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Chapter
6a. Introduction to the The Learning Domains
Now that we have an emerging model for how the brain learns, it becomes evident that the design of a learning programme needs to focus on the concepts that we consider young people need to understand, so they can become passionate, creative learners and successful citizens. While we might not be able to identify what knowledge and contexts we will need in our future, we can predict with reasonable accuracy, what concepts and concept frameworks learners will need to understand and apply.
Firstly, learners will need to recognise the concepts that underpin how we learn successfully, so they can build an understanding of the key concepts that underpin both the competencies and the current learning domains. The second phase is then applying the Learning Process to be able to ‘learn on demand’. Once the learner understands the concepts. this provides them with the ability to make predictions for contexts that they may not have experienced yet. This capacity to predict has underpinned human success on Earth for millennia.204
Applying a conceptual design to the seven curriculum domains provides the potential for greater integration between learning domains as educators become accustomed to seeing these concepts played out in other learning areas. The primary school systems in most countries already integrate learning domains to some degree, but this is mainly done via thematic units of work rather than via conceptual frameworks. The same approach is also increasingly becoming part of the first two to three years of high school (ages 13–15 years old) where learners are increasingly working on integrated units of work.
Given that knowledge is now a commodity we carry with us everywhere we go,
curriculum design is no longer about listing what knowledge will need to be remembered, but rather curriculum now needs to include:
1. how learning takes place
2. ensuring learners are competent
3. how we build learner agency over their learning 4. a focus on formative assessment
5. the role of technology and learning environments 6. a conceptual approach to the learning
This integrated approach to learning expands the notion of curriculum to encompass effective educator and learner practice with a focus on learning outcomes that are consistent with the purpose and the vision of the school. This approach provides national consistency of best practice, based on recommendations from research, national education authorities and the action research done within schools.
The learning domains described in this resource are based on established domains that are used in most schools around the world. These defined domains will change in time to become cross curricular concepts and concept frameworks but for now, most secondary schools are not prepared to let the notion of individual subjects go.
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204 Canton, J. (2015, Feb 9). Future Smart rev3 2. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1njem-_6g8
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