Friday 30 October 2015
Windows Movie Maker: Examples of Image Transitions
Monday 19 October 2015
Mindlab By Unitec: Maker Movement / Learning Spaces
Maker Movement (3D Printing and Modelling)
(DCL Week 15 notes)
3D modelling is no longer the domain of visual effects artists and animators. Due to the increased availability and affordability of computers and laptops in the classroom and the abundance of free 3D creation software the opportunity to bring these technologies into the classroom has never been greater."
Learning Spaces and Models
(DCL Week 15 notes)
3D modelling is no longer the domain of visual effects artists and animators. Due to the increased availability and affordability of computers and laptops in the classroom and the abundance of free 3D creation software the opportunity to bring these technologies into the classroom has never been greater."
 |
Uber revolution and 3D printing for all - what the future holds for technology |
3D printing is a lot more than just a niche technology. Over the past few years 3D printers have started to appear within a broad range of industries from medicine, manufacturing, engineering, aerospace, retail, mechanical engineering, dentistry and food science.""As with the launch of social media 10 years ago, 3D printing is a rapid disruptor experiencing expediential uptake. By the time our students enter the workforce there is a high likelihood that 3D printers will be as commonplace as household ink printers. [Within a learning context,] using basic design skills 3D printing can be used to trigger new learning and acquiring new skills."
Workshop Activity: Tinkercad "a free, easy-to-learn online
app anyone can use to create and print 3D models." Need to create an
account, then go to where it says 'create a new design'. It is a very basic package, but it is a good entry level programme for beginners using 3D printers. Tinkercad allows you to save your design and access it
anywhere. Recommend not deleting these files, as you will be able to see
how your skills develop over time! Today's activity involves
collaboratively making the seven seperate pieces of a Tangram - how will
you organise yourselves to achieve this in the time provided?
Learning Spaces and Models
(LDC Week 15 notes)
Workshop Activity
"Modern classrooms reflect new ways of teaching and learning and they remove the focus from a teacher led environment to a space where teachers and learners collaborate.
These learning environments are much more creative, flexible and supportive of technology and are ideally designed to facilitate a more creative approach to content, and news ways to deliver the curriculum that encourages connections in content, encourages excitement and makes learning a transformational experience.
Our classrooms should support new ways of accomplishing the desired outcome that is more active and enables students to retain knowledge and expand on concepts beyond what is taught in the classroom.
Modern learning spaces should be bold and encourage risk taking and original thought through breaking rules around what a classroom should look like."
"Modern classrooms reflect new ways of teaching and learning and they remove the focus from a teacher led environment to a space where teachers and learners collaborate.
These learning environments are much more creative, flexible and supportive of technology and are ideally designed to facilitate a more creative approach to content, and news ways to deliver the curriculum that encourages connections in content, encourages excitement and makes learning a transformational experience.
Our classrooms should support new ways of accomplishing the desired outcome that is more active and enables students to retain knowledge and expand on concepts beyond what is taught in the classroom.
Modern learning spaces should be bold and encourage risk taking and original thought through breaking rules around what a classroom should look like."
21st Century living - A 2.5 min overview of the world we teach in (Source: You Tube)
Food for thought: "If Students Designed Their Own School" (You Tube video clip)
Flexible Learning Spaces (Source: You Tube)
Learning Spaces (a Blend Space Lesson with a huge range of embedded resources for educators)
Recommended Reading: "3D Printers in Schools" (UK pdf article)
Monday 12 October 2015
Mindlab by Unitec: Inquiry Led Learning & Teaching As Inquiry
Week 14 - DCL - Inquiry Led Learning
Pedagogical and technological innovations are redefining education and while there is great debate on the relevance of traditional education there is also increased support for the resurgence of traditional education ideals linked to higher order thinking and inquiry.
The demands of an evolving knowledge based society requires learners to be independent thinkers as well as interdependent collaborative learners who work together.
There is significant need for students to understand the processes of critical thinking that improves their ability to reason, evaluate, judge and assess. Critical or reflective thinking is integral to inquiry and to the process of forming an opinion or building knowledge."
Week 14 - LDC - Teaching as Inquiry
The Focusing Inquiry
The Teaching Inquiry
The Learning Inquiry
Collaboration
"This week we explored the integration of 'Inquiry' in the classroom to create independent motivated students who take responsibility for their learning.
"This
video explains the teaching methodology Inquiry-Based Learning.
It was
created for the Inspiring Science Education Project as part of a
series
of videos to promote the use of Inquiry-Based Learning."
Pedagogical and technological innovations are redefining education and while there is great debate on the relevance of traditional education there is also increased support for the resurgence of traditional education ideals linked to higher order thinking and inquiry.
The demands of an evolving knowledge based society requires learners to be independent thinkers as well as interdependent collaborative learners who work together.
There is significant need for students to understand the processes of critical thinking that improves their ability to reason, evaluate, judge and assess. Critical or reflective thinking is integral to inquiry and to the process of forming an opinion or building knowledge."
(video by Open University)
Inquiry Lead Teaching Report (downloadable text version)
Inquiry Learning in an ICT Rich Environment (downloadable text - PDF version)
Week 14 - LDC - Teaching as Inquiry
"Teaching as Inquiry aims to achieve improved outcomes for all students. Equally, the teaching as inquiry cycle provides a framework that teachers can use to help them learn from their practice and build greater knowledge. It includes three inquiry aspects.
The Focusing Inquiry
In the focusing inquiry, teachers identify what they want their students to achieve. What do they need to learn next to reach these goals?
The Teaching Inquiry
In the teaching inquiry, teachers select appropriate teaching strategies, looking at best practice and research literature. They plan to gather evidence of success for their students.
The Learning Inquiry
The learning inquiry takes place both during and after teaching. Teachers monitor and reflect on their students’ progress. They use this information to feed back into their practice.
Collaboration
Although teachers can work independently, it is better if they support each other, providing different perspectives and sharing ideas, knowledge, and experiences."
"Learning to be a New School - Building a Curriculum for new times" (online text version).
David Perkins - "40 Years of Teaching Thinking: Revolution, Evolution, and What Next?"
Video blurb: "Today, national and international educational frameworks commonly include a range of thinking skills, often as part of 21st century skills or competencies. Although policy probably promises more than practice delivers, teaching thinking in some form has become a presence in many classrooms. All this began with revolutionary zeal in the thinking skills movement of the 1970s and 80s. Over the decades, skepticism about teaching thinking emerged from IQ advocates ('people can't get smarter'), the back-to-basics movement ('no time for frills like thinking'), and the notion of situated learning ('good thinking requires saturation in a discipline'). Meanwhile, both research and practical classroom experience have evolved our ideas about what thinking skills are, whether and how they can be taught, and what place they might take amidst competing educational agendas..."
Sunday 11 October 2015
From the Web: "What will the world of 2028 look like?"
"What will the world of 2028 look like? This is a question St Paul's
School has been asking as it explores what a rapidly changing world will
be like when it's youngest students reach their final year of
education..."
