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Brown, J. S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational researcher, 18(1), 32-42. Retrieved from http://edr.sagepub.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/content/18/1/32.full.pdf+html

Halushka, Y. [Yuri Halushka]. (2013, October 11). 5 Essential elements of the PYP. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/TuenTYwTQWU

International Baccalaureate Organization. (2007). Making the PYP happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education. Retrieved from http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/occ/Utils/getFile2.cfm?source=/ibis/occ/home/pyp_e_library.cfm&amp;filename=pyp%2Fp_0_pypxx_mph_0912_2_e%2Epdf

McLeod, S. A. (2014). Lev Vygotsky. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Harvard Educational Review, 66(1), 60-92. Retrieved, August 15, 2009, from http://newlearningonline.com/_uploads/multiliteracies_her_vol_66_1996.pdf

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(Figure 20; IBO, 2007; p. 62)

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A further connection that could be made is that both pedagogical approaches are holistic in nature; focusing too strongly on any one theory or aspect would not have the learner's best interest at heart. Note, in the image below, how the PYP integrates its Essential Elements (outer ring) to the curriculum (middle ring) with the learner (center):

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(Figure 10; IBO, 2007; p. 26)

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Critical Framing and Transformed Practice take shape, strongly, in the PYP through meta-cognition (i.e. reflection; a major concept) and the action, both of which are evident in the PYP's Essential Elements. As Boyer (1995 in IBO, 2007) ellucidates, "[t]o be truly educated, a student must also make connections across the disciplines, discover new ways to integrate the separate subjects, and ultimately relate what they learn to life" (p. 11).

When defining views on inquiry and ways that students learn best, the PYP aims to look at student's current understanding, have learners actively construct meaning built upon, "connections between that understanding and new information and experience, derived from the inquiry into new content" (IBO, 2007; p. 29).

In regards to the Essential Element of action, "[a]n explicit expectation of the PYP is that successful inquiry will lead to responsible action, initiated by the student as a result of the learning process" (IBO, 2007; p. 25). To add to this, action should be voluntary and is never mandatory. It should be modeled by the adults within the learning community. Lastly, action does not have to be profound or take place within the context of the unit of inquiry. It could be something as simple as being more respectful to their peers or using a reusable water container over disposable cups during an inquiry on Sharing the Planet. However, it could also be collaborative and more profound like raising money (with the help of adults) to organize a trip to Mongolia to plant more trees to aid local farming initiatives.

The PYP uses the following cycle as a model for purposeful and beneficial action for students:

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Critical Framing happens when students take what they've mastered in their learning in one context and 'frame' (i.e. apply) it to a new one. As the NLG suggest, "[h]ere, crucially, the teacher must help learners to denaturalize and make strange again what they have learned and mastered" (1996; p. 86).

More importantly, critical framing should afford learners the ability to distance themselves from the personal or theoretical context of their learning, critique it, then be able to apply it creatively through an extension of the same context, or better yet, innovate the learning through application in a new context. Alongside their learners, "teachers need to develop ways in which the students can demonstrate how they can design and carry out, in a reflective manner, new practices embedded in their own goals and values (1996; p. 87).

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For some, it's quite difficult to remember all of the elements of the PYP, which include 6 knowledge, 12 attitudes, 8 concepts, 5 skills and limitless action, but hopefully after watching this video you and your students will have an easier time. Enjoy.

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For a more 'multimodal' example, Yuri Halushka (2013), a former colleague of mine, breaks down the PYP's Essential Elements in his 'Minion' approach:

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(Figure 3; IBO, 2007; p. 10)

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(Figure 2; IBO, 2007; p. 9)

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In addition, "a balance is also sought between acquisition of essential knowledge and skills, development of conceptual understanding, demonstration of positive attitudes, and taking of responsible action" (IBO, 1997; p. 10)

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The PYP also recognizes that there is a time and place for Overt Instruction. However, concept-based teaching linked to central ideas, is felt to have the best long-lasting impact on learning (IBO, 2007; p. 29).

"Vygotsky defined learning as 'the creation of meaning that occurs when an individual links new knowledge with ... existing knowledge" (Williams and Woods 1997; in IBO, 2007; p. 6). The PYP documentation asserts that its teachers are to, "ascertain students' prior knowledge, and provide experiences through the curriculum and through the environment that give them opportunities: to test and revise their models, to allow them to make connections between their previous and current perceptions, to allow them the freedom to construct their own meaning (IBO, 2007; p. 6).

When defining the PYP's 'metalanguage' link to Overt Instruction, it is best illustrated in via its model on how learners construct meaning:

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Vygotsky (1978, 1987; in NLG, 1996) was well known for his views on collaborative learning, yet he also argued that a balance of Overt Instruction was also necessary if learners were, "to gain conscious awareness and control of what they acquired" (p. 85). The NLG weren't trying to say that teachers should take part in didactic pedagogy practices, rather, they were trying to illuminate the importance of Wood et al.'s scaffolding done within what Vygotsky would term, the student's Zone of Proximal Development, and explicit acts of teaching that build upon the prior knowledge of the learner (McLeod, 2014).

Furthermore, it is important to note that, "[o]ne defining aspect of Overt Instruction is the use of metalanguages, languages of reflective generalization that describe the form, content, and function of the discourses of practice" (NLG, 1996; p. 86).

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The PYP aligns firmly with this theory. The IBO (2007) affirms this by stating, "student learning is best done when it is authentic--relevant to the 'real' world" (p. 1) and that, "learning takes place when it is connected to what is genuinely a component of the world around the student" (p. 7).

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Based on what Brown et al. (1989) termed Situated Cognition, this theory suggests that, cognition manifests itself "in everyday activity,...knowledge is situated, being part a product of the activity, context, and culture in which it is developed and used" (p. 32). The authors further simplify this theory with the knowledge as a tool metaphor. They go on to suggest that, people can acquire tools, yet they'll turn rusty or dull without the context to use them in. "Learning and acting are interestingly indistinct, learning being a continuous, life-long process resulting from acting in situations" (p. 33).

The NLG do well in pointing out a flaw in Situated Practice when viewed as an independent pedagogical theory; on its own, Situated Practice falls short with getting learners to act upon their knowledge. They illuminate that learners could be aware of relationships and may be able to critique what they've learned, "[y]et they might still be incapable of reflexively enacting their knowledge in practice" (1996; p. 84).

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The NLG posit that, "pedagogy is a complex integration of four factors" (1996; p. 83). These include: Situated Practice, Overt Instruction, Critical Framing and Transformed Practice.

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Like many in the course, I felt strongly connected to the New London Group (NLG) reading. The text, initially seemed very familiar as if referenced to before in another UBC MET course. However, after reading the piece in its entirety, I only recall it being referenced to through another reading.

The majority of the NLG text does focus on a model for metalanguages for multiliteracies, I would like to focus on the connections I made with their integrated four factor approach to pedagogy evident in the latter portion of the reading. Independently, these approaches were not new to me; they were illuminated in previous UBC MET courses. However, seeing them proposed together in this model was new to me and further scaffolded my understanding of each. It is also within this section of the reading where I felt strong connections to the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) -  the curriculum which I practice and firmly believe in.

In this Padlet, I have attempted to build and affirm my connections with theory learned in this course and my everyday practice.