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If you are considering incorporating DIY learning into your classroom, I think you really need to know your students. Learners who are self-motivated and self-regulated have the opportunity to thrive in a DIY learning environment where they can take on challenges and work on building and developing new skills through meaningful practice and deeper understanding. Students who lack self-motivation and have difficulty setting and meeting their own learning goals may require more support and mentoring from the teacher and/or their peers.
~Elizabeth

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Great insights, everyone, especially Kevin for the resources and strategies you posted. I think that scaffolding is essential to DIY learning, especially for younger students. Providing students with appropriate constraints (time, resources, exemplars, criteria for successful completion etc) can go a long way in ensuring that the expectations are met, and students don't throw something together at the last minute as an artifact of their learning. I have done "Genius Hour" and different student-led projects, and have always found scaffolding and check-ins" to be at the heart of student success. ~Faryal

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Last year the IT teaching staff were asked to revitalize the IT curriculum and approach to technology education at my school. We discussed this at length and eventually decided to propose a maker/DIY approach to IT that could be integrated across subjects. We drafted our proposal, filled out purchasing orders, and watched our IT lab be torn apart in preparation for renovations. Everything seemed to be going according to plan.

The 2017-2018 school year started and we were confused to see our labs in the same configuration as before (but with new desks and computers) and no class sets of maker equipment/resources anywhere to be found. A few days later we were blindsided by an announcement that IT as a standalone subject was being phased out in favour of other, non-technology related electives, and that it would not be, at this time, integrated into other subjects. We were given notice that this was the last year our school would offer IT and that we would only offer AP Computer Science and that it would be taught by Chinese teachers.The reason we were given for this decision was that IT courses were too difficult to assess and assign a course code, and this was causing difficulties during university application time. AP Computer Science seemed to solve this problem, but it was going to be a lecture-based course (at least, as far as I can tell).

Linking this to our hopes for a DIY/maker approach, it is clear that "Old Dogs" or those unfamiliar with DIY learning approaches find it extremely difficult to assess what outcomes and milestones are being reached when the learning is open-ended and personal. Is there truth to the adage that old dogs can't learn new tricks? Or, plainly put, are those unfamiliar with DIY learning able to learn to accept it, or at least explore its potential? For me, right now, it seems so.

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Hi Philip,

I though a lot about your comment of constraints not allowing learners to think outside of the box and wanted to relate an experience from my context. A few years ago we gave a final assignment that had a single sentence and a rubric and asked the students to use what they had learned, and any skills or interests they had, to respond to the challenge and submit a project. We thought the rubric would provide enough constraint to help them narrow their focus, and the wide-open approach would allow them to be creative.

The first class had the students working on brainstorming ideas for their project. As I circulated the room, I was faced with blank pieces of paper and anxious students. They could not handle the freedom--they wanted to know what they had to do to get a good mark. They wanted to know what I wanted them to do.

When I discussed this with my colleagues, I was provided with stereotypical ideas such as Chinese students were too accustomed to rote learning to be creative, or that they just wanted something to copy because, as we know, China is the land of fakes (sarcasm).

However, reflecting on it a few years later, after some PD and more teaching experience, I realized that constraints are useful to help give a starting point. They don't need to be rigid--I think of them more as a buoy that students can cling to until they're ready to venture away from the safety it provides. The problem with the rubric is that it was too rigid--if they ventured into unfamiliar territory, the rubric may not have been able to accommodate that. Therefore, I agree with your comments that constructive criticism could serve as an appropriate constraint that still allows freedom while reigning in those who are too far off the mark.

Janna--I recently attended a PD that had a session on how to display work done in makerspaces/Genius Hour times and the keypoint I took from that was deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. They are excellent constraints that demand focus and delivery. Thank you for sharing that example.