"...Research revealed many trends, but two critical uncertainties
which could significantly impact schooling as we know it today. These
uncertainties were used to develop four scenarios, describing possible
futures for our youngest students." (as quoted from Youtube)
Friday 9 October 2015
Thursday 8 October 2015
ULearn'15 - "Future-Focussed Learning Design..."
"Transforming our students’ experiences | Future-focused learning design" (ULearn'15 - Breakout 4)
Presenter: Karen Melhuish Spencer (CORE ULearn)
Abstract: "Recent years have seen exciting developments in what we know about effective learning - and increased calls for a more inclusive approach to learning than previous generations perhaps received. From competency-rich curriculum to inclusive learning enabled by digital technologies, the time is right to consider what, how and why your school might transform its approach to learning to benefit all your students.
This session will cut through the ‘buzz words’ to look at what we know to be sound, effective approaches for thinking about future-focused transformation. With the CORE Education ‘10 Trends’ as a backdrop, we will explore the big ideas, what we know works and the implications for your own school. Touchpoint ideas will include: Indicators of effective learning and practice from current research; Stories of how schools have approached transformation and future-focused learning; Suggested frameworks for thinking about transformation in your school. Come prepared to explore new possibilities for reimagining learning in ways that put your learners front and centre."
In order to bring about sustainable, tranformational and positive change, we need to think about change / transformation from a VALUES point of view...
Transformation / Future focus is a conversation around the whole person [holistic] = A mindset around PEOPLE'S WELLBEING.
We can create environments where everyone feels like they belong... More relevant when developing ILE's, the practical contexts can come in behind the Values once this has been developed.
Building relationships with those children, individualised learning, everyone acorss the school - from the principal to the students - know each other. Freedom in the way they learn using the modules the school has created (guidelines - modules relate to the NZC) Sitting behind these are the set of Values that the school has.
Transformational change will not happened at the strategy level - you must consider your values, what is important to you, what you believe is important to your learners... Ask yourself - What is really important to you/your learners?
The grab bag won't really change unless the values and beliefs are lined up with the wider community in which a school exists - then true transformation can begin to happen.
e.g.: all learners in my classroom should feel that they belong. This is the basis for a whole set of ideas that should underlie the learning... What would learning look like in order to line up with these values?
7 Principles of Learning (Dumont - "The Nature of Learning")
1. Learners at the centre
2. Learning is social
3. Emotions are integral
4. Recognise individual differences
5. Stretching all students
6. Assessment for learning
7. Building horizontal connections
Learner Orientation - who's interests are being served?
Inclusive Design - removing barriers to increase opportunities and offer choice.
Networked organisations - distributed expertise, on demand.
Future Oriented Pathway - must have coherence along the continuum - i.e.:
our learner > our values and beliefs > our principles > our practice.
Presenter: Karen Melhuish Spencer (CORE ULearn)
Abstract: "Recent years have seen exciting developments in what we know about effective learning - and increased calls for a more inclusive approach to learning than previous generations perhaps received. From competency-rich curriculum to inclusive learning enabled by digital technologies, the time is right to consider what, how and why your school might transform its approach to learning to benefit all your students.
This session will cut through the ‘buzz words’ to look at what we know to be sound, effective approaches for thinking about future-focused transformation. With the CORE Education ‘10 Trends’ as a backdrop, we will explore the big ideas, what we know works and the implications for your own school. Touchpoint ideas will include: Indicators of effective learning and practice from current research; Stories of how schools have approached transformation and future-focused learning; Suggested frameworks for thinking about transformation in your school. Come prepared to explore new possibilities for reimagining learning in ways that put your learners front and centre."
In order to bring about sustainable, tranformational and positive change, we need to think about change / transformation from a VALUES point of view...
Transformation / Future focus is a conversation around the whole person [holistic] = A mindset around PEOPLE'S WELLBEING.
We can create environments where everyone feels like they belong... More relevant when developing ILE's, the practical contexts can come in behind the Values once this has been developed.
Building relationships with those children, individualised learning, everyone acorss the school - from the principal to the students - know each other. Freedom in the way they learn using the modules the school has created (guidelines - modules relate to the NZC) Sitting behind these are the set of Values that the school has.
Transformational change will not happened at the strategy level - you must consider your values, what is important to you, what you believe is important to your learners... Ask yourself - What is really important to you/your learners?
The grab bag won't really change unless the values and beliefs are lined up with the wider community in which a school exists - then true transformation can begin to happen.
e.g.: all learners in my classroom should feel that they belong. This is the basis for a whole set of ideas that should underlie the learning... What would learning look like in order to line up with these values?
7 Principles of Learning (Dumont - "The Nature of Learning")
1. Learners at the centre
2. Learning is social
3. Emotions are integral
4. Recognise individual differences
5. Stretching all students
6. Assessment for learning
7. Building horizontal connections
Learner Orientation - who's interests are being served?
Inclusive Design - removing barriers to increase opportunities and offer choice.
Networked organisations - distributed expertise, on demand.
Future Oriented Pathway - must have coherence along the continuum - i.e.:
our learner > our values and beliefs > our principles > our practice.
ULearn '15 - "Middle Leadership in NZ Schools"
"Middle leadership in New Zealand secondary schools: A complex role with many challenges"
Ulearn '15 - Research Taster 4C
Presenter: Martin Bassett Programme Leader Master of Educational Leadership at Unitec mbassett@unitec.ac.nz
Abstract: "The role of middle level leaders in New Zealand secondary schools is complex with many challenges. The role of educational leaders has expanded, and responsibilities previously the domain of senior leaders have been delegated to middle level leaders. This research set out to examine expectations of middle leaders in New Zealand secondary schools and the challenges they face.
Educational reforms that began in the 1980s increased pressure on educational leaders, resulting in the delegation of responsibilities to other levels in the school hierarchy with an intensification of management work for middle level leaders. Middle leaders have become caught in a dichotomous role in which they are both teacher and leader. Consequently, the scope and volume of tasks middle leaders are now expected to carry out has led to an increasingly challenging role for these practitioners..."
Rationale
A new role
Methodology
Qualitative questionnaire etc-
Findings - Expectation
Leadership Development (ref. VanBelser and Macauley)
Assesssment, Support, Challenge < a "Leadership Development Inquiry Cycle"
Quote (Bassett, 2012): "Qualification for the role of the classroom teacher is no longer adequate for middle leaders"
Conclusions
Middle leaders - pivotal, demanding role; often feel unprepared for the depth and breadth of the role.
Ulearn '15 - Research Taster 4C
Presenter: Martin Bassett Programme Leader Master of Educational Leadership at Unitec mbassett@unitec.ac.nz
Abstract: "The role of middle level leaders in New Zealand secondary schools is complex with many challenges. The role of educational leaders has expanded, and responsibilities previously the domain of senior leaders have been delegated to middle level leaders. This research set out to examine expectations of middle leaders in New Zealand secondary schools and the challenges they face.
Educational reforms that began in the 1980s increased pressure on educational leaders, resulting in the delegation of responsibilities to other levels in the school hierarchy with an intensification of management work for middle level leaders. Middle leaders have become caught in a dichotomous role in which they are both teacher and leader. Consequently, the scope and volume of tasks middle leaders are now expected to carry out has led to an increasingly challenging role for these practitioners..."
