Finishing up the first 8 week of the ADL program, my first two classes, I have learned so much. I am beginning to understand the importance of ownership in your learning.
A quote from Dr. H (on his website) describes exactly how I felt in the beginning and what I have come to understand:
"Unfortunately, since many of my students are accustomed to a more traditional form of education which includes giving the teacher or professor what they want and regurgitating information in a simulated project, paper or exam, it is not uncommon to have some of my students annoyed or even angry with me because they feel that I may not be doing my job by not telling them what to do and think. I am willing to have them be annoyed with me because I care enough about their learning to know that if they take ownership and learn by working on something that is authentic then their learning will be transformative. I don’t just let my boys or my learners flounder without any guidance, I do give them guidance and direction through the learning environment that I create or that I point them to through authentic opportunities."
This makes me think of parenting. When we parent our children, our goal is not for them to like us, but for them to reach a point of success. We hope when they leave our home that they go out into the world with the skills needed to reach and exceed their goals. Funny, that most of the time that comes along with them not being so happy with you for making them "learn the hard way". But we love and care enough for them to be the bad guy.
I appreciate Dr. H's approach to learning and highly respect his approach to guide but not give the answers. Brilliant! It is so different than anything I have ever experienced in an educational setting, but something I hope to take into my career. To train in ways that are authentic to allow learners to retain control and ownership in their learning. Giving Choice, Ownership, and Voice through authentic learning experiences.
To learn more about the COVA and CSLE approach, please follow this link: https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6988
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