Agile Learning Zones – Part 1: Growing Collaboration & Choice

Agile Learning Zones - The intersection of student collaboration and student choice

21st Century Classrooms: The Case for Agile Learning The 21st century is characterized by its rapid change, increased competition, and unprecedented connectedness, all of which necessitate a progressive approach to education (read Why 21st Century Skills for more details). Responding to this need, our ongoing series on Agile Classrooms has focused on nurturing future-ready skills…

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Strong Team Maps For Agile Student Teams

Forming Agile Student Teams As an educator, you already know how powerful group work can be for promoting deeper learning, enhancing creative problem-solving, and improving communication skills. However, creating student groups that are truly effective is not always an easy task. In a previous article, we described the five attributes of an Agile student team:…

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Refinement Protocol

The Learning Backlog is an adaptable, prioritized, and shared list of goals, skills, and products for future learning. All elements in the Learning Backlog are considered Learning Backlog Items. A Learning Backlog Item can include, yet is not limited to: learning objectives, standards, skills, and project deliverables.  Learning Backlog Items may be resequenced, broken down, changed, combined, or removed.

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A New Learning Canvas Prototype

In observing many Agile Classrooms in action, I have noticed a few issues that  pop up frequently. In accordance with the principle of making the learning visible in order to support the student’s self-direction, I created an updated Learning Canvas to help. Problem 1: At times, students and teachers have trouble following or forget key parts of the…

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Element 4: Empowerment

There are 5 Elements to an Agile Classroom. This post will describe the fourth element, Empowerment. Agile Classrooms defines empowerment is the process of enhancing learners’ capacity to make choices towards achieving positive learning and life outcomes (1). When learners are fully empowered in choosing what and how they learn, we say they are self-directed.…

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Evoking Optimal Learning Engagement

Optimal engagement for learners is when they enter a state of consciousness called the flow state1. In flow, one’s mind and body are completely absorbed in the learning at hand, all distractions fade away. Learning becomes so enjoyable that it is pursued for its own sake. The conditions to enter the flow state, according to…

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