Robot responses (87/366)

TV Profanity and classroom swearing thresholds

(cc) CHRISTOPHER MACSURAK photo of Adele on Flickr

At the New Year, the BBC broadcast a live concert by Adele at the Royal Albert Hall based on the songs recorded for her album “21″. It was absolutely stunning, powerful, emotional and thoroughly entertaining. Adele’s audience consisted of a cross-section of appreciable society including all ages (kids under 10-ish could be seen clapping and cheering in their seats amongst grandparents and teens). My parents sat down to watch at their home too as they are big fans and Adele’s opening welcome rang out across the airwaves: ”Hello f*cking Albert Hall!”

It was well past the TV watershed (most taboo words are allowed in the UK terrestrial TV channels after 9 pm) and our house we got into the gig and even watched the ‘red button’ interactive extras. Wow and double wow. However, my parents turned straight off…

“Did you see Adele on TV last night?” I asked the next day. “No; absolutely disgusting foul mouthed. Totally unnecessary” was the response.

“But…but…” I protested to no avail. This got me wondering about cultural and age based thresholds to profanity on TV. Every language has it’s taboo, forbidden words and profanities (even Japanese despite common misconceptions) but what we may find acceptable in our streets and classrooms amongst the young don’t necessarily resonate with the older generation. Recent research¹ has suggested a link between swearing and aggressive behaviour – did our parents and grandparents live in politer, gentler times? Think not – I’ve heard all kinds of tales of Mersey dockers, coal miner’s wives etc.

The populare rise of Gordon ‘Chef’ Ramsey and in contrast, the furore over the Ross/Brand/Sachs affair and even the Panorama TV special² on swearing (fronted by comedian Frank Skinner) in which over 50% said there was too much swearing on TV are all at odds – what will we put up with and should we?

My beef is in the classroom where low level disruption is to be tolerated (don’t make mountains over molehills) and some words have become part of everyday language. So I can ask a pupil to ‘mind her language’ but be oblivious to Adele’s potty mouth whilst I for one still remember the taste of soapy water from my childhood.

¹http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/19/us-profanity-tv-idUSTRE79I5OH20111019

²http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_7851000/7851466.stm

Blended Learning models

One clear advantage of blended learning in education is its connection with differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction involves “custom-designing instruction based on student needs.”¹ In differentiated instruction, educators look at students’ learning needs and styles, interests and abilities. Once these factors have been identified, we can decide the curriculum content, learning activities, products and learning environments that will best serve those individual students’ needs. For example, educators can alter the learning environment where students work collaboratively online. Teachers could also add relevant curriculum content that would be unavailable or difficult to comprehend outside of the internet. Learning activities and products can also be changed to use technologies in a classroom that uses blended learning.

Blended learning can be identified by 6 current delivery models varied by teacher roles, physical space, method of delivery and timetabling. Although the three key environments are classroom, online and mobile learning, what is being blended is face-to-face with computer-mediated activities. The models have been identified by researchers for a report, The Rise of K-12 Blended Learning: Profiles of Emerging Models. According to the report’s authors, these models are helping to “disrupt” traditional education in ways unlike technologies that came earlier.

¹deGuia, M., B. Hoffman. ed. Differentiating the learning environment

Image adapted from:

http://knewton.marketing.s3.amazonaws.com/images/infographics/blended-learning.jpg

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blended_learning

http://www.knewton.com/blended-learning/

http://www.slideshare.net/cmcculloch/blended-learning-models-presentation

http://thejournal.com/articles/2011/05/04/report-6-blended-learning-models-emerge.aspx

A goodbye to all that…

The City Learning Centre (CLC) project was started in 2001 established in the grounds or campus of existing schools. At their extent there were more than 100 in the UK. City Learning Centres were imagined as a facility providing state-of-the-art ICT-based learning opportunities for the pupils at the on-campus school, for pupils at a network of surrounding schools and for the wider community. Their emphasis was on aiming to enhance learning across the whole curriculum by providing courses and opportunities for individual pupils from schools around the area. The multimedia establishments catered for any age and level of ICT understanding, and some offered conferencing facilities pre-bookable by local businesses. Many specialised in providing support for Primary education, others on initiatives for Secondaries such as GNVQ courses, the Diploma etc mainly for ICT and Creative Media. Enhancement of normal topic work using TV Studio and video equipment was accompanied by innovative approaches to pedagogy by the CLC staff, sometimes in a teaching partnership with the school staff.

