Embedded Learning is a Game-changer
“Hey, Eva. Can you get me the art for Elias’ post about cinnamon rolls by the end of the day?”
“Max, I still need to take your author photo. Do you have any free time this afternoon?”
“Does anyone know if Eireann has completed the revision to her post yet?”
These are just a few of the questions students asked each other as they prepared to launch a blog this week. A blog that won’t just represent their work to an external audience, but will be the online voice of Pinwheel Coffee. The Pinwheel Post, the pithy title students settled on for the blog, is both remarkable, and simply the most recent iteration of learning embedded in a real-world context at Embark Education.
Pinwheel Posts’ first blog written by 7th-grader Lachlan F.
Embedded learning opens the path to true student ownership of learning. When I say that the Pinwheel Post is student-run, I really mean it. All of the written and graphic content is created and edited by students. Student web designers determine the layout of each post. Students on the production management team determine the blog’s publication schedule, keep writers and artists on deadline, and manage the workflow of student editors and fact-checkers. Finally, the blog’s editor-in-chief, also a student, reviews and approves each piece before it goes live. Oh, and he also manages the blog’s yearly budget.
Watercolor illustration by 8th-grader Athena L. for a 7th-grader’s short story.
This level of student ownership, in turn, translates into authentic student collaboration. Students are working together in order to publish an external product. During every step of the process, they must rely on each other in order to accomplish this shared task. When Elijah needs someone to edit his writing, he turns to Braiden, his editor, for feedback. If Huck needs a piece of art to accompany her writing, she talks with Oskar, the art director, who assigns the task to Hayes, one of our staff artists. When the post is finished, it is turned over to Lia or Jazmin, our web designers, who format it for publication. Because each student occupies and owns a clearly defined role in the process, they are able to communicate directly with each other, rather than passing all needs through an eductor. Thus, meaningful and ongoing collaboration occurs.
Not surprisingly, this process results in truly high-quality work. Students know that each blog post will be the result of their vision and hard work, so they are deeply invested in the outcome. They know that their posts will be viewed by customers who they serve in the shop every day, so they want to represent themselves well. Finally, their work on the Pinwheel Post will have direct and measurable impacts on the brand identity, profit margins, and ultimately the success of Pinwheel Coffee. Because their work has a clear audience and a meaning beyond just their educator’s eyes and grade book, students work hard to do their best.
Interested in seeing what our students produce? Look for regular biweekly updates to the Pinwheel Post beginning on Wednesday, February 24th.