My new challenge to develop a PLN!!

The first two subjects of my Masters of Education have forced me to step outside my comfort zone and learn new web 2.0 skills.  Firstly I had to establish my own website and then I had to help create and participate in an academic blog!  These were challenges that I cautiously undertook, unsure if my basic computer skills would be enough to complete the required tasks.  But after 9 months of study I am proud to say that I have succeeded in both, and had fun learning and participating with these new web tools.

Where to now??? 

The closing comments from my week 11 online lecture inspired me to get serious about continuing my web 2.0 journey.  These are the words of wisdom:

 This unit has been all about how the relationship between young people, media and popular culture is changing, and how education needs to respond.  It would be a shame if no change occurred as a result of your involvement in this unit.

Michael was right, it would be a shame if no change occurred as a result of my completing this unit – I need to not only continue my learning journey but also to establish professional networks where I can gather and share my information more efficiently.  My next step is to follow Michael’s advice and decide on an initiative that I could realistically implement.   The solutions to this is a PLN.  

My understating of what Professional Learning Networks (PLN) are is this -  it is the people I learn from and share information with, the people that I interact with form my PLN.  They can be peers, professionals, experts or social contacts.  Most of the interaction within my PLN takes place on line now because it is the simplest way to find and share information.  My PLN includes lots different communities like Facebook, blogs, and Twitter.   

5 Ways to Begin Building Your Personal Learning Network  

When I was trying to decide how to establish my PLN I came across a blog called the Innovative Educator it had a great post that was titled ‘5 ways to begin building your Personal Learning Network’ (perfect just what I needed to get me started).  

Number 1 -  Join a professional social network. 

I already belonged to the professional social network within Education Queensland’s the Learning Place
‘Digital teachers are empowered by their personal educational networks. They acknowledge themselves as learners on a journey that is exciting, challenging and connected’.

(quote and image from the Learning Place)

I have always used the Learning Place as invaluable resource when searching for information and classroom tips.

In order to extend my network I have now joined the School Libraries Association of Queensland (SLAQ), the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA)  as well as an international group of educators on a ning site which is dedicated to the support of a ‘Personal Learning Networks for Educators’, this site is called The Educators PLN .  The Educators PLN has excellent links and articles on a range of topics such as Project based learning, Twitter, Social Media, Tutorials and Links to TED talks. 

Number 2- Pick 5 Blogs you find interesting and start reading them.  

My five blogs are:- 

http://heyjude.wordpress.com/

Provides online resources and reflects on education issues and new research findings.  This site is like the bible for me as develop in my role as a Teacher Librarian.  

http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/

Provides lots of great ideas for how to integrate technology into the classroom. 

http://studentslearn.wordpress.com/

Blog posts are used to share research and highlight the ways in which school libraries support teaching and learning in schools. 

http://campusrc.edublogs.org/

A TL’s post sharing what has been happening in her library.   

http://skerricks.blogspot.com/

A TL’s online tool record and share the tools she uses.  

Number 3 - Set up an iGoogle account and subscribe to the blogs you selected in Google Reader.                                        

I must confess that have so far skipped step three of this program – sorry – it is still on my 'to do list’. 

4- - Join the microblogging phenomena by reading Tweets at Twitter

The biggest change in developing my PLN has been the way in which  I manage and communicate with  people, which is where Twitter can help.  Twitter provides instant updates in mini blogs, where posts are limited to 140 characters.  Most of the resources from Twitter are in the form of links to websites, e-books, blogs, or activities.

At first I found Twitter very overwhelming, there was a lot going on!! I was on information overload!!   I found a great description of Twitter where it is described as a ‘big noisy teacher’s lounge where everyone is talking (texting) at once’ and that was exactly what it felt like. 

I have been told by more experienced users of Twitter that the easiest way to fully maximize the benefits of Twitter is to switch to TweetDeck because it has the ability to show everything you want to see at once, in an organized column format.  So this is another thing I have added to my ‘to do list’.    

5- Become a part of the conversation and start commenting on the what you read.  

This assignment has made me realise how important it is to comment on blogs.  Previously I had been a passive participant who read, enjoyed and used the information I found but did not let the writer know how beneficial their post had been to me.  I now understand that a successful PLN needs to be a two way street and that is not ok to just take the information.  It is important that I actively participate by leaving feedback, sharing my knowledge, and helping others when I can.   

A PLN is only as good as the people who participate in it!

While I still have I few thing on my ‘to do list’ I feel an enormous sense accomplishment in what I have achieved so far.  I am looking forward to sharing my new found skills with my student and peers and to continuing my web 2.0 journey. 

 

If you are thinking f establishing your own PLN – this is a great clip that will help
Enjoy :-)

Why educators should consider creating and participating in a personal learning network.

 

The key to change is to let go of fear - Rosanne Cash

Jean Piaget once famously said “the principal goal of education is to create men and women who are capable of doing new things and not just repeating what people before them have done” (cited in Papert, 1999). I have always liked this quotation; however, until recently, I have only ever applied it in the context of the students I teach, rather than in the context of my personal pedagogy. The ever-growing, wide variety of educational stakeholders often call on teachers to be life-long learners, to engage as co-learners with students on an educational journey; however, traditionally, it’s still been the teacher who dictates where and how this journey will take place. Reflectively, I feel that this is not an indication of teacher’s blatant disregard of educational theory; but rather a result of a fear of the unknown. Traditionally, teachers are used to having the answers, to being one step ahead of their students; however, student familiarity with modern technologies changes this. Teachers lose a little bit of control and join students, as what Papert interprets Piaget’s theory to mean, as builders of knowledge (1999).

