What does it mean to teach and learn in an authentic way?

These four themes are found repeatedly which suggests that they are an integral part of authentic learning experiences:

• Real world problems that engage learners in the work of professionals - with presentation of findings to audiences beyond the classroom.
• Open ended Inquiry activities that practices thinking skills and metacognition.
• Discourse (written or spoken communication or debate, speak or write authoritatively about a topic) among a community of learners/social learning.
• Student empowerment through agency to direct their own learning in relevant project work

Lincoln Primary School have translated these four components of Authentic Learning into their own narrative.

Real word problems were translated into connect.

Open ended inquiry was translated into create.

Discourse/social learning was translated into collaborate.

Student choice/agency was translated into curiosity.

These four components can be framed in many different ways at various schools, nonetheless they provide powerful opportunities for our students to get excited about learning!

How do you facilitate these four components in your classroom?