials (video, graphs, maps, images, etc.). Students do the heavy lifting of learning; requiring development of questioning and investigating skills. When a school values inquiry, students become arbiters of their own learning experience.

IBL differs from a traditional approach in several key ways. Valuing inquiry requires for a more collaborative learning experience between all members of the learning environment. Teachers model and coach more than direct while students wield more choice and voice in their learning. Reflection is a key component of this process as the members of the learning community are in a constant cycle of reflection about their own learning, what has happened, why it happened and what they might do differently next time. Assessments in this learning approach are more relevant and authentic, asking not only what the student knows, but what can the student do with what they know.

It’s also important to recognize that IBL is also about the entire process of learning. Often, when people talk about project-based learning, we can see teaching that is still overly didactic until the moment students work on the assessment. When we talk about IBL, we can talk about all parts of the learning process — from the way we start with powerful questions to how we create artifacts of our own learning.

How does this method translate into student achievement?

Student achievement in this method is a richer product than a letter or a number. Inquiry allows students to evidence their learning in a way that relevant and authentic, connecting to a student’s interests and curiosity. The difference in achievement is related to intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivations for performance. IBL asks students to approach learning from a place of internal motivation and then model and coach them through a pathway to produce evidence of that learning. IBL classrooms may use a robust system of formative assessments to gauge understanding and progress, but the end moment for demonstrating that the student has learned the concepts is the ability to produce something new, unique and relevant with their cumulative learning experience.

IBL learning also can help student develop many skills beyond what is measured through traditional metrics. IBL helps students develop critical thinking skills, they learn to seek out and evaluate information from multiple sources, they often can learn more powerful collaborative skills, and students who learn in an IBL school learn to present their ideas in powerful ways.

What are the most important qualities of a modern classroom or school?

— Values Inquiry
— Celebrates Student Voice and Choice
— Offers authentic learning experiences
— Understands the need for flexibility
— Standardizes little
— Reflects upon the work often
— Emphasizes the process as much as the outcome

When it comes to space, what enhances and inhibits learning?

In the end, we learn in multiple modalities, and learning spaces need to reflect that. The ability for classes to be able to transform their space to facilitate small group to large group to individual work and back again is so important.

It’s important to note that some of the most amazing learning spaces are found in some of the most challenged buildings. We often see amazing new facilities that look shiny, but don’t facilitate learning as well as classrooms with donated bean bag chairs and tables. That isn’t to condone the inequity we see in learning spaces across this country, but it is to point out how we need to be deeply intentional when we design spaces - no matter what our budget.

How can technology help run a school not just better, but altogether differently?

The question to always start with when considering technology and learning is: How do we ensure that it's the technology that serves the learning and not the other way around? Technology is extremely powerful and seductive in its promises to education. A school needs a sound mission and vision to base their educational decisions off which then dictates the use of technology. The first step is to consider how does the school define high quality learning experiences and then how can technology serve that definition. Interesting technological applications include ideas about more flexibly using time and space to work with students — robust scheduling systems can allow for more options that flex to timely needs for learning.

Additionally, these powerful tools can elevate student work from tri-fold boards to industry level video productions, taking their work out of the realm of ‘kid’ work to the level of professional. Technology can make the work the students engage in, relevant now, not just after they graduate. Technology is fodder — fodder for any number of avenues that push the boundaries of relevance and authenticity for learners. The key is to use the inquiry process to keep asking hard questions about how technology serves learning and then reflect on practices to refine for better outcomes. This is a process, that I suspect we will be engaged in as learning communities for the foreseeable future.

How are learning spaces being redefined?

Sadly, in most spaces, they aren’t. Or they aren’t in meaningful ways. We’re seeing more ways that people think learning can be redefined by creating “blended” learning or “personalized” learning, but we’re not seeing enough people reconsider what it means that learning spaces are now important because they are the places we come together.

There are some very hopeful things happening, though. When you look at the work that folks like Bob Dillon and David Jakes and Karina Ruiz and Trung Le are doing to help people rethink how pedagogy must drive learning space design, you can see how people are thinking deeply about how active, IBL learning must change learning spaces.

How can educators promote active learning?

Well, they can read Zac and Chris’ book — Building School 2.0: How to Create the Schools We Need — it’s a wonderful book to stimulate a lot of the questions we think educators need to ask to create active learning environments!

Beyond that, a wonderful lens is to always keep in mind “Less us, more them.” The more educators can create the conditions where they don’t have to own the front of the classroom, but spend their time listening to students as they tackle deep questions and serving to guide, prompt, and scaffold.

