The Importance of CSLE
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As educators, creating significant learning environments goes hand in hand with COVA in our classrooms. “Creating Significant Learning Environments (CSLE) – an integrated approach to creating flexible, engaging, and effective digital learning environments where educators consider all aspects of the entire learning environment” (Harapnuik, Thibodeaux, 2023). Part of the definition of CSLE is considering the entire learning environment. When most people think of the word environment, they think of the four walls of a classroom. Although that is part of what makes up CSLE, that is not what the word entire means. Aspects to consider when we say entire learning environment are:
- The learner
- The educator
- The explicit learning
- The implicit learning
- The classroom environment
- The knowledge learners bring to the classroom
- etc.
Part of creating a significant learning environment is ensuring that every aspect of the environment is considered. Thinking of each aspect of the learning environment is a continuous process that must be revisited throughout the school year to ensure learning and teaching are proactive and not reactive. For further reading on the topic, some blog posts below have a short purpose for each.
A New Culture of Learning: A Response
Image created by Samara Marin using Copilot 2024 There have been times when reading a text book have been difficult to begin, difficult to get through, and difficult to finish. As an avid life-long gamer and current esports coach at…
New Culture of Learning- We are also learners when it comes to being educators. Educators must always keep up with the most current learning framework. We respond to one of these new learning frameworks in A New Culture of Learning. This framework deals with the idea that learning can be inquiry-based and uses technology to build learning communities through various online forums. This book explores the idea of collaboration in the classroom and how technology shifts what collaboration looks like.
“Teaching is not a static profession. Educators need to constantly challenge themselves to read and try new methods.”
-Dr. Ann Van wig, Assistant Professor Eastern Washington University
Learning Philosophies: Cognitive, Behavioral, Constructivist, and Connectivist.
The author reflects on how their experiences as a learner have influenced their role as an educator. They align themselves with constructivism and connectivism as learning theories, emphasizing student collaboration,…
The Learning Philosophies- When thinking of our learning and teaching philosophy, we often don’t realize that we are made up of more than one, nor do we realize that our learning experiences shape our teaching experiences. When analyzing how I teach and comparing it to my beliefs about how students learn, I noticed various links between the two. Regarding CSLE, the learner and the teacher are two sides to the same coin because both have a philosophy shaped by beliefs about learning. Every activity in this course was meant to bring us closer to creating a significant learning environment. In this activity, we analyzed how learning and teaching philosophies go hand in hand regarding CSLE.
Aligning Outcomes, Assessment, and Activities.
The educator’s journey from reacting to planning, the importance of Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs), and their role in Creating Significant Learning Environments (CSLE) are highlighted. Collaborative curriculum design tools…
Aligning Outcomes, Assessments, and Activities- As we moved through the course, each assignment was designed to have us look at a piece in the CSLE puzzle. In this assignment, we looked at Fink’s 3-column chart and how this chart helps us look at the bigger picture of lesson planning. When creating a significant learning environment, we as educators must always be proactive and not reactive; however, if we are not prepared by looking at the bigger picture, we are teaching day by day with no end in sight. Fink’s 3 column chart was one of two ways we looked at how to design our lessons backward to effectively prepare for the lessons in a course/unit and any potential misconceptions or roadblocks in teaching the unit.
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Understanding by Design (UbD)
Image created by Samara Marin using Copilot 2024 When it comes to lesson planning, one quote always pops up in every professional development that we must attend: “If you fail…
Understanding by Design (UbD)- When it came to using a second backward design template at first, I did not understand why. However, once I began filling out the information, I realized that the different questioning techniques the UbD used compared to Fink’s 3-column chart had me thinking about the same unit in a different light. While Fink’s 3-column chart had me thinking vertically about what students needed to know, the UbD had me thinking horizontally. What this means is simply. If every department fills out the Ubd for the units in their year, we can see opportunities for cross-curricular activities.
Growth Within the Growth Mindset
This content discusses the importance of considering the “why” in addition to the who, what, when, where, and how when creating a growth mindset plan as an educator. It emphasizes…
Growth Mindset Reflection- As stated before, being an educator is a journey that we should always analyze and ensure that we are looking at with a critical eye. After reflecting on the original growth mindset plan, I noticed I answered who, what, when, where, and how, but I still need to answer the why of my growth mindset plan. In my growth within the growth mindset reflection post, I set out to answer the whys of the growth mindset. Why is it important? Why should we use it? Most importantly, why do some students fight against it?
CSLE And my Innovation Plan
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When it comes to CSLE and my innovation plan, I hope to create a less reactive environment for teachers by giving classroom time back to instructors using the flipped classroom model. If educators are able to deliver lectures, quizzes, and any other teacher-led activities through a learning management system during what would normally be homework time, then educators can use classroom time for inquiry-based and project-based teaching. Students would be able to have the discussions necessary to introduce COVA into the classroom environment.
References
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Harapnuik, D. ; Thibodeaux, T. (2023) COVA: Inspire Learning Through Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authentic Experiences. Learner’s Mindset Publishing. Kindle Edition.
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