“Modern learning” is a phrase I am encountering in more and more places, but still I just can’t seem to find a definition of what exactly it
is. The general idea seems to be that a
changing 21st century world demands collaborative creative critical
thinkers, and that modern learning involves whatever tools and approaches are needed
to help students develop those traits. Discussion
about modern learning typically emphasizes the role of the student in learning,
flexibility in approaches to the curriculum content, and use of technology to
enhance the learning experience and facilitate collaboration.To experiment with one modern learning idea, I used a flexible structure this semester for the Linear Systems unit with my Grade 10 Applied Mathematics class. I divided the unit’s learning goals into two learning cycles of about five days each. At the end of each day students completed a Google Form to self-assess their progress towards each of the cycle’s learning goals, identify homework, and choose what and how they would like to learn the next day. Content choices aligned with learning goals, and method choices included watching a video, trying an investigation, reading from the textbook, researching online, or participating in a mini-lesson with me. Several times in each cycle they were also asked to choose between writing a quiz and creating a video with Lensoo Create as a method for formative assessment. Each student had a Nexus 7 tablet to use in class to access learning and assessment resources.
