1. Learning PowerAn Introduction Kingdom of Bahrain Ruth Deakin Crick Graduate School of Education

2. A Perfect Storm is Brewing

3. 3 “It is time to hold up our hands and admit that our education system just isn’t working well enough. Our emphasis needs not to be on proving the residual value of outdated curricula, tests and league tables, but oninspiring and challenging children [and young people] so that they in turn can inspire and challenge us.” Lord David PuttnamChancellor, Open University Introduction to the Learning Futures Programmewww.learningfutures.org

4. 4 “To put it very crudely, the habits of mind required, and therefore cultivated, by the 19th century curriculum of mass schooling were deference, unquestioning acceptance of authority, neatness, punctuality, accurate recapitulation and ‘sequestered problem- solving’” Claxton & Lucas, 2009 UK National Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning

5. 5 Why are these so important now? Wicked Problems Collective Intelligence Sensemaking Computer-Supported… Learning Power participatory inquiry http://media.photobucket.com/image/yinyang/penelopecassandre/Tao_YinYangEarth2.jpg dialogue social media argumentation

6. 6 search find link listen watch discover learn blog share talk discuss create collaborate phone tablet laptop desktop tv Inversion

7. Hewlett Foundation 2010 focus: “Deeper Learning” http://www.hewlett.org/programs/education-program/deeper-learning “In one survey after another, business leaders complain that the majority of U.S. job applicants are ill-equipped to solve complex problems, work in teams, or communicate effectively. “Hewlett envisions a new generation of schools and community colleges … harness the deeper learning skills of critical thinking, problem solving, effective communication, collaboration, and learning to learn to help students develop a strong foundation in traditional academic subjects.” 7

8. 8 Engagement Improves Satisfaction Productivity Retention Performance 79% Not Fully Engaged Engagement Improves with 1. Leadership 2. Learning 90,000 Employees 18 Countries All Sectors © Tim Coburn, 2011

9. Organisations Want More Engagement Engagement Improves Impact Engagement Improves Performance Engagement Improves Retention Engaged? Only 21%!! Source: Closing the Engagement Gap, Towers Perrin, 2008 Sample: 90,000 Employees, 18 Countries

10. Learning is a Key Engagement Factor Source: Closing the Engagement Gap, Towers Perrin, 2008 Sample: 90,000 Employees, 18 Countries 10

11. Creative competencies for complex challenges (Palus & Horth 2002: Center for Creative Leadership) 11 Based on analysing and mentoring many senior leaders, Palus & Horthrecognise a new pattern of competencies in leaders who cope well with overwhelming complexity. CCL has developed practical tools to scaffold these competencies Shared Understanding & Sensible Action PayingAttention Complexity & Chaos Crafting Personalizing Co-Inquiry Imaging Serious Play …how do we nurture these in ourselves, and the next generation?

12. suggested reading: The Leader’s Edge Six Creative Competencies for Navigating Complex Challenges Charles J. Palus David M. Horth Summary article in Ivey Business Journal: http://www.iveybusinessjournal.com/article.asp?intArticle_ID=582

13. Employee Performance enabled by learning power, authentic enquiry and leadership NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYEES

14. Learning Past …….curriculum as prescription Delivery of outcomes – top down Students as performers Teachers as experts Factory model of schooling Impoverished language for learning One size fits all (more or less) Curriculum as cage rather than framework

15. Learning Futures ..curriculum as narration Students as authors of their own learning journey Enquiry based learning – authentic pedagogy Co-construction of knowledge Teachers as facilitators of learning Rich language for learning Local diversity Curriculum as framework rather than cage

16. Learning is a complex process Practical Propositional Presentational Experiential Public Personal

17. Learning Power Competencies and skills for employability Knowledge, Skills and Understanding Personal Development: Values, Attitudes, Dispositions, Identity, Story

18. Seven Dimensions of Learning Power Changing & learning* Meaning making* Critical curiosity* Creativity Learning relationships Strategic awareness Resilience Being stuck & static Data accumulation Passivity Being rule bound Isolation & dependence Being robotic Fragility & dependence

19. Changing & learning v being stuck & static I see learning as something I can get better at, and myself as an improving learner. This often reflects a more general interest in ‘self-improvement’, and faith that this is possible. I have a sense of history and of hope. I tend to take ownership of my own learning, and like to be responsible for what I’m learning and how I go about it. I’m usually quite ready to ‘sign up’ to learning tasks that are presented to me

20. Critical curiosity / passivity I like to get below the surface of things and see what is really going on. I like to work things out for myself, and to ask my own questions. I tend to go looking for things to understand better, rather than just responding to problems that come my way. I am usually excited by the prospect of learning, and have a good deal of energy for learning tasks and situations. In general, I’m attracted to learning and enjoy a challenge. I value getting at the truth.