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My school has a maker space and robotics lab, but most of the DIY learning there occurs in their first language. Therefore, I may use constraints as a way to combine the DIY learning they are doing and English language learning. Complex, open-ended DIY projects, if required to be completed in English, may be overwhelming and above their zone of proximal development. Therefore, but making use of some constraints to narrow the scope, I may be able to match the DIY learning with language learning that is slightly above their current level. This would help prevent frustration with language learning. However, it could create frustration if the constraints are below their DIY learning level. So, one would have to weigh the benefits of this approach with the cons.
-Meghan

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I think there are definitely limits to DIY learning. I believe that people and students have to have a relatively high interest in the topic they are DIYing otherwise interest will be lost pretty quickly. I also think that with controversial subjects or with high detail topics, DIY will likely not be as suitable as traditional learning settings. The suitability would likely need to be assessed by an instructor or a subject expert that is able to research the DIY tools available and determine their suitability. Without an expert assessment in certain situations, students could spend time learning inaccurate information.
-Alexis Handford

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I think constraints will be important to ensure that learners are tackling projects that are appropriate for their current learning needs - to avoid unnecessarily frustrating students with projects that are too difficult. This makes me think of video games. Video games are successful as they allow gamers to slowly progress while still holding their attention. The most successful games only increase the difficulty of each level enough to challenge the learner, but not to frustrate them. So in a way, instructors in a DIY environments act as "game masters" in carefully placing restrictions in a way to hold students attention, but also to prolong their attention long-term.

-Alexis Handford

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The role of the teacher takes more of a mentorship type role. Teachers will act more as guides, as students seek out their own projects and tackle their own goals. Teachers will still be helpful in helping students to accomplish their DIY projects and help to ensure that DIY projects are relevant to appropriate learning needs, but in many ways DIY fits more with a constructivist learning style than a traditional one - teachers will do less lecturing, and more guiding
-Alexis Handford

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Great point about knowledge professionals Katie. I think one of the huge advantages of the internet has been the vast resources of knowledge communities we can now draw from. I have found for my own learning online communities that are passionate about their subject are eager to share and welcome new learners. Receiving almost instant feedback on an online forum to a pressing question you have really helps drive motivation and builds the community across a broad expanse from beginner to advanced practitioners. This is where DIY has really become a success, driven by its online community presence which spans geographic divides and eliminates the need for face to face meetings to ask and answer questions.
-Nate

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I don't work in a traditional classroom setting, but I have made use of DIY learning in my professional life. As a fairly new-to-role instructional designer, there are a lot of software programs I've had to pick up and learn in a short course of time. Sitting down with another individual and having them train me on the features of all the software I need to use is just not feasible, so I've had to access resources and train myself in a lot of ways. What I did find helpful, is that if I hit a roadblock in my learning or wasn't able to find resources, I had access to knowledgeable professionals around me who could help me get back on the right track. I guess what I'm saying is that when time is a factor, which is often the case in professional working lives, DIY learning is a very suitable approach.
-Katie

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DIY learning makes a traditional classroom much more student-centered and project based. Direct "transmission" instruction becomes limited, or perhaps changes focus to skills, and physical/mental tools (eg: lab tools, formulae, graphic organizers, vocabulary) that may help students build or continue on with their own learning projects. Also, students' own "funds of knowledge" or passions are of primary interest rather than a prescribed subject matter prepared by teachers. As someone else points out, the nature of assessment changes too. Building on the anonymous post, I would add that formative assessments would become much more flexible, and perhaps much more peer-oriented. One thing that I've seen in some secondary school classrooms that try to get away from the "number-crunching" traditional assessment model is peer/self/group anecdotal evaluations. The teacher, however, really taught the students how to evaluate respectfully and in a timely manner. Finally, I do agree with the comment from Sarah. The age of the student and their personal will to focus matters. The teacher's role would be to encourage students to stay on task, and to facilitate the expansion of learning from personal student experiences in the class to deeper understandings of knowledge. - Paul P.

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In practical terms traditional forms of learning are still a dominant force. These forms of teaching are still seen as the best way to build up the knowledge base that students need to attain the theoretical underpinnings of the discipline. Where we DIY learning I think is where that theory is put into practice.

This can take the form of the design stream that runs throughout the 4 years of an undergraduate degree where  students work in teams to engineer deliverables that are the result of their own invention. Also, teams and clubs are a major part of life for all engineers in North America. Students join clubs to build and race cars, build and race self-navigating boats, build solar projects, and my favourite recent clubs are the concrete canoe and concrete toboggan teams. These teams enable students to pursue their interests, in team environments, while putting all the theory they are learned in class into practice.

For me a balance is required, and it seems to work well when the DIY aspect is the result of something as opposed to the start of something.

