New Paradigm Map: Want to create a new paradigm for education?

Colleagues,

Please join me in thinking about and collaborating on ways to create a new paradigm for education.  

Challenge:

Over the decades we've learned about many innovations for improving or reforming education. But as they were tried as pilot programs or systemwide adoptions, they got co-opted by the current paradigm, did not scale, and faded into the status quo. So, what can we do to create a new paradigm for education -- especially in the post COVID-19 era?

Backstory Scenario:

Over the past decade, billions of dollars were spent annually by school systems on computing infrastructure and professional development to improve education. The goal was to help students and teachers to increase learning with the support of technology. In articles, books, and conferences, the call was to "integrate technology into the classroom." But when COVID-19 caused most schools buildings to close, the public and profession discovered that previous technology efforts were inadequate for moving from a classroom to a remote, virtual or blended setting for learning. Why did teachers and leaders with all that prior experience with technology struggle to make this transition? Teachers and parents were able to use their online skills and devices to shop, get entertained, do banking and investing, and engage socially worldwide. So why didn't those online skills work for teaching and learning? I believe this difficulty in skill transfer revealed a lack of long-range vision in past technology efforts and the need for a shift to "integrate learning into technology" as part of a new paradigm for education. 

The major takeaway of this backstory scenario is: don't expect any real change to occur for today's priority and emerging learning needs if they are supported to happen in the current paradigm of education. Be brave, creative, and disruptive as you create the new paradigm for education in the post COVID-19 era.

New Paradigm Map:

I've been working on what a new paradigm for education might look like.  It's a disruptive innovation with four fundamental components: 

• A vision for teaching and learning at the speed of light,

• Dynamic standards of learning,

• PLACES for learners to learn, and

• The professional learning platform needed to make it happen effectively. 

I call it a New Paradigm Map. The map allows you to click on images and text for the detail that further defines each component and shows how they are aligned. In short, any innovation must address and align with all these components to ensure successful implementation and scale. Click here to interact with the New Paradigm Map.

Payoff:

• For students: Students engage with content that is matched to their cognitive, affective, and pyschomotor learning preferences to increase performance, creativity, and problem-solving. 

• For teachers: Teachers meet personalized student needs by using evidence-based and dynamic strategies with support from professional learning communities. 

• For parents: Parents access a multitude of digital resources to assist with further developing their child’s learning at home and in other places for learning. 

• For stakeholders: Stakeholders experience a positive return on investment of expertise, time, and money for helping to develop our nation’s future leaders.

Action:

Want to collaborate as you move ahead on your "new paradigm?" Consider joining me in this professional learning program for Creative Thinking, Collaboration, and Innovation. Click here if you have any questions or would like to chat on Zoom. I look forward to collaborating with you.

Nick