Rationale
- Middle leader in 3 schools in 10 years
- Absence of leadership development
- Advice Informal
A new role
- Educational reforms intensified senior leadership role
- New responsibilities for middle leaders
Methodology
Qualitative questionnaire etc-
Findings - Expectation
- Curriculum Leadership - i.e.: developing programmes, enabling proogrammes, removing barriers, leading the learning; a strong focus on results or achievement.
- Developing Staff - ML felt that they were expected to develop staff, but weren't developed themselves (by BOT and Senior Managers)
- Administrative tasks - qulaity assurance (NCEA, secondary school study)
- Lack of time - cuts into non-school time, interupts classroom routines; SL acknowledged this, but had no ideas on how to solve it.
- Lack of leadership development - the surprise response from the ML; they felt they hadn't had sufficient PLD, but the study found that when they reflected on their role, they actually had recieved some, but had still not felt it was adequate perhaps?
- Leading department within wider school context - dealing with their own departmental concerns.
Leadership Development (ref. VanBelser and Macauley)
Assesssment, Support, Challenge < a "Leadership Development Inquiry Cycle"
Quote (Bassett, 2012): "Qualification for the role of the classroom teacher is no longer adequate for middle leaders"
Conclusions
Middle leaders - pivotal, demanding role; often feel unprepared for the depth and breadth of the role.
ULearn'15 - "Professional Learning For Change"
"Teacher's perceptions of risk when engaging in professional learning for change"
(ULearn'15 - Research Taster 3A)
Presenter: Tamara Jones
(PhD student, UA Faculty of Education and Social Work)
Abstract: "Currently many positional leaders are investing in, and espousing a Modern Learning Practice (MLP) philosophy. Yet ultimately the onus is on the classroom teacher to integrate learner-centric pedagogies and digital technologies in modern learning environments. This is likely to generate many reactions from teachers, including possible perceptions of risk. This is worthy of attention because teacher perceptions of risk may be a fundamental barrier to changing teaching practice.
This presentation will first report on my recent study, which identified organisational factors that influenced teachers’ perceptions of risk and willingness to engage in professional learning for change. Twenty-one primary teachers participated in this research. Data included a questionnaire to broadly situate perceptions of risk and was followed up with interviews. Findings showed teachers perceived risk when they felt professional learning was lacking purpose or relevance, when it was mandated, or when it had vague implementation expectations. However, teachers’ perceptions of risk could be mitigated with collaboration and consultation, and time and opportunities to engage in the new learning..."
Resistance vs. Risk
Education as we know it is changing - the environments, the way children learn, the way we teach. (Hargreaves, A. 1994; Hargreaves, A. 2005) The older / more experienced teachers get, the more resistant they become to change.
Current Understandings
(Robinson, 2011) Blaming teachers is counterproductive to developing a culuture of collaborative, sustainable improvement.
(Howard, 2013; Le Fevre, 2014) Teacher's perceptions of risk may be a fundamental barrier to change.
Defining Risk
Loss, which can e performance realted, social, psychological or status related... [etc-] (Ponticell, 2003) - refer to handout for references cited, can Email Tamara for more.
Research design
Theories of risk taking
A domain-specific phenomenon = the school culture influences i.e.: Teachers can deteremine who takes risks and how. Organisational factors that affect engagement.
Findings
Collaboration and consultation with teachers allowed change implemeted more readily. Relevance in an authentic context; transparency etc
Provision of time and opportunitis to engage in the learning
Where to next
Change leading towards "Innovative Learning Environments" - research will be around the pedagogical core of these.
Call for Participants
Schools that are in the process of change - if they could get in touch with Tamara by Emailing her on tell005@auckland.uni.nz if they would be open to participating in this study.
(ULearn'15 - Research Taster 3A)
Presenter: Tamara Jones
(PhD student, UA Faculty of Education and Social Work)
Abstract: "Currently many positional leaders are investing in, and espousing a Modern Learning Practice (MLP) philosophy. Yet ultimately the onus is on the classroom teacher to integrate learner-centric pedagogies and digital technologies in modern learning environments. This is likely to generate many reactions from teachers, including possible perceptions of risk. This is worthy of attention because teacher perceptions of risk may be a fundamental barrier to changing teaching practice.
This presentation will first report on my recent study, which identified organisational factors that influenced teachers’ perceptions of risk and willingness to engage in professional learning for change. Twenty-one primary teachers participated in this research. Data included a questionnaire to broadly situate perceptions of risk and was followed up with interviews. Findings showed teachers perceived risk when they felt professional learning was lacking purpose or relevance, when it was mandated, or when it had vague implementation expectations. However, teachers’ perceptions of risk could be mitigated with collaboration and consultation, and time and opportunities to engage in the new learning..."
Resistance vs. Risk
Education as we know it is changing - the environments, the way children learn, the way we teach. (Hargreaves, A. 1994; Hargreaves, A. 2005) The older / more experienced teachers get, the more resistant they become to change.
Current Understandings
(Robinson, 2011) Blaming teachers is counterproductive to developing a culuture of collaborative, sustainable improvement.
(Howard, 2013; Le Fevre, 2014) Teacher's perceptions of risk may be a fundamental barrier to change.
Defining Risk
Loss, which can e performance realted, social, psychological or status related... [etc-] (Ponticell, 2003) - refer to handout for references cited, can Email Tamara for more.
Research design
- Review literature
- Questionaire to situate perceptions of risk (21+ participants)
- Data analysis to idenitfy and neutral cases
- Semi-structured interviews (6 selected from the group that was modrate / on the fence)
Theories of risk taking
- Personal Practical Theory
- A teacher's age and career stage (Hargreaves)
- The individual teacher's risk attitude - most recent theory, which doesn't attribute risk aversity to anything other than individual preference...
A domain-specific phenomenon = the school culture influences i.e.: Teachers can deteremine who takes risks and how. Organisational factors that affect engagement.
Findings
Collaboration and consultation with teachers allowed change implemeted more readily. Relevance in an authentic context; transparency etc
Provision of time and opportunitis to engage in the learning
Where to next
Change leading towards "Innovative Learning Environments" - research will be around the pedagogical core of these.
Call for Participants
Schools that are in the process of change - if they could get in touch with Tamara by Emailing her on tell005@auckland.uni.nz if they would be open to participating in this study.
Wednesday 7 October 2015
ULearn'15 - Networking in the Twittersphere
First, some background - I've only been on Twitter about a month, and thought it worthwhile to share with you how it's been an enriching experience thus far, as we've all been encouraged to actively use this social media platform at ULearn 2015...
Conference Day One:
I started off the day getting caught on camera and my apparent geekiness being shared on Twitter as I was typing up my notes straight into the Blogosphere...
Conference Day One:
I started off the day getting caught on camera and my apparent geekiness being shared on Twitter as I was typing up my notes straight into the Blogosphere...
Woohoo live streaming and live blogging out of @vanschaijik session #cenz15 #ukearn15 pic.twitter.com/xhfEaD8meX
— Anne Kenneally (@annekenn) October 6, 2015
My session today thanxxx for joining in both f2f & virtually #flatconnection @MissSpeir @tonycairns #ulearn15 pic.twitter.com/oIYzxtGlGy
— Sonya (@vanschaijik) October 7, 2015
Had a lovely chat with Anne from CORE (the people organising the event, and my friendly paparazzo)...
