Use the concept of Agile Thinking to support innovative teaching and learning opportunities for learners with learning needs.
I was introduced to the concept of Agile Thinking as part of a paper undertaken with The Mind Lab last year, Digital Skills in the Workplace. This resonated with me. The ideas and thinking around being Agile and how these ideas/processes can bring about change to both teaching practice and the learner. I could see how developing an Agile School can do lots to connect “to the learners and [be] responsive to individual learning” (Parsons & McCallum, 2019). Upon further research, I could see how our school’s approach to using Formative Assessment and Learn Create Share could align together to create transformational change.
So what is Agile Thinking?
Agile Alliance defines agile as “the ability to create and respond to change. It is a way of dealing with, and ultimately succeeding in, an uncertain and turbulent environment” (www.agilealiance.org). Agile was introduced into the software development world, giving them a variety of agile and lean frameworks to improve their product and productivity for the stakeholders.
So what is the thinking behind the research topic?
As educators, we have an obligation to find ways for our ako (learners) to achieve to their fullest potential. Finding ways to engage in learning and to build on what they know. The Ministry of Education (2014) says that “when we deliver the right services and support for children and young people to be present, participating and learning in education, they go on to have better lives and require less support as adults”. So as an educator how can this be achieved and what strategies are flexible enough to have them fully engaged in the learning process whereby they are in control of learning and are continually growing.
The formative assessment model is embraced as part of my teaching philosophy. This links to the agility approach as they aim to give our learners agency and ownership of what they are learning. The underpinning challenge is for learners to grasp new learning and put this into practice, not to revisit what they already know, which regularly happens in a classroom. An agile classroom will provide opportunities to built and develop on the strategies or skills learners have and then utilise different agile approaches to keep focused and engaged.
Reflecting on my own classroom practice, I was always trying new ways of supporting learners, especially those with learning needs. What I know now would have done wonders to my practice beyond the little changes I was making. If only I used visuals more in my programmes, had access to interactive games on computers to reinforce learning, felt comfortable to include whanau in the planning process and beyond.
As a school leader, I am constantly seeking ways to support my staff to seek other strategies that would best support and engage their learners. Peha (2011) embraced Agile from the software world and translated this into the education world. He talks about changing what we do and how we need to be willing to embrace and be the change. More than not we are “rummaging through antiquated approaches that have never world, hoping to find some magic potion” (Peha 2011). With an open mindset, agile will embrace aspects of 21st learning like self-regulation, collaboration and incorporate technology and provide a framework for change.
Through a 21st Century lens ( ITL Research 2012) learners will:
Collaborate - work together in groups and pairs to discuss activities and tasks
Self Regulation - goal setting, tracking the progress of tasks, being owners of their learning
Digital Tools - to support gaining knowledge, self-regulation tools and for task completion
So how can this research, within my leadership role, support teachers and our ako in giving them success? Agile Thinking is based around the user or customer-focused. In my context, the learners and their learning. Critically thinking, what solution is needed to make this more relevant to our school. By being an agile leader or classroom teacher, we can find ways to be innovative and use the same tools with our learners.
Agile thinking, agile leaders, agile teachers, agile learners, agile classrooms equal agile school!
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| References |
Agile Alliance. Agile 101: What is Agile? Retrieved from https://www.agilealliance.org/agile101/
ITL Research. (2012). 21CLD Learning Activity Rubrics. Retrieved from https://fcl.eun.org/documents/10180 /14691/5.3x+-+21cld+learning+activit y+rubrics+2012.pdf/e240da11-07c2-4 633-a86e-06c12f00d8ad?version=1.0
Ministry of Education. (214). Success for all SPECIAL EDUCATION BRIEFING TO INCOMING MINISTER: Friday 19 September 2014. Retrieved from https://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Ministry/Publications/Briefings-to-Incoming-Ministers/SuccessForAllSpecialEducation.pdf
Peha, S. (2011). Agile schools: How technology saves education (just not the way we thought it would). retrieved from https://www.infoq.com/articles/agile-schools-education/
Parsons D., MacCallum K. (2019) Agile Education, Lean Learning. In: Parsons D., MacCallum K. (eds) Agile and Lean Concepts for Teaching and Learning. Springer, Singapore
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