This was in the previous Competency Based Learning post from Kris. Texas threw a nice round $50 million at the problem of figuring out just what can be done with this new online learning stuff, and voila, the Institute for Transformational Learning was born.
Not to be snarky, really, because they could very well be doing some really kuhl things….but it recalls the earlier post “Advanced Distributed Learning” from early Oct. 2014….where it quickly becomes clear PSA is not the only group addressing learning innovation that is having trouble articulating the complexity of the undertaking.
They do use the label “transformational learning” which perhaps refers to addressing the whole person. There’s a lot of talk about transformation in the human potential movement, for example. And maybe they are trying to carve out a “non academic” niche by using that phrase, but does that mean as opposed to non transformational learning?
PSA is trying to approach learning as if it’s all transformational, and includes addressing the whole person no matter whether the target outcome is academic, or vocational or workplace skills, or DIY social services like healthcare or soft skills such as dealing with alcoholism and drug addiction and other “personal growth” needs. Because it’s all connected, and all of it has to be addressed somehow for learning to take place appropriately.
Generally, we think this articulation challenge is a good thing, because the new communication tools create all sorts of “connectivity” that really doesn’t suit itself to a hierarchical “logical” outline, but rather looks kind of like a web of connections. Duh.
And how does one articulate a web of connections? One can try using Venn Diagrams like the ITL mission statement does. It’s a start. But it’s kind of like describing the shape of a “cloud”. Pun intended.
Also this isn’t as bad a problem as it seems, because lack of clear structure leaves a lot of room for innovation before the rule makers try to define everything. And because the nature of our world is changing and linear models just don’t describe it as well as they used to.
Probably competency based learning is more in line with what we see in professional development and training at this point, performance based. Seems like the short term niche training that PSA may want to address. Some of what it touches is soft skills but often the specific employer skills not addressed in traditional academic programs.
While working at El Paso Community College in Workforce Development, I developed courses from the Texas Workforce Education course manual not the academic course manual. I don’t believe that New Mexico has such a manual, at least not when I asked a few years ago.
Where does holistic learning fit it in? We shall figure that out, huh?
Yes, we are on the road to find out, as Cat Stevens used to sing., about holistic learning, and we’ll at minimum make some progress in figuring that out…along with the rest of the world that wants to know the answers.
Yes, it would be a plus to find out if NM has such a manual, and if there’s an initiative similar to the Texas Institute for Transformation Learning underway in NM.
IDEAL NM was kind of a think tank, prototype developer of online learning. Perhaps should research that, and talk to people like Susie Bussman and Brian Ormand who might know. Innovate Educate, Jamai Bliven’s group, also someone to “check in with”.