It’s important to remember that this isn’t “let the kids do what they want….” Creating the conditions for active, inquiry-driven learning requires incredible planning and forethought. Using tools like essential questions and backwards design allow teachers to put in the hard work of planning for a student-centered classroom.

What changes can be made in schools to make them more student directed, modern and responsive to current needs?

Schools need to revisit their common practices to evaluate the possibilities for innovation and change. Many schools want to change but are not creating conditions for such change to occur. A commitment to redefining mission and vision to align with a more student directed focus is a start. From there, schools need to implement a series of specific and scaffolded actions that help teachers move instructional practice toward more modern methods with authentic and original evidence of student learning. These action steps may include a shift in professional development, master schedule, interview questions, and human resources recruitment. We often think of the changes that need to happen as only those related to the classroom, but much of the change is related to the system shaping the space around the classroom.

At the very core of the issue is a basic commitment to the notion that schools are human spaces, committed to creating responsive, relevant and caring learning environments for all people in those systems. From there, the rest of it can begin.

What is the impact of these changes on space?

The impact on space can be huge once we consider what is best for humans. Schools that have tiny windows that let in almost no natural light are not optimal for humans to spend a full day. Schools often fail to consider that students may need flexible spaces outside the confinement of a classroom in which to work at times. Kids are scheduled into ‘learning boxes’ and then move from one ‘learning box’ to the other throughout the day… this is not necessarily the most humane or optimal scenario for learning to occur.

Thinking about schools as human spaces, designed to provoke curiosity and creativity is a bold shift for many school systems in the U.S. When this is a priority, the innovation and engagement that we aspire to achieve with students is possible. When students and teachers need to try to be innovative and inspire engagement despite poor learning spaces, we are not delivering on the best possible outcomes for our students. Light, space, flexibility and flow of space all matter immensely in shaping a compelling learning environment.

What steps do we need to take to prepare students for the workforce of the future?

We need to stop thinking that this isn’t our job. The classrooms we hope to see are ones that understand that the goals of schooling are to help our students become the fully engaged and active citizens that our society so desperately needs. When we understand that “worker” is a subset of “citizen,” we change what we value. The ability to be economically independent is a powerful part of being a fully realized citizen, but we need our students to make powerful decisions about their activism, their purchasing choices, the impact their lives have on our planet, the way they live as parents, partners, neighbors. The kind of learning that encourages deep, critical thinking and helps students tap into their own agency will help us help students to become those fully aware citizens, and that kind of agility of mind will help them navigate a changing economic landscape as well.

Chris Lehmann is the founding principal and CEO of the Science Leadership Academy, Chris Lehmann leads the strategic network of three progressive science and technology schools in Philadelphia, PA. A pioneer of the School 2.0 movement internationally, the Academy is an inquiry-driven, project-based, 1:1 laptop school and was recognized by Ladies Home Journal as one of the Ten Most Amazing Schools in the U.S., an Apple Distinguished School from 2009 through 2013, and it is the Dell Computing Center of Excellence for Technology in Education. Chris is co-author of Building School 2.0: How to Create the Schools We Need, co-editor of What School Leaders Need to Know about Digital Technologies and Social Media, the author of the education blog Practical Theory.

Diana Laufenberg was a secondary social studies teacher for 16 years most recently at the Science Leadership Academy. Her practice has deep roots in real-world, experiential education. Prior to her work in Philadelphia, she was an active member of the teaching community in Flagstaff, AZ where she was named Technology Teacher of the Year for Arizona and a member of the Governor's Master Teacher Corps. In 2013, she partnered with Lehmann to start Inquiry Schools as Executive Director of the non-profit, working to create and support student-centered, project-based learning environments.

Diana Laufenberg and Chris Lehmann are Keynote Speakers at EDspaces 2018 on Thursday, November 8, 2018 at 9:30 am at the Tampa Convention Center.

New Study: Teachers Say Space Matters

 by Jim McGarry, President/CEO, Education Market Association

Representing and connecting key stakeholders at the intersection of technology, space, curriculum and pedagogy and its collective impact on teaching and learning are more than a mission for the Education Market Association. EDspaces leads the discussion within the industry about how the design, functionality, utilization, and furnishing of educational spaces create an environment conducive to modern learning and dynamic needs of students and educators.

