Discrepancy in Learning: Inside vs Outside the Classroom

Now, as perhaps never before, there exists a considerable discrepancy between the way young people learn on their own compared to the way they learn in school. If we assume that what one learns outside of school is more related to personal interest, motivation is likely a factor--anyone learning something they want to learn is likely to be more motivated and interested than someone who has to learn something--but it's not the main reason for the difference. The discrepancy exists because outside of school most of our students exploit the information sources available on the web while within the classroom, they do not.

Outside the classroom, young people know of and frequently and intuitively utilize a number of resources. When they want to know something, they Google it.  If they're unsure how to solve a math problem, they use Khan Academy. They use Twitter when they discover something of interest worth sharing and YouTube when hoping to learn a new skill. This is how many of us, both young and old, are learning, interacting, shopping, keeping up with acquaintances, and organizing these days.

However, in many cases the power of the digital age has not yet merged seamlessly with the classroom. Even though many classrooms have Wi-Fi access and many students have a device in their pocket more powerful than the computers of a only a few years ago, the use of web-enabled technology to support learning in a typical secondary school classroom remains low.

Rather than be incorporated into the learning routine of the classroom, smartphones and other devices are often banned because students are distracted by them. However, I fit firmly into the "if you can't beat them, join them" category; and believe that, instead of using these devices as a diversion from their lesson (by texting, updating Facebook, etc.), students should be using them to help support their learning.

There are two main reasons why student devices are not being used in classrooms. The first is, teachers tend to teach the way they've been taught. Therefore, without having learned in an environment that exploits information technology, teachers may not be sure how to incorporate it into their lessons. The second reason is, teachers are already very busy and few have the time or professional network available to them to create a completely new teaching and learning regimen. In order to teach in new ways and encourage students to learn differently, teachers will need professional development on how to incorporate technology and new classroom routines to follow.

Recently, thanks to a tweet by a colleague, I found an example of a teacher who has reduced and perhaps eliminated the discrepancy in learning between inside and outside the classroom.  Shelley Wright's Blog post The Flip: End of a Love Affair goes way beyond the title and covers much more than flipped vs unflipped classrooms. In the post, Shelley shares her classroom structure that combines inquiry, project based learning, student engagement, 21st century skills and technology. Shelley's classroom sounds like a place students would feel comfortable and familiar learning in.

I would encourage you to read and share Shelley's blog. Classroom structures such as hers combined with new curricula, that promises to support this new method of teaching and learning, could result in widespread changes to educational practice. Such changes will not only engage and challenge our students, they will also allow them to learn in a way that is familiar, accessible, and applicable to them.

Photo courtesy of Ambro at freedigitalphotos.net