ten things
i believe An admi(edly quirky look at what I’ve come to believe about educa9on, schooling, teaching, and (especially) learning
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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BUT FIRST
A meaningful digression
and a bit of applied philosophy
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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understandING schools through gaming some background
Gary Weisserman
A game is to a puzzle as a mystery is to a secret as learning is to school
ten things i believe
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Game Puzzle Activism Duty punishment Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
voluntary unnecessary obstacles outcome uncertain voluntary unnecessary obstacles BEST WAY TO PLAY voluntary NECESSARY OBSTACLES Target (Entrepreneurship) INvoluntary necessary obstacles INvoluntary Unnecessary obstacles
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Game Puzzle Activism Duty punishment Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
voluntary unnecessary obstacles outcome uncertain voluntary unnecessary obstacles BEST WAY TO PLAY voluntary NECESSARY OBSTACLES Target (Entrepreneurship) INvoluntary necessary obstacles INvoluntary Unnecessary obstacles
0
Game Puzzle Activism Duty punishment Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
voluntary unnecessary obstacles outcome uncertain voluntary unnecessary obstacles BEST WAY TO PLAY voluntary NECESSARY OBSTACLES Target (Entrepreneurship) INvoluntary necessary obstacles INvoluntary Unnecessary obstacles
0
Game Puzzle Activism Duty punishment Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
voluntary unnecessary obstacles outcome uncertain voluntary unnecessary obstacles BEST WAY TO PLAY voluntary NECESSARY OBSTACLES Target (Entrepreneurship) INvoluntary necessary obstacles INvoluntary Unnecessary obstacles
0
Game Puzzle Activism Duty punishment Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
voluntary unnecessary obstacles outcome uncertain voluntary unnecessary obstacles BEST WAY TO PLAY voluntary NECESSARY OBSTACLES Target (Entrepreneurship) INvoluntary necessary obstacles INvoluntary Unnecessary obstacles
0
for many students
school can feel like a punishment
Which is sad, deeply frustra(ng and wasteful. Learning at its best is loud, messy and especially joyful. So what is to be done? Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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So what do i bELIEVE? Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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personalization
& individualization of instruction Technology allows us to hold learning constant and let 9me and effort vary
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
2
WE KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW PEOPLE LEARN THAN WE EVER DID BEFORE Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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SOMEOFWHATWEKNOW PHASE CHANGE THEORY
Understanding and measuring growth in mul9ple domains, knowing that “phase change” growth doesn’t necessarily register on the thermometer
Gary Weisserman
BRAIN-‐BASED LEARNING
Learning and teaching based upon current understanding of the unique func9ons of the human brain
ten things i believe
NEUROSCULPTING AND LEARNING
Pedagogy based on thoughLully using content and experience to inten9onally increase neuroplas9city and the growth of specific kinds of neural pathways
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AND We know MORE ABOUT what students are LIKELY TO NEED TO KNOW Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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Whatgotushere
won’t get our kids there. Making sense of 21st century literacies.
TOOLS AND ENGINEERING
KNOWLEDGE BUILDING
ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
Mastery of technical skills and the disposi9on to use them well
Skills and sense of authority to analyze and address real issues beyond ourselves
Gary Weisserman
Ability and desire to make useful contribu9ons to a learning community
Tools and sense of self to engage in a life9me of personal and spiritual growth
ten things i believe
Not just aesthe9c apprecia9on and skill, but innova9on and design
Energe9cally and thoughLully tackle ambiguous problems with unclear solu9ons
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usethedata
It’s a big confusing world out there. Facts are our best tools in naviga(ng it. 5.0 3.8 Comparison Variable Model
2.5 1.3 0 2008
2009
2010
Decision-‐making without using evidence is foolish. Instruc(on without using evidence is malprac(ce.
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
LINE UP towards THE SECOND BASEMAN. “When the rate of change inside an organization is slower than the rate of change outside it, that organization’s failure is imminent.” (Jack Welch)
HIT THE BALL OVER THE SHORTSTOP. Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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A BIG WORLD NEEDS A BIG CLASSROOM CREATIVE DESIGN TIKKUN OLAM PLACE-‐BASED LEARNING IMAGINING THE FUTURE Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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RETHINKINGcurriculum scope and sequence? benchmarks and standards? content and knowledge base?
“Creating environments--hothouses--that maximize the likelihood that students will learn something truly valuable.�
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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BRIDGETHEGAP BETWEEN K-12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION BETWEEN ACADEMIC AND POPULAR CULTURE BETWEEN YIDDISHKEIT AND MODERNITY
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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7
65
6.8
number of careers a graduating student is expected to have in his or her lifetime (tony Wagner)
percent of college professors reporting that what is taught in high schools doesn’t prepare students for college (tony Wagner)
millions of jobs added to the workforce from the creative class by 2018--roughly half of all projected employment growth (Richard Florida)
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
2/3 of jewish college students change their level of observance in college. almost twice as many decrease their observance as increase (AISH)
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autonomy, purpose, and masteryare the three most important factors in motivating people to dream, grow, and thrive Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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HOW KIDS ARE LIKE GOLDFISH Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe