The use of Swarm learning in the education environment today.
Colby White
Swarm Learning is a modern, interactive, and student based way of learning. It takes feedback, suggestions, and student led opinion to create the class. It is a way of learning where the student can take charge of their own learning and quickly adapt week to week to have success. The professor and the class work on a regular basis with educational videos and guest speakers to apply this learning to the real world. I can say that Swarm Learning has helped me in my own studies and I appreciate it. It’s simply the student taking the responsibility of their learning.
Swarm learning is a new type of learning that brings more class discussion, participation, and more opportunities for feedback. Swarm learning can help any classroom have success and new opportunities to create your idea of education. These educational concepts that swarm learning creates has the students learn from information, data, and constructive feedback to create the learning. The interesting thing about swarm learning is that it can change week to week by figuring out what is working best for the class.
There are four topics of discussion with swarm learning. The first one would be feedback, being able to adapt the learning, and a modern way of learning. This new modern way of learning applies more technology. Websites or software like wordpress, plectica, and thesis generator. The last one would being able to create and build relationships within that class. These are the areas of discussion and that need to be applied to the classroom.
Classroom feedback is very important to swarm learning because that is how the professor or teacher adjust the class to create more success. The instructor is able to take the constructive feedback to make adjustments within their class objectives. This is completed by the class completing the weekly surveys about the assignment and commenting on what could be different. Then within some of the assignments the instructor used feedback and reflection assignments to get the students thoughts. Then the next part is what is special about swarm learning. The instructor makes the changes that can help the class have a faster route to learning the material.
The next concept is continuous adaptation and being able to see a way of changing the way you learn. Applying this to education would be very helpful. For example, the physical education teacher would be able to apply self reflection documents after playing the game of basketball. Self reflection and then adapting the lesson plan based off of what the students liked about the activity and what they didn’t like. The instructor is able to make changes to the lesson plan. In basketball instead of playing three on three basketball and it not working for the students. The instructor will adapt the lesson plan to two on two for more instruction, change in the game rules, and fundamental of learning.
Wilbert J. Mckeachie
The third concept is a new modern way of learning. Finding and researching more ways to apply technology to your classroom with swarm learning. The instructor selects new innovative ways to apply technology and websites to help with swarm learning. For example, in my Test and Measurements class we used plectica and wordpress often. Plectica works as a creative way of presenting and creating information. It’s great for assignments, projects, and presentations. It is detailed and connects the data to how the student wants to present it. These are ways instructors can apply new modern technology to swarm learning. It ties and connects the feedback to technology. Then the students would post it on a wordpress website that has all assignments, due dates, and acts as the platform of the class. This was a very helpful and creative way to add this to the learning this semester.
The final concept is building relationships in the class and in the swarm learning setting. It may be the most important thing in the swarm learning and education setting. Creating and building relationships is the key to success because that structure is built on constant and continuous feedback from the class. The instructor must be transparent, approachable, and have good communication for the class to have success.
Swarm learning can be used in any classroom and over time it will present success. It takes a growth mindset strategies and new modern teaching techniques to have success in the classroom. The most important concept to get from swarm learning is that it takes feedback and constrictive suggestions to adapt the learning. It is a student-based learning technique where they can take charge of their learning. It will definitely be used in many classrooms moving forward.
References
Schwandt, J., Dr. (2020). Swarm Learning in Health & Human Performance. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
TOP 19 methods of teaching QUOTES: A-Z Quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved May 06, 2021, from https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/methods-of-teaching.html