The National Center of Educational Statistics reported approximately 50.7 million students enrolled in public pre k–12 schools and another 5.2 million enrolled in private schools in 2017. An additional 20.4 million students attended colleges and universities, for a grand total of 76.3 million students in elementary, secondary and higher education in the United States. This means 24% of the total U.S. population utilizes an education facility daily as students, and even more if you count the millions of educators, administrators and support staff. In the 2017-2018 school year an estimated $624 billion will be spent related to their education.

It is against this backdrop that EDmarket approached industry research firm, MDR, to conduct a study on the impact of space on student outcomes with the premise that space matters. The report, State of the K-12 Market: The Impact of Space on Student Success, is based on the input of thousands of teachers, with analysis and case studies by architects and facility planners involved in the transformation of learning environments across the country. To compile the data, MDR conducted an online survey with a nationwide sample of educators working in K-12 public schools. Teachers and librarian/media specialists were sent an email invitation to take the survey and approximately 1,685 completed it.

What we have learned is that creative spaces featuring flexibility, a unique atmosphere, and inspiring aesthetics leads to more engagement and plays an important role in student success. The classroom sets the foundation for innovative learning and must keep pace with technology and students’ varied learning styles to support their overall well-being and lead to greater engagement and academic achievement. The data and comments from our research study participants indicate a highly positive and statistically significant impact of active learning and intentionally-designed classrooms on learning.

Some Key Findings:

• 94% of educators in this study believe space has a high or moderate impact on learning success, so clearly space makes a difference.
• 74% say they need spaces that will accommodate new technologies.
• 65% believe their school needs construction or renovation in the next 5 years.
• 63% of teachers want to add flexible furniture to their classrooms.

These and other interesting results are further broken down by school size, poverty level and market size. The complete study will be released soon and available to EDmarket members for a 20% discount. Click here to order your study now!

Jim McGarry and Melissa Pelletier from MDR will present the findings of the study at their session The Impact of Space on Student Outcomes, on Thursday, November 8 at 11:30 am during EDspaces 2018 in Tampa, FL.

Technology, Space & Pedagogy Converge at EDspaces

The industry will be gathering next month at the EDspaces Conference & Expo, the meeting place for professionals who design, equip, and manage creative learning environments that improve student outcomes. Attendees at EDspaces will experience the latest in educational furniture, fixtures, and equipment from nearly 200 leading vendors that can be used throughout the learning environment, over 50 of which are exhibiting for the first time. The EDspaces 2018 exhibit floor features an increase of 10% in reserved exhibit space.

Once again, the American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture for Education (AIA-CAE) is co-locating its Fall Conference with EDspaces and serving as a valued Knowledge Partner. In addition to our long-standing partnerships with The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools, new partnerships were formed in 2018 with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS), the Florida Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (FASCD), the Independent Office Products and Furniture Distributors Association (IOPFDA), and USGBC Florida.

Inspiring keynote speakers will present new ideas on students of the future at plenary sessions during EDspaces. Michael B. Horn will share his thoughts on “A New Architecture for 21st Century Learners” at the Opening Plenary, while the dynamic duo of progressive school leaders Chris Lehmann and Diana Laufenberg will discuss “Creating the Schools We Need” on Thursday morning.

Once again, this year speakers at the Educational Distribution Symposium & Reception on Tuesday, November 6 will inspire top management and sales professionals to reach new levels of service to the educational products marketplace and to work in partnership with their vendors. New for 2018 is pre-conference Learning Lab focusing on the all-important topic of Safety and Security.

The EDspaces Education Committee selected 55 education sessions certified by AIA for continuing education credit with many qualifying for credit from GCBI and IDCEC as well. EDspaces has earned a reputation for “walking the talk” when it comes to educational environments with education sessions taking place in award-winning classrooms designed by leading vendor and architectural firms. These unique learning environments, both on the exhibit floor and in meeting rooms, provide an immersive experience allowing participants to experience firsthand cutting-edge educational spaces.

The following firms were chosen to design classrooms for EDspaces 2018: 

• Architecture for Education
• DLR Group
• MA+ Architecture
• NorvaNivel + Gould Evans
• OnPoint Innovative Learning Environments
• Van Auken Akins Architects

Seven tour sites provide experiential learning opportunities and showcase the best educational facilities in the Tampa Bay area. K-12 and higher ed tours were planned by our local team of architects and school officials on the EDspaces Committee.

Register today at www.ed-spaces.com

Evidence-Based Teaching Strategies to Improve Student Achievement

By Lou Whitaker, Ed. D., Brain Junkie

 “…(Teachers)… work in a laboratory called the classroom, and we have a tremendous amount of knowledge and understanding of the teaching/learning process. We have gained this knowledge through experience and from research in educational psychology, cognitive psychology, and teaching methodology. It is up to us to decide how the research from all these sources (including neuroscience) best informs our practice.”    