Enjoyed the innovative educational pedagogical ideas today #ulearn #cenz15 See more here: http://t.co/6fQRQcqB6M https://t.co/YUzOqYW5vC
— Marla Jane (@Marla_jane_nz) October 7, 2015
@Marla_jane_nz What a pleasure to meet you Maria! Thanks for reassuring me during the rooms shakes...
— Anne Kenneally (@annekenn) October 7, 2015
Anne encouraged me to respond to this Tweet using Padlet...
— Anne Kenneally (@annekenn) October 7, 2015
Which meant I had nearly quadrupled my scant number of 'followers' by the end of the day...
Comments heard during the day about @GrantLichtman 's keynote address this morning were unanimous in their positive tone #Ulearn15 #CENZ15
— Marla Jane (@Marla_jane_nz) October 7, 2015
Who knew being text-stalked could be so exhilarating!
You're most welcome @GrantLichtman - your talk was an upbeat start the conference for all attendees! :-) #ulearn15 #CENZ15
— Marla Jane (@Marla_jane_nz) October 7, 2015
So, it was lovely to get some feedback that suggested I'm not alone in enjoying the warm
fuzzy vibe at ULearn'15 thus far...
@Marla_jane_nz thanks Marla Jane
— Sonya (@vanschaijik) October 7, 2015
ULearn'15 - "Making Space for Pedagogy"
Presenter: Andrew Ford (from Sebel Furniture)
Abstract: "Making Space for Pedagogy can be delivered in a variety of forms depending on the audience. It is based on work being conducted through Classroom Directed Change Management Workshops being run by Andrew Ford, throughout Australia and soon to be provided in New Zealand. The workshops provide a safe and non-demanding methodology which allows participating teachers to explore other ways in which they can provide an engaging physical learning environment that then properly enables them to deliver pedagogy. The workshop considers the teachers' preferred teaching styles but also requires them to consider other teaching styles using existing and other furnishings and other spaces, in a more agile and Activity Based Learning Environment..."
ILE as opposed to MLE... "40% of our teachers will be fine. 60% aren't ready for it" C.D., Principal.
Design thinking - superficiality of design. Too many missing pieces in the puzzle to resolve to create a genuine, innovative learning environment. Design changes need to incorporate:
1. Expert, diverse and representative
2. Clear objective tied to learning vision
3. Challenge the status quo (prepare for change)
4. Strong theoretical frameworks
5. Design tools
6. Post workshop actions
LSW Framework
Abstract: "Making Space for Pedagogy can be delivered in a variety of forms depending on the audience. It is based on work being conducted through Classroom Directed Change Management Workshops being run by Andrew Ford, throughout Australia and soon to be provided in New Zealand. The workshops provide a safe and non-demanding methodology which allows participating teachers to explore other ways in which they can provide an engaging physical learning environment that then properly enables them to deliver pedagogy. The workshop considers the teachers' preferred teaching styles but also requires them to consider other teaching styles using existing and other furnishings and other spaces, in a more agile and Activity Based Learning Environment..."
ILE as opposed to MLE... "40% of our teachers will be fine. 60% aren't ready for it" C.D., Principal.
Design thinking - superficiality of design. Too many missing pieces in the puzzle to resolve to create a genuine, innovative learning environment. Design changes need to incorporate:
1. Expert, diverse and representative
2. Clear objective tied to learning vision
3. Challenge the status quo (prepare for change)
4. Strong theoretical frameworks
5. Design tools
6. Post workshop actions
LSW Framework
Kotter's 8 steps of Change Management
A sense of urgency - why? You're going to living/working in there for at least another ten years - it needs to fit the context for which it is being created.
Timperley (2011) 'Evidence Based Professional Learning Cycle'
The modern learners of the future: "Any task to which an algorithm is created can be replicated"
When designing layout and furnishing for an ILE, need to understand the variables - i.e.:
* Who is learning/teaching and how?
* What is being taught?
We need to triangulate and find the 'sweet spot' for optimising innovative learning spaces...
Some theoretical models to consider:
Gardener's Multiple Intelligences
Thornburg's Archetypes
Different types of individuals gravitate to different areas within a given space - Campfires, Caves, Lookouts and Watering Holes - with the fire at the centre being "Life" (original article: "Campfires in Cyberspace").
What about the way we live? Thornburg's archetypes do seem to fit our modern lifestyles...
Challenging Assumptions
Sebel - Human Centred Active Design Workshop: "Learn, Create, Educate, Lead"
Activity: a dozen people holding up a pole made out of twenty bendy straws stuck together - instructions: to lower it to the floor, using only two fingers (which must touch the straws at all times) and are underneath at all times...
Clarify your objectives - post its benefits vs. concerns (keywords only)
Need to consider how to mitigate those issues that cannot be eliminated e.g.: noise
Practical design ideas that will work:
We need to remember that furniture is a tool - need to think about and consider the purpose of the piece(s) chosen - what is their main benefit?
e.g.: soft fill foam bags instead of bean bags - less noise, keep their shape, provide opportunity for autistic / sensitive children to withdraw, without additional stimulus).
Screens - even see through ones - provide separation whilst still allowing for a contiguous space and sense of belonging.
Rocking stools - Fidgety kids, also builds core strength.
Table arm mobile chairs - allow these to be moved within a space, don't take up as much room as traditional separate desk / chair combo's.
Design Framework
Sebel's approach 31 workshops and over 350 educators - immersion and deep empathy with the customer's world necessitates meaningful engagement as co-innovators.
Critical Factors: Developing holistic, cultural change within a school.
Kano Analysis: consider what is to be done using this model -
Why 3D workshops? Need to consider - play is more than just fun, it encourages critical thinking and problem solving. Play is More Than Just Fun - Stuart Brown (TED Talk 2008)
"Although we live in the age of technology, many of the places in which we learn & work are still based on industrial models developed in the early 20th Century. We have changed, our society & our community has changed. The way in which humans engage & connect with each other has changed." Andrew Ford
Timperley (2011) 'Evidence Based Professional Learning Cycle'
When designing layout and furnishing for an ILE, need to understand the variables - i.e.:
* Who is learning/teaching and how?
* What is being taught?
We need to triangulate and find the 'sweet spot' for optimising innovative learning spaces...
Some theoretical models to consider:
Gardener's Multiple Intelligences
Different types of individuals gravitate to different areas within a given space - Campfires, Caves, Lookouts and Watering Holes - with the fire at the centre being "Life" (original article: "Campfires in Cyberspace").
What about the way we live? Thornburg's archetypes do seem to fit our modern lifestyles...
Challenging Assumptions
Sebel - Human Centred Active Design Workshop: "Learn, Create, Educate, Lead"
Activity: a dozen people holding up a pole made out of twenty bendy straws stuck together - instructions: to lower it to the floor, using only two fingers (which must touch the straws at all times) and are underneath at all times...