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I think constraints set by the teacher can greatly limit the DIY experience. The constraints by itself already have students creativity enveloped within certain parameters. It may not allow for thinking outside the box. Although, I understand students especially the younger ones do need to be guided in their path of self directed learning. However, the guidance does not need to be in the form of constraints. Perhaps, constructive feedback can help enrich the DIY experience.
--Philip

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DIY learning changes the traditional role of the teacher in that it de-centres the classroom. Moving from being the holder of the content to someone who can guide students in finding what they need, teachers are able to guide students toward goal setting and finding resources. Anecdotally, I have seen student engagement soar as they have agency over their learning. This work is done within the constraints of the program of studies and students meet the learning outcomes for which they are responsible.

There remains an impression that DIY learning is a free-for-all, and I have certainly seen students head out to learn things that were not connected to the program of studies, like the 12-year-old student in my French class who learned to code an app as a part of my after-school computer club. With teacher guidance this learning might have been applicable to the program of studies but with a diminished level of student agency.

My caveat as we move towards more and more DIY learning is that this is not a threat to teachers. There will always be a place for experts who are able to provide just-in-time, formative feedback that moves learners toward their learning goal and guides them in taking their next steps. My fear is learners allowed to flounder around until they find a direction and that an education founded entirely on youtube videos becomes an education that doesn’t require a lot of critical thinking. I have personally been on Youtube dozens of times to learn how to change a flat tire or how to work through a technical aspect of building a Website; I don’t, however, think the platform, even with the advent of forums that will allow us to integrate videos into places where we can comment and work through a course, allow learners to take a deep dive into the material. I recently completed the MET’s Indigeneity, Technology and Education course, and I would name it as a course where instructor guidance was essential to the learning in that many of us in the course did not even have the foundation to recognize what we didn’t know. In this case, regular communication with the teacher with recommended readings and questions related to learning was essential. The outcome certainly required more critical thinking than learning to change a flat tire.
- Tracy

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Many of the comments about suitability suggest that DIY works particularly well in situations where the learner is free to experiment free from formal assessment. Perhaps DIY is not suitable for formal summative assessments? Paige mentioned her use of language learning apps. Perhaps DIY can augment more traditional classroom approaches? Imagine a student who is learning a second language in a formal class setting who wishes to augment their learning by finding language apps such as the ones Paige mentioned. Are there other situations where DIY augments traditional classroom learning?
-Neil

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Building on the previous comment, how does DIY translate into curriculum? The CTF model and its associated curriculum, that frames the music case study, might hold some clues. The notion of broader learner outcomes that focus on a documented learning process rather than product might be the pathway for DIY, particularly in regards to assessment.
-Neil

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Thanks, Eva, for your feedback. The design axiom of Less is More applies to DIY in many ways. What can be communicated in the simplest manner, removing unnecessary information? A skilled facilitator will clear the clutter and cut to the heart of the material. This could be tricky as a DIY learner, but it is important nonetheless. Defining and imposing constraints (informed by deeper values) manages the experience and sets up success. - Julia

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Hand in hand with the "guide on the side" element, the balance of assessment types are also impacted by DIY. Formative assessment, particularly frequent context-specific feedback intended to support each learner's unique needs and goals, holds much greater importance over more traditional, content driven assessment models such as quizzes and tests. While assessments based on observations and utilizing anecdotal comments are much more common in the elementary environment, this would be a major hurdle for many secondary teachers (and I imagine post-secondary as well) who may be still fixated on numbers based, summative assessments. Additionally, as each product of a DIY experience if often unique, assessments methods must also reflect this uniqueness, likely impacting the use of common, comprehensive summative assessment tools, such as standardized tests. If DIY and associated learning models, such Inquiry/Project/Discovery Based Learning, became the new norm, teachers, districts, education ministries and the public in general might need to change their expectations of what the end product of education and its final assessment looks like.
Jon N

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Being able to find a knowledgeable other is a very important consideration in DIY learning. A teacher plays this important role for a class of students. In an individualized independent learning context, this is not built into the learning spaces. As such, including sourcing a mentor or colleague for support when planning the DIY experience should be front of mind.

