Silver Lining for Learning

This episode of Silver Linking for Learning discusses how open educational resources and courseware is utilized for forestry education and forestry management. The Asia Pacific Forestry Education Coordination Mechanism, an international consortium of universities with a mission to promote forestry education and research cooperation, developed a joint educational online program entitled Innovative Sustainable Forest Management Education in the Asia-Pacific Region, which is a series of open online courses in Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). It is the only SFM online program of its kind, and provides world-class forestry education resources to more than 15,000 learners from over 90 international economies. Join the show to hear their stories about how the program paved its way from an initial self-directed OER learning program to a current credentialed certificate degree program, and to a future Master’s degree program in Forestry.Asia Pacific Forestry Education Coordination Mechanism (AP-FECM): https://apfecm.forestry.ubc.ca/https://apfecm.forestry.ubc.ca/executive-office-of-ap-fecm/Graduate Certificate in Forest Management and Conservationhttps://forestry.ubc.ca/programs/certificate/forest-management-conservation/JTF GCFE 49 Sustainable Forest Management Online Program – Canadahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSCM4Zg-MxU&t=49sAP-FECM open online courses: https://apfecm.forestry.ubc.ca/sfm-online-courses/.

Celebration and reflection on the past 50 episodes and plans for the future.

HyFlex is a term used widely and often with a tint of controversy; especially when teachers are already overwhelmed with student psychological, emotional, technological, and academic needs during the pandemic. The Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) course design delivers a student-directed multi-modal learning experience. Students choose between attending (participating) in class sessions in a traditional classroom (or lecture hall) setting or in an online environment. The HyFlex course design is built upon four fundamental values: (1) Learner Choice, (2) Equivalency, (3) Reusability, and (4) Accessibility. These four “pillars” provide a consistent and solid foundation for resulting courses and programs.  Successful HyFlex courses allow all students, in all participation modes, to complete together so that a single learning community is developed: one class with different participation modes rather than two or three different classes mashed together. Free book: Hybrid-Flexible Course Design: Implementing Student-Directed Hybrid Classes by Brian J. Beatty: https://edtechbooks.org/hyflex

The SLL Hosts–Chris Dede, Curt Bonk, Punya Mishra, Shuangye Chen, and Yong Zhao–will each identify a few of their favorite episodes and describe why these are exciting in their implications for learning across the world. They will also describe ways the growing SLL archive can be a resource summarizing innovations in technology-enabled learning.Dermot Walsh will moderate the SLL Hosts discussion and pose comments and questions from the CESI audience.

During their SLL talk, Tony and Scott will elaborate on the rationale for, background to, and ambitions of the mEducation Alliance and share some of the general lessons they have learned from their two decades of experience working on edtech initiatives for developing countries. In addition to the Alliance’s convening role, they will also highlight three of the mEducation Alliance’s signature activities — Math Power!, Youth Digital Champions (YDC), and the EdTech Academy. Math Power! is focused on using no- and low-tech interventions to extend the joy of math, particularly through use of math games. YDC is advancing linkages between youth digital literacy skills training and their engagement in community development. Finally, the EdTech Academy is serving as a multi-media training platform to support the sharing of edtech good practices among researchers, policymakers, and implementing organizations.

A paradigm shift is needed in education. On Saturday Feb 13th, we have a guest who has been promoting and leading the paradigm shift for several decades in Australia and Europe. Dr. Stephen Harris comes with incredible expertise and amazing experiences leading innovative learning organizations. He is now director of learning at Learnlife, Barcelona. Learnlife is a pioneer space for lifelong learning in Barcelona.

On Episode 45, Silver Lining for Learning (SLL) hosts gather and reflect on the previous episodes and discuss future plans. SLL hosts have a long and expansive history in studying and promoting educational innovations with or without technology. Their reflections are insightful, thoughtful, and inspiring.

Even before COVID-19, higher education was at the beginning of significant change. According to educators like Rovy Branon, there is a need for a “60 Year Curriculum.” During this session of Silver Lining for Learning, Dr. Branon will describe how the University of Washington’s Continuum College is approaching this future through five key change areas: (1) programmatic (the “meta-curriculum”), (2) digital credentials, (3) the new academic stack (technology), (4) learner services, and (5) policy/funding. A key focus of the hour will be the future of online earning in higher education and how the field of educational technology must evolve to serve students for lifelong learning. He will discuss some of the emergent ideas that the University of Washington Continuum College is currently developing and contemplating,  including extensive use of CRM systems, blockchain, mobile technology, and digital credentialing systems.

Kiran Bir Sethi is a Designer who became a Teacher, a Principal who grew into an Education Reformer and subsequently morphed into a Social Entrepreneur. A trained Graphic Designer, she uses the language of Design to develop not only curriculum innovation, but also community-based Social Programs. 20 years ago, she founded The Riverside School in Ahmedabad, India, aimed at all-round development of children. As their website says, “Over the last 20 years, Riverside has designed, implemented and shared a unique user centered curriculum … which focuses on quality of learning AND student well-being. … The school has regularly been honored for its academic achievement as well as its unique philosophy of ‘Doing Good AND Doing Well.’ In 2009, Kiran launched Design for Change to instill an I CAN mindset in children. It asks kids to feel any problem that bothers them, imagine a way to make it better, do an act of change, and share their story of change with the world. It is today one of the world’s largest movement of change, led by children— impacting over 2.2 million children and 65,000 teachers in more than 60 countries.  Aakash Sethi is an education leader with 15 years of experience as an entrepreneur and organization builder. He has worked extensively on training & facilitating youth leadership programs in over 10 countries. He is currently CEO of Quest Alliance a not-for-profit trust that equips young people with 21st century skills by enabling self-learning. They seek to transform learning ecosystems through educational technology, capacity building and collaboration (with educators, civil society, industry and the government). Quest integrates cultures, tools and practices of self-learning in the Indian education and vocational training system to enable young people to experience and autonomy and take charge of their own learning and career pathways.

Ever want to spend a Saturday afternoon hearing how a science educator has spent over a decade designing and implementing educational outreach what may be the most remote location for science education? Come and listen to educator Jean Pennycook discuss the connection of her work to science, history, education, and beyond. Learn about Jean’s use of an interactive website that connects penguin research to classrooms and students across the country, providing them with a virtual field trip to the breeding colony of Adélie Penguins. Jean’s goal is to educate others about the research that she and the rest of her science team is learning about penguins. In addition, she relays information about how environmental changes are impacting the lives of those penguins and the Antarctic region. It is educational outreach like no other.