A Manifesto for "Learning to Become...."

Real outcomes of authentic learning

By Mirna Mattjik, Teaching Associate Professor, Engineering, Design, and Society, Colorado School of Mines; Faculty Innovation Fellows candidate

Today I was pleasantly surprised. A colleague from the administrative side of the pond perked up after listening to my lightning talk on reflection. Could it be a start of something new and exciting on campus? A mash up between learning in and outside the classroom or a two way tunnel of teaching and learning, connecting the two? Maybe the key is, we are all learners. Being reflective in and about our practices, no matter the role, makes us a better learner.

Design engineering has always been my safe space, I feel like home in this environment. I am privileged, because this feeling of excitement and joy for learning is undoubtedly something embedded in design. At least that is what I know and feel, a genuine closeness to learning due to the process of framing, reframing, pivoting, iterating, and testing in design. After several encounters and experience with the Teaching and Learning Studio community of practice, I am convinced the thinking of, in and about design can be ported into other realms of engineering education. It will definitely elevate teaching and learning to a learner-centered orientation. A dream of any Bloom’s Taxonomy high-achiever. And what if we push it even further — so we aim for “learning to become…”, exceedingly more than “learning about” or “learning by” (see Figure 1)1 .

Why does authentic learning matter? Ultimately connecting real life experiences and learning in any engineering field supports “learning to become”. This is achieved by ways in which authentic learning engages the learner with high order of thinking: further than understanding the concepts, knowing how to apply it, and moreover, problem-solving on demand. The latter is one that can only be done effectively and accurately when provided contextual details. Reflection plays an integral part, too.

Yes, all of that is important. Now what? Where do we start to achieve the goal of “learning to become…”? Onboarding like-minded people on campus who believe in the same goal is key. An open invitation to start the conversation, which directly supports Mines@1502 will

Figure 1. Expanded Bloom’s Taxonomy, credit vTLS 2021

be a good place to start. Also, a reminder that we are all learners. Like my colleague from the other side of the pond, who is gung-ho about using reflection in her work environment. What a cool revelation: we are all learners, this mindset sets us up for success.

“Learning to become…” is the ultimate goal of a successful learner, no matter the discipline. The purpose of authentic learning is to gain insights from or with practitioners in the field. Thus, the learning happens inside and outside the classroom walls. UIFs are prime examples of students who crave this type of learning. Our E&I ecosystem welcomes this idea, as it also aligns perfectly with Mines@150 — an institutional wide effort to provide signature learning experiences. This is an invitation to ignite the passion, power and innovation in teaching and learning even further — leaning into pedagogical levers “plus” practice and reflection on “learning to become....”