Personal Learning Backpack

After designing my Learner Profile based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), I learned things about me that surprised me. I also knew from the skills and dispositions we will need for the future, I got it that I wasn’t prepared. How could I support teachers if I wasn’t sure about me? Especially if I was not keeping up with the emerging tools and apps that teachers and kids will need to support and enhance learning.

I decided to create my own Personal Learning Backpack. I needed to add the skills, competencies, tools, apps, resources, and strategies I will need to succeed and become future-ready. I’m using the term #futureready for me and any learner because I believe learning is about preparing ourselves for whatever is ahead for us. 

I love technology and have always experimented with tools and apps. However, I find that there are way too many apps to know and to determine which ones are appropriate for me. So I reached out to others in my Personal Learning Network (PLN) for help and about ideas on different apps to include in any backpack. First, I needed to spend some time experiencing some of the apps and see how they enhance and support what I do. Here is a screen capture of only four of the apps I wanted to learn more about and use. 

Links to apps: PearDeck,  Flipgrid, Wakelet, Buncee, and Trello

After I pulled together different apps, strategies, skills, and competencies, I aligned those with what I came up with for my Learner Profile. I ended up adding more apps, tools, conferences, and other resources I realized I might need and included those in my Personal Learning Backpack. Here is an example of different apps, tools, and other resources with strategies, skills, and competencies that I included in my Personal Learning Backpack to guide me so I can learn on purpose.

This is just the beginning for me. This process helped me discover more about me. I figured when I start using these apps and learn how they can support me and others, I’ll be sharing more in other posts.

I found out the first thing I needed to do was to build my self-confidence around defining my purpose, my WHY. I wanted to go through the process of developing an agency so I could help teachers. I wonder what my backpack will look like in a year.

I used this process in several workshops with teachers. So far, the feedback was great and helpful. I’ve been working with teachers who have adapted the “Me as a Learner” form and had their students create their Learner Profiles, capture evidence of learning as they learn in their portfolio, and are excited about the Personal Learning Backpack. I plan to share examples in future posts.

As I said before, I am still learning so I probably will make some changes with what I will need for my future. I am curious to see the backpacks learners create and the conversations they have about their learning.

Who knows what the future will hold for us?

How will you become future-ready?

What will you need to develop agency?

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For all of the Rethinking Learning podcasts with Barbara Bray, click on the podcast tab at the top, the logo below, or go to https://barbarabray.net/podcasts/