I heard a story recently about an English teacher using the class’s interest in sport to motivate and engage them in their lessons. The parent relaying this was so impressed by the ‘personalisation’ of learning. Many parents think that differentiating instruction for the class is the same as personalising learning for the child. In fact, … More Personalised learning: not an optional preference
Sir Ken Robinson in his book Creative Schools states that our understanding of intelligence over the past hundred years (measured largely by IQ) presents “a narrow and misleading conception of how rich and diverse human intelligence really is.” As societies and cultures develop, new theories emerge and one of the most prominent theories of intelligence is Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences. However … More Assessing intelligence(s)
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to chat with Yong Zhao. Zhao is Presidential Chair and associate dean for Global and Online Education at the University of Oregon. He is also the author of World Class Learners – a must read for educators. The book according to Zhao is “really about the human … More Schools as global enterprises
I’ve been giving some thought this week to some of the great myths of schooling and one of the greatest myths we need to dispel as a profession is “not every student can learn.” I have experienced a deep seated belief in some schools that certain students are simply not capable of learning, or learning what the teacher purports to know … More The learning myth
Many years ago I saw a powerful film called Mr Holland’s Opus . It was a moving portrait of the thirty year career of a high school music teacher whose passion for music influenced the lives of so many students. I think it ranks alongside Dead Poets Society. What prompted me to think about Mr Holland’s … More A concert and a cook-off
On Monday evening, the CEO of ACARA, Dr Peter Hill delivered our 2010 Ann D Clark lecture to over 500 educators. I have known Peter Hill for many years – he’s had an extraordinary career in education and is someone who brings great insight and experience to this role. What is evident is that Peter understands … More A national curriculum
One of the defining elements of a 21st century education is personalised learning. The ability to create the right classroom conditions that enable students to work independently, collaboratively, creatively and to think critically. According to the OECD (2008) these are important skills not only for successful economies but for ‘effective cultural and social participation and … More Meaningful learning
How would students of last century have fared if their learning was personalised? It is the question asked by Ta-Nehisi Coates in his article for The Atlantic. Coates reflects on his own education in Baltimore in the 1980s and the fine line he and so many walked between drop-out and graduate. As a journalist, able to personalise … More Personalised learning
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