INSIGHTS FROM INTERNATIONAL

WORK ON INNOVATIVE

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

DAVID ISTANCE Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI), OECD October 2014

RATIONALE AND APPROACH

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• In 21st C knowledge societies & economies, learning is central (NB: not learning instead of teaching)

• There are increasing demands for what learning should be: 21st competence, deep learning, lifelong learning

• Innovation essential in a world of change and to meet these demanding objectives

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Why learning? Why innovation?

• As alternatives to the “school” and “classroom” which are institutional units, not about learning per se….

• …. And so much learning now takes place outside schools and classrooms

• But schools are very important learning locations

• We think concepts of “learning environment” and innovation can help the search to make schools more “learning focused”

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Why the language of ‘learning environments’?

• “Learning Research” (The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice, 2010)

• “Innovative Cases” (Innovative Learning Environments, 2013)

• “Implementation and Change”

(Leadership for 21st century Learning, 2013, Final Reports, 2015)

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ILE: a project and a philosophy

THE NATURE OF LEARNING

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“The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire

Practice” OECD Publications, Sept. 2010, 338pp.

Contents: reviews of learning literatures –

implications for design for education

7. Technology and Learning

8. Cooperative Learning & Group-work

9. Inquiry-based Learning

10. The Community and Academic Service Learning

11. The Effects of Family on Learning

12. Implementing Innovation: from visions to everyday practice

13. Future Directions

1.Analysing & Designing Learning Environments for the 21st Century 2. Historical Developments in the Understanding of Learning 3. The Cognitive Perspective on Learning 4. The Crucial Role of Emotions & Motivation in Learning 5. Developmental & Biological Bases of Learning 6. Formative Assessment

The ILE Principles – learning environments

should:

• Make learning central, encourage engagement, and be where learners come to understand themselves as learners

• Ensure that learning is social and often collaborative

• Be highly attuned to learners’ motivations and the importance of emotions

• Be acutely sensitive to individual differences including in prior knowledge

• Be demanding for each learner but without excessive overload

• Use assessments consistent with its aims, with strong emphasis on formative feedback

• Promote horizontal connectedness across activities and subjects, in-and out-of-school

Moreover, all should be present not one or two. 9

THE ILE ‘INNOVATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS’ FRAMEWORK

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‘Innovative Learning Environments’ 2013

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Based especially on 40 case studies from 20 countries, (plus 85 self-report notes) Develops and presents the ILE framework and the innovations themselves

Innovating the basic elements of the

‘pedagogical core’

Innovating learner profiles through

selection or outreach, including: • Distant learners • Parents as learners

Innovating the ‘teacher’ profile by

drawing on: • Community volunteers

and expertise; • Distant teachers • peer teaching

Innovating which resources used and how, including:

• Digital resources • Use of learning space

Innovating content including: • 21st c competences • Languages, culture • Sustainability • Interdisciplinarity

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Innovating the organisation and

dynamics of the ‘pedagogical core’

Flexible and collaborative teaching Rethinking how

learners grouped

Rethinking learning time Innovating pedagogical

options

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The guiding visions and strategies - designs

Does learning evidence feed back to leadership?

Evidence about what the learners learn: is it usable and accessible?

How well are the designs and strategies implemented?

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Who is leading decisions about teaching & learning?

Leadership and the “Design/Redesign”

formative cycle

Extending capacity through partnerships;

the learning principles permeating all

• Integrate and apply the 7 ILE learning principles

• Innovate the “pedagogical core”

• Engage the “Design/Redesign” formative cycle

• Extend capacity through partnerships.

The ILE framework suggests 21st

century learning environments should:

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THANK YOU!

www.oecd.org/edu/ceri/innovativelearningenvironments.htm

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