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I think that you assess the suitability of DIY based on the learner and the situation. There are always going to be pros and cons to deal with. My own personal experience with DIY can attest to this. Recently I’ve become interested in learning about D2L which is one of the e-learning management systems being used in Ontario.  My curiosity has morphed into a DIY learning journey.  What I like best about this experience is that I am able to explore D2L and spend time learning about features that interest me the most.  I also like that I can learn at my own pace.  Since I do not have external deadlines or pressures to contend with it makes for a relaxed and fully enjoyable learning experience.  One of the disadvantages I have found is that there is nobody readily available when I get stuck or confused.  Since I don’t know what I don’t know, I have learned some lessons the hard way.  For example, I have spent a few hours creating and editing content for one of my classes, only to find after the fact that there were much easier and more efficient ways to approach this task.  Another challenge that I am experiencing is connected to time. Since this is a personal choice with professional benefits most the time spent learning occurs during after work hours.  Overall however, I have found my own personal DIY journey to be rewarding.  For me the pro’s definitely outweigh the cons!- Mo

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Hi Julia,  Thanks for the video on constraints it gave me a new way of looking at DiY learning.  I like their last few words "constraints are not the boundary of creativity but rather the foundation of it" or the drivers of discovery.  If you look at DiY learning as a form of experimental design with student, then identifying and even creating constraints become part of the plan or journey map.

I am thinking especially of the journey format your group gave us.  Each constraint could be part of a waypoint for the learning journey.  Starting with more limits or boundaries and then opening up as the student develops. I think it could really foster that creativity and growth that's part of the essential skills for adults.
Eva

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Thank you all for this discussion around assessing suitability of DIY learning in various contexts. So far, the following have been mentioned below: Readiness (Age, Autonomy, Intrinsic Motivation, Self-Awareness), Listening to Students, Look For assessment tools (thank you, Kevin), nature of Subject Matter, Choice, and Assessment considerations. If you had to choose one (or your Top 3), what comes to mind? - Julia

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Hi Janna, thanks for asking for clarification. Question 3 is not specifically about assessing students. It is about assessing the suitability of a DIY approach to a given context. However, you are welcome to comment on either of your interpretations, as assessment is an important consideration against learning outcomes, and some of our classmates have also commented specifically on assessment in DIY. - Julia

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Thank you all for your thoughts so far on the evolving role of the teacher in DIY learning. Traditional roles may be evolving, but will they disappear? Is guidance better received when the facilitator is considered credible and respected? How does that look in a particular environment? The guide on the side model may consider taking cues from a history of applied education that has always been more DIY centered. If the future is more creative and applied, could we learn from other types of education (such as Bauhaus or technical traditions) for best practices? I agree, Mary, more learners can be at the wheel! Julia

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Thank you for this interesting discussion of constraints and the teacher’s role in setting them to facilitate DIY learning. Well-defined limitations allow us to grow in just the right ways. As many have identified, bite-sized goals and deadlines are useful ways to achieve growth. Teachers are the best individuals to identify the process, where learners are on the journey, and how far learners can explore before they go off track. Likewise, the skills of a facilitator are essential to keep groups (such as learning communities) on track. Both require knowledge of subject matter, but also listening and a range of facilitating skills. Personally, I recall being set very strict limits in design exercises as an art school student. As learners we explored freely, under the guidance of teachers who knew how to set limits that were appropriate to us at that particular stage. Everyone’s creativity flourished and the results were always unique. If you wish to learn a bit more about this topic, here is a five-minute TED ED video titled “The power of creative constraints”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5FL9VTBZzQ - Julia

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Just this morning, I was playing around with 2 apps for language learning, Duolingo and Memrise (https://www.memrise.com/app/). For those who haven't heard of Memrise, I encourage you to check it out as it's a very interesting way to learn a new language. Anyway, playing around on these two different apps, I was very aware it could be a DIY learning experience. I was also aware of how easy it is to just go through the motions without actually retaining/learning anything.

It's such a simple concept, but for DIY to succeed, I think you have to be highly motivated and committed. In line with this, platforms are getting better about building the journey map concept into their design and thinking about how to set learners up to stay motivated. For example, in Duolingo, if you're learning a new phrase, and you haven't practiced it in awhile, your points go down. The point is to practice consistently.

Of course, the design can only do so much and there is a responsibility on the user's end of not simply relying on the technology to get the most out of a DIY experience. In my specific example, I see the technology as both a limit and a benefit, but I think the trick is learning how to self-regulate your learning and knowing when to re-assess your strategies/when something isn't working for you. This takes time, effort, and will depend on the context of learning. Thanks, Paige

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I think teachers can help students by helping them set very specific outcomes and deliverables.    That way students will have clear goals to help plan the rest of their DIY learning experience.
-Sarah

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As others have said, the suitability of DIY learning depends on a number of criteria including the discipline and the age of the students.

