Course Description

This course explores the creation of new learning environments and experiences through the lens of the STEAM Learning Architecture, a framework developed by the pK–12 group at MIT Open Learning to guide approaches to teaching and learning for educational innovation. The framework prioritizes student-centered, hands-on learning, rooted in the Constructionist theory that the most powerful learning occurs through discovery, exploration, and creation. Guest speakers and site visits will provide context for final projects that produce innovative learning experiences for K–12 audiences.

Course Goals

• Gain a broad understanding of educational innovation, including pedagogies, methods, and physical spaces.
• Visit innovative spaces for learning and engage with guest speakers (K–12 and higher education).
• Apply theoretical and practical design principles to co-design an innovative learning experience and/or environment.

Course Format

1.5 hours/session; 2 sessions/week

Why This Course 

This course provides a high-level view of educational innovation with an eye towards hands-on learning, real-world application, and Constructionism. It aims to address education of the whole person, taking into account social-emotional learning, learning beyond the four walls of the classroom, and big questions being asked in the world today. Students will synthesize what they learn from site visits, guest speakers, and design workshops to develop an innovative educational project of their own.  

The course connects but does not directly overlap with others currently being offered in education at MIT, including in Comparative Media Studies and through the Media Lab. There is a growing interest among MIT students for experiences in education and teaching so that they are better prepared for teaching opportunities that arise. The way this course is designed allows students new to the study of education to gain foundational knowledge, while creating opportunities for those already knowledgeable to deepen their understanding.  

Learning Architecture Background  

The original version of the Learning Architecture was developed as part of a collaborative effort between MIT, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Belizean Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology (MoECST) to open Itz’at STEAM Academy (ISA), a new high school in Belize City. The school is designed to be an innovative model for the country of Belize and the wider Caribbean region, with an explicit focus on STEAM and hands-on learning. The iteration produced for ISA (previously known as the Curriculum Architecture: Approaches to Teaching and Learning) was written as a foundational framework intended to guide the subsequent development of the school’s program and curriculum.

The co-design process undertaken in the initial development of this document included visiting and studying a number of innovative schools and consulting with expert practitioners, primarily in the US. In generalizing the Learning Architecture for a wider audience, additional resources and programs were studied to expand the points of reference to include undergraduate learners. The resulting document is a broader framework intended to be used by any educational innovator who wants to design new, STEAM-focused learning environments and experiences.   

Course Structure (13 weeks)

The STEAM Learning Architecture is built on three pillars: 1) Social, Emotional, and Cultural Learning, 2) Transdisciplinary Academics, and 3) Community Engagement, which provide the structure for the first half of this course.

At the beginning of the course, we will analyze the pillars individually through readings, guest speakers, and site visits that illustrate the pedagogies and program elements possible in each one. Next, we will explore how competency-based learning and assessment support the pillars by providing appropriate methods of evaluation and reflection. Finally, students will go through a design thinking process to brainstorm and conceptualize project ideas that they will carry through to the end of the course. All project ideas must have a testable component. Students will have the opportunity to playtest their project ideas with local students in their target age group, receive feedback, and refine their deliverables before a final presentation. 

Assignments

• Weekly readings and short in-class assignments throughout the semester (20%)
• Site Visits with observation logs/ reports (20%)    
  • Classroom observation template will be provided   
• 2 positioning papers (20%)   
  • Two 3–5 page papers that demonstrate students’ understanding of elements of the STEAM Learning Architecture from the readings, guest speakers, discussions, and site visits. Papers should reflect students’ conceptual positioning and rationale, and provide evidence that supports their arguments.   
• Final group project (40%)    
  • Presentation to public audience 
  • Artifacts of learning and teacher guide, if appropriate 
  • Final paper 
    • 10-page paper that includes the following: description of project, design process, playtesting and feedback from target audience, and recommendations for future implementation.

Site Visits 

Students are expected to participate in two or three site visits. The dates of those visits will overlap with one of the classes and will be communicated in advance for students to coordinate with their schedules. Possible visits in the Boston area include (during scheduled class time): Dearborn STEM Academy (Boston), Possible Zone (Boston), Christa McAuliffe Charter School (Framingham), The MET (Rhode Island). Possible international visits (to be scheduled during summer) include schools in Belize and Colombia.