Expeditionary learning for learningSudheendra SavanurQuite rightly school managements value traditions and experience. But in an era of rapid societal and global change, past experience may prove inadequate to prepare children for the future. To cite one example, digital information and communication technologies are changing patterns of work, play, social interaction, and economic exchange worldwide. Therefore academic organisations of all types are taking stock of how to adapt their existing practices to meet the requirements of the new century. Schools, like the rest of society need to change and are subject to the same tensions, risks, and uncertainties that other organisations experience. In education, numerous forces are influencing change. Hundreds of reform efforts have created complex partnerships between teachers, parents, school administrators, university, corporate, government and community leaders. But reform and renewal efforts differ according to institutional priorities and the responses to challenges confronting them. School reform requires whole school programmatic shifts whereas renewal might involve the implementation of a new idea in one part of a school, a new plan for professional development, or a novel way to address a particular challenge. To help education leaders contemplating changes which could transform childrens‚ schooling experience and prepare them to excel in academics, work and society, I recommend Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound (ELOB) ‚ a comprehensive school reform and development model for elementary, middle, and high schools. ELOB has pioneered the development of core practice benchmarks and design principles for implementing learning expeditions.Learning expeditions are long term, in-depth investigations of a subject which engage students through authentic projects, field work, and service. The work students do during learning expeditions centres on critical thinking, essential skills, habits and character development. Ongoing assessment is woven into the expeditions, pushing students to higher levels of performance in pursuit of academic excellence.Learning expeditions grew out of the metaphor of outward bound wilderness explorations. Although they begin with clear goals and a plan, expeditions take unexpected turns when they encounter adventure. They take teachers and students beyond the boundaries of past experience. Asking participants to draw on the resources found within a group, wilderness excursions and/ or learning expeditions require them to meet challenges, solve problems, and arrive at destinations that at first seemed improbable.Individuals on expeditions must persevere and exercise judgement. Members of an expedition team learn to develop close relationships, mutual dependence and cooperation. Simultaneously students learn new concepts and out-of-the-box thinking to view problems from multiple perspectives, and to apply concepts, tools of disciplines and professional knowledge to solve real world problems. ELOB encompasses all learning related to a given topic or subject and involves reading and discussion, skills building and practice, project work including drafting and revision, field work, etc. Expeditions are often integrated across disciplines, though they are more likely to focus on a single discipline in secondary school.In an expeditionary learning school, experiential learning is the central focus of curriculum and instruction, not an add-on or enrichment activity. It is the primary pedagogy for learning the content and skills which prepare…
