EMPORIA, KS – Ginger Lewman, a teacher at the Turning Point Learning Center, spearheaded a site for organizing, connecting, and housing thoughts focused on The Art of Learning. Lewman says, “This is not a “schooly” project where we evaluate the literary aspects of the book, but instead ponder and consider the applications of Josh’s experiences and match them up to our own real and potential opportunities.”
“This project has learners working across distance to examine and explore the book. Each learner, regardless of age, is held responsible to the group for active participation. Learners team themselves based on personal interests in order to have more effective discourse in group discussion. Each learner is responsible to actively read the book, critically look for questions, misunderstandings, and personal connections to the passages. Each learner maintains an individual blog or other type of self-reflective journal to monitor their own thinking as his/her studies progress.”
- Learners understand the benefits of “touching quality” and pursuing depth to their learning.
- Learners create a plan of action to start their own path in a passion area.
- Learners utilize distance collaboration for depth of understanding and shared interests with other learners.
- Seventy learners explore the book together, synchronously and asynchronously, utilizing tools such as wikis, blogs, Skype, Google tools, and other digital connectivity tools.
- Learners ponder and discuss points they find intriguing, confusing, or connective to increase personal and group understanding of the book.
- Learners begin to take personal responsibility in their own educational opportunities.
- Each learner identifies an area targeted for self-improvement.