All good things…
Well, it has been 32 weeks since the beginning of this journey. One I started by missing week 1. I was in Samoa on a school trip. However, that did not impinge on the following weeks. The first 16 weeks experiencing new teaching methods was interesting and I love the techie bit. Discussing a topic for an hour and then using a technology to create something about the topic brought us altogether. A team at the table. Did I mention I loved the techie bit?
This course has enabled me to lead some developments in technology and share some tools with staff. GAFE apps plus some new ones to help staff move into a more creative area for learning. Kahoot I had never seen before, nor blendspace, nor Aurasma and these created a bit of a stir amongst our staff. It has led to a situation where staff want to learn more. In 2016 I have already been asked to deliver PL sessions with a digital tools focus. Influencing the appraisal system in 2015 to include an e-Learning requirement involving SAMR helped lead all staff towards thinking in a more 21st way.
GAFE is a set of tools, just like a chalk board and a piece of chalk or an authoritarian approach to instruction; they are just tools. This course has reawakened by need to engage at a professional level discussing modes of pedagogy. What works and what doesn’t. The Educultural wheel, constructivism, growth mindset and change knowledge discussed by Michael Fullan in his book Stratosphere have all impacted on my practice in some way. One area in this field was the discussion around design thinking in education. I teach Technology in a secondary school and design thinking is a fundamental requirement for our course. It was a very warm feeling to see one of your core values being spoken about as a means to engage change in the classroom. Discussing these points at staff PLs and running workshops for individuals, Thursday after school, helps teachers think about these areas in their own practice. All staff have now been challenged to think about 21st C learning design using 21st CLD evaluative survey, constructed using Google Docs.
Digital citizenship (DC) as a part of my practice I lead the ICT committee across the school. Members range from different departments but we meet monthly to discuss emerging issues and plans. This year the student use agreement has been changed to promote good digital citizenship. All tutors will discuss this with their tutor classes and all teachers have a tutor class. All students have a PSK (private security key) and are now able to effectively engage with BYOD. Hence digital citizenship is a must.
I am also trying blogs with my construction class (one example here) and department members. It is a real opportunity to create and reflect WITHOUT the need for assessment!
Future school plans
Continue developing staff - plan a programme of PL for all staff based on targeted surveys and individual support to upskill in the areas of pedagogy linked to using digital tools. Remove SAMR from appraisal and replace with 21st CLD.
Develop the use of tablet technology with the technology department in conjunction with the Maths and Samoan departments to use 7” tablet devices for blogging purposes where students can actively generate their own images and write about them in meaningful ways.
Personal development
I would also like to research what it means to be Google Educator to better equip me to use the GAFE suite for me as an individual and as a teacher in a GAFE school.
I am considering seeking out a masters programme that takes me into the applied practice areas. Using tools to enhance learning and developing programmes responsive to student needs in a Pasifika context.
… all good things never end...
References
(2015). Criteria 5 / Practising Teacher Criteria and e-learning ... Retrieved March 12, 2016, from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Practising-Teacher-Criteria-and-e-learning/Criteria-5.
(2015). Criteria 6 / Practising Teacher Criteria and e-learning ... Retrieved March 12, 2016, from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Practising-Teacher-Criteria-and-e-learning/Criteria-6.
(2015). Criteria 7 / Practising Teacher Criteria and e-learning ... Retrieved March 12, 2016, from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Practising-Teacher-Criteria-and-e-learning/Criteria-7.
(2014). 21CLD Learning Activity Rubrics - FCL. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from http://fcl.eun.org/documents/10180/14691/5.3x+-+21cld+learning+activity+rubrics+2012.pdf/e240da11-07c2-4633-a86e-06c12f00d8ad?version=1.0.
(2015). Google for Education: Training Center. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from https://edutrainingcenter.withgoogle.com/.
Fullan, M. (2013). Stratosphere: Integrating Technology, Pedagogy, and Change Knowledge: Pearson
No comments:
Post a Comment