I think a particularly important factor is whether or not students have adequate executive function to be able to direct their own learning.     Students’ executive function can vary significantly within the same class.   If students don’t have adequate self-organizational skills for a particular DIY task than it’s probably not a good idea.

However, I’d suggest that developing strong executive function is important for success in post-secondary education and in the workforce.   If some DIY learning experience could help students develop in this area, than I think it could be incredibly useful for them for future success.

- Sarah

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As already discussed, in the DIY model,  the teacher moves from the ‘traditional role’ of disseminating knowledge to a support or guide for their students to create their own knowledge.

Here are two challenges of this model that I’d be interested in exploring further:

1.         Workload:  Providing individual guidance and support in the DIY model may result in increased workload for the teacher.    I think it is important to consider sustainability and scalability when embarking on a DIY model.

2.         Adequate guidance without slipping back to traditional role: Depending on the age of the students and discipline, teachers may still need to provide significant guidance/direction to keep students on track.    I think in some cases it might be challenging to provide sufficient guidance for student success without slipping into the traditional role of teacher.  I think it might be interesting to further explore how to successfully balance these concerns.

- Sarah

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I worked my way through the site earlier this week, and went away considering my answer to this question not in terms of the teacher determining the appropriateness of a DIY approach for his/her students in the classroom, but instead considering how an individual will know if DIY is the right approach when s/he wants to individually learn something. Here, I'm assuming that the subject matter fits -- for example, if I want to learn how to write code. I think that some of the ideas outlined in the OER, like holding yourself accountable to some sort of schedule, are critical. I also think that you need to be able to recognize when it's not working -- and be able to determine whether or not it is the method, or your ability to learn the content/skill itself. For example, if I'm struggling to progress in my code writing, would instructor support help? Or am I simply just not well suited to doing it? I think this latter component can be quite tricky for individuals to work out -- so I would say that self-awareness is critical to success here.

-Marcia

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DIY learnings are very easy popular these days. However they must not be confused with proper mandatory coaching. Like Faeza mentioned it is scary to think of an incident where extensive coaching is essential for a skill development. However I can imagine a scenario where there is an overall guideline for the students and the student can still choose their subject/topic of interest. For example, in an english class a student may choose to learn about Shakespeare's Hamlet or Macbeth.

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Diverse skill set and breadth of knowledge

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Diverse skill set and breadth of knowledge

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I think along with being a coach and guide on the side, the teacher in the DIY environment needs to be far more diverse in terms of skills, experience and knowledge to help the students gain competency based on their proximal zone of development. Assessing what are the right next steps to help each student overcome the obstacles and direct them to the next steps in their individualized learning plan is crucial to keep each student motivated and on track.
Faeyza

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As most people have already emphasized, the teacher's role in the classroom changes to a facilitator, a resource, someone that is there to guide and provide recommendations to the students. They are not there to tell students what they should and what is expected of them. Personally, I believe that DIY learning still needs to involve some aspects of direct instruction from the instructor. Students need to be provided with  the foundational knowledge, skills, and basic understanding before they can succeed in DIY learning. Either start off with a couple of lessons to ensure student's are read to take on tasks on their own or intercept the DIY learning with check-points. - Jenny

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I think the suitability of DIY approach depends on  what has to be taught, what type of resources are available and if the learners are ready for DIY learning.

It cannot be applied to each learning context. For example: Imagine you are about to undergo a major surgery and your surgeon comes and introduces himself as: Hi, I am your surgeon. I have recently completed a DIY program on heart surgery via SCRATCH, RasberryPI and all my tech-bots survived my experiments so I am pretty confident I am the right surgeon for you!!

Faeyza

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I'm part of a learning community where I work, in which professionals get together and swap resources, best practices, challenges, etc. I consider this a DIY experience and see myself as both a learner and a guide in the process.

Having said that, a co-worker is tasked with mediating the meetings and organizing the material based on interests and what's been brought up in the past. She's an experienced educational technologist, and I feel like I get a lot out of these meetings because she scaffolds them so well. She takes on an essential role as a scaffolder and a guide by setting necessary constraints and realistic expectations for the meetings and preparation. I don't think a scaffolder has to necessarily be one person--sometimes, it can be a group of people, taking turns, etc. I think the point is that eventually we'll need less direction, but direction and support is always required.

