Out of Eden Learn: Fostering Global Understanding Through Collaborative Learning

In an era defined by interconnectedness, disconnection, and rapid change, the Out of Eden Learn (OOEL), also known as The Open Canopy, project offers a unique opportunity for young people to engage in dialogue and build understanding with peers from diverse backgrounds. This innovative, free online program connects students from around the world, encouraging them to explore their own communities, share their stories, and connect with the wider world.

Introduction to Out of Eden Learn

Out of Eden Learn is a global education initiative designed to cultivate awareness, capacity, and a desire in young people and educators to connect with the world and each other. It achieves this by connecting participating students to other classes worldwide, fostering an understanding of different backgrounds while encouraging appreciation for their own neighborhoods.

Program Overview: The Open Canopy

The Open Canopy (formerly known as Out of Eden Learn) is a free online program designed for students aged 3-19. To date, it has served approximately 80,000 students in over 70 countries. The program provides 8-12 week-long curricula, called "learning journeys," which follow a consistent format:

Students from diverse geographical and socioeconomic settings participate in activities within their local areas.
They share their work on The Open Canopy's social media-like online platform.
They engage in dialogue with other students who have completed the same activities in different contexts.

These journeys seamlessly blend offline activities with online interaction, inviting young people to:

Slow down to carefully observe the world and listen attentively to others.
Share their stories and perspectives.
Make connections between their everyday experiences and larger global forces, stories, and systems.

The Open Canopy pedagogy encourages students to explore and create content of their choosing, fostering thoughtful peer-to-peer exchange.

The Genesis of Out of Eden Learn

The Open Canopy began in 2013 as an experimental collaboration with journalist and National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek, who is currently undertaking a 21,000-mile "Out of Eden Walk," retracing the ancient pathways of human migration. The program draws inspiration from Salopek's "slow journalism" approach, interweaving local and global storytelling.

The Open Canopy is an active research project, exploring themes such as students’ conceptions of culture, the nature of their online interactions, the impact of slowing down to observe the world, and how intercultural exchange can enhance young people’s understanding of history.

Curriculum and Learning Goals

Out of Eden Learn offers 8-12 week-long learning experiences designed around three core learning goals:

Slowing down to observe the world carefully and listen attentively to others: This encourages students to pay closer attention to their surroundings and the perspectives of those around them.
Sharing stories and perspectives: Students are given a platform to share their own experiences and learn from the experiences of others, fostering empathy and understanding.
Making connections: The program helps students connect their personal experiences to broader global issues, fostering a sense of global citizenship.

All curriculum areas are integrated into the programs.

Implementation and Support

Successful implementation of Out of Eden Learn requires ongoing support for participating schools, teachers, and students. A designated coordinator is essential to manage activities and ensure smooth operation. The Innovative Learning team provides professional learning strategies, including support for curriculum and technology integration. Funding can be obtained to support activities like field trips and expert speakers, enriching the learning experience. Enlisting a dedicated individual to support teachers, manage relationships with partner organizations, and oversee program growth is highly beneficial.

Read also: Community Education Programs

Broward County Public Schools: A Case Study

Broward County Public Schools is implementing Out of Eden Learn to create a Global Learning pathway from 5th grade in elementary school to 6-8 grade in middle school. This initiative connects participating fifth-grade students to other classes worldwide. In its first year of implementation, the program involves one elementary school and approximately 100 students. The goal is to develop Out of Eden Learn as a bridge between fifth grade and middle school, ensuring a continuous Global Learning experience for students.

Connecting to Paul Salopek's "Out of Eden Walk"

Out of Eden Learn is deeply connected to Paul Salopek's ambitious "Out of Eden Walk," a 21,000-mile, seven-year journey retracing the global migration of our ancestors. The Out of Eden Walk project provides a wealth of resources, including maps, photographs, and videos, that can be integrated into the Out of Eden Learn curriculum.

Students are invited to replicate Paul’s walk within their own neighborhoods, investigate contemporary global issues, and reflect on their place in human history.

Modern Learning and Out of Eden Learn

Out of Eden Learn exemplifies many aspects of modern learning. Educational experiences for students can be engaging, empowering, and even life-enhancing if we provide the environment, opportunities, and space students need to be the architects of their own learning.

The program encourages:

Read also: Explore Eden Prairie Montessori

Student-directed learning and choice: Students can choose passion projects connected to social studies or science standards from regions of the world Paul Salopek has visited.
Impact outside of the classroom: Students investigate challenges and propose solutions in regions where Paul is walking.
Creating a purpose for learning: Standards, skills, and ideas are explored in a meaningful context.
Significant choice: Students have significant choice in the product and content of their final projects.
Student explorations: Moving from teacher presentations to student explorations.

Integrating modern learning practices into instruction can produce grand and immediate rewards. They are capable of rapidly changing students’ attitudes towards school and learning while they find passion and joy in the process. Students engaged in the Out of Eden Walk learn geography skills or how to determine central ideas in a text while working on walk-specific projects. Teachers provide mini-lessons after formative assessments with small groups of students in order to support skill development and foundational knowledge in a way that honors the student-driven learning format.

Benefits of Participating in Out of Eden Learn

Participating in Out of Eden Learn offers numerous benefits for students, teachers, and schools:

Global Awareness: Students develop a deeper understanding of global issues and different cultures.
Intercultural Competence: The program fosters empathy, respect, and understanding between students from diverse backgrounds.
Critical Thinking Skills: Students are encouraged to analyze information, solve problems, and think critically about the world around them.
Communication Skills: Students develop their communication skills through online discussions and collaborative projects.
Technology Skills: Students gain experience using online platforms and digital tools.
Engagement and Motivation: The program's engaging activities and collaborative nature can increase student motivation and engagement in learning.
Modern and Innovative Teaching Path: Embarking on a modern and innovative teaching path can be easier and more exciting than it might seem at first.
Empowering Students: Empowering students to drive their learning in engaging ways is a journey for students, teachers, parents, and administrators.

Resources and Support

The Open Canopy is open to all schools and students, free of charge, with learning journeys launching in late September and late January.

A variety of curriculum support is available to guide educators, such as structured online programs connecting classrooms across the world, flexible individual lesson plans and teaching units, videos to support learning towards standards, and short activities such as sharing thoughts and interviews on ESRI Story Maps, which can be completed in a class session or two.

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