FM Update 28 March 2023: Education Ecosystems

An item for my Kiwi readers.

Update 28 March: Education Ecosystems As disruption continues to impact our education system, are we prepared to make the tough calls and take the significant and bold steps required to operate as an ecosystem? Or will we continue to shift the deck-chairs on the titanic and put our faith in yet more cycles of ‘back to basics’ campaigns that will continue to fail our kids and their future? In this Update I share a few thoughts about education ecosystems, and the urgent need to reimagine the future of education. There’s also a great science resource at the end with practical ideas for future focused classroom activity! In this newsletter… Recombinant Education Local Learning Ecosystems Future Focus – left to chance? Science Resources Recombinant Education As disruption continues to impact our education system, are we prepared to make the tough calls and take the significant and bold steps required to operate as an ecosystem? Or will we continue to shift the deck-chairs on the titanic and put our faith in yet more cycles of ‘back to basics’ campaigns that will continue to fail our kids and their future? My recent blog post on this issue here: https://futuremakers.nz/2023/03/26/recombinant-education/ Local Learning Ecosystems As mentioned in my blog post (above), we were privileged to have Valerie Hannon in NZ recently. She has been instrumental in promoting the concept of educational ecosystems for more than a decade. This is something I’m personally committed to a view of education in the future. In addition to the resources listed in my blog post, you may want to read a paper she co-authored back in 2019 titled Local Learning Ecosystems: Emerging Models, for some useful background. Future Focus – left to chance? The future focus principle has been a feature of the NZ Curriculum for two decades now, and aims to involve learners in exploring future focused issues and encouraging them to recognise that they have a stake in the future and a role and responsibility to help shape it.  So how then might we be more deliberate in promoting a future focus disposition among staff and students in our schools – and not simply leave it to chance? https://futuremakers.nz/2023/03/12/future-focus-left-to-chance/ Science Resources I’m frequently asked about where to find resources that will be helpful when designing projects with a future-focus, so thought I’d share here the NZ Association of Science Educators website. This is a veritable treasure trove of things you can use to guide what you do in the classroom. The Pedagogy Space is especially full of some great resources – including this one on citizen science, plus several with a Māori perspective, including this one on Maori research & action to regenerate Papatūānuku. But wait, there’s more… At FutureMakers we use a range of forums to curate good ideas and resources. Check out the following… Derek’s Blog – regular posts available on the FutureMakers website Previous newsletters – access all of the previous editions of the FutureMakers newsletter from this one place Resilient Schools Online Community – brought to you in partnership with Transcend My slideshows from recent presentations curated on SlideShare Modern Learning Practice – a curated set of links on Scoop.It Hybrid Learning – a collection of resources on the FutureMakers website Learner Agency – another collection of resources on the FutureMakers website If you’ve enjoyed reading this newsletter please feel free to forward it to others to read, or better yet, ask them to become a FutureMakers subscriber so they will receive their own updates delivered to their mailbox. I’m always interested to hear your feedback or ideas about what you’d like to see included in future newsletters – please use the link below to email me with your suggestions. Email Derek

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