- Challenge assumptions
- Individual vs. group goals and objectives
- Fear of failure can be self-fulfilling!
- Communication, Collaboration and Co-ordination
- Stronger relationships = better communication
Clarify your objectives - post its benefits vs. concerns (keywords only)
Need to consider how to mitigate those issues that cannot be eliminated e.g.: noise
Practical design ideas that will work:
- Reconfigure
- 3D Thinking
- Inject Colour
- Create Flow
- Reclaim Dead Space
We need to remember that furniture is a tool - need to think about and consider the purpose of the piece(s) chosen - what is their main benefit?
e.g.: soft fill foam bags instead of bean bags - less noise, keep their shape, provide opportunity for autistic / sensitive children to withdraw, without additional stimulus).
Screens - even see through ones - provide separation whilst still allowing for a contiguous space and sense of belonging.
Rocking stools - Fidgety kids, also builds core strength.
Table arm mobile chairs - allow these to be moved within a space, don't take up as much room as traditional separate desk / chair combo's.
Design Framework
Sebel's approach 31 workshops and over 350 educators - immersion and deep empathy with the customer's world necessitates meaningful engagement as co-innovators.
Critical Factors: Developing holistic, cultural change within a school.
Kano Analysis: consider what is to be done using this model -
"Although we live in the age of technology, many of the places in which we learn & work are still based on industrial models developed in the early 20th Century. We have changed, our society & our community has changed. The way in which humans engage & connect with each other has changed." Andrew Ford
ULearn'15 - "FlatConnections Global Project"
Presenter: Sonya @vanschaijik
Abstract: "The intent of the NZ Curriculum vision (NZC 2007 p.8) is to enable connected learners who can support the well-being of New Zealand, can relate to others, participate and contribute to the world around them. This year Newmarket School students joined the FlatConnections Global project, ‘A week in the Life’. Learners were actively engaged in digital collaborative activities with 143 students and 13 teachers from 6 different countries. This project helped Newmarket School students enact the NZ Curriculum vision by enabling global connections in ways that prepared young learners for their future. Students learnt to question, investigate and act as global citizens using digital technologies and online learning environments - learning with and from students all over the world.
The students used SOLO Taxonomy as a model to to design the process of their own learning and to inquire into the impact of their actions as citizens on their communities and beyond..."
What are "Flat Connections"? Bring classes together using a range of tools to get classrooms to work together collaboratively. Primary level, up to around Year 6, there are also further projects aimed at secondary, intermediate and even ECE. Promotes student collaboration - you must be there, and actively work with the students. Very big on sharing and learning, and giving each other feedback.
Anna has just recently grouped our children into teams - 200 children and around 30 'teams'...
All about: "Connecting, Collaborating and Innovating"
Sonya's comment - "Learnt lots about citizenship and that the biggest learning is around what happens between the ears."
What is "A Week in the Life"?
We select a topical inquiry topic - then apply SOLO taxonomy
Questions to gauge audience placeent on continuum. Key ideas:
SOLO Taxonomy (i.e.: underpinned by AsTTLe)
Citizenship (i.e.: glocalization)
Global Connection (i.e.: social media)
Digital Literacy (i.e.: "Celebrate, Share, Feedback")
Activity: Participants tried out Edmodo which provides students with an interactive platform very similar to Twitter, but moderated by teacher(s)...
FlatConnections use: Fuze, Time Bridge, Edmodo, Hapara, Google Apps, Popplet, Voice Thread.
"I have, I can, I do, I am..." (links to SOLO taxonomy levels).
Reflection:
How connected are you?
If you don't have an online presence at this point in time (teachers especially) you need to get it!
A 'digital citizenship'-linked taxonomy:
Students and Global connections - shared a history of Global Projects at Newmarket School -
Children communicate / share via Edmodo, teacher updates the Wiki, which is kept private whilst it is active, is not published as a public site until the end of the school year (for safety/privacy puposes).
Students will learn to "Connect, Collaborate and Co-Create" WHEN teachers and leaders learn to do it FIRST. As an educator, you must challenge yourself to actively collborate, and to then stretch further and further afield.
You can effectively develop your students towards becoming 'justice-oriented' citizens; as they develop their own ideas and take on a 'glocalization' project (i.e.: a local project that has the potential to go global).
Abstract: "The intent of the NZ Curriculum vision (NZC 2007 p.8) is to enable connected learners who can support the well-being of New Zealand, can relate to others, participate and contribute to the world around them. This year Newmarket School students joined the FlatConnections Global project, ‘A week in the Life’. Learners were actively engaged in digital collaborative activities with 143 students and 13 teachers from 6 different countries. This project helped Newmarket School students enact the NZ Curriculum vision by enabling global connections in ways that prepared young learners for their future. Students learnt to question, investigate and act as global citizens using digital technologies and online learning environments - learning with and from students all over the world.
The students used SOLO Taxonomy as a model to to design the process of their own learning and to inquire into the impact of their actions as citizens on their communities and beyond..."
What are "Flat Connections"? Bring classes together using a range of tools to get classrooms to work together collaboratively. Primary level, up to around Year 6, there are also further projects aimed at secondary, intermediate and even ECE. Promotes student collaboration - you must be there, and actively work with the students. Very big on sharing and learning, and giving each other feedback.
Anna has just recently grouped our children into teams - 200 children and around 30 'teams'...
All about: "Connecting, Collaborating and Innovating"
Sonya's comment - "Learnt lots about citizenship and that the biggest learning is around what happens between the ears."
What is "A Week in the Life"?
We select a topical inquiry topic - then apply SOLO taxonomy
Questions to gauge audience placeent on continuum. Key ideas:
SOLO Taxonomy (i.e.: underpinned by AsTTLe)
Citizenship (i.e.: glocalization)
Global Connection (i.e.: social media)
Digital Literacy (i.e.: "Celebrate, Share, Feedback")
Activity: Participants tried out Edmodo which provides students with an interactive platform very similar to Twitter, but moderated by teacher(s)...
"I have, I can, I do, I am..." (links to SOLO taxonomy levels).
Reflection:
How connected are you?
If you don't have an online presence at this point in time (teachers especially) you need to get it!
A 'digital citizenship'-linked taxonomy:
- Your students / children certainly are, starting to talk, co-create videos (Level 1);
- Interconnection within the school / district / nationally (Level 2);
- Manage Global Connections (e.g: Skype, Google Hangouts);
- Student to Student - with teacher management, global connections "across the ocean" (Level 4);
- Student to Student - secondary school level i.e.: with student management (Level 5)
Students and Global connections - shared a history of Global Projects at Newmarket School -
- moved from hosting a Skype session guest Ant Sang (Bro Twown) in their class and sharing with 100 students including ones in Australia;
- then, the Global Assembly Project (BBC website);
- Health and Wellbeing, several overseas countries involved;
- Skype in the classroom between students overseas;
- Leadership in action, road patrol got involved with Travelwise schools Auckland, students became connected and collaborated;
- connected with a school in Nepal at the time they had a 'quake, students fundraised and sent money straight away = authentic learning; Paddlet used to co-construct and brainstorm between students...
