Journal of Maine Education seeks manuscripts that discuss specific ways in which deeper learning is provided for students. Deeper learning is interacting with real world or simulated real world situations, often to solve relevant challenges. Students develop questions, connect with resources, research, challenge-solve, and communicate to an audience their findings and process.
Expeditionary learning, service learning, challenge-solving projects, project-based learning, and problem-based learning are examples of deeper learning frameworks. Deeper learning can be within any grade level, subject or subjects. Students develop a deep understanding of core academics and develop skills and attitudes, including people skills, inquiry, communications, self-directed learning, collaboration, innovation, and growth mindset that prepare them to interact effectively with real world events and challenges. Maine DOE has long advocated outcomes of deeper learning, as evidenced by the Maine Learning Results Guiding Principles:
- Clear and effective communicator
- Self-directed and lifelong learner
- Creative and practical problem solver
- Responsible and involved citizen
- Integrative and informed thinker
Advocates of deeper learning such as Linda Darling Hammond, Director of the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education (SCOPE), state deeper learning is essential for preparing students for success in life. Common Core State Standards are aligned with deeper learning, as they require inquiry, communications, collaboration, and challenge solving. The Journal seeks manuscripts that describe and discuss concrete examples of students – of any category, for example, mainstream, identified as having special needs, identified as gifted, English language learners – addressing real-world or simulated real world scenarios by developing questions, connecting with resources, conducting research, challenge-solving, and communicating to an audience their findings and process.
Examples of questions your manuscript might address are: How do you and/or colleagues, your school or district provide deeper learning for students? What supports or other factors make the deeper learning unit or lesson effective? What have been the benefits? What potential barriers or difficulties in providing deeper learning have you, colleagues, and students faced and how have they been managed? How is students’ progress on identified standards/proficiencies assessed? With the goal of providing inspiration and guidance to readers, priority will be given to manuscripts with specific, concrete details of deeper learning and related factors.
For more information including instructions on how to submit a manuscript, click here.