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.

Blending learning

Blended learning uses technology to enhance teaching and learning beyond campus based learning. This is achieved through e-Learning methods blended with face-to-face teaching.

The work of the City Learning Centre focuses on raising attainment at key stage 4 but with an emphasis on educating through new technologies for ages 6 to 16. The majority of our visiting students attend from 8 of the 16 local secondary schools, mainly Year 10 & 11 students, studying Btec First or OCR Nationals in ICT or Media. In attending a one or two day camp at the CLC, students complete most assessment objectives toward a unit of study.

Due to time constraints and access to technology for some of the schools, our approach at the CLC necessitates a ‘blended’ style of delivery where practical activities and demonstrations take place at the centre and further learning and workbook completion are accessed later.

We use a variety of ways of achieving this system; I will attempt to describe a typical technique through example. For OCR National Media Unit 5 (Exploring New Media), students are initially brought to the centre for a day camp and start the day with a conversation about mobile ‘phone technology, both in groups and with staff. We explain how to access our online resources and orient the use our preferred e-Learning tool, although this also has an intuitive flash based interface. Notes are taken using bubblr (a free mindmap tool) in groups and saved. Key aspects of mobile technology are identified and form the basis for the practical project scenario based on creating multimedia animations, ringtones, web movies and an interactive web site. Students begin each of the four assignments with a video demonstration of the software via the web (using CDSM’s Pedagogue, an e-Learning content creator) and technical support from a staff facilitator. Please note that of the three delivery staff, I am the only trained teacher and it is through the use of Pedagogue flash resources that consistency and pace are maintained. Tutoring skills are valuable in getting the best outcomes from students and this is noticeable depending on staff input and enthusiasm. A workbook for the unit is included in the online resources that can be completed during the day or afterwards at school or via the web at home. Local copies of the workbook must be saved, as we do not have the facility to store student workbooks. Also included is a series of 3 four-minute podcasts to reinforce discussions based on technology developments. The software we use to create our e-Learning packages allows for differentiated preferred learning modes (we employ video, audio and written pages but there is also capacity for flash animations, drag and drops etc.). Students tend to complete the unit within a week of the first day visit (rather than take 30+ guided learning hours as prescribed).

The key factors that enable this technique to succeed include: contact with ‘experts’ within the vocational setting (also a matter of technological confidence that will eventually pass on to school teaching staff), active learning at the students’ own pace within the day task time frame but with opportunities to follow, feedback is ‘live’ in the synchronous aspect of facilitating learning as is the advantages of success in small steps or chunks of learning. The software partially provides for diverse learning styles although requires some technological understanding and prowess. This goes in some way toward the seven principles recognised by Chickering and Gamson (1987, quoted 1999) in successful blended learning. Chickering et al researched good practice for Undergraduate education and suggest seven principles that include these behaviours:

“1. Encourages student-faculty contact. 

2. Encourages cooperation among students. 

3. Encourages active learning. 

4. Gives prompt feedback. 

5. Emphasizes time on task. 

6. Communicates high expectations. 

7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.” (1987)

 

The missing elements of the CDSM software from Chickering’s list are those relating to issues of time and communicating feedback. Students work is still dictated to by the constraints of assignment portfolio completion; they may spend far too long on a task and perhaps more than is necessary. Feedback at present is summative; some formative method would be beneficial from my perspective, perhaps using online collaborative technology.

The opportunities now available for asynchronous online communication due to the digitising of resources and word-processed coursework, are as MacDonald & McAteer (2003) suggest “widely available, effective and simple to use”. Collaborative tools such as Google Docs, iWork.com and Zoho.com allow an anytime, anyplace online interaction. Research reported by MacDonald et al. confirms the interactive benefits of online collaboration from tutors and students but concedes the benefits of the face-to-face that include:

“You can respond to students directly, making full use of different ways of learning and encourage student interaction” (MacDonald, p140).

This anecdote implies that non-verbal communication and interpersonal skills have a significant role to play and cannot yet be fulfilled online.

There are issues to explore, however. Primarily, there is little room in this method for assessment – much of which is either observed or as a product of the practical pieces and the completed workbooks. I am sure that some of the students feel that they have been rushed through the unit and that the quality of the products created has not been measured. I would like to develop assessment of learning within the e-Learning as well as part of the conventional delivery within the unit perhaps through video diaries.

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.

Posterous for Learning & Teaching

 

Check out my Posterous blog web site – this has got to be the easiest method to read/write the web ever – EVER. No kidding; all you have to do is make sure you have an online email client (gmail preferred) and send emails plus attachments. That’s it – the web site is written by ever email posting you make.

I have now taken 3 sessions of science, maths and GTP teachers through the basics of Posterous and added a bit of value in terms of additional web 2.0 tools like Wallwisher and Voicethread. Ok, it’s note everyone’s taste – I accept that but I can certainly vouch for student responses. Try setting a read and discover homework on a topic of your choosing. Will you expect 3 or 5 bullets of info back? Maybe half a page with an illustration? Then try showing your students a Posterous blog and tell them you want a weekly posting with an image or Powerpoint embedded and ok try Voicethread or Wallwisher too. Guaranteed engagement!

The key to using tools like these is the emphasis on the learning rather than just the teaching – ok, not Masters level writing but certainly enthusiasm beyond that for the topic you love.

Playstation games for school homework

Playing video games has become homework for some students, but it’s not all fun. Games are designed to sharpen maths and language skills. San Diego-based Lightspan is the company that creates the educational games for Sony Playstation. Writers, animators, and educators seek out the right mix of fun and learning. And just like game developers who create the explosions and adventures of entertainment video games, one goal at Lightspan is to encourage kids to play each game many times. There are many pre-school games and with the advent of the Playstation 3, a market for k12 (KS3 & 4 in the UK) is sought. The latest and best are Rock Band and Little Big Planet; the latter being a collaboratively social game encompassing puzzle-solving and brain activities. Let’s hope that we can build upon the recent success of Nintendo DS’ Brain Training and set computer puzzles as homework!