Also, I think the word "constraint" has a negative connotation, but I think they're necessary in DIY environments to set the pace and expectations, figure out attainable goals, etc. Otherwise it can start to feel directionless and you can lose sight of the main goal(s). Thanks, Paige

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One of the things I have been thinking about this week on DIY learning is whether my 4 year old son engages in some form of DIY learning in preschool. Typically, his classroom is set up with different stations of varying activities and the children are free to choose which they would like to engage in. The teachers also help the children both individually and as a group find out more about whatever they are interested in, through books, conversations or working on a project. So there is scaffolding involved, but they are probably too young to articulate or even consider their goals. But I can certainly attest to what Bryn says, that he enjoys the setup of his classroom and is more motivated to learn (Today he said to me, "I wonder what I am going to learn in school today. I want to go to school now to find out."), than if I were to sit down with him and do a workbook. -Shu

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The limits for some DIY is the many different possiblities that can achieve the same result. Gaging a students ability, understanding and learning would be difficult when a student may have understood the subject in a manner suitable from their perspective. Assess would come from teachers having a broad understanding of the subject and students involved in the lesson.  I agree with Kevin, that discussion must be done to have that understanding. The traditional assessment cannot be used with this form of learning, but I think it the direction learning is heading.
~ Elaine

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I do a lot of DIY and IBL in my classroom.  Sometimes these are hard to assess, and students may have learned a lot, but not have much to show for it.  I agree with Kevin...the best way to assess student learning is to talk about it.

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Is Question 3 asking how` do we as teachers know something should be explored through a DIY learning opportunity? Or is asking, how do we assess students when using DIY as the learning opportunity?
~ Janna

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In addition, the “Look Fors” on my previous post are meant to serve as a springboard for creating talking and discussion points. In addition, suitability for this approach can be based on the following:

1) High degree of student engagement; challenge, enthusiasm, joy. For me, one of the goals of creating a student-centered environment should be if the activity can make learning joyful, challenging and engaging.

2) Students know what they are learning and why.

3) Blend of individual, collaborative team and large group work.

4) Students use personalized technology to produce as well as consume.

5) Students have some opportunity to work at their own pace and explore their own interests.

6) Students are doing the bulk of the work and the talking.

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In order to assess if an activity is suitable for a student-centered or DIY approach you really need to know the abilities of your students and your curriculum. In addition, there are many other factors that come into play. Below is an image that will helps me ‘look for’ cues to determine if DIY is suitable:

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Ask the students when you are not sure!  In Visible Learning we let students know what the goal of any assignment, lesson or project is.  We are going to do _________ to learn _________________.  Students can tell you if they think the approach is the best way to learn something.  They can also give you feedback and help you "tweak" project.  More importantly they can tell you how you it should  they should be assessed.  “How can we assess if you learned this skill/information?”  Don’t you find that students are often more critical of their work and learning then you are?  That they know how best to show what they can do, and have learned?
- Janna

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I love DIY learning in the classroom!  The pressure is off! I no longer have to be the only one “providing” the knowledge all the time.  My job changes to that of a coach, a co-learner/constructor, a resource or manager.

However there are now new pressures.  Finding resources to support student projects with little or no money is hard.  Managing the craziness (especially the mess) that is IBL, or DIY, is a challenge.
- Janna

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As already mentioned, breaking the learning experience up into bite size goals is a good way to scaffold a project.  Setting deadlines for these pieces is also useful, especially if students are going to critique and provide feedback to one another throughout a project.  Meeting deadlines is also a very important real-world skill.
- Janna

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Are teachers obsolete? Absolutely not. But, an educator's role is changing from the traditional "imparter of knowledge" to that of “coach and consultant”. For the most part, DIY style of teaching – which is more like guidance,  and talking through things, than traditional planned lessons – will change the role of a teacher to a ‘guide on the side’ instead of the traditional ‘sage on the stage’. As a direct benefit, I believe that kids will grow up into inquisitive, thoughtful,  pragmatic and sharp adults.