— Pat Wolfe, President at Mind Matters, Inc.

High-impact, effective teachers are constantly asking themselves questions about student achievement and what factors has the greatest influence on learning. They begin to question themselves and look for ways to improve their teaching strategies. They ask, “How great will my impact be on their personal learning? What are the most effective teaching strategies I should be using in the classroom?”

Here we will take a close look at how the brain learns best through the research and studies conducted through neuroscience and then cross-reference that information with which best practices provide the optimal chance for improving student achievement.

Best Practices Research

Effective educators turn to data-driven research when creating a plan of action. In John Hattie’s book, Visible Learning, A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-analysis Relating to Achievement, he lists indicators that have the greatest impact on student achievement. Based on neuroscience and best practices, I began to think about the Top 10 evidence-based teaching strategies that had the greatest impact on student achievement:

Top Ten Teaching Strategies

10. Positive Teacher/Student Relationships

The relationship teachers have with their students dictates the impact they will have on their students’ achievement. When there is a positive teacher/student relationship, students feel safe and there is a strong bond of trust within the classroom. Students are not afraid to take risks and understand that making errors are all part of the learning process. Students are more likely to feel positive about school and have a greater chance of developing a true love for learning.

Neuroscience is also telling us that there is a direct link between a student’s academic learning and one’s emotions and social environment….and it all starts with the relationships between the teacher and his/her students. Having a basic understanding of social emotional learning is essential when working in our current school systems. Developing a positive, supporting, trustworthy relationship is a basic strategy and critical to the success relating to student achievement.

9. Real-life, Meaningful, Problem Solving Assignments

Personal experiences form many of our strongest neural networks. Many lessons contain references to developing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills but are often hypothetical which usually have predicted outcomes. Teachers need to assign actual problems in their own school or community. These challenges may not be easy to solve, however, struggling with such things as time constraints and insufficient information, students will improve their critical thinking skills as the work to solve these problems.

8. Mnemonics

According to the Oxford Dictionary, mnemonics is “the study and development for improving and assisting memory”.  Although many teachers view them as simply “memory tricks,” they can be effective learning strategies. Research suggests that the use of mnemonics to acquire factual information can often improve the students’ ability to apply that information.

7. Concept Mapping

Concept mapping involves a graphical representation of the major points of the lesson. By summarizing the major concepts into a visual representation, the brain has a better chance of retraining what was presented. The brain is consistently checking to see where it is at and where it is headed.

It’s like when you walk into a mall and you’re looking for a certain store. To begin with, you head for a map and look for the “you are here” sign. Next, you search for your store and then figure out your route to get there. The brain reacts in the same way when it’s learning something new…hooking its prior knowledge to the new information. Using concept maps provides a visual relationship of ideas and topics and shows how items are interconnected and related to one another.

6. Rehearsal Strategies

Active rehearsal strategies are required for long-term retention. In working memory, there are two types of rehearsal strategies, rote and elaborative. Rote rehearsal is used for acquiring certain skills or procedures when automaticity is required, such as learning to type. Elaborate rehearsal is needed for encoding and retrieving enormous amounts of information, such as understanding the concepts regarding the Civil War.

 “It is the frequency of different opportunities rather than merely spending more time on task that makes the difference to learning,” says Gerry Miller in his summary of Hattie’s book.  This is not “drill and kill practice,” but includes deliberative practice involving specific skills and complex variations of the material.  

5. Music, Rhyme, Rhythm

Music does have certain beneficial effects on learning. Researchers Gordon Shaw and Frances Rauscher conducted studies showing the relationship between music training and spatial-temporal reasoning.  Spatial-temporal reasoning is the ability to conceptually solve a problem because of one’s ability to visualize the problem, according to Pat Wolfe. The brain seeks patterns and therefore “…rhyme and rhythm prove great mechanisms for storing information that would otherwise be difficult to retain”. Naming the parts of a neuron will be easily remembered when it’s put into the nursery rhyme, “I’m a little Teapot.”

            I’m a little neuron – axon out!
            Here are my dendrites.

            Watch them sprout!

            When I make connections you can count,

            Over 6,000, without a doubt!

As with mnemonics, using music, rhyme, and rhythm seems to fall under best practices category of teaching strategies.

4. Classroom Discussions

Having good classroom discussions is one of the factors that have the greatest impact on student achievement and is one of the most effective intervention factors related to learning.