21. Meaning making / Data accumulation I tend to look for patterns, connections and coherence in what I am learning, and to seek links between new situations and what I already know or am interested in. I’m on the look-out for ‘horizontal meaning’ I like to make sense of new things in terms of my own experience, and I like learning about what matters to me.

22. Creativity v Rulebound I like new situations, and will sometimes create novelty and uncertainty ‘just to see what happens’. I’ll spice things up to stop them being boring. I like playing with possibilities and imagining how situations could be otherwise. I am able to look at problems from different perspectives. I like trying things out even if I don’t know where they will lead. I sometimes get my best ideas when I just let my mind float freely, and I don’t mind ‘giving up mental control’ for a while to see what bubbles up. I often use my imagination when I’m learning, and pay attention to images and physical promptings as well as rational thoughts.

23. Learning relationships v Isolation or Dependence I like working on problems with other people, especially my friends. I have no difficulty sharing thoughts and ideas with others, and find it useful. I am quite capable of working away at problems on my own, and sometimes prefer it. I don’t feel I have to stick with the crowd for fear of being lonely or isolated, when I’m learning. I have important people at home and in my community who share with me in my learning. I am ready to draw on these when it seems helpful. I feel that I live within a supportive social context.

24. Strategic Awarenessv Robotic I tend to think about my learning, and plan how I am going to go about it. I usually have a fair idea how long something is going to take me, what resources I am going to need, and my chances of being successful. I am able to talk about the process of learning – how I go about things – and about myself as a learner – what my habits, preferences, aspirations, strengths and weaknesses are.

25. Resilience v dependence and fragility I tend to stick at things for a while, even when they are difficult. I don’t give up easily. I often enjoy grappling with things that aren’t easy. I can handle the feelings that tend to crop up during learning: frustration, confusion, apprehension and so on. I have quite a high degree of emotional tolerance when it comes to learning. I’m not easily upset or embarrassed when I can’t immediately figure something out. I don’t immediately look for someone to help me out when I am finding things difficult, or when I get stuck. I’m usually happy to keep trying on my own for a while. I don’t mind if there’s nobody around to ‘rescue’ me.

26. Seven scales in a self report, online questionnaire, designed to measure learning power and to stimulate change Four types of feedback: Individual Group or class Organisation System wide

27. Type One ELLI Profile Changing and learning Critical Curiosity Learning relationships Meaning Making Strategic Awareness Creativity Resilience

28. Type Two ELLI Profile Changing and learning Critical Curiosity Learning relationships Meaning Making Strategic Awareness Resilience Creativity

29. ELLI - an assessment event a framework for a mentored conversation that moves between the person and identity of the learning and a negotiated learning outcome or performance Trust, affirmation and challenge

30. Critical Curiosity

31. ELLI profiles shown as bar graphs

32. e-Science for Learning to LearnIndexed archive of >50,000 anonymised ELLI profiles (and other validated tools) for mentoring, research and development http://www.learningwarehouse.org

34. Study 1Learning Power seems to get weaker and more fragile as children go through school N = 6045 Schools = 116

35. N=851, 5-9, 2004 Learning power is associated with: Attainment (except creativity!) Students perceptions of: teachers ability to create positive interpersonal relationships, to honour student voice, to respect students and to stimulate higher order thinking Organisational emotional literacy Study 2: Ecology of learning

36. Teachers whose students’ have high levels of learning power are characterised by: Self efficacy; reflective self-awareness; high autonomy support (as opposed to highly controlling) learner-centred beliefs about students.

