Personalized Learning: Facilitating Motivation In our Kids

     I came across an article by Ryan and Deci (2000) that defined extrinsic and intrinsic motivation in our kids and the impact it has on our kids. Two things jump out at me. First, as usual, this article is 23 years old and expresses the importance of tapping the power of intrinsic motiviation in our kids through essentially what is a learner driven approach to teaching. The teacher should be a facilitator of learning not the controller of learning. Second, here we are 23 years later and very little has changed in our schools. We have pockets and we have schools that have transformed; however, the majority of our kids still do not have access to innovative practices and their days still look very traditional. Why do we take so long to change in education? Some I believe is fear...Fear of stepping out and being different and having it fail. Some of it is driven by the extrensic motivation of high stakes tests and how they are viewed by the public. So we maintain the status quo and go about our day. 

    Yet look at the schools that have taken a chance and what they have done for kids. Being from Ohio, several schools jump out at me that I am familiar with. 

Graham Elementary and Middle School, St. Paris, OH

    Both of these schools embraced the agriculture of the region and began to develop hands on, real-world, student driven learning experiences. Through the process, they have developed a small-scale farm with food plots, bees, a green house, and other opportunities for kids to find their interests and follow their passion. When our kids have voice and choice, they follow their passion and are truly engaged in their learning. Learning becomes an experience rather than something that happens to them.

    Full Disclaimer: I was principal at Graham Elementary for eight years; however, the school board, teachers and leaders of the district did all of this without any new operating money since 1992. 

Global Impact STEM Academy (GISA), Springfield, OH

    Global Impact is a independent school in Springfield, Ohio that is a collaboration of the dreams of educators and the needs of the local business advisory council (BAC). What makes GISA unique is that it is an independent school and it receives the state minimum of around $6500 per student, yet they have created a culture and learning experience that is next to none. How do they do this? Their faculty often teach courses simultainiously during the same block. This allows learners to gain 2-3 credits. This allows GISA to be extremely efficient with their funds while providing additional opportunities for their kids. GISA started as an Agricultural based STEM school; however, they continue to work closely with the BAC and adding programming based on the needs and trends of local businesses.

Dayton Regional STEM School, Kettering, OH

    All I can say about Dayton Regional STEM School (DRSS) is this...Every kid should have the opportunity that DRSS provides. DRSS was developed again by the needs of the community and sits in the shadows of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. There was a high demand for engineering and DRSS was developed out of necessity for the region. Students enter a lottery due to the high demand; however, the school is driven by student interests. Each student completes an internship between their junior and senior year that they are responsible for. They complete passion projects around real-world problems that are great interest to them. They are given responsibility for their learning and they thrive in a high achieving culture. Why? It is the intrinsic motivation where the teachers become facilitators of learning and support the students as they explore their passions. On a recent visit, our group spoke with a junior who was responsible for managing the makerspace where 3D printers, graphic printers, lasers, and other equipment were all buzzing as they produced prototypes and products for students following their passion. 

Noble Local School District, Sarahsville, OH

    I again have to add that I was principal here for 3 years; however, I was just a small part of what was taking place. Noble Local serves approximately 900 students in grades K-12 on a campus in the middle of a district that is 289 square miles without a single stop light. Despite the geographic isolation, around 200 students choose to leave their home school and attend Noble Local. Much of the transformation that has taken place is due to an active BAC that helped develop a portrait of a graduate and came to the district with what they needed in future employees. Being geographically isolated required changes. Many of the students who wanted to seek some type of vocation had long commutes, so over time, high demand, high paying careers such as welding were brought back to the high school. STEM became a focus to expose students to opportunities. The middle school added more exploratory courses and all 8th graders begin their day by taking 2 high school electives before being bussed to the middle school to get their core classes. Through the efforts of grant writing, the school has started a 136 acre working livestock farm that is completely student led. While AG is a primary focus, the work and real-world experience can be applied to many careers beyond AG. 

Innovation requires Failure and a Lack of Fear

    I think if you were to talk to any of the faculty of these schools, they would tell you they are not perfect and they continue to work on improving. BUT here is the difference and what sets them apart. Rather than playing the "yeah but" game over and over and deciding something can't be done, they launched on a journey and continue to transform their schools. They learn what works and often learn even more from what doesn't. They adapt and continue to transform. Too often, we feel like we have to create these plans that are perfect then at the first sign of failure, we revert back to our comfort zone and say, "It will not work". There is no playbook for innovation. We have to get out of our way and create the culture in our schools that allow for innovation, allow for failure, and give our leaders, our teachers, and our kids the opportunities to follow their passion.

