Ed-Tech
Reimagine Learning @ Learning 2.016
It is always exciting to attend Learning2 conference and even though this was my third time the inspiration is no less than the previous occasions. We even had a participant in my cohort who openly stated that he had come with a ‘skeptic’ mind but was clearly impressed with the quality, suitability and standard of learning which took place during the three days. Then there was the participant who mentioned yesterday – “It’s a shame that today is the last day, I just got all hyped and powered up… wish there were more days to this conference”. Last but not the least was a comment I heard from the crowd in yesterday’s social: “I am tired and inspired!”. It is always satisfying to hear these unofficial comments by fellow participants during a conference to know that the time and money was well spent and feelings are mutual.
This year’s conference was held in Ho Chi Minh City from 6th till 8th October at the magnificent campus of Saigon South International School (SSIS) and there was an amazing lineup (click here to see the full conference schedule) of Learn2 Talks, Extended Sessions, Workshops and Unconferences. Not to forget the importance of connections and PLN (professional learning network) opportunities during the social events. The most exciting part was obviously the student participation, not only in the shape of ‘Geek Squad’ members who were omnipresent throughout the conference to help resolve the ‘tech’ issues but also helping presenters run their sessions as well as leading the student workshops which were planned for the afternoon on last day of the conference. They did a marvellous job at helping participants understand the science and technology behind makerspace activities, presenting in student workshops teaching us: to code, use minecraft in history lessons and explaining how a flip classroom works, among many others. Two of the outstanding Learn 2 talks were given by SSIS students with the confidence and quality comparable to a viral TED talk.
The only regret I always have from Learning 2.016 is that I can only select one extended sessions, workshop or unconference for every time slot available. I wish I could be magically present in all of them! Learning 2 organisers and presenters take care of this need by sharing their presentations and continuing the discussions via forums and cohort groups on Learning 2 website. As in any conference in this age of ubiquitous technology, inspirations from Learning 2 are shared and ideas are spread by Twitter throughout and even after the conference. All this hyper activity firing zeros and ones from participants’ devices leaves behind a plethora of knowledge nicely saved in the cyberspace for us to consult, review, share and continue to learn from.
It was clear from this year’s Learning 2.016 that there is a serious push in all leading schools about a need to open doors for including ‘personalised learning time’ into our learners’ daily routines at schools. Positive, strong and inspiring messages from learners and teachers alike were heard about this main theme, resonating throughout the conference. Not only the importance of allowing students to indulge in project based learning based on their own passions was highlighted but various methodologies were discussed and even practiced in extended sessions to help the participants understand and take back to their schools. Specialist educators and administrators shared the research, data and their own experiences fortifying these movements in every school from where participants had attended this conference to ‘Reimagine Learning’. There was a clear understanding that even though we may not know what jobs in future await the generation of students in our schools but we are becoming increasingly sure of the ‘skills’ they will require to perform those jobs. Our purpose is to find and implement effective ways to impart these skills of creativity, curiosity, inquiry based learning, critical thinking and empathy to support a ‘growth mindset’ in our students. This article by John Spencer defines this concept in an excellent way and is worth reading for every educator, administrator and parent.
Though I can continue to write about all the inspirational learning which I have absorbed during the last three days, I guess I will share it in shape of blog posts highlighting the practical ways in which the inspiration from Learning 2.016 will continue to reshape not only my own learning paths but also impact the schools and projects I am involved with. Meanwhile, for those of you who have not watched this video yet – Enjoy! and those of you who have – let it re-inspire you!
