An Unbearable Being of Lightness

My experiment with herding cats has come to an abrupt end. If you have read previous posts on here about my current career (see: Tips for Supply) you will understand the complexities involved from going from Secondary school management to work for a LA then back into school. Not easy, challenging and at times exciting! More recently (always one for a risk) I tried my luck with upper KS2… in hindsight maybe teachers with specialist skill sets (Maths, English, Science) would be more adaptable to the KS2 emphases or even those with a BEd. teaching degree. What a steep learning curve! I soon discovered that:

• each day starts with a varied set of activities to be done independently for 20-30 mins
• Literacy follows a three part plan (main, activity and plenary)
• Numeracy follows a four part plan (mental start, main, activity and plenary)
• PE isn’t taught by people who come into school; put your trainers on!
• Everything else on the curriculum is squeezed into the afternoon and around ‘playtime’ otherwise known as breathing spaces
• If totally exasperated you can ask the children to ‘read silently’ for 5 minutes.

These are the positives that one can adapt to eventually – over my three week stint, I did start to get used to this format after being used to 1 or 2 hour lessons in secondary school. The negatives:

• everyone is too busy to help unless you need a child removed for really bad behaviour
• groups of more than 6 girls make a poor social dynamic and bicker with each other all day every day – they need full time counselling!
• Strategies used at secondary for disruptive behaviour don’t always work – it’s something of a game to see if you’ll raise your voice
• Quiet chats to get to the root of the behaviour don’t work – they are doing it because it’s fun (probably also true in secondary, tbh)
• Even though I am a tall individual, I felt that when the class moved en masse I was invisible to them – herding cats around an obstacle course is a simpler option.

What I did want to achieve was more opportunities for creativity and an impact on ICT. Now I understand why these areas as so squeezed by the curriculum and the miracle made by individuals who can/do pursue them in their schools.

A robot I prepared earlier (86/366)

Blending a Flipped Classroom

Interesting that the buzz around the ‘flipped’ classroom is taking off in Secondary education again, partly due to the Khan Academy channel on You Tube (see Salman Khan’s TED talk) but also the blog articles (such as Donald Clark’s here, Karl Fisch’s here and this one that rightly discusses pedagogy approaches). We can’t ignore the video devices that are more accessible and cheaper than ever before too but let’s not forget that we have a discerning media savvy audience out there too. Sure they may give a few extra seconds to an expertly screen-casted explanation of geometry & fractions but I can recall the ‘math rapper’ with her baseball cap doing equally creative and stimulating stuff on You Tube quite a few years ago.

There are quite a few articles contradicting the use of the flipped classroom technique too (such as this and this). For someone who has experimented for over 3 years with video-enhanced learning through the use of a TV Studio – you can read my e-book here on Videocasting to the Natives, I have to advocate that flipped only works when blended. The process I outlined here in this post. It needs a successful delivery method (in the post’s case I argued for the free Google Apps suite) but have since developed a web site with ‘channels of communication’ here. Pedagogically, the use of Laurillard’s Conversational Framework helps to structure and motivate the learning and Salmon’s 5 Stages can be adapted to scaffold-up the stages of learning. Using the studio helped the learners become co-creators of the method of the learning (they made programmes about math concepts as well as other subjects not just watching screencasts). The teachers too produced a much higher quality of learning resource with an authentic professional feel (see our Hands On Maths site to keep the math-bias going).

As Scott McLeod¹, one of the nation’s leading thinkers on educational technology and the director of the UCEA Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education, observes, the “reason Sal Khan is so visible right now is that nobody did this instead. It would have been great if the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics had been doing this, but someone from the outside had to fill the vacuum.” His guidance to educators: “Start making!”. This counts for the students too though and they won’t do it unassisted.

¹http://educationnext.org/the-flipped-classroom/

Image source: http://knewton.marketing.s3.amazonaws.com/images/infographics/flipped-classroom.jpg

 

 

 

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

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.

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!!!