The CLCs  came up with interesting, innovative and replicable lessons, extra curricular activities and to research and discover new ways of using technology in the classroom. An important reason for using the Centres, as well as spreading technology more widely, is that it encouraged schools to work more co-operatively with each other; sharing ideas as they share the resources. It meant that the CLCs were able to be equipped with more specialist technology that would otherwise not be cost-effective for individual schools to buy and attractive for pupils and the community as a place to experience the latest technology, as well as meet and exchange ideas. In cases where transport was difficult (or for times when getting to the CLC wasn’t practical),  schools were able to access resources as part of an outreach programme and even lend equipment for extended periods.

The funding of City Learning Centres  was initially by the British Government through the Excellence in Cities (EiC) programme to ensure they are able to cater for the requirements of local schools and businesses within the area, with emphasis on enhancing opportunities in disadvantaged areas. Up to £1.2 million of Revenue Funding per CLC was available for capital and initial start-up costs plus recurring funding of £220,000 per annum. In 2008, Becta, a government quango concerned with the application of ICT in education, took over the responsibility of monitoring and distributing the funds for CLCs. Becta was liquidated in April 2010 taking the funding out of national government and into local authority hands.

What has happened since funding stopped?

The key to this post is to as this question – where are the CLCs now and what has happened to the resources? This list on Wikipedia shows links to the regional CLCs but has not been updated since the end of funding. Clicking on many of the website links leads nowhere. For some CLCs, the local authority has decided to ring fence funding to keep the service going, albeit in reduced format. Others have closed completely; instances have occurred where host/on-campus schools have subsumed equipment and buildings and others where schools have been rebuilt following successful BSF projects without the CLC facilities. Unfortunately, efforts to become self-sustainable training centres haven’t all been successful (this is the case at my own centre) and LAs have had to close the centres completely. The tragedy here is , as always, the human one. Staff with specialist expertise have been forced out of the industry or redeployed into unrelated sectors. For myself, as a qualified teacher, I have to return to schools-based education at a time when schools are facing financial hardships and there are few jobs about. Where is the equipment? Many clients will naturally clamor for the facilities of a CLC (many were well-stocked with Apple Macs and expensive video tools) and these will have a relatively short shelf-life in terms of current OS, compatibility and even licensing. This list, maintained by Leon Cych on Google Docs, is an attempt to capture the picture as to where they are now in terms of CLC closures. The equipment though will enter an untraceable black hole (distribution, loan, loss) and is after all, nationally funded by tax payers’ money.

Strange Education

Image credit: katiew on Flickr

Strange that just when you think you may be at the cutting edge of educational technology, someone comes along and offers a polar opposite view that may just be more representative of common opinion. I am writing of course about the White Paper unveiled recently entitled “The Importance of Teaching” and the DfE pogroms of 2010. It seems that technology isn’t as important as one thought; Becta the advisory quango is to be disbanded and with it all the advice and guidance offered as well as quality initiatives for schools. Also, teachers needn’t be so keen on keeping up with new tech; they won’t get quite so much due to the cancellation of Building Schools for the Future in many (northern) parts of the country and the slashing of new build ICT budgets (which were only 10% in the first place). Indeed, the training/CPD for teachers is disappearing due to Local Authority advisors enforced retirement, the demise of many City Learning Centres and even the free video resources (13,000 at the last count) of Teacher’s TV due to disappear soon. according to the Education Secretary, schools will have far more choice in the budget spending with decisions left to Head teachers. Well , how many IT coordinators meeting have you attended where you had to justify email never mind mobile learning devices or video equipment? The language of the white paper is similar to kenneth Baker’s from 1987, widely seen as an attack on the power of Local Authorities. Currently, Heads and governing bodies run schools; under the Academies bill it is more likely that central government is to be the one getting in the way.

‘We will slim down a curriculum which has become over-loaded, over-prescriptive and over-bureaucratic by stripping out unnecessary clutter and simply specifying the core knowledge in strategic subjects which every child should know at each key stage. That will give great teachers more freedom to innovate and inspire.’ – Michael Gove

Obviously the pseudo-subjects taught in schools in the last ten years in order to raise standards, motivate and engage young people are cluttered with unnecessary non-core knowledge (?) and that the strategic subjects (?) will provide everything a child should know. The increased uptake of vocational courses (BTECs, OCR Nationals as well as NVQs) is set to be reversed as schools become measured on how well their pupils do in core subjects,  said to include a foreign language once more. Head teachers are warning this might lead to more disaffection among less-academic students as the reason for discontinuation of compulsory MFL was absenteeism. It is here that a tension exists between Gove’s desire to make schools’ decision making freer and his need to tell schools what to teach. Perhaps this is the zeitgeist of the moment; led by people not involved in education?

iPad for learning

The Apple iPad occupies a new space somewhere between the functions of a large screen phone and near-to (but not quite) a netbook. Described by Steve Jobs as ‘magic’, it is actually a device occupying the space between the mobile and portable/laptop spaces that for schools means non-networked and personalised for the individual learner. There are tons of great articles and web sites about the iPad and its’ use as an educational tool and I will provide links below. This is a summary of my experimentation and thoughts after a three week loan. Here are the users during this period:

A three year old

An eight year old

A thirteen year old

A 25+ student of Business and Marketing

A university lecturer

Two teachers.