Children communicate / share via Edmodo, teacher updates the Wiki, which is kept private whilst it is active, is not published as a public site until the end of the school year (for safety/privacy puposes).
Students will learn to "Connect, Collaborate and Co-Create" WHEN teachers and leaders learn to do it FIRST. As an educator, you must challenge yourself to actively collborate, and to then stretch further and further afield.
You can effectively develop your students towards becoming 'justice-oriented' citizens; as they develop their own ideas and take on a 'glocalization' project (i.e.: a local project that has the potential to go global).
Monday 5 October 2015
The Mindlab by Unitec: Design Thinking in Educational Leadership
Design Thinking in Education
(Mindlab by Unitec: Week 13 - DCL)
Design Thinking in Leadership
*u.lab > Sydney. Design Thinking in Action
(Vimeo video)
Change Agents for Education through Design Thinking
(Vimeo video)
(Mindlab by Unitec: Week 13 - DCL)
"How to Escape Education's Death Valley" (TED video)
"Sir Ken Robinson, chair of the UK Government's report on creativity, education and the economy, described research that showed that young people lost their ability to think in "divergent or non-linear ways", a key component of creativity. Of 1,600 children agKen Robinson - ed three to five who were tested, 98% showed they could think in divergent ways. By the time they were aged eight to 10, 32% could think divergently. When the same test was applied to 13 to 15-year-olds, only 10% could think in this way. And when the test was used with 200,000 25-year-olds, only 2% could think divergently. . . . Education is driven by the idea of one answer and this idea of divergent thinking becomes stifled.' He described creativity as the 'genetic code' of education and said it was essential for the new economic circumstances of the 21st century." signed: (TESS, 25 March 2005)
"Why Design Thinking?" Design Thinking for educators (Vimeo video)
* Divergent thinking is a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions...
"Austin's Butterfly" building excellence in student's work (Vimeo video)
"Rose, Bud, Thorn" - 2 minute PD (video)
* Convergent thinking is focusing on a limited number of choices as possibilities. Then you choose the “right” answer or course of action from among those choices..."
"The Deep" (video)
Design Thinking in Leadership
(Mindlab by Unitec: Week 13 - LDC)
"This week we focussed on Leadership and Design Thinking.
As
education evolves, education is working hard to keep up fostering
teaching that supports an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving.
Design
Thinking is a hands-on problem finding and solving session that
provides a forum for experiential learning. We apply Design Thinking
methods such as posing short explorative questions that launch
brainstorms. This builds a platform broad enough to uncover a wide range
of solutions. We then learn to shape options that are sufficiently
narrow to work through the problems using rapid prototyping techniques.
As
a result, we are able to flesh out a number of needs that are both
meaningful and actionable. Like designers, we will create simple
three-dimensional models to get our ideas across."
*u.lab > Sydney. Design Thinking in Action
(Vimeo video)
Change Agents for Education through Design Thinking
(Vimeo video)
Ewan McIntosh on Design Thinking for Librarians' and Teachers' professional development.
Thursday 10 September 2015
Mindlab by Unitec: Group Collaboration
An unscripted video collaboration with Michelle and Desire'
as part of my practicum tutorial work during the first half
of my Mindlab PGCert in Applied Practise...
as part of my practicum tutorial work during the first half
of my Mindlab PGCert in Applied Practise...
International Perspectives on Education and Assessment
How Culturally Intelligent are we? "Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is a person's ability to function effectively in situations characterized by cultural diversity" (Ang, Van Dyne & Koh, 2005; Earley & Ang, 2003; Earley & Mosakowski, 2005).
PISA - Measuring student success around the world
International Perspectives on Education LDC / Assessment DCL Week 9
Case Study: Finland (quiz hosted by our tutor Milla). We played an interactive quiz created in Kahoot! which encouraged us to competitively test our prior knowledge about Finland (I was even coming third til my browser crashed... and Janet came 2nd overall, just behind Dr Dave who'd prepped for the test from the previous session)...
Group Activity
What does assessment heaven vs.hell look like? Our thoughts:
Collaborative Activity
We had been set a collaborative assignment - to select one key item that ensures strong outcomes for our learners when looking at the research out there. Desire', Michelle and I looked at the commonalities between Canada, Singapore and Canada. We decided that treating teachers as valued professional in a society was what made the most consistent positive effect for these nations when ranking them on the PISA scale. Here's the video Michelle, Desire' and I created to show what the news might look like in the year 2020 were this to become the case in NZ, too...
*Newsflash 2020*
Research Tips
Go into your Moodle portal - go to your dashboard, stack of books bottom left, click on these, will open up Unitec Library screen - automatically logs you in from there...
Thursday 3 September 2015
School Transformation and Leadership in Digital & Collaborative Learning
School Transformation Week 8 - DCL
Recommended viewing:
Innovative Learning - Rothaugen School
Changing Education paradigms - RSA Animates
Recommended website:
The Transformation of Education
Leadership in Digital & Collaborative Learning Week 8 - LDC
Addendum: When creating work online for the purposes of teaching at a given school, all of the work you produce in the course of your teaching contract is currently legally owned by your most current BoT, under current NZ law in regards to Creative Commons. To ensure your legal ownership of your own intellectual property, you will need to go to your principal (as representative of the BoT) to request confirmation in writing that you are allowed to use your online intellectual property (i.e.: planning, resources, professional blog, you tube clips, anything shared while you have been working with the students) yourself.
Recommended viewing:
Ask the “Why” Question - video by Claire Boonstra
3 Rules to spark learning - Ramsey Musallam TED video
An Open Letter to Educators - Dan BrownInnovative Learning - Rothaugen School
Changing Education paradigms - RSA Animates
Recommended website:
The Transformation of Education
Leadership in Digital & Collaborative Learning Week 8 - LDC
Addendum: When creating work online for the purposes of teaching at a given school, all of the work you produce in the course of your teaching contract is currently legally owned by your most current BoT, under current NZ law in regards to Creative Commons. To ensure your legal ownership of your own intellectual property, you will need to go to your principal (as representative of the BoT) to request confirmation in writing that you are allowed to use your online intellectual property (i.e.: planning, resources, professional blog, you tube clips, anything shared while you have been working with the students) yourself.
Thursday 20 August 2015
Leadership Theories and Connected Learning
Leadership Theories and Styles LDC Week 6
Transformational Leadership
Group Task: What makes a good leader? An active listener; inspirational / passionate learner, strong content knowledge, up-to-date, reciprocity of approach, sense of humor, positively invested in others, compassionate, empathetic, finger firmly on the learning pulse within a school/class, skilled in relationship building/maintenance, flexible and adaptable. Also links to the Key Competencies.
Leadership challenge: we selected one of six options (scenarios) to then reflect on our natural ways of doing things - how would we act as a leader? Then, we made some notes for ourselves before think-pair-sharing, where we shared our approaches, and discussed some alternative ones.
e.g.: "Teachers in Year 6 are complaining that teachers of year 5 teach science in many different ways which is resulting in an inconsistency in the preparedness of students arriving in year 6. Consideration amongst senior leaders has identified the need for a greater consistency between science learning between year levels.
How do you make the year 5 teachers follow a more consistent science programme?"
