How do I achieve authentic learning?

Authentic learning may, quite simply be the most powerful adjustment in our teaching approach we could do. 

It is a powerful way to engage students of any age by making learning real and purposeful. As we move into a new pedagogy of life skills and higher order thinking, authentic learning definitely seems the most common sense consideration for a classroom.
So how do I make the shift?

Good conversations always start with a great question?
Use Blooms Taxonomy to consider the best question to engage, probe and inspire thinking.
Start a conversation by asking the big questions.

Think of the subject or the aim of the lesson
Consider a real time, in real life we would use this skill and use this context to teach it

Example:
Read a section of a novel then critique it to make or break the authors career!

Challenge the children
"You have 30 minutes to become an expert in ......."




The most powerful authentic learning context will have a real audience and a real purpose.
Radio Drama - entertainment online

Its a process, as any great learning is.
- Start at what you know already and move through to what you don't know forging collaboration where all voices are heard.

Its all about staying connected with the reality and purpose of education.
Changing direction from our original ideas and thinking.

Challenge the perfect place we live in, continually learning something new.

Authentic learning helps us know why we are here and who we are and the role we play in the world.

This link should inspire all who see it. Enjoy.




This video is Professor Jan Herrington who I believe is the guru for authentic learning. She breaks it down into simple steps for us to understand clearly. This is part one. There are many others to build on this available on you tube.