There are many examples of successful strategies and programs in which the students are not only allowed, but encouraged and required, to take responsibility for much more of their learning than ever before. It is my opinion that do-it-yourself, student-to-student teaching, project-based learning, and student-centered learning environments are some of the more encouraging teaching/learning methods available. With that in mind, if you include technology into every subject and at all grade levels along side DIY learning, it allows for unprecedented levels and types of exciting collaboration and learner to learner connectivity.

Found some great resources on this topic too:

Student-Centered Learning Strategies for Math and Other Subjects (article)

The Right Way to Use Technology in the Classroom (Article, President Kahn Academy)

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I agree with Brenda and the other comments below. DIY learning has totally changed classroom. Often, teacher is there as a technical guide or to help students over certain hurdles. However, I feel that if a student encounters a hurdle, the student can even simply google the answer to that hurdle. From my experience in DIY learning, if you have a problem, there is a chance that someone else have had the same problem and has posted a solution online. A teacher may become a faster solution but may ultimately fade out in a DIY learning environment. However, the teacher is still required to scaffold and observe student progress to help plan the next lesson. Teachers may become more of a curriculum guide and evaluator . -Edrick

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I think another way to consider how DIY learning with teacher is how teacher can help break down the entire learning process into bite sized goals. Similar to the waypoint in the previous exercise, I think it is great example to set check-points with limitation. Students who

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So true Brenda, it is certainly the balancing act of providing achievable challenge while designing tasks that are not too simplistic.  It is the guidance and personal understanding the teacher  has of each learner that will help push them towards self regulation.  Thanks Kevin for the "fishbowl" and "think aloud" activity ideas.  They both are excellent examples of DIY learning while providing the necessary scaffolding to ensure your class succeeds.  As well regarding Bryn's and Roberts posts it is key to make sure you know when to provide support to help focus your students learning goals .  Yet provide them the chance to explore and guide their own learning journey as the gradually  gain confidence.

-Nate

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I agree with the comments below.  The DIY learning experience changes the sage on the stage role into the guide on the side.  The teacher can provide an open environment that gives the students the tools and basic direction and then allowing them to explore their interests to reach their goals.  Rather than leading the lesson in a DIY activity the teacher can be available to help if needed and provide direction if the student is moving in a harmful or inappropriate direction.

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A teacher, by knowing the individual talents or personality of their students can identify when one is struggling or needs more of a push to keep from getting bored or stagnating in their learning experience.  The human connection in the student/teacher relationship will help to keep the student engaged and progressing toward the goals they set out.

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Bryn and Sabrina, thank you for your insightful comments. I concur that the traditional method, where the teacher as the holder of "all wisdom," does not allow the learner to become an active participant in their learning. As I progress through my MET journey, I have seen that most MET students have this changed mindset, the recognize the importance student-centered learning. Unfortunately, this shift, where teacher is seen as the facilitator, is not "bleeding" into the classroom as quickly as I would like it. My own children still experience many "traditional" learning classrooms,  a DIY learning experience could stimulate thinking, encourage exploration, make associations, and connections to enhance learning. I hope that more teachers allow opportunities for the learner to take the "wheel" of the inquiry process to provide an environment where "real" learning can take place. ~Mary

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In a DIY environment, using the theory of scaffolding while providing constraints can provide an alternative way for students to learn. For me, it could be what you do first with kids—for those students who are still struggling, you may need to differentiate by modifying an assignment and/or making accommodations (for example, by choosing more accessible text and/or assigning an alternative project).

With that in mind, in order to meet students where they are, and appropriately scaffold a lesson, you have to know the individual and collective zone of proximal development (ZPD) of your learners. The ZPD is the distance between what children can do by themselves and the next learning that they can be helped to achieve with competent assistance. Therefore, breaking up  or constraining the learning into chunks and then providing a tool, or structure, with each chunk can be advantageous. When scaffolding reading (or any DIY activity), for example, you might preview the text and discuss key vocabulary, or chunk the text and then read and discuss as you go. On example I’ve used in the past is the fishbowl activity, where a small group in the center is circled by the rest of the class; the group in the middle, or fishbowl, engages in an activity, modeling how it’s done for the larger group. This can be used for any type of DIY activity.

