Personalize Learning (#plearnchat)

Voice gives learners a chance to share their opinions about something they believe in. We adapted the Continuum of Voice chart we used from Students at the Center in our post Learner Voice Demonstrates Commitment to Building Agency. The learning environment changes as you encourage voice and can see learners taking more control of their learning. We call this process the Stages of Personalized Learning Environments (PLE). - See more at: http://www.personalizelearning.com/2016/01/continuum-of-voice-what-it-means-for.html#sthash.kLBn5zQT.dpuf

Giving learners voice encourages them to participate in and eventually to own and drive their learning. This means a complete shift from the traditional approach of teaching compliance that develops a “learned helplessness” to encouraging voice where there is authenticity in the learning. 

Learner voice gives learners a chance to share their opinions about something they believe in. There are so many aspects of "school" and "learning" where learners have not been given the opportunity to be active participants. Giving them voice encourages them to participate in their own learning. Some learners, especially those that are concerned about extrinsic factors like grades, may not feel comfortable expressing their own opinions. Because of this concern, teachers have devised multiple ways to give learners their voice anonymously in surveys, group interviews, and in class discussions. Now it is time to look at learner voice and why it matters for all learners.

Discover the conversations we had in the #plearnchat on Dec 14th with Jim Rickabaugh, Executive Director of the Institute for Personalized Learning, co-moderating the discussion on Learner Agency. This #plearnchat followed a six-part blog series between Personalize Learning, LLC and the Institute for Personalized Learning on Learner Agency. Refer to the links in this graphic to access those blogs that dove deep into learner agency.

We want to thank all the wonderful educators who joined in the conversation in #plearnchat. 

Joshua Block from SLA in Philadelphia shares the importance of learner voice and how he plans to help learners amplify their voice this year. Here are his suggestions where I have changed "student" to "learner" in this list:

> Have learners share their work out loud.

> Have learners generate questions and facilitate.

> Have learners evaluate their own work  (My note: this is called Assessment AS Learning)