My initial thoughts on this 'problem' were: "First of all, determine the extent of the differences in approach - either through survey by encouraging shared reflections around how different programmes are being carried out around the school. Identify the extent of the 'problem' - is it one or two of your teachers' programmes who are out of alignment, or is it more extensive? Don't assume that the Year 6 teachers have it right either - bring it back in to context via alignment with the NZC. Consider how you could collaborate with staff to begin to develop and align programmes - without finger pointing - and create PLD opportunities linked to the targeted curriculum area (in this instance, science). Reflect on the broader contexts for science learning in the senior school, and how the introduction of co-constructed benchmarks around learning might occur. This may be done within year level syndicates initially, and then taken back into whole / senior school meetings (depending on the size of your school) and identifying those staff members who have a strong interest in taking the qualitative discussions..." [What style does this best reflect? = participative leadership]
Try this quiz to find out your style of leadership...
(My score was: Authoritarian 24 / Procedural 28 / Transformational 36 / Participative 39 / Laissez Faire 40 :-)
The Six Leadership Styles (Goleman, Daniel "Leadership That Gets Results" 2000)
Connected Learning DCL Week 6
"...is an educational approach designed for our ever-changing world. It makes learning relevant to all populations, to real life and real work, and to the realities of the digital age, where the demand for learning never stops." (source)
Connectivism - video of the original theorist Dr George Siemens' explanation for this theory.
Online Sharing Apps
We also tried out some 'mind mapping' tools or other visual presentations to summarise key ideas visually:
Comic Strip - using bitstrips (shared on to Facebook)
Storyboard - use Storyboard That
Infographic - use Piktochart
Assignment Notes: for LDC 1 - talk about a specific leadership theory (not style!), how it applies to you, evaluate how it impacts on your professional practice.LDC 2 - can broaden and compare to other theories and styles.
Most commonly, LDC students have chosen from:
Participative Leadership
Situational Leadership
Servant Leadership
Transactional Leadership
Transformational Leadership
Next Steps: setting up our own Twitter 'handle'/accounts for our next tutorial session... Here's a helpful video I found as to why this might even be a good idea after all.
Transformational Leadership
Group Task: What makes a good leader? An active listener; inspirational / passionate learner, strong content knowledge, up-to-date, reciprocity of approach, sense of humor, positively invested in others, compassionate, empathetic, finger firmly on the learning pulse within a school/class, skilled in relationship building/maintenance, flexible and adaptable. Also links to the Key Competencies.
Leadership challenge: we selected one of six options (scenarios) to then reflect on our natural ways of doing things - how would we act as a leader? Then, we made some notes for ourselves before think-pair-sharing, where we shared our approaches, and discussed some alternative ones.
e.g.: "Teachers in Year 6 are complaining that teachers of year 5 teach science in many different ways which is resulting in an inconsistency in the preparedness of students arriving in year 6. Consideration amongst senior leaders has identified the need for a greater consistency between science learning between year levels.
How do you make the year 5 teachers follow a more consistent science programme?"
My initial thoughts on this 'problem' were: "First of all, determine the extent of the differences in approach - either through survey by encouraging shared reflections around how different programmes are being carried out around the school. Identify the extent of the 'problem' - is it one or two of your teachers' programmes who are out of alignment, or is it more extensive? Don't assume that the Year 6 teachers have it right either - bring it back in to context via alignment with the NZC. Consider how you could collaborate with staff to begin to develop and align programmes - without finger pointing - and create PLD opportunities linked to the targeted curriculum area (in this instance, science). Reflect on the broader contexts for science learning in the senior school, and how the introduction of co-constructed benchmarks around learning might occur. This may be done within year level syndicates initially, and then taken back into whole / senior school meetings (depending on the size of your school) and identifying those staff members who have a strong interest in taking the qualitative discussions..." [What style does this best reflect? = participative leadership]
Try this quiz to find out your style of leadership...
The Six Leadership Styles (Goleman, Daniel "Leadership That Gets Results" 2000)
"...is an educational approach designed for our ever-changing world. It makes learning relevant to all populations, to real life and real work, and to the realities of the digital age, where the demand for learning never stops." (source)
 |
| NB: Click here for the original link for the above jpeg |
Online Sharing Apps
We also tried out some 'mind mapping' tools or other visual presentations to summarise key ideas visually:
Comic Strip - using bitstrips (shared on to Facebook)
Storyboard - use Storyboard That
Infographic - use Piktochart
Assignment Notes: for LDC 1 - talk about a specific leadership theory (not style!), how it applies to you, evaluate how it impacts on your professional practice.LDC 2 - can broaden and compare to other theories and styles.
Most commonly, LDC students have chosen from:
Participative Leadership
Situational Leadership
Servant Leadership
Transactional Leadership
Transformational Leadership
Next Steps: setting up our own Twitter 'handle'/accounts for our next tutorial session... Here's a helpful video I found as to why this might even be a good idea after all.
(Video Open Source: Edutopia)
Thursday 13 August 2015
Learning Theories and Developing a Growth Mindset
Learning Theories in Stop Motion DCL Week 5 (Tutor - Chris)
What is stop motion animation? Taking a series of still photos of an event, and turn it into an animated sequence. Some of us have used stop motion in the classroom to provide modelling, science (chemistry reactions) and for story telling, for example.
Stop motion animation activities with our students can provide a really good challenge, with opportunities for hands-on kinesthetics and problem solving. The activities also link well to the Key Competencies of the NZC. Because each group of kids is approaching the activity differently, there are always unique challenges that occur.
Stop motion animation activities with our students can provide a really good challenge, with opportunities for hands-on kinesthetics and problem solving. The activities also link well to the Key Competencies of the NZC. Because each group of kids is approaching the activity differently, there are always unique challenges that occur.
Learning theories are developed around "things that we can test [/apply regardless of personal traits]" (quantitative - can be transferred from one person to another vs. qualitative - an example of the latter would be leadership styles).
Today's activity is to create a stop motion animation around a particular leadership theory - as an 'elevator pitch' - using visual metaphors or concepts to explain (not writing!).
After picking a theory out of a hat, plan how you'll explain the theory, film, edit and then save/upload it...
Our group of five teachers got Cognitive Load Theory. With an air of enthusiastic collaboration, as we found out about the theory itself and began to formulate a suitable visual metaphor, we chose our background setting and worked out how to present our understanding of the concepts using everything from available props to playdough, a plastic cup, some carnations surreptitiously 'found', and some tinfoil...
Researched, conceived, planned, resourced, created using Monkey Jam and published online in under an hour, our video begins with our character's head going from being able to fill his cup with ideas (his eyes growing wider as his pupils dilated in response) until one idea too many "overloaded" his fragile mind, squishing him flat in the process! Then, we juxtaposed this with technical information being given like water to a flowering plant - growing from seed, and then flourishing, even sprouting new, complex ideas. With permission of the group participants (Desire', Heather, Fiona, Michelle and Marla), here's the stop motion video that we made:
Some of the other Leadership Theories that other groups have looked at included: Andragogy, Cognitivism, Communities of Learning, Constructionism, Learning Ecology, Modal Model of Memory, Operant Conditioning and Social Learning Theory.