According to Tom Barrett in The Curious Creative, teachers should provide opportunities for classroom discussions because they:

• Encourage student interaction and active participation that provide the avenue for social interaction and helps students build confidence as they improve their own personal skills. Students not only develop their speaking abilities but are required to use and perfect their listening skills.  
• Provide an opportunity for the students to connect to a topic. Students are more inclined to stay focused and gain interest in the topic if they are actively engaged in a conversation.
• Provide a forum for expressing personal opinions. Being able to express one’s ideas and thoughts in an articulate manor is an essential life skill. Discussions allow for all opinions to be expressed and give the student a chance to see things from another point of view.
• Build “intellectual agility” as student listen to various viewpoints; they acquire the ability to formulate opinions as they develop their metacognitive skills. They need to “think on their feet” as the discussion moves on.

The brain is a social organ. Its purpose is survival and when we were hunter-gatherers it was imperative that people were able to communicate with others in their tribe. Just as communication is essential in today’s society, classroom discussions are a natural strategy that should be used for the various reasons listed above. 

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. The human brain has a growth spirit during the adolescent years. Not only is this teaching strategy effective for teenagers, rich classroom discussions are highly effective no matter what the age of the students.

3. Collaborative Learning

Peers can greatly influence one’s learning by tutoring, giving feedback, helping and providing friendship. In Hattie’s research he found peers play an important role in “emotional support, social facilitation, cognitive restructuring, and rehearsal or deliberative practice.” Educators are realizing they can no longer just focus on the academics and that social and emotional learning is essential to improve student achievement.

From the point of neuroscience, neuroplasticity occurs as the brain changes as it learns something new. “Active learning takes advantage of processes that stimulate multiple neural connections in the brain and promotes memory,” according to recent research from the GSI Teaching & Learning Center at The University of California, Berkeley. Active learning includes working in groups through collaborative learning.

2. Reciprocal Teaching

When a student listens to the teacher explain a concept or idea in a lesson, such as learning the parts of a plant, the student pays special attend to the various names, learns how each part is related to the whole and studies the purpose or function of each part. The teacher then puts the students into pairs and asks one student to “teach” the other what they just learned. The first student repeats what the teacher taught in the lesson, naming each part, explains the part’s relationship to the whole, and so forth. After a few minutes, the other child has a chance to reciprocate the action by putting into their own worlds what they have just learned. Just this simple act of teaching one another helps students retain more making it easier to remember and recall the information when test time comes around.

And why is this strategy so effective? When sitting in a lecture hall, there are mainly two regions of the brain that are highly active; the occipital lobes (visually watching the presentation) and the temporal lobes (listening to the lecture). When someone is teaching, or elaborating on what they have learned, not only are the occipital and temporal lobes activated, the parietal lobes (important in language processing) and the frontal lobes (higher order thinking) are stimulated. Doesn’t it make sense that the more regions activated, the better the chance of transferring the information into long-term memory?

1. Understanding the Human Brain and How We Learn Best

“If we want to empower students, we must show them how they can control their own cognitive and emotional health and their own learning,” says neurologist Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed in the article “How to teach students about the brain” in Educational Leadership. And this all starts with understanding the human brain and how we learn. While teaching strategies determine the teacher’s impact, students can learn strategies that help them more efficiently and support a deeper understanding of how the brain functions. It’s very powerful when students, preschool aged through adult, are made aware that they can literally change their brains through neuroplasticity.

Conclusion

John Hattie explains that Visual Learning is “…when teachers see learning through the eyes of the student, and when students see themselves as their own teachers”. By blending teaching strategies based on neuroscience and those ranked high in best practice research, educators provide the greatest opportunity to improve student achievement. Learning is very personal to the teacher as well as the student and when teachers help students understand how they learn, how they think, teachers provide the tools students need to become successful in life. 

Author Bio

Dr. Lou E. Whitaker has a Bachelor of Science in Education, a Masters in Administration, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Dr. Whitaker has been a teacher, a principal, and served as an Associate Superintendent for Schools. She has experience as a Disney Educator and is currently the President for Florida ASCD. Today she is an Educational Consultant for Open Minds Enterprises, The Global Center for College & Career Readiness, and MeTEOR Education. For comments and/or questions, contact Dr. Whitaker at DrLou@meteoreducation.com

Dr. Lou Whitaker will present "What Constitutes an Enriched Environment" at EDspaces 2018 on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 8:00 am at the Tampa Convention Center.