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The Learning Paradigm (as opposed to the Instruction Paradigm), emphasizes the students’ active role in learning and the purpose of that learning, which can be strong motivators for students. The challenge for instructors is to cede some control of learning to the students.

“Rather than feeling responsible for delivering material, instructors need to be responsible for monitoring the students’ progress, giving feedback, and intervening when the students have problems,”

the instructor’s role is to guide students in the right direction rather than simply delivering the content.

And with the wealth of resources available online, the instructor is no longer the only source of knowledge.

In addition to giving students control of their own learning, the Learning Paradigm puts learning in a broader context than a single course does, helping students understand the purpose of the learning beyond the course itself and how they might be able to apply their knowledge to the learning at hand.

it’s important for instructors to set expectations and take measures to prepare them to learn in courses that embrace the Learning Paradigm.

Having students work together on a paper that each student could more easily do individually is not an effective way to do cooperative learning.

offers the following example of an effective way to foster positive interdependence: Have a group of three create a collaborative wiki in which each student contributes a section that he or she then needs to link to the other two students’ contributions. Such an assignment requires each student to teach the other group members his or her content and learn their content.

Barr, R.B., & Tagg, J. (1995). From teaching to learning—a new paradigm for undergraduate education. Change, 27(6),13-25.

Rather than a focus on what the students need to be taught we must focus on teaching our students how to learn

an increasing shift towards students becoming creators of content

staff reluctant to embrace new technologies

education can benefit greatly from efforts to become more connected

Universal Design for Learning

Such a focus requires a new approach to curriculum design, one that identifies cross discipline skills and is inherently flexible

Schejbal sees the difference as a great example of why competency-based education makes sense.

Traditional students may need the structured learning experience and all of the knowledge and information that comes from a standard, semester-based model because they don’t bring as much with them to the classroom. Older students, though, come to the classroom with experience from work, the military, self-study, or previous college. Schejbal says they need a more malleable learning experience that lets them demonstrate what they know, apply that knowledge to a program, and spend time learning only the additional information they need.

University Learning Store

These non-degree options are distinct from stackable credentials that Schejbal sees less value in, though he says the stackable credentials are fine if they’re within the realm of traditional credits.

Schejbal sees the value in both the traditional model for younger students and newer, alternative models for the “nontraditional” learner

But serving such a diverse student population — and doing it well — is complicated.

Schejbal says culture plays a major role in whether a college or university makes the effort to find a way. “Some institutions have both cultures and business models that are rooted in traditional higher education structures,” Schejbal said. “Those institutions have very little incentive to change.”

discovering

Carol Dweck

fixed mindset to those of a growth mindset

Learning that incorporates the arts, movement or physical enactment offers students opportunities to engage their academic subjects through talents and abilities which they have not previously recognized as being relevant to their scholastic and cognitive potentials

artistic activities should be authentic and meaningful; they should not be perceived by students as "add-on fluff" to academic subjects.

reduces mistake anxiety by removing expectations for a single correct response or product

ability to delay immediate gratification and to apply effort toward goals that are not immediate

positive learning and assessment experiences continue and students begin to build confidence

apply more effort, collaborate successfully, ask questions, revise work and review foundational knowledge

increased attention span in general and improved critical thinking

experience in symbolic representation of academic learning with the neural activity seen when the brain processes information using the highest forms of cognition, creative problem solving, critical analysis and innovation.