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I spent an afternoon with David Gilmour exploring possible Extreme Learning templates.
It was interesting how we went about the task with some reference to my post yesterday about the Amundsen approach, i.e. we spent a lot of time considering at “what ifs?” and “how do we make it simple?” – this time was well spent as we made rapid progress thereafter.
What has proved useful is the time we’ve taken between playing around with some initial ideas and giving further consideration to the context of A Curriculum for Excellence.
The above sketch (David’s handy work) gives some indication of our direction of travel. If you can’t open the link by clicking on the sketch try it here – there are notes on the photo which you can access by moving the cursor over the photo.
We’ll be holding an open meeting in early May to give this fuirther shape and to set up some pilots for the coming session. If you need a reminder about the purpose/rationale of Extreme Learning check it out here.
Here is an outline – in linear form – of our emerging ideas.
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Learners will set up an exc-el blog as in the normal way – this will allow them to really personalise their own site.
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We will populate an Extreme Learning Toolbox which learners can use for guidance and to cut and paste infromation to their own site.
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On the toolbox we will place a screenshot movie with documentary by learners to talk their peers through the process.
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Learners will select a theme for their Extreme Learning Project
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The learner will select four learning windows/building blocks/curricular areas with which to view/consider their theme.
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The learner will identify the level of performance they aspire to in each area (we will set out learning outcomes in each area for each of the four levels)
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The learner completes 3 “mash-ups” where they will consider the connections between 2 areas and the theme being considered.
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Learners can keep an on-going learning log to chart and record their progress.
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People will be able to comment on all work as it progresses.
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The final stage involves the learner reflecting upon their learning by considering the how their experience has contributed to the development of their four capacities and their level of performance in relation to the selected curricular areas.
I love illustration of thought. Aren’t David’s Mind-Map? /Sketch’s just great! I always make sure I sit next to him during meetings where possible.
Tess 🙂
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Perhaps you might return to Extreme Programming and the concept of Agile software development to redesign your plan. I would suggest that the 4 capacities should be integrated from the beginning to the end of a project. Just like agile software development the XL project should have small increments that require deliverables that have been analysed, designed, implemented, evaluated and released.
I’m also wondering if the concept of learning object might be included in your XL project model. I’m thinking about this in relation to the way young people on Bebo and MySpace select video, music and photo objects to include on their site. Very few of them create these objects from scratch they select them from a source. It then results in the community of friends’ commenting/discussing these objects to produce new ideas from the starting point of the object.
Keep up the good work…