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Preparing our Students for the Future: The Innovative Learner Continuum
Preparing our Students for the Future: The Innovative Learner Continuum
By Stephanie Stephens, Executive Director of Learning Innovation and Technology and the Technology Integration Specialists
After the pandemic caused an increase in screen time for so many, it’s understandable that there is now a wariness about technology’s role in education. However, with emerging technologies like AI, IoT and Quantum Computing dominating the workplace, it is crucial that our education system adapts. By integrating technology into learning at HTS, our students will be properly prepared for what is ahead. And by using technology with intention, we aim to foster good habits and a balanced approach to its use with our learners.
We do this via the Innovative Learner Continuum—a document that promotes agility and adaptability in our students, knowing that the world will continue to evolve technologically.
Curiosity is the essence of human existence. ‘Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?’ … I don’t know. I don’t have any answers to those questions. I don’t know what’s over there around the corner. But I want to find out.
Gene Cernan
We focus on six areas, which have been adapted from International Society for Technology in Education to meet the needs of the HTS community:
1. Innovative Designer & Creator: Using technology to innovate, create and ideate.
2. Digital Citizen: Being kind, safe and responsible when using technology.
3. Empowered Learner: Harnessing technology to learn, explore and solve problems with confidence.
4. Knowledge Constructor: Finding and organizing information through technology to create new knowledge.
5. Computational Thinker: Making use of technology to solve problems and think logically.
6. Global Collaborator: Learning and creating with collaborators worldwide via technology.
The document is written as a continuum so that there are appropriate milestones for each age and stage. As an example, in coding we introduce:
K-2: Sequencing and conditional statements
3-5: Code efficiency and sub programs
6-8: Code maintenance and conventions
9-12: The software development process
At each level, the topic moves to a greater level of sophistication so that our students are continually moving forward in their learning while ensuring that the material is introduced at a suitable time in our student’s lives.
The continuum also moves beyond the classroom. There are opportunities for students to acquire expertise through the student life and co-curricular programs along with working together with their advisors in homeroom and TAG.
While the Innovative Learner Continuum continues to evolve, we are always focussed on the measurement and analysis of our accomplishments. We share our findings in the form of trends analysis and data visualizations which our students are familiar with, and the data is also shared with our divisions and departments with an expectation of continued growth and improvement.
To equip our HTS teachers to navigate this, they work closely with our technology integration team—a group of experienced educators who are versed in the latest research. They collaborate on the design of our programs to ensure our teachers feel supported in accomplishing their goals. Alongside this, all HTS teachers are working toward credentials in the areas of artificial intelligence and digital literacy through courses with professional organizations like ISTE and the Learner-Centred Collaborative.
No small task, the HTS Innovative Learner Continuum has transformed the way we work as a school. The research shows that our intentionality will go far in ensuring that every learner in our building is able to thrive in their use of technology in preparation for the world ahead.