37. Study 4 Exploring the Learning Profiles of Underachieving Students

38. Significant differences between high and under achieving groups Changing and Learning Meaning Making Critical Curiosity Creativity Learning relationships Strategic awareness Fragility and dependence .003 .002 .001 .345 .691 .011 .099

39. Tentative findings…. Underachievers are characterised by: Passivity in learning dispositions Accepting things at face value Lacking strategic awareness – of thinking, feeling and planning/doing Not looking for meaning and sense making in their learning Being ‘stuck and static’ in their sense of themselves as learners. Being unable to ‘tell their story’

40. So what works? Creating a shared language for learning Scaffolding learning through metaphor, image and symbols Coaching for learning - awareness, ownership and responsibility Enquiry based learning as part of a blended curriculum Co-constructing knowledge with learners Extending the places and partners for learning

41. Creating a rich language for learning CHANGING & LEARNING: SNAKE Sheds his skin Dislocates his mouth/ jaw to fit in food Uses venom & constriction to capture its prey Changes shape to adapt to its environment CRITICAL CURIOSITY: EMU Always looks up to see what is around its environment Curious Explores and is adventurous Stares Proud and strong

42. Creativity Or ‘springboard zone.’ Thinking around things Coming up with new ideas, sometimes a bit crazy! Trusting your hunches

43. RESILIENCE LENNY Hello, I’m Lenny and my learning strength is resilience. I love to challenge my thinking and learning. I don’t give up easily – even when things are difficult.

44. Five levels of intervention Feedback only Feedback plus coaching conversations Adapting the curriculum Enquiry based learning Leaders leading systemic culture change towards learner centred-ness

45. Intervention studies Study 7 Learning Outside the Box Impact of self assessment of learning power on highly achieving sixth formers in a Malaysian college

46. Pre post changes N=184 17 year olds Paired T Tests Interventions were coaching conversations with tutors responding to ELLI profiles Significant change pre to post on six out of seven dimensions

47. 17year old – gains in 6 dimensions I have changed so much in my learning ability and this makes me feel a bit more confident in myself. Apart from just learning whatever I need, knowing why should I learn them is an important part for me and then analysing them.

48. Study 11Foundation Years: Language for Learning Project Language of learning through music and movement – using animal metaphors as a vehicle for modelling and imitation and conceptual understanding

50. Learning power in the community

52. Resilience – Brolga - Gudurrku

53. I explained the meaning of the graph.

54. Study 8 Learning Power and Higher Education Assessing learning dispositions as a means of supporting personal development planning in 14 British Universities N = 1890

55. University level personal development planning paired t tests

56. Key interventions: coaching and mentoring “It’s made me more aware…it has enhanced my awareness of myself as a learner” “ELLI makes you aware that there are different ways to learn and to improve your learning. I was never aware of the seven aspects (dimensions), just thinking of learning as an end-product. ELLI has highlighted the areas I can get better at.”

57. Study 16 Learning Power and Skills for Employability Bahrain Polytechnic N= 821

58. ELLI Research & Development Project Bahrain Polytechnic 2009-10 Project Report September 2010 The Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI) Project Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol

59. A picture of change: Figure 1: Pre- and post profile for Student 1: Foundation 2 to first year ICT Degree Student

60. Pre-post comparisons (* statistically significant gains N=211)

61. What the students said “I’ve become more flexible... open-minded... I am more aware of what learning means to me I did more teamwork, looking for meaning in everything... asking if I didn’t understand... being more sociable in the way I learn... I also made decisions to change...

62. What the students said I have a more positive attitude... Now I find my own answers... find out something from different perspectives... I know we need it in the work environment... ELLI gave me a great push! ELLI makes me focus on myself as a learner... see what I have to do to get better.

63. Learning By Accident Study 15 Learning power and a context driven, object based curriculum with NEET Learners, Young Offenders and Gifted and Talented 16 year olds

64. ‘It’s made me not so scared to learn other things,’ ‘It was a tiny little project and it spiraled into all these other things that were connected.’ ‘I didn’t think I could learn any more but now I believe you can.’It’s not just about Cheddar Gorge, it’s about life stuff.’ Jess

65. Danny – a ‘NEET’ Learner with profound learning difficulties – targeted Critical Curiosity and Learning Relationships “It’s changed what I think I can do.”