{"id":13395,"date":"2019-03-06T16:09:42","date_gmt":"2019-03-06T20:09:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edtechteacher.org\/?p=13395"},"modified":"2024-11-03T12:35:35","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T17:35:35","slug":"designing-for-deeper-learning-a-conversation-with-author-julie-graber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edtechteacher.org\/designing-for-deeper-learning-a-conversation-with-author-julie-graber\/","title":{"rendered":"Designing for Deeper Learning: A Conversation with Author Julie Graber"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Innovation in education has accelerated, in large part, due to the tremendous changes in digital technologies.  Each one of these innovations have, in various degrees, shifted teaching practices in schools across the nation. But as we navigate the current wave of emerging educational technology tools and practices, we need to discuss what the end result of these innovations actually are, or at least aim to be.  In other words, what is the end game for these innovations?
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One such end result is the concept of \u201cdeeper learning.\u201d  Essential skills and competencies considered part of \u201cdeeper learning\u201d include critical thinking, creativity, communication, problem solving, and metacognition. Proponents of deeper learning make the case that all learning environments, regardless of the specific innovation or approach, should help build these student competencies so that they are prepared for our rapidly changing world. This idea of deeper learning is not new, and several organizations have existing frameworks promoting this type of learning, such as the Hewlett Foundation<\/a> and New Pedagogies for Deeper Learning<\/a>. For years, educational researchers and authors have promoted these skills and dispositions (examples here<\/a>, here<\/a> and here<\/a>) and most school districts across the nation address these in their vision statements and strategic planning documents.
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How then do we ensure that when we are experimenting with and implementing new approaches to teaching and learning, particularly those that require significant investments in time and resources, that these shifts are actually resulting in deeper student learning?  
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Two educational leaders that have recently developed a protocol to help us to just that. Dr. Scott McLeod<\/a> and Julie Graber<\/a>\u2019s Harnessing Technology for Deeper Learning<\/a> lays out four areas to focus on when redesigning learning environments. \u00a0They include Deeper Thinking and Learning, Authentic Work, Student Agency and Personalization, and Technology Infusion. \u00a0Below are excerpts from the protocol for each area:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep Thinking and Learning<\/strong>
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Problem Solving. <\/em>Do learning activities and assessments allow students to engage in complex and messy (not simple) problem solving?<\/p>\n\n\n\n