Developing a Growth Mindset (Leading change) LDC Week 5
We had a professional discussion around the provocation: " Intelligence is innate and cannot be developed beyond what you are born with." Suffice it to say, our understanding around concepts such as differentiated learning and neuroplasticity made us universally balk at this prompt! What about innate vs. learned knowledge? Someone mentioned The Flynn Effect - which found that the results of intelligence tests in different countries show that over the past century average IQ has been increasing at a rate of about 3 points per decade.
Provocation: Consider - "Intelligence has become defined as the kind of mind that responds most readily to the peculiar demand of school." (Claxton, 2008). What do we know about Carol Dweck's Growth Mindset theory? Details a paradigm shift around how intelligence is viewed. There is of course a degree of overlap between the two mind sets outlined.
How might we build a 'Growth Mindset' in our learners?
- change our language: talk about learning rather than work;
- use our wall displays to document the learning journey as well as the final product;
- Praise and reward effort, process, perseverance (rather than intelligence or talent).
Next Steps: Changing Mindsets
- Create a list of comments you hear students say and write a growth mindset alternative.
- How else do we build resilience, curiosity, resourcefulness, and persistence in our students?
Thursday 6 August 2015
Let's Use Skype in Class!
I thought I would share with you the first video I have made in response to our class collaboration, where we wanted to find a way to open up the physical boundaries of our classroom using Skype...
For those teachers who have an HP laptop and would like to have a go at using some of the screen styles I have used in my video above, you can Download and install Cyberlink YouCam Software (sp65795) from HP's support web site. Click here for more information or troubleshooting if it's already installed on your teacher laptop, but not working.
Once created, the video clips were then opened in Windows Live Movie Maker, which I found allowed me to very quickly view and edit to give a smile worthy outcome, and then the movie maker project was saved as a wmv file to allow online sharing.
Please note that this was a completely unscripted, some might suggest impromptu, series of ideas made in response to both digital and collaborative learning activities in class and my having fun trying out software I hadn't used before. (Since the rubrics we were provided with suggest that whilst this is a lovely narrative of the process we followed, it may only be helpful as a prequel in regards to my DCL Assignment 1)
Once created, the video clips were then opened in Windows Live Movie Maker, which I found allowed me to very quickly view and edit to give a smile worthy outcome, and then the movie maker project was saved as a wmv file to allow online sharing.
Please note that this was a completely unscripted, some might suggest impromptu, series of ideas made in response to both digital and collaborative learning activities in class and my having fun trying out software I hadn't used before. (Since the rubrics we were provided with suggest that whilst this is a lovely narrative of the process we followed, it may only be helpful as a prequel in regards to my DCL Assignment 1)
Thursday 16 July 2015
Introduction to 21st Century Learning Pedagogy
As background to this part of the blog, and to help you to get an idea of WHY educators in the 21st Century need to begin to explore and apply technology in the classroom, watching this video is very thought provoking for all of us involved in the education of young people today: Teaching 21st Century Skills.
On Thursday 16th of July 2015, fifty or so teachers - from primary, intermediate and secondary schools in the wider Auckland area - met at the NewMarket campus for the first time. There we were, the July 2015 intake for the Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital and Collaborative Learning) Programme. The gist of the four hour lab was both an orientation and the opportunity for some hands on practical ICT-facilitated activities that could be used in those classrooms or 'learning hubs' with our students.
It was a fantastic experience working with other innovative, tech-savvy and forward thinking educators. I enjoyed working collaboratively within a group of six teachers in sharing our understanding, enthusiasm and skills to meet the challenge of creating our own video - within just sixty minutes, from planning to creating and then uploading - on to an online environment.
Above is a screenshot of the video we created together, using an iPhone app, some play-dough, felt pens, and a whole load of collaboration. For all but one of us in the group, it was our very first attempt to make a stop motion video.
Whilst it was a short film in the end, I think we all got a sense of pride in what we achieved together - and were no doubt excited at the prospect of how we could share this new ICT facilitated activity with our own students and colleagues!
Here are some of the free-to-use/trial apps we found out about online that some of the groups were using to create their videos when collaborating:
Pixlr is a free web-based photo editor that allows you to turn your computer desktop, or mobile or internet browser into taking and editing photos on your device. You can "apply quick fixes, overlays, filters, and stickers to make any photo beautiful".
"Do you have presentation envy? Fed up with 'Death by PowerPoint'?! Then you need Keynote... Apple presentation software." For a video of how this app works, take a look here.
Videoscribe allows you to create your own moving whiteboard videos for use in the classroom - a far more exciting, animated view of lessons can be created to engage students and colleagues alike.
"iMovie makes it easy to browse and share the HD video you shoot on your iOS tablet device. Turn your favourite clips into blockbuster movies or Hollywood-style trailers. And watch your mini-masterpieces anywhere with iMovie Theater. A few taps, a few swipes and you’re ready for your big premiere."
And if you have a look at what students have done with 'older' technologies and interactive software here - you can see that, potentially, and with a bit of enthusiasm and risk taking around ICT use in schools - anything is possible!
On Thursday 16th of July 2015, fifty or so teachers - from primary, intermediate and secondary schools in the wider Auckland area - met at the NewMarket campus for the first time. There we were, the July 2015 intake for the Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital and Collaborative Learning) Programme. The gist of the four hour lab was both an orientation and the opportunity for some hands on practical ICT-facilitated activities that could be used in those classrooms or 'learning hubs' with our students.
It was a fantastic experience working with other innovative, tech-savvy and forward thinking educators. I enjoyed working collaboratively within a group of six teachers in sharing our understanding, enthusiasm and skills to meet the challenge of creating our own video - within just sixty minutes, from planning to creating and then uploading - on to an online environment.
Above is a screenshot of the video we created together, using an iPhone app, some play-dough, felt pens, and a whole load of collaboration. For all but one of us in the group, it was our very first attempt to make a stop motion video.
Whilst it was a short film in the end, I think we all got a sense of pride in what we achieved together - and were no doubt excited at the prospect of how we could share this new ICT facilitated activity with our own students and colleagues!
Here are some of the free-to-use/trial apps we found out about online that some of the groups were using to create their videos when collaborating:
Pixlr is a free web-based photo editor that allows you to turn your computer desktop, or mobile or internet browser into taking and editing photos on your device. You can "apply quick fixes, overlays, filters, and stickers to make any photo beautiful".
"Do you have presentation envy? Fed up with 'Death by PowerPoint'?! Then you need Keynote... Apple presentation software." For a video of how this app works, take a look here.
Videoscribe allows you to create your own moving whiteboard videos for use in the classroom - a far more exciting, animated view of lessons can be created to engage students and colleagues alike.
"iMovie makes it easy to browse and share the HD video you shoot on your iOS tablet device. Turn your favourite clips into blockbuster movies or Hollywood-style trailers. And watch your mini-masterpieces anywhere with iMovie Theater. A few taps, a few swipes and you’re ready for your big premiere."
And if you have a look at what students have done with 'older' technologies and interactive software here - you can see that, potentially, and with a bit of enthusiasm and risk taking around ICT use in schools - anything is possible!
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