This is relevant because this review is based on my observations of others’ iPad use as well as my own.  Initial reactions from all but the youngest two users were of ‘Wow’ and “That’s so cool” etc but after using for a day or two these comments subsided to things like: “Oh, I can’t access my USB or Google Docs” etc. Interesting that the three and eight year olds just shrugged at it and used it like they would a book, access to a web page or any other game. I spent less than £25 on apps, some intentionally game-based, others directed toward kid’s math/maths, literacy and still more culinary, news or productivity.

Here’s the findings:

Digital inclusion

Lightweight and very portable, pinch zoom on words and pictures really provides an accessible interactivity.  With one of the kids on an iPad and another on a Macbook, instantly on due to iOS means the iPad got a ‘like’ comment, information was accessed quicker (possibly due to mobile versions of web pages) and shared with others in a room simply by picking up and holding up in the same way as a drawing on card.  The same info on the Macbook looked tiny on it’s web page and more of a faff to share with others. A great equaliser in terms of the users as far as the 8 and 13 year olds were concerned. Learning games for the laptop not so easy to find or as cheap as these mobile apps either. For older users, the lack of embedded video proved frustrating at times although You Tube’s own site was fine. Perhaps adoption of HTML5 will help in future. Also, Flash conspicuously absent and we know why that is but hard to explain away to less techie friends.

Teachers and Innovations

Both the teachers and lecturer found instant web page access and apps that allow doodles quick and easy to employ as potential teaching tools. Other ways of show and tell are a reasonable expectation on the iPad – course you can do the same on any laptop or tablet PC but the fact you can sit outside the museum and switch instantly between apps and an e-reader adds a bit of kudos to your apparent depthless knowledge. The tactility of passing around the iPad with the info on a famous photographer whilst viewing her work is delightful (but still achievable on a smartphone in an albeit smaller scale). This use alone ticked both boxes for dynamic practice and enhancing one’s own PD or professional knowledge. Incidentally, the exhibition wasEngaged Observers: Documentary Photography since the Sixties at the Getty Center in L.A. and I seemed incredibly knowledgeable thanks very much!

Learning Spaces

There is so much out there on mobile learning and its introduction as an extended learning environment but anyone experimenting with mobile tools have to put up with so many limitations. Cost, screen size, input method — the list goes on.  The important thing about the iPad is that any space becomes a learning space and the activities involved transform the environment especially with a good mix of information consumption and games as rewards or learning in their own right. Creating on the iPad isn’t so straight forward as yet; POW as comic strip designer integrates photos you upload to iPhoto and then there are the Pages/Keynote/Numbers apps that I haven’t yet invested in.  My iPhone version of QuickOffice worked fine for making short notes (this post in fact) although I did struggle to edit a wordpress blog and resorted back to my Mac. Brushes is a neat creation app appreciated by all ages and easy as doodling with your finger. In my opinion the next gen iPad needs two cameras – front and rear facing to take snaps and iChat with.

Overall experience: great integrated technology especially viewing web, photos or using specific apps. Not a wonderful e-reading experience as glossy screen unreadable in bright light or headache inducing in anything but twilight. An invaluable casual learning tool that will add to your toolkit not replace any of it; needs to be a third cheaper before wider adoption especially when the wow factor wears thin.

Select links:

http://teachwithyouripad.wikispaces.com/

http://www.ipadineducation.co.uk/iPad_in_Education/Welcome.html

http://www.palmbeachschooltalk.com/groups/ipadpilot/

A collaborative Google doc to share ideas on the iPad in schools.

Connectedness…

Do you use an online personal network as part of your educational development? If you already aware of Alec Couros’ idea of a ‘networked’ or connected teacher then this diagram will be familiar to you. Indeed, if you know what connected learning can do for you, then you’ll recognise the links above from your use of blogging, twitter and social web tools. If you compare this to Couros’ diagram representing the conventional teacher then you may start to appreciate where you are and where you are going to be in the next few years.

This diagram came to mind when I followed a discussion on Twitter regarding online development for new teachers (on PGCE training courses) or further development for GTP or NQT teachers (on job training or within first year at school). Not only does it suggest the possible links to connect with personal development but also with the learners and learning and even parents. A truly inspirational image… but what does it mean to us today?

