After being an elementary teacher for 5 years, I made the change to high school dance. I went from seeing tiny learners fall in love with learning to big learners who are full of anxiety and stress. One of the best feelings as an educator was seeing the spark in a student’s eyes as they learned something new. In high school, I don’t see that spark as much; that is what I want to change. A New Culture of Learning authors, Thomas and Brown claim, “Play becomes a strategy for embracing change, rather than a way for growing out of it” (2011)
I have created an Innovation Plan and Implementation Outline so that I can make the necessary steps towards creating a significant learning environment. Using e-portfolios in the classroom will allow my students to see that the learning we are doing goes beyond our classroom; they will see the significance it will have for them in the future. Adopting the significant learning environment perspective will impact my innovation plan by encouraging authentic creation approaches like COVA (Harapunik, 2011) and reflecting on whether they are learning and retaining information as opposed to only memorizing in order to make a “good grade.” "When the COVA approach is combined with CSLE, you get a significant learning environment which takes into account all the key elements essential to effective active learning" (Harapnuik, 2018).
As we all know, sometimes change is uncomfortable. In the case of creating a significant learning environment, this can be true for everyone involved. For me, the COVA approach has been uncomfortable for me to adapt to because for so long I have been used to learning a different “inside the box” type of way. “Change motivates and challenges… change forces us to learn differently” (Thomas, 2011) When faced with challenges like the one mentioned, I will teach and model the importance of having a GROWTH MINDSET. I can also back up any concerns my administration might have by providing the RESEARCH I have studied.
There are many teachers who stick with the teacher-centered approach and set aside the student-centered, holistic approach, our goal as teachers is to help our students learn, and the SLE does that. I want my students to understand that it's okay to be uncomfortable when learning something new and that they just don't know how to do something YET.
Adopting the perspective of creating significant learning environments will have an impact on my organization. My goal has always been to help my students learn, and the SLE does that in a way that grows the student as a whole.
References:
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace.
Harapnuik, D. (2018). COVA. It's About Learning. Retrieved October 16, 2023, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6991
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