I have chosen to read Who Owns the Learning? by Alan November.
Now, I have only just started reading this book. My goal is to read and reflect on one or two chapters each week. The good news is that there is only six chapters, but there is a lot of amazing content.
In Who Owns the Learning?, November seeks to provide a new model for classrooms that teach students to "learn how to learn," rather than simply absorbing content that we give them. He builds this model, which he calls the Digital Learning Farm, from an idea put forth by Dan Pink in his book Drive, in which he claims people are motivated when they have "autonomy, mastery, and purpose." November’s goal, then, is to share ways in which we may be able to empower students to be motivated in the same ways. Principals, teachers, students, and even parents contribute to this process, discovering, modeling, and supporting learning at every turn.
Maybe this is the English teacher talking, but as much as I am excited to explore autonomy and collaboration and true purpose inside a classroom, I found his metaphorical “farm” lacking. What about autonomy and collaboration connect to the farm lifestyle? As far as my understanding goes, a farm is a specific, owned plot of land where people engage in hard labor, often in isolation. I do not see the connection between that and a collaborative, discovery-based, purposeful learning process. November fails to make an explicit connection, leaving me feeling as if the goals and ideas are there without a cohesive model that can be passed on.
A couple quotations I would like to share that are important ideas from the chapter:
“Simply adding technology--the ten-thousand dollar pencil--to the current highly prescribed school culture won’t help very much.” (14)
“Teaching in the Digital Learning Farm model doesn’t require a strong command of specific technical tools and skills; instead, it leverages educators’ ability to tap the underestimated value of student contribution.” (18)
“Once students realize that they are valued for their contributions to the learning community, it is not unusual for them to add examples to class notes, or to add a link to a tutorial, or to have extended conversations outside of class about subject content.” (23-24)
I am a firm believer that we are all learners, and that if we teach students how to work together, how to share information, and how to learn, then we will be giving students opportunities and purpose that will have far greater meaning for them as they grow. It’s not about adding in technology to our classrooms; it’s about giving students access to the kind of tools and methods of discovery that are relevant to them and will create motivated, innovative thinkers.
What are some ways that you think you could give your students more autonomy and purpose in your classroom?