4-C's of Learning

Recently, I have been doing a great deal of reflecting on what it means to learn - not just for students but for professionals as well. While many will admit that 'learning never stops', few will actively seek out opportunities to grow and learn. Unfortunately, the skills of the 20th century, along with the learning styles of old, will not motivate a learner to change old habits, nor support creativity and innovation. A radical change in what learning means and why, when, where, and how learning is done needs to occur. To fail to see that a change is needed is to fail all learners at all levels.

Through my own reflection and studying the likes of Daniel Pink (Motivation), Howard Gardner (5 Minds for the Future), and Jason Bretzmann (Personalized PD), I have come to develop what I call The 4-C's of Learning: Connections, Customization, Curiosity, and Collaboration. As I continue to explore the implications the 4-C's could have on learning, I feel that is an excellent time to share what I have so far, reflect on the process, and gather feedback from all types of learners!

CONNECTIONS: The late Aristotle is quoted as saying, "Educating the mind without educating the Heart is no education at all." This fundamental belief is what I feel should be the root of all learning experiences. As I see it, connections consist of two main elements - connections to people and connections to content. The ability to connect with people provides an opportunity to look into one's heart. I am a firm believer that we cannot teach WHAT if we do not know the WHY behind a learner. To understand the why takes time and effort - an effort to get to know someone's character, values, goals, and ambitions. Whether the connection is Educator-Student, Educator-Educator, Manager-Employee, we must be willing to look deeper than the surface to help learners develop a strong foundation for the learning process.

When talking about connecting to the content, we strive to find purpose in what we are learning. Daniel Pink defines purpose as "the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves." Our individual purpose and passions lie within our hearts. The more passionate about a topic we are, the more inclined we are to find a solution on our own. Unfortunately, much of education today (both formal and professional development) uses a 'one size fits all' approach. If we are to truly move education forward, we must encourage and design opportunities for learners to be creative and innovative. This means we must be adapt at thinking outside the box and designing learning opportunities that are individualized.

CUSTOMIZED: Perhaps the most difficult C to understand, customized learning helps to put the control of learning in the learners hands. In order to relinquish the ownership however, a deep and last connection needs to have been developed. To help a learner understand how learning can be applied to a variety of areas in their life, educators need to know what the learners purpose and passion are! Daniel Pink refers to this element as autonomy, "the urge to direct our own learning." When given more control over directing your own learning, a learner tends to become more motivated to see the learning process through to the end.

In traditional learning settings, I see this phenomena taking place in giving learners choices in how to display learning has occurred - what I like to call "Letting Your Students Drive".  In giving learners options related to displaying what they have learned, you give them ownership in developing a product they are proud of and willing to share with others. Likewise, you provide student an opportunity to use any number of the talents the posses.

In his book 'Personalized PD', Jason Bretzmann talks about Honor Professionalism. "These people know what they are doing. It's why they were hired, and why they are still here. They probably know what they need next." Why is it that institutions feel the need to dictate and hand-cuff educators in their own learning and development? When we let go of the reins and hand over the ownership. learning becomes a behavior, not a barrier!

CURIOSITY: After providing a framework to create lasting connections and customized learning experiences, educators will find it much easier to spark curiosity in their learners - curiosity to learn beyond a text book, curiosity to be creative and innovative, and curiosity to know how to search for answers when they don't know what they are looking for. Far too often, educators get in the way of curiosity and stifle any ingenuity that may be brewing. The more we can sit back and provide learners the opportunity to drive their learning, the more ownership they take for what is learned, particularly from failure. 

Encouraging learning through failure requires reflection. Reflection allows learners to identify where they started and where they hope their goals will take them. High quality reflection encourages learners to identify pieces of the puzzle along the journey that might need to be modified or changed all together. Without reflection, learners are often doomed to repeat history. When learners are able to identify historical blunders, they become inclined to look outside the box and think differently than those before them.

COLLABORATION: The world around us continues to evolve and change as we know it. For the 2015-2016 school year, the Green Bay (WI) School District become a majority minority school - 51% of the students are of a minority! This trend will only continue to rise. Educators must be prepared to teach all students about the diverse work force they will encounter, preparing them to work with people from all walks of life. In providing a framework to show that everyone has worth, educators must strategically plan for group activities that support this initiative. In doing so, educators also prepare learners for the difficult situations and conversations they will undoubtedly encounter.

Professionals must also understand the value collaboration plays in their own learning process. Too often, we feel the need to try and reinvent the wheel, or apply as many band aides to a problem as possible, guessing which solution worked the best. We need to harness the potential of collaboration and be willing to share what we tried, what worked, and what failed. All of education needs to understand that WE is more important than ME and learners are OURS not mine!

As I continue to reflect on my own learning through this adventure, I am encouraged by the many educators that are already practicing the 4-C's in their own lives. As we continue to forge ahead into the world of the unknown, educators will be forced to teach differently, think differently, and lead differently.

I welcome and look forward to any feedback, comments, and/or suggestions anyone might have. This truly is an adventure that WE are all embarking on together!

Cliff Goodacre - cliffgoodacre@gmail.com