Why Kids Need Meaningful Learning Experiences Right Now
When I was growing up the only insight I had to the lifestyles of the rich and famous was an episode of Cribs (we all wanted to see what was in the fridge).
In my neighborhood, I had two friends that were “Rich”. One had a doctor parent and the other a lawyer parent (they had a pool).
So, when teachers and adults, in general, told me that paying attention in school for 7 hours, doing my homework, and following the path of school—college—job was the best course to take for my future…I believed them.
That’s NOT our kids' reality in today's world.
My kids, and the millions of students in our schools, have access to thousands of people that they follow, watch, and interact with who are making hundreds of thousands of dollars from…putting on makeup…playing video games….doing dances to popular songs. Obviously, those thousands may be outliers, but they exist.
And instead of waiting for a new episode of Cribs to drop, our kids get to see this real-time access to “jobs” and “success” that we never could have imagined. So, when I talk to my own daughters and sons about this new reality, they often wonder what is the point of following that traditional path when so many have taken a different route and found success doing something they are truly interested in.
I’m not saying this is right or wrong.
In fact, I’m torn about all of it.
Instead, I’m pointing out how different our kids' reality is then the one we grew up in, and how the value of school has shifted.
The Perfect Storm
I recently hosted an AI in education panel where I was able to interview Alec Couros, Donnie Piercy, Alana Winnick, and Vicki Davis. In this conversation Vicki quoted Cultivated Abundance author, to describe this moment as a “Hinge in History”.
Hinges of History are powerful moments in time, not only for the changes wrought by their inciting events but also for the changemakers who follow in their wake. These pivotal moments represent paradigm shifts in which a central truth is no longer valid or a new discovery expands the frontier of human knowledge. These monumental shifts create periods of transition that enable pioneers to enact great change — for better or worse — that would otherwise not be possible.
— Mihir Pershad
Many of us have lived through hinges in history, specifically the “internet revolution” that powers much of our world today (and this blog post or email that you are reading would not have been possible without it).
Like "hinges" before it, we had similar feelings about the Printing Press, the Telegraph, Radio/Television, and of course, the Computer.
The unprecedented access our kids have to see into the lives of people was created by our last "hinge of history", the internet.
Some hinges are undoubtedly bigger than others, and we may not know the full impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence for many years (or decades) to come. But, here we are, and the perfect storm exists that is taking on a compliance-based model of education head-on.
How do we respond? How do we teach and learn in a world of distraction and artificial intelligence?
A Shift to Meaningful Learning
Over the last decade, I’ve worked with 500+ schools. Almost every teacher I’ve talked with and worked with has had the same issue I've had in the classroom:
I wanted to change my instruction and assessment, but the system (for a variety of reasons) kept the traditional compliance striking back.
Whether it be a new study that comes out talking about how old traditional methods of teaching are better, or a new top-down initiative that wants to make fidelity the most important piece of instruction, or a curriculum that is set in the Middle Ages, or technology that keeps failing and not working properly, or a new wave of state mandates, or a renewed focus on test scores — there are so many challenges when working towards engagement and empowerment as the focus.
And yet, when we look at the research, it makes a compelling case for evolving traditional teaching practices.
The Gallup report Creativity in Learning is based on a survey conducted in 2019 as a “nationally representative study” of teachers, students, and parents of students. The focus was on the extent to which “creativity in learning” is being fostered in American classrooms, what respondents think of it, and how technology supports it. Project Based Learning is cited throughout the report.
Here are some highlights via PBLWorks:
“Teachers who often assign creative, project-based activities are more likely than other teachers to say their students display a range of learning and development goals, including building self-confidence, utilizing their unique strengths, and developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
“68% percent of teachers say project-based assignments are a good measure of student learning, far more than the 12% at who say the same about standardized tests.”
When asked what they believe are the most important learning outcomes, the top three choices were:
“learning to think critically” (chosen by 64% of parents and teachers)
“problem-solving skills” (chosen by 51% of teachers; not asked of parents)
“developing students’ curiosity to learn beyond the classroom” (chosen by 36% of parents and 41% of teachers)
Take a look at this chart from the report, showing how the learning experiences were ranked, with the percentage of parents who say it’s ”very important.”
