Summary
In this professional development, participants learn about one of the K20 Center’s IDEALS, Student-Centered Learning Climate. Participants use Mentimeter to share experiences from their time as a student that they feel reflected a learning climate or approach that was student-centered. Through card sorts and research, participants explore what roles school leaders and teachers play in a student-centered learning climate. Participants leave with an area to learn more about and resources to help their school grow in the area of student-centered learning climate.
Essential Questions
What is Student-Centered Learning Climate (SCLC)?
How can SCLC positively impact a school’s environment?
Learning Goals
Identify the themes of a student-centered learning climate (SCLC).
Understand key stakeholders in creating a student-centered learning climate (SCLC).
Explain the importance/impact of student-centered learning climate (SCLC).
Snapshot
Engage
Using Mentimeter, participants reflect on a time when they experienced a student-centered learning climate (SCLC) as a student.
Explore
Participants work in pairs to complete a card sort identifying the themes of a student-centered learning climate and the roles responsible. They rotate through all three themes.
Explain
Participants read through a research-based infographic using a modified version of the Thinking Notes instructional strategy to annotate as they read.
Extend
Based on the information they learned, participants revisit their card sort to determine the roles responsible for each of the themes of a student-centered learning climate.
Evaluate
Participants use the instructional strategy Two Stars and a Wish to identify which themes of SCLC they are most knowledgeable and which theme they would like to explore more.
Materials List
Presentation Slides (attached)
School Order and Safety Card Sort (attached, print one-sided, cut cards apart, one per group of 6)
Student Academic and Social Norms Card Sort (attached, print one-sided, cut cards apart, one per group of 6)
Teacher Expectations and Student Support Card Sort (attached, print one-sided, cut cards apart, one per group of 6)
What is Student-Centered Learning Climate? Infographic (attached, print two-sided, recommended to print in color, one per participant)
Two Stars and a Wish handout (attached, one per participant)
Sticky Notes
Engage
Use the attached presentation slides. Display slide 2 and introduce the topic of the session, explaining that the session will provide a brief overview of one of the K20 Center IDEALS.
Display slide 3 and introduce the essential questions. It may be helpful to establish “SCLC” as an abbreviation for “Student-Centered Learning Climate” that will be used throughout the session.
Display slide 4 and introduce the session objectives.
Display slide 5 and introduce the Collective Brain Dump instructional strategy and the Mentimeter activity. Have participants navigate to the Mentimeter using the join code. Ask participants to share experiences from their time as a student that they feel reflected a learning climate or approach that was student-centered.
Once you have several responses, ask participants to identify any commonalities they see with the experiences that have been shared.
Explore
Display slide 6. Divide participants into pairs; then have each pair group up with two more pairs for a group of 6. Pass out School Order and Safety Card Sort to one pair, Teacher Expectations and Student Support Card Sort to the second pair, and Student Academic and Social Norms Card Sort to the last pair (3 mats and 3 sets of cards total for each group of 6). Have each pair within the group take their one mat and its corresponding cards. Ask participants to look at their cards and sort them under the headings of “Leaders” and “Teachers” based on who they think is responsible for that action. Give participants up to 8 minutes to complete their card sort.
Display slide 7. Explain to the participants that they will now rotate to the other two card sort sets, where they will review the initial pair’s sorting and make any changes they feel are necessary. Instruct participants to place a sticky note next to any changes they make explaining the change (ex: “Moved this action from teachers to leaders.”). Have participants rotate to the next card sort within their group. Give them 2 minutes to make any changes.
Have participants rotate to the third card sort in their group and repeat the process of reviewing the existing sorting and making and noting changes.
Have participants return to their original seats so they are looking at their original card sort again. Provide participants time to look over their original card sort and any sticky notes added. Inform participants that they will return to the card sort later in the session, but for now have them slide it off to the side, keeping the cards and notes where they are on the mat.
Explain
Display slide 8. Pass out a copy of the What is Student-Centered Learning Climate? Infographic to each participant. Instruct participants to complete a modified version of the Thinking Notes strategy.
Place a star next to main ideas.
Place exclamation points by their favorite part(s).
Place question marks next to things they are unsure about.
Place hearts where they see information about the importance of SCLC.
When participants have finished their Thinking Notes, ask for a few volunteers to share out for each component (main idea, favorite part, unsure points, importance of SCLC).
Extend
Display slide 9. Ask participants to take a final look at their original card sort and review the changes that were made. Invite them to use the QR Code on the slide to view the full version of the infogram to inform their final reflections and make any adjustments or notes on their card sort so that it fully reflects their understanding of SCLC.
Have participants share their final card sort with their group. As they share with their group, invite them to discuss the spheres of influence in their school and discuss if their school’s reality matches the recommendations in the infographic. If their school’s reality does match, ask them to identify areas of strength for each group. If their school’s reality does not match, ask them to discuss whether the prescribed distribution of duties is realistic for their school or whether their current model better supports SCLC for their school community.
Evaluate
Display slide 10. Pass out the Two Stars and a Wish handout. Ask participants to write down which two of the three SCLC themes they know the most about now (stars) and which theme they would like to learn more about (wish).
Invite participants use the QR Code to review the Student-Centered Learning Climate Professional Development Sessions collection of resources that can support the growth and development of SCLC within different parts of the school community.
Follow-Up Activities
Consider using a professional development from the Student-Centered Learning Climate Professional Development Sessions collection.
Research Rationale
View the Student-Centered Learning Climate Practitioner’s Brief located on the K20 Center’s website.
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). Collective brain dump. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/111
K20 Center. (n.d.). Mentimeter. Tech Tool. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/645
K20 Center. (n.d.). QR Codes. Tech Tool. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/2449
K20 Center. (n.d.). Thinking notes. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/178
K20 Center. (n.d.). Two stars and a wish. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/83
K20 Center. (n.d.). Student-Centered Learning Climate Professional Development Sessions. Collections. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/collection/3521