Unlocking Student Potential: Shifting to Student-Driven Learning with Dr. Joey Pearson

Tired of the one-size-fits-all lesson plan? This episode of ISS EDUlearn, Ask Me Anything, explores the powerful shift from teacher-led to truly student-driven learning with educator and AI learning expert, Dr. Joey Pearson 🧑‍💻. Dr. Pearson defines what it means to create an "agentic" classroom where students have power for self-determination and co-create their learning journey. He shares practical strategies for introducing voice, choice, and ownership through methods like individualized workstations and standards-based grading. Discover how AI can actually lead to less screen time by becoming a teacher's powerful planning partner, freeing you up to focus on what matters most: authentic student relationships 🤝.

💬 Quotes from the Episode:

• "We are talking about human agency, agentic learning... where students have true power for self-determination." 🚀

• "The idea here is that you're coaching your students to be their own teachers." 🧠

• "Everything that we know about good classroom management stays the same. What changes is what's happening during learning." 🍎

• "I think we're going to see in the coming years that AI will enable us to have fewer hours in front of screens, and more hours in front of one another." ❤️

📌 Key Insights:

• Differentiate Your Practice: A student-driven environment is defined by students having true power and ownership over what and how they learn, not just choosing a color for a project. 🎯

• Structure for Freedom: Begin by establishing clear norms and routines (e.g., how to enter, how to get resources). This foundational structure is what prevents "chaos" and allows students the freedom to choose their learning pathway. 🪜

• AI as a Planning Partner: Use large language models (like ChatGPT) in your instructional planning phase to generate personalized, non-screen-based lessons, rather than relying on them for student activity. 💻🚫

• Assess for Ownership: Implement Standards-Based Grading where the standard is written as student-friendly success criteria. This empowers students to perform self-evaluation and own their growth. ✅

🛑 Conclusion:

This conversation with Dr. Joey Pearson offers a visionary yet practical roadmap for transforming your teaching and empowering every student voice. If you're ready to embrace the future of education and transition from content delivery to relationship building, then you can't miss his course, "Empowering Every Student Voice."

Find all the details and explore a library of resources for international educators, including virtual events and job fairs, at isss.edu/events. Until next time, keep exploring, keep learning, and go make a positive impact! 🌍✨