According to Gallup, students also want to experience non-traditional learning experiences:
“Most students say they would like to spend more time on activities that give them input on their educational path, such as choosing what they learn in class and learning more about topics that most interest them.
“Two other activities a majority of students would like to spend more time on to help them see how what they are learning relates to real-life problems outside the classroom are 1) working on projects that can be used in the real world, and 2) publishing or sharing projects with people outside their class or school.”
But what about the standardized tests? We still have to prepare students for these tests even if we don’t want to…
Studies comparing learning outcomes for students taught via project-based learning versus traditional instruction show that when implemented well, PBL increases long-term retention of content, helps students perform as well as or better than traditional learners in high-stakes tests, improves problem-solving and collaboration skills, and improves students’ attitudes towards learning (Strobel & van Barneveld, 2009; Walker & Leary, 2009). PBL can also provide an effective model for whole-school reform (National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform, 2004; Newmann & Wehlage, 1995).
A 2016 MDRC/Lucas Education Research literature review found that the design principles most commonly used in PBL align well with the goals of preparing students for deeper learning, higher-level thinking skills, and intra/interpersonal skills (Condliffe et al., 2016).
No longer could the argument be about how well (or poorly) students would do on standardized assessments.
The research was clear: When Meaningful Learning like PBL was implemented well, students thrived in traditional tests and in a wide variety of soft-skills that are crucial to development and success beyond school.
WHAT DO WE DO INSTEAD OF TESTS?
The simple answer: performance tasks and a project-based approach. Students are engaged more in these approaches, can demonstrate deeper levels of understanding, and are connected to real-world experiences and authentic tasks that are relevant and meaningful.
Let’s take a look at some of the research that supports making this shift.
From a recent report on testing: A multi-year study of students taking AP United States Government and Politics (APGOV) and AP Environmental Sciences (APES) showed students did better on AP tests when engaging in project-based learning. APGOV students engaged in PBL in high-achieving schools “had a 30 percent higher pass rate on the APGOV exam than non-PBL students in comparable schools.” The study was conducted from 2008-2013 and was led by the George Lucas Educational Foundation.
That same study showed that APES students in poverty-impacted schools “had a 19 percent higher pass rate than non-PBL students in comparable schools matched nationally.”
Another study showed that second-grade students living in poverty increased their literacy and social studies skills through project-based learning, researchers at the University of Michigan found. The study compared students at 20 high-poverty elementary schools. It showed “students whose teachers used the project-based learning curriculum made gains that were 63 percent higher than their peers in the control group in social studies and 23 percent higher in informational reading.”
We don’t need to look for the research, it is right in front of us.
But, maybe you already knew that. Or, at least, like me, you already feel that as a teacher and educator.
I often ask groups: What was your best learning experience this past year? What was your best teaching experience this past year?
The answers never include textbooks, PowerPoints, or tests.
And I’m here to tell you, that I’ve seen folks from every corner of this country and all around the world who are doing amazing work with kids. It looks different in every classroom, and it is unique to each subject area. But, educators everywhere are tired of the system limiting both their potential and the potential of their students.
It’s not easy.
The work has its struggles every day.
Not everyone is going to agree with evolving practices.
Sometimes the kids are going to get mad that you are changing the game of school.
But, when your students are engaged, motivated to learn, and empowered by agency and ownership…it’s a win for everyone.
Realistically, this is not going to happen with every kid every day.
Compliance still has its place.
Meaningful and relevant learning may not happen in every class period.
But, it’s worth it, to try and make the shift as much as possible.
How to Make it Meaningful and Relevant Right Now
The problem is that with all of this research, our system remains unchanged in many places.
And, the burden falls on school administrators, teachers, and support staff to try and make learning meaningful and relevant under these circumstances.
Here's the real kicker: In the midst of it all, kids are still here in our schools every single day. They are with us in school for over 14,000 hours between Kindergarten and 12th Grade.
And, they still love learning, when the learning is meaningful. One of the activities I typically do during my workshops, is a quick and easy way to take some of our dry curriculum or standards, and turn them into meaningful and relevant lessons (using the help of Artificial Intelligence).
In this quick video, I'll break down the exact steps, and hope you give it a try!
Let me know what you think --- and if you try it out, share with me what that looks like!
Let's continue to make it meaningful and relevant for our learners any chance we get.
