“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.”
Heraclitus
When I think about applying the New Culture of Learning (Brown & Thomas, 2011) to adult learners, I realize the “undoing” that must occur. That is to say, adult learners have spent a long time learning under the “old rules” of fixed mindset thinking and explicit, fact-based instruction. Under this culture, learning is machine-like and knowledge is stable. However, the rapidly changing work environment heightens the necessity to move from life under the old rules to the New Culture of Learning (Brown & Thomas, 2011).
Why Now?
There is a permeating belief that “education is what people do to you and learning is what you do to yourself” (Ito, 2014). This belief is further exacerbated by the difference in the way we learn at work versus when we explore our passions. Presently, the current professional learning workshop model is fact-based, instructor-led, and based on explicit learning. Meanwhile, humans are born with the intrinsic ability and desire to learn based on the values of play and discovery. What if the office and district as a whole could be a place where learning is the value? What if we could inspire a world of humans who could evolve with the rapidly changing world?
How might we do this?
We must marry “structure and freedom to create a new learning environment that is capable of keeping up with ever-changing worldly needs” (Brown & Thomas, 2011). The foundation of this new culture includes
- Freedom: An unlimited information network with unlimited access to resources to learn about anything.
- Structure: A bounded environment that allows for unlimited agency to build and experiment within those boundaries.
That is, information and collaboration coupled with limitations. This is the premise of the New Culture of Learning (Brown & Thomas, 2011).
What does this look like?
“Digital transformation is not just a tech phenomenon; it’s an organizational and strategic one, above all” (Cook, 2018). As we move toward a paperless office environment, it is key to plan with and support adult learners. To do this, we should use practices such as modeling, coaching, and intentional cultivation of resources and tools. At the same time, we must model learning for the sake of learning within a collective environment that continually evolves. As I mentioned in My Innovation Plan (Stateler, 2021) it is key to encourage a learner’s mindset in adult learners in a variety of situations, including:
- “Comprehensive, personalized learning opportunities for everyone, including administrative assistants, nutrition, transportation, curriculum & instruction, and many other departments.
- One-on-one, project-based coaching to create more effective workflows and systems.
- Re-purposing current technology with intention and support to improve systems and workflows.”
What problems will this address?
As a district, we will invest in our human capital by providing choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning environments.
- Choice: Departments would have a say in how they organize and structure paperless processes and workflows.
- Ownership: All learners would have specific coaching based on what adult learners want to learn within the context of their role.
- Voice: Opportunity to share learning in a meaningful setting, such as a small group training or a district-owned chat room.
- Authentic Learning Environments: Adult learners will make a meaningful difference in their own work environment that models blended learning practices in GCISD.
As we see the need for new workflows, adult learners can explore and create what they need in the context of their specific roles. Rather than pushing against change, adult learners will have the confidence needed to approach the problem with curiosity and play.
Goals, Values, and Context
The overall goal is to instill a learner’s mindset by applying the concepts presented in a New Culture of Learning (Brown & Thomas, 2011). What is a learner’s mindset? According to Dr. Harapnuik (2021), a learner’s mindset is “a state of being where people act on their intrinsic capacity to learn and respond to their inquisitive nature that leads people to view all interactions with the world as learning opportunities.” Undeniably, this is the main premise of the new culture and what I would like to instill in GCISD.
I foresee the greatest challenges as fear of change and the phrase “But we’ve always done it this way!” To address this challenge, I will draw on My Why, my Influencer Strategy, and Installing 4DX. That is, I will make small but deliberate actions in the direction of the end goal. “Through small, consistent, deliberate actions we can create a culture of execution and meet our goals” (Stateler, 2022). With a meaningful, intentional shift in thinking, these core values can permeate the organization.
Holistic Thinking and Learning
To drive holistic thinking and learning, move toward asking questions over seeking answers. Specifically, we must filter everything we do in our organization through these three questions from A New Culture of Learning (Brown & Thomas, 2011). That is because “we believe that these three practices could frame a progression of learning that is endemic to digital networks” (Brown & Thomas, 2011, p. 100). With these questions as the lens through which we look, we create an environment of constant self-evaluation, iteration, and internal motivation (Brown & Thomas, 2011). “No one knows yet what a completed digital transformation may look like in the future. The journey for businesses is one of continuous adaption and evolution. But, as we all know, the tortoise, not the hare, won the race” (Cook, 2018). Over time, this can become a foundational perspective in GCISD that encourages meaningful, continuous change through innovation, inquiry, and play.
References
Brown, J. S., & Thomas, D. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Cook, T.A. (2018, December 13). Evolution not revolution: Digitalization does not mean starting from scratch… Reuters. Retrieved April 5, 2022, from https://www.reuters.com/article/sponsored/evolution-not-revolution
Harapnuik, D. (2021, February 9). Learner’s Mindset Explained. It’s About Learning. Retrieved April 5, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=8705
Ito, J. (2014, July 7). Joi Ito: Want to innovate? Become a “now-ist”. TED. Retrieved April 5, 2022, from https://www.ted.com/talks/joi_ito_want_to_innovate_become_a_now_ist?language=en
Stateler, K. (2021). My Proposal: Paperless Office, Paperless District. Karin Stateler: Cookies N Cache. https://karinstateler.com/?page_id=95
Stateler, K. (2022). Installing 4DX: Small Steps, Big Results. Karin Stateler: Cookies N Cache. https://karinstateler.com/?page_id=462