Tom Vander Ark writing in Getting Smart:
Images courtesy of Maker Faire AfricaMore hereWhat if, instead of going to class, students planted a garden, started a business, conducted an experiment, produced a video, or wrote a book?
“What about stuff they need to learn to produce high quality products?” you might ask? That’s where playlists come in. School of One introduced us to the idea of a customized playlist for every student. Advances in predictive algorithms and adaptive curriculum (some cool adaptive math products were featured yesterday) makes it possible to imagine a learning day that is a mixture of playlists and production.
That’s how blended learning should work—a combination of personal digital learning and community connected, team-based, production-focused, authentic, engaging, and relevant activities. At Maker High, students would publish rather than ‘turn it in’. They would demonstrate mastery rather than finishing a class.
Big Picture and Edvisions are school networks closest to maker philosophy. They are early flex models (according to Innosight’s Classifying Blended Learning). NAF and Expeditionary Learning get partial credit for maker aspirations. As new Common Core-aligned capabilities develop, these networks could use better tools to diagnosis specific needs and help students produce high quality products. (see How Will Personalized Learning Really Work?)
