Open Ended Learning Environments

I responded to the professional blog (Davidson, 2009) on open-ended learning environments at
http://hub.dmlcompetition.net/forum/topics/digital-media-learning

Cathy, I think your move to help students become social change agents is a great concept and one that must be emulated the world over. Your Black Cloud Environmental Studies Game (Davidson, 2009), that helps student teams role play as either real estate developers or environmentalists using actual air quality sensors hidden throughout Los Angeles to monitor neighborhood pollution, is an open ended learning environment that hits home in many urban communities across the nation.

Air conservation and community development projects are always concepts that students have no real interest in unless presented in a context of health, safety, and quality of life factors that impact personal and family well-being and survival. Air quality in our classrooms is not a subject that is ever mentioned in the course of a day unless put in the context of educational change and better study conditions. I never considered that plug-in air fresheners and some plants could cause some students to trigger an asthma attack (Branch ISD, 2009). Fabric furniture can also hold dust, animal allergens, viruses, bacteria and mold that adversely affect air quality in the classroom. (Branch ISD, 2009) Refrigerator drip pans and microwaves in the classroom that are not properly cleaned cause air quality problems in the classroom. (Branch ISD, 2009)

The concept of integrating scientific data with human experiences help students better collaborate, share and analyze their findings in a cross cultural environment that make teamwork a best practice of choice for now and in the future. These connections many times can transcend the school environment into the community environment and lead to further connections that benefit health and safety on a global front. In other words, transfer is greater from classroom to other world contexts where real-life problems are the target of collaboration.

The self-advocacy role that students learn to foster and emerge will be lifelong skill sets that can make a difference in how schools of the future are designed and maintained to secure the health and safety of future generations of learners. The fact that the Black Cloud Environmental Studies Game project is demonstrated as a winning project for the 2007 Digital Media and Leaning Competition is a great boost for change in how social studies as a theme can have a community based response that touches the lives of so many students in a geographical area.

References

Branch ISD. (2009). Teams tools for school. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from http://cfbstaff.cfbisd.edu/CFBEnergyAwareness/TEAMS.htm

Davidson, C. (2009). First annual digital media and learning winner’s showcase, April 16-17. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from http://www.hastac.org/node/2047