Obviously professionally, one of my key goals lies in student success. Pedagogically, I understand that one of the key paths towards student success is motivation; the motivation of students has a significant impact on their learning performance (Pei-Luen & Qin Gao, 2005). The teaching in the online environment website identifies that it is variety and differentiation that stimulates interest and gains the attention of students, thus building academic motivation. The 21st century student is clearly motivated by mobile technologies; however, it is in the interest of providing students with a variety learning experiences and differentiation of teaching instruction that I seek to motivate my pupils. I do not seek to replace traditional teaching practices, but rather enrich them with a variety of differentiated learning strategies that include mobile technologies.

As a teacher, I accept that my teaching practices need to reflect the era in which my students live. Although I feel comfortable reviewing the wide variety of online resources, blogs and support available to educators in relation to mobile media, implementing such pedagogical strategies into my current teaching practices will be a challenge. However, I believe that in making small steps in changing the overlying pedagogy of my teaching practices and by embracing the fear I have of engaging as a co-learner of digital technologies with my students, that eventually my pedagogy will transform. In the essence of starting small, below is a list of possible learning experience/ organisational strategies I have found that I can envision using within my classroom

Strategies to allow mobile devices into classrooms



1. The Internet houses a wide variety of potential lesson ideas for embedding mobile technologies into lesson plans. In particular, I liked the Innovative Educator’s example of using a mobile phone and the avatar building program Voki within a poetry unit. Students would not only choose an avatar who reflects the tone and theme of the poem they want read; but also make decisions about the pause, pace and tone of the Voki avatar themselves.


2. Contour Education have some incredible professional development opportunities and online resources that centre around GPS enabled mobile devices being used in conjunction with google maps/google earth for orienteering and virtual field trips in the KLAs of geography and history.



3. Personally, I would be lost without the organisational apps on my iPhone. I regularly keep track of events, appointments, due dates, etc with my iCal app and strategically set alarms to remind me of such things prior to the events. Why then can’t we allow our students to organise themselves in the same manner? Why can’t they use mobile phones to add assessment dates, college events and general reminders?



4. Joseph Rene Corbeil and Maria Elena Valdes- Corbeil explain that students can use their ipods not only as a device to download podcasts of relevant instructional material, but can also download e books and audio books on them. There’s a multitude to free ebook apps available, most with a selection of free books to download.

As a teacher-librarian-in-training, I acknowledge that my role as teacher librarian will be one of digital leadership. It is here that my biggest fear of mobile technology exists. Confidently advocating the viable pedagogical opportunities available for teachers to use mobile medias in their classroom; gaining the support and confidence of school administrative leadership teams to change school policy to enable the use of mobile technologies; and gaining the trust and support of the student parent body along with the wider community to allow modern technologies to be used as tools to shape the educational future of their children is a big ask. Again, I turn to the Innovative Educator who believe the answer to be in building relationships with all stakeholders, including myself. To trust in myself and to let go of the fear.

Any growth requires a temporary loss of security (Madeleine Hunter)

References

Corbeil, J.R. & Valdes-Corbeil, M.E. (2007). Are you ready for mobile learning: Frequent use of mobile devices does not mean that students or instructors are ready for mobile learning and teaching. Educause Quarterly. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/AreYouReadyforMobileLearning/157455

Engel, G, Griffith, R, Newcomb, S, Nielsen, L, Suter,J & Webb, W. (2010). 10 Proven strategies to break the ban and build opportunities for student learning with cell phones. The Innovative Educator. Online: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/11/ten-building-blocks-to-break-ban-and.html

Pei-Luen, P.R. & Qin Gao, L.W. (2005). Using mobile communication technology in high school education: Motivation, pressure and learning performance. Science Direct. Online: http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0360131506000601

Papert, S. (1999). Child psychologist Jean Piaget. Time Magaizine Retrieved From http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,990617,00.html

The Flipped Classroom

This entry showcases an innovation I have applied this semester to one of my Senior classes.  My student's use of their laptops made this innovation possible.

I first came across the idea of the flipped classroom at the end of August this year;  I even tweeted about my intentions:

The link I posted above is to an infographic which neatly summarises what the flipped classroom is all about.




That was me, at the top on the left with the bowl cut and the neat-freak outfit; the Sage on the Stage.  Accounting is that kind of subject where concepts, principles and rules dominate.  Often these are repeated and readdressed each topic.  I would diligently and tediously go through these with my PowerPoint presentations.  Days would go by and we still hadn't covered enough of the new work to get to the application, analysis, evaluating and creating end of the revised Bloom's Taxonomy.  We were still concerned with remembering and understanding.

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy

By the time we started applying the higher order thinking skills it was time for the exam.  For this reason, the concept of the flipped classroom was very appealing.

The roll out of the 1:1 laptops at my school has made it possible for me to restructure my lessons.  They each have their own laptop they bring to school and take home each day; we use them extensively in class.  Coupled with this has been the implementation of our Learning Management System (LMS) - Moodle.  I have been able to load on the LMS:

• those PowerPoints;
• relevant YouTube clips, 
• videos I have made of myself working through my PowerPoint presentations and eventually through the process of practical application; and 
• worked solutions of both theory and practical work.  

The videos I have generated have been of my desktop.  I nominate an area of my desktop to tape, and when I hit record, everything I do in that section is recorded along with my explanation