On thing I’ve learned using scaffolding is to show students the outcome or product before they do it. If a teacher assigns a persuasive essay or inquiry-based science project, a model should be presented side-by-side with a criteria chart or rubric. You can guide students through each step of the process with the model of the finished product in hand. I’ve also used think alouds, with DIY learning which will allow you to model your thought process as you read a text, solve a problem, or design a project. I’m always aware that children’s cognitive abilities are still in development, so any and all opportunities for them to see developed, critical thinking, are essential. Great video of the Fishbowl activity is here: https://youtu.be/xkWl9b0FZSE?t=24s

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As Bryn alluded to in his comment, intrinsic motivation is central to DIY learning. One of the ideas our group discussed was the badge pathway in this course, for example. Initially, the badges seemed like a great fit, as DIY learning tends to be unconventional and does not lead to formal recognition (such as a certificate, degree etc.) but it is nice to track progress . Upon reflection, we felt that DIY makes sense outside of reward systems completely as the motivation to learn must come from within oneself. In classroom situations, "Genius Hour" might be a good fit for DIY as well (www.geniushour.com) as it is a time for students to pursue their own interests and passions.
-Neil

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I am not absolutely convinced that learning autonomy is positively correlated with maturity.  All classrooms contain students with mixed levels of abilities and motivation regardless of the instructional technique used.  I find DIY learning is more motivating to a wider range of students than more traditional methods of instruction and find less motivated students more engaged when they have control over their learning experience. I have found, once the students understand the why behind what they are doing, they are more inspired to learn, explore and investigate topics of interest.
~Bryn

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I would agree with Sabrina below.  A teacher's role is help the students discover what they know and what they are interested in learning.  Often students don't know what they want to inquire about because they don't know what they know and they don't know how to generate effective questions to guide their inquiry.  This requires enormous guidance and modelling from the teacher.  Second, the teacher must hold the students accountable to their learning by chunking goals into more achievable tasks and ensure students are meeting a specified time line.
~Bryn

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I agree with Robert's post below.  If we accept that learning occurs within a student's ZPD, a teacher's role is ensure a scaffolding is such that a student does not become bored or overwhelmed.  This is achieved by frequent formative assessment to track student's progress. In my experience teaching math 6-12, once students gain confidence in DIY learning, they are better able to scaffold for themselves, thus lowering the need for teachers to set restraints.  A teacher's role is to know when it is appropriate to set constraints on their students learning so they don't become overwhelmed and when to allow their students to explore and report out on whatever they find fascinating pertaining to a topic.
~Bryn

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Very good point Robert. A learner may struggle with autonomy when using a DIY learning philosophy. I have found that I can give my grade 10 students a measure of freedom, grade 11s a little more, and my grade 12 students can have full autonomy on their project and the related knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need as long as they hit the curricular objectives. There is a definite progression in student ability to work autonomously, and as you say, we have to be cognizant of their development in order to not place them in an environment where they may get lost. -Ed

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The teacher needs to step aside from being at the center of learning and become a facilitator for student centered learning. The teacher can set goals, guide students when needed, catch misconceptions and correct them, ask thought provoking questions, provide guidance to further students self - directed study, and challenge students into higher level activities.  Basically teachers need to become comfortable with letting students inquire in any which direction their learning may go and provide the scaffolding to support them.  Teachers will need to have limits set to ensure students do not venture into territory that may confuse them, or support to help them cross that hurdle.
Sabrina

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In my own research, I have found a lot of evidence that students are not normally autonomous learners, especially before graduating high school. This is not true of all students in the age group, but autonomy typically seems to come with maturity. It does appear to be a skill that can be taught as well. I believe that DIY learning can be applied at very young ages, as long as it is limited to match the autonomy of the student. Even choosing which book to read is a version of DIY learning, a choice students often have in grade 1, yet some students struggle in choosing. Assessing the autonomy of your students should help to decide which type of DIY learning should be used in class. Robert - Rem

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Constraints set by the teacher can help shape the DIY learning. Often a topic can be very large and broad and the learner doesn't know what he doesn't know; that is that the learner might not realize how broad the subject is or where might be a good place to start. A teacher can set a focus as a place to start, even as far as assisting in the creation of goals so the student knows when they are finished. Of course the subject can be explored further at another time, but the teacher makes the task realistic. It is related to ZPD, without the teacher, perhaps the student would only get some general ideas on a subject, but with a teacher, the student can be guided towards more relevant information and end with deeper understanding, while still utilizing DIY learning. - Robert Rem