STOP Chasing TEST Scores

    First, I am not saying throw out academic measures; however, they cannot become the sole measure of the success of a school. I was presenting a few years ago on STEM and developing opportunities for kids when a person raised their hand and asked, "Will this improve test scores?"! While I feel if we address the engagement pandemic occuring in our classrooms through a personalized learning approach, we will increase test scores I also do not feel that these scores are the primary measure of a school's success. Why not measure the employment rate of our graduates upon graduation for 4 years in high demand, high paying jobs? If you saw a recent front page of the NY Post regarding the rate of teens who do not enjoy life and can't do anything right. How about we measure a student's hope for a brighter future and gauge school success on growing this number (or at least part of it)? There is just too many ways to measure the success of a school and test scores are just a snapshot.

We have an Engagement Pandemic

    First, I have to give credit where credit is due. Trevor Tom in a recent PD on Personalized Learning gave the answer to "Why Personalized Learning?" and he stated, "We don't have an engagement issue, we have an engagement crisis in our schools. And he is right. We have an Engagement Pandemic in our schools. While it may be compounded by the constant negativity displayed by our teens towards one another on social media, we have an engagement crisis in our schools. Students do not see a connection between school and their future. They don't see a brighter future in many cases because they do not see relevance in their school experience. We can change this though. We can transform our schools and it does not require fancy programs or shiny new buildings. It takes a paradigm shift in what school should be and what the school experience should look like for our kids. It takes a partnership between our BAC and our KIDS. We need to empower our kids to be a part of the solution. Again, I'm not saying we turn the keys to the school over to the kids, but we need to empower them to take ownership in their learning and be a part of the transformation. 

"Money often becomes one of the first excuses..."Look at what they got? or Have you seen our schools compared them Changing a mindset or a paradigm shift costs nothing!"

Personalized Learning can transform our Schools

    In order to address the engagement pandemic, we have to take a more personalized approach to education. We need to develop a learner-centered approach to transforming our schools. We can do this through authentic learning experiences that connect our kids to their future. We can develop opportunties through school transformation that allow students to explore their passions while at the same time, solving some of the issues in our communities that inspire our kids. In Ohio, Personalized Learning has 5 key components:

• Learner Driven
• Optimal Path and Pace
• Authentic Learning
• Flexible Learning Environment
• Evidence of Learning and Feedback

These 5 key components can be explored more at personalizeoh.org and each would require an in depth explanation of what they look like. If interested in finding more, connect with the website and/or reach out to me.

    Ohio has invested in developing a network across the state of Educational Service Centers to work together to develop Personalized Learning in our Schools. I am excited to be a part of it and see how we can develop a model of support for our schools to develop a more human-centered, learner-driven approach to schools. It is hard work to begin with; however, the payoff cannot be measured in test scores. We truly can transform what school looks like after decades of watching kids fall through the cracks. So what are we waiting for?

    The Ohio Personalized Learning Network is now working in conjunction with the Ohio STEM Learning Network to support schools to transform. I have stressed the importance of STEM and Personalized Learning and how the two cannot be done without one another. STEM Is not simply a class or a place, it really is about a culture of developing problem solvers and critical thinkers...And you cannot do this without a personalized approach to learning. 

    Ohio is beginning the second cohort of schools that are taking on the challenge of transforming their schools by no longer accepting the status quo. Schools that are saying what we are doing is not good enough. Schools that are willing to transform and develop innovative practices that will engage their kids like never before. As my friend and mentor, Dan Leffingwell, would say, "They are building the plane as they fly it". Is your school ready to "Launch"? If you would like to explore a more student-centered approach to education, send me a message at cmill.stemguy@gmail.com and I will connect you with a Ohio Personalized Learning Specialist in your area and/or your regional hub for the STEM network. Both of these are great supports that can help you and at no cost to you. All it takes is a desire to change and accepting a little bit of fear of disrupting the status quo. 

    We can make the transformation from controllers of learning to facilitators of learning. We can build and capitalize on the intrinsic motivation that Ryan and Deci (2000) have defined as critical to student success. We can end the engagement pandemic. Rather than learning being something that happens to our kids, it will become an experience that they are a part of. Let's all work to transform our schools into the places our kids desparately need. Pick up the challenge of being a #statusquodisruptor!

Thank you for taking the time to read about my thoughts and views. These thoughts and views are my own. If you want to discuss further, please reach out to me and/or give me a follow on twitter @cmill_STEMguy.

References

Ryan, R. & Deci, E. (2000). Instrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions

    and new directions. Contemporary Psychology, 25, 54-57.