An introduction to the

LEARNING
CYCLE
Humans are full of
How do birds fly?
great questions.
These questions lead us, compel us, to Why do countries go to war?
engage in an inquiry process that helps
How can we build a healthier
us build knowledge and make meaning of
community?
our world.
How safe is my tap water?
Through this process, we have a golden
opportunity as educators to help learners Why do diseases spread?
develop the critical skills, strategies, and
know-how to become competent learners What can immigrant journeys
and critical thinkers. In order to do that, teach us about the world?
we first must make these invisible
thinking and learning processes visible.
That’s what the Learning Cycle is all
about. reDesign (2016)
In a nutshell: MAKE
MEANING
The stages of the Learning Cycle
represent the cognitive and
metacognitive processes that help
learners develop competency with
practice, over time.
SHARE & SYNTHESIZE
& REFLECT INVESTIGATE
REFLECT
The implication? We need to design
for these learning arcs at both the
unit and lesson level, and explicitly
teach and support learners as they
move through these critical
processes. CREATE

reDesign (2016)
The Outer Circle MAKE
MEANING
The “outer circle” represents the four
major stages of an inquiry-driven,
competency-based unit of study
through which learners explore a
compelling question or issue. The cycle
culminates in a product or performance SHARE & SYNTHESIZE &
REFLECT INVESTIGATE
through which learners apply their REFLECT
developing skills and knowledge to an
authentic task.
This arc spans 2-8 weeks, give or take,
depending on scope and complexity.
For early elementary, units may be
CREATE
shorter in length to support high-volume
production early on. reDesign (2016)
AT THE UNIT/PROJECT LEVEL:
MAKE
MAKE MEANING MEANING
Launch into the unit with early
exploration and context-setting.
★ Explore the performance task
genre; preview task expectations
SHARE & SYNTHESIZE &
and/or success criteria REFLECT INVESTIGATE
REFLECT
★ Determine topics, and/or
generate questions
★ Explore the Inquiry Frame:
Activate schema and build
background knowledge
CREATE
★ Determine audience, purpose,
and format reDesign (2016)
AT THE UNIT/PROJECT LEVEL:
MAKE
INVESTIGATE MEANING
Deepen knowledge through inquiry
and prepare for the “Create” stage.
★ Analyze multiple
perspectives, methods, or
SYNTHESIZE &
claims COMMUNICATE REFLECT INVESTIGATE
★ Study the work of experts
★ Gather and structure new
information to support your
purpose
★ Work with numerical data CREATE

★ Formulate a main idea reDesign (2016)

AT THE UNIT/PROJECT LEVEL:
MAKE
CREATE MEANING
Demonstrate new knowledge and
skills through the creation of an
authentic product or performance.
★ Outline
SYNTHESIZE &
SHARE & REFLECT INVESTIGATE
★ Draft or prototype REFLECT
★ Give and receive feedback
★ Revise and edit
★ Test and iterate
★ Finalize final product CREATE
reDesign (2016)
AT THE UNIT/PROJECT LEVEL:
MAKE
SHARE & MEANING

REFLECT
Share your work with others and
reflect on the learning journey.
SHARE & SYNTHESIZE &
★ Practice or rehearse REFLECT INVESTIGATE
REFLECT
★ Present, publish, and/or
perform for an audience
★ Reflect on the full inquiry
and creation experience
CREATE

reDesign (2016)
The Inner Circle MAKE
MEANING
The “inner circle” structures daily
learning experiences. It reflects a
“gradual release of responsibility”
approach (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983),
with adaptations for math to ensure
productive struggle (Kapur, 2014) SHARE & SYNTHESIZE
& REFLECT INVESTIGATE
precedes explicit instruction. REFLECT

These learning experiences are

purposefully and directly connected to
the larger arc (outer circle), such that
successful, recursive movement through
this inner cycle enables progress CREATE
through the four stages of the unit.
reDesign (2016)
AT THE LESSON LEVEL:
MAKE
MAKE MEANING MEANING
★ Orient learners to the lesson’s
purpose and success criteria
★ Activate prior knowledge and
cultural references SYNTHESIZE
SHARE & INVESTIGATE
REFLECT & REFLECT
★ Pose a provocation for
collaboration and productive
struggle (e.g., Math)
★ Introduce new material, while
explicitly teaching skills and
strategies (e.g., metacognitive CREATE
modeling, explanation)
reDesign (2016)
AT THE LESSON LEVEL:
MAKE
INVESTIGATE MEANING
★ Learners practice and apply
new skills and concepts
★ Learners collaborate with
others while make meaningful SYNTHESIZE &
decisions about their learning COMMUNICATE REFLECT INVESTIGATE
time
★ Teacher facilitates check-ins
and conferences with
students, gathering real-time
data and providing timely, CREATE
individualized supports
reDesign (2016)
AT THE LESSON LEVEL:
MAKE
SYNTHESIZE & MEANING

REFLECT
★ Learners are prompted to
consciously connect old and
new understandings, and SYNTHESIZE
COMMUNICATE
& REFLECT INVESTIGATE
articulate new insights
★ Learners demonstrate and/or
reflect on evidence of meeting
the learning target
★ Learners reflect on their
CREATE
learning process and
decision-making reDesign (2016)
RESOURCES FOR
FURTHER LEARNING
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER LEARNING

reDesign (2016)
SOURCES OF
INSPIRATION
SOURCES OF INSPIRATION
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Bransford, J., National Research Council (U.S.)., & National Research Council (U.S.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind,
experience, and school. Washington, D.C: National Academy Press.

Brown, J.S., Collins, A., and Duguid, P (1989). "Situated Cognition and the Culture of Learning." Educational Researcher, 18(l),
32-42.

Bybee, R., Taylor, J. et al. (2006). The BSCS 5E instructional model: Origins and effectiveness. Colorado Springs, CO: BSCS.

Collins, A., Brown, J., and Holum, A (1991). “Cognitive Apprenticeship: Making Thinking Visible.” American Educator, 6(11), 38-
46.

Collins, A., and Stevens, A.L. (1983). "A Cognitive Theory of Interactive Teaching." In C.M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design
Theories and Models: An Overview. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Macmillan.

Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process. Boston, New York
[etc.]: D.C. Heath and company.

reDesign (2016)
SOURCES OF INSPIRATION (CONT’D)
Duke, N. K., & Pearson, P. D. (2002). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. In A. E. Farstup & S. J.
Samuels (Eds.), What research has to say about reading instruction (pp. 205–242). Newark, DE: International Reading
Association.

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Teachers College.

Kapur, M. (2008). Productive failure. Cognition and Instruction, 26(3), 379-424.

King, B., Newmann, F., and Carmichael, D. (2009). “Authentic Intellectual Work: Common Standards for Teaching Social
Studies.” Social Education, 73(1), 43-49.

Palincsar, A.S. (1986). "Metacognitive Strategy Instruction." Exceptional Children, 53, 118-125.

Palincsar, A.S. (1987). "Reciprocal Teaching." Instructor, XCVI No. 2, 5-60.

Pearson, P. D., & Gallagher, G. (1983). The gradual release of responsibility model of instruction.Contemporary Educational
Psychology, 8, 112–123.

Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. New York: W. W. Norton.

reDesign (2016)
SOURCES OF INSPIRATION (CONT’D)
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. (M. Cole, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Winne, P. H., & Perry, N. E. (2000). Measuring self-regulated learning. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.),
Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 531-566). San Diego, CA, US: Academic Press.

Wood, D., Bruner, J. S., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring and problem solving. Journal of Child Psychology and
Psychiatry, 17, 89–100.

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