With Rupa di ~ Kevin Bartlett

Kevin Bartlett, the Guru of Education and the Founding Director of The Common Ground Collaborative  lucidly outlines his theories for school transformation.  Borders and boundaries are transcended to create a universal Learning Ecosystem.One needs to change, adapt and adopt to bring education in alignment with real time needs.

There are gaps in the system, teachers and students, parents and schools, the curriculum taught and what the students actually need to learn. We need to build connections and bring simplicity to the Learning ecosystem so that all stake holders thrive and “Everybody Learns”. Kevin simply breaks down the process to define, design, diversify, deliver and demonstrate.

What is learning and how do we drive the process? The three Cs of learning “ Concept, Competency and Character “ are the keystones for learning. Ideas, skills and personal traits of strong values  form the essence of a successful pedagogy, a Learning DNA, of learning that matters. These are not fixed but constantly evolving through a lifetime of learning.

This DNA has components which need to fit and complement each other. Apart from subject disciplines Character Learning is of the greatest significance and is Domain Agnostic and transcends all cultures or even humans.  The Portrait of a Learner has six commonalities which overarch the entire learning process.

1. Purpose and Balance – A learner should be able to retain their values and achieve a sustained sense of purpose.
2. Patterns and Principles – To be able to reason and visualise cause and effect of principles.
3. Individuals and Groups – To be able to build networks and work harmoniously within groups and realise personal goals too.
4. Sustainability and Systems – Leadership, empathy, humility, service are important to build equitable social and ecological ecosystems. We need to own and protect these.
5. Imagination and Creativity – To conceive and create unique constructs and explain all facets of possibilities for greater progress
6. Stories and Signals – Communication that excites and matters with persuasive and informed inputs is essential for a dynamic learning process.

Kevin distils the above into disciplinary, interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary learning which makes it all encompassing – within the learning system and to be able to transfer goals outside the school. Activities are learning experiences which map community and co-curricular learning modulesas a connected whole. A holistic learning environment / ecosystem.

The Learning Modules are organised for connection and coherence in a matrix. These are links in the chain of learning patterns across disciplines and also from one academicyear to another.

Kevin speaks ofBackward Design Thinkingwhich is an interesting theory which designs the learning goals and then provides the framework to achieve the same. A formative and summative learning sequence which is collectively reconstructed.

Another revolutionary tool suggested by him is Coverage and Uncoverage. The strategic use of enquiry “uncovers” relevant and important fields of learning and “Coverage” is provided by mapping learning goals onto learning modules in the Learning Matrix. Enquiry in this context is the voice and choice of the Learner in determining what they want to learn.

As a further extension and application of learning it is important that learning should tackle complex global challenges that demand urgency and agency. This is possible in a multidisciplinary approach, collaborative methodology and commitment to taking action. It is pertinent to point out that learning should be substantive and what really matters is working towards life worthy transfer goals.

The Map , the Matrix, the Module elaborated above should reach all learners with different abilities, mindsets or coming from diverse socio-economic strata. We need flexible curriculum,mentors with a deep understanding of content to adapt to a diverse classroom, peers who engage freely in creative discussions and explore the impossible.

A “best” school is the one that can transform lives. They need to be inclusive, with a purpose to change for the better. Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are the foundation stones of school and societal transformation.

To create such an environment one needs a Shared Learning Culture, freedom and flexibility not constrained by multiple rules and regulations.  A well- crafted, co-created Learning System should be a practical synthesis of research and systems into a simple paradigm to make learning interesting and fun for the students. Strung together with deeply held values, these should focus on growth, and induce all stakeholders to lead and manage complex situations.

Assessment is the framework on which the entire ecosystem rests and is a critical element in the entire network . To focus on identifying and labelling performance, providing feedback to students to improve their learning and the teachers to inform their practice. The purpose is to assess reliability and to align correctly the values of equity and value in the education system.

Kevin iterates the importance of assessment, recording and reporting. It should rely on common sense and logic and not on abstruse, theoretical concepts. The CGC focuses on evidence based qualitative assessment wherein the learner is at the centre. Assessment should be qualitative and relevant to individuals.

Contrary to the prevailing system, what is suggested here is a coherent, equitable learning model customised for a shared global learning experience, addressing content that actually matters. Engaging in reforming and constructing a common language of shared beliefs and values, is in essence building culture, building a community with the human context as the fulcrum.

MadhumitaDasgupta

1. Self determination, abilty to speak up, form opinions, agree or disagree. In this world of social media and politically correct world what should be the approach to teaching these august principles and balance with the right and wrong?
2. The ability to face failure and laugh at oneself are important edicts for education. In today’s world of extreme peer pressure how can one teach students to balance these opposite ideologies?