Well, today is another of those great opportunities because this evening there will be a chance to visit (either online or in person) to a great connected event — TeachMeet is coming to a City Learning Centre in Blackpool, Lancashire and promises to be a highlight of your connected year. TeachMeets are training and learning sessions delivered by teachers to teachers on practical advice and tools sometimes with integrated technology and online tools. How to take part? Visit www.teachmeet.org.uk for sign-up and directions or follow the #tmbpool hashtag in twitter or streaming video here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tmbpool

Using Twitter for Maths/Science teacher support

Twitter for educational uses is frequently blogged about and there are some great examples on the net of using twitter as a tool in conferences, getting instant feedback froma class, using twittersheep to find out who is worth following etc. However, when you have a group of mainly maths and science teachers who you are trying to explain the value of web 2.0 technologies to, it can be very hard to convince especially if you do not follow many teachers of their subjects yourself.

As it happens, I have come across some great maths and science twittering teachers (eg. @Maths_is_it) who have pointed the way to wonderful resources like Plus+ online magazine and even suggested some great web resources.

To prove the point to my visitors, I used Tweepl.org to search for educators across the globe and followed as many as I could who were obviously both frequent twitterers and enthusiastic techno teachers. I think I added 300 in a day to be honest and of that lot at least 150 followed me back – which was the point. Then I asked the twitter-stream for examples of great web 2.0 sites for maths and science teaching…

looking for web 2.0 apps for maths and science – pls advise! Need next Monday to show power of Twitter community – pls RT
Mon Sep 21 06:36:16 +0000 2009

I also tried different ways of asking the same question:

Pls post links to web 2.0 resources for maths n science ks3 or 4. Pls RT
Mon Sep 21 12:02:59 +0000 2009

and:

are all web 2.0 apps designed for communication? Are any useful for science teaching? Pls RT
Mon Sep 21 16:59:47 +0000 2009

 

I got quite a few responses but also some puzzled questions asking whay I wanted them etc. as if I was doing a survey of some kind. The summary I made after a day or so was:

top web 2.0 for maths/science so far today: chartle, geogebra, puzzles.com, touchspin, etherpad and bubbl.us – pls RT, more?
Mon Sep 21 20:14:30 +0000 2009

As this was down to just a few people I suspected that the teachers in my stream were all historians, english teachers and the like – maybe all computer science or ICT specialists!!! How could I tell what subjects they had specific web 2.0 knowledge of? So, I produced a very quick poll at twtpoll.com to try and find out!

Tweet teachers – what’s your MAIN subject specialism? Pls complete poll at:http://twtpoll.com/damoward – pls RT
Mon Sep 21 20:09:06 +0000 2009

I kept the stream informed at intervals even if they felt unable to vote. Some DMs from particularly US teachers for clarification on certain anglo-centric terms (MFL = Modern Foreign Languages, aka Languae Arts in the US). Also, I knew the poll design wasn’t perfect it was supposed to be a snapshot of who on my stream felt they taught mainly maths/science or other.

Looking at the poll results so far – only 20% math/science teachers on twitter results:http://twtpoll.com/damoward
Sun Sep 27 21:15:02 +0000 2009

Some great results to my call for web 2.0 resources now that they felt ‘part of the community’:

web 2.0 maths/science: chartle, geogebra, puzzles.com, touchspin, etherpad, bubbl.us, Voicethread, Glogster, DoInk, Screenr, Animoto – more?
Sun Sep 27 21:23:55 +0000 2009

Thnx to recent pollsters! Maths/science teachers up to 28% vs. English/techno on 64%! Simple poll – curious
Sun Sep 27 22:03:43 +0000 2009

I closed the poll after a few weeks and then tweeted results:

I know it wasn’t precise enough for some of you – it was meant to be a quick snapshot — 66 teachers managed to vote
Tue Oct 06 20:22:55 +0000 2009

58% tweeting teachers were mainly from IT/Tech or English, 23% Math/Science. It was the latter group I aimed to encourage obviously…
Tue Oct 06 20:25:26 +0000 2009

Showing the use of the maths/science community (for resource collection), web 2.0 tech for data collection (twtpoll) and the result that there isn’t as many twittering maths/science staff but there are some out there worth following made this a great little experiment!!!

Whatsitallabout…. Alfeeee

This is my first entry as I set up my Blog.
Why do I Blog? The reasons for doing this relate to my career – as a tutor, I have lots of (welcome) holidays at the end of half and full terms. Students tend to carry on with coursework during these holidays and I direct them to my web space. However, I have come to realise that, unless I give them my phone number, they can’t keep current with advice or latest info. I intend to attempt to set up an RSS feed to a podcast to do this. I haven’t done it before but it can’t be that hard can it?