Actually I’m teaching digital skills to a group of unemployed women that don’t know technology. Even if they all know very few concepts, my challenge is that they got very different knowledge (30% of them have never worked with a computer).
There is also another challenge as most of them just have a few studies after school. So I face cultural, educational and also professional differences. In order to engage them we work with examples related to enhance their employability. In this case is not their passion what moved them, it is their need to work, and that make difficult to create wide walls.
Let you share an example, I initially focused on offer Wide Walls(by this time I didn’t have a word for it, but this course teach me the expression) and when I try to develop the “digital content creation” competence I offered two possibilities to work on: creating a party invitation or creating your own curriculum.
My experience with adults is that we need to work in the same way as this was the way we learnt at school. Even if I offered them an open possibility they all focus on doing the curriculum (much more complex than a simple invitation). The reality was that when they started to build the curriculum they realized that they need first to create something simpler (like an invite).
My lesson learned from this episode is to offer next time both possibilities but explaining them the benefit of doing each of them as a process of learning starting with the more suitable for you. Or even perhaps start with the easiest (Low Floor) and them motivate the ones who can do quickly to move to the next level (wide walls).
Anyway I will keep in my bag the “wide walls” concept to better apply in my next courses.
Thanks you for this week theme,
Best regards,
Mónica
This is, for me, the biggest challange in to do a creative learning cause I was student in a school that teach objects that can be learned in just one way, that one those the teacher do. In this kind of ambient, the student fells that the room is too tight and there is no space to create and think in other way. Well, for me to wide walls is to open mind and strategies to know that teacher and students must walk together in the road of knowleadge. And how they walk thought it, it’s a exclusive way that they create together. The teacher is able to choose each subjects can be learned but the way it will be done, it’s can be creative and unique!
The concept of “wide walls” in learning encapsulates the idea of providing expansive opportunities for learners to explore and create based on their unique interests and styles. By designing learning experiences with wide walls, educators facilitate a diverse range of projects and pathways, empowering learners to pursue their passions and express their creativity.
Wide walls encourage autonomy and self-directed learning, allowing individuals to choose projects that resonate with them personally. This approach acknowledges that learners have different interests, strengths, and learning preferences, and it honors their individuality by offering flexibility and choice.
Moreover, wide walls foster a culture of innovation and experimentation, inviting learners to explore new ideas and approaches without fear of failure. By embracing diversity and encouraging exploration, educators create an inclusive learning environment where every voice is valued and every perspective is celebrated.
Ultimately, the concept of wide walls challenges traditional notions of education by recognizing that learning is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of providing learners with the freedom and flexibility to chart their own learning journey, paving the way for discovery, growth, and fulfillment.
