Discussions

Your Name and Title: Hope Fuss, Principal

School or Organization Name: Washington County Public Schools
                                                     Drexel University

Area of the World from Which You Will Present: Hagerstown, MD

Language in Which You Will Present: English

Target Audience(s): Teachers and Administrators

Short Session Description (one line):  The presenter will show how SOLE Time engages learners and opens the door for global awareness and collaboration for teachers and students.

Full Session Description (as long as you would like): 

Students need motivating and inspiring instructional approaches to keep them interested in learning. SOLE (Self Organized Learning Environment) Time could be the answer for keeping students engaged and learning on a daily basis. The traditional education system has roots in the colonial and industrial ages but the purpose of education in today’s dynamic and global economy has vastly changed. Schools need to produce creative thinkers and problem solvers. One-way to start to move in that direction is to break down the barriers of age=grade traditional schooling and change instructional practices to meet the needs of our students in the digital age. Collaborating with all ages and types of people is a needed skill in the 21^st century. Creating a time of day for students where they have ownership of their learning will help to give students the skills they need to be successful in the world today and in the future.

First hand accounts from teachers, students, and parents will be shown to help frame the understanding of the concept to the audience. Research from Sugata Mitra’s work on SOLE environments will be shared and how to access current materials will be communicated. Participants will leave with an overview of SOLE Time, implementation timelines, possible school schedules, and an online unit where they can begin their own SOLE journey and collaborate with colleagues. Future aspirations will be shared to show how this can be the first step towards a new model of schooling that will transform the traditional education system into one that meets the needs of students in the digital age.

Websites / URLs Associated with Your Session:

https://padlet.com/hopefuss/newmodelofschool

https://classroom.google.com/c/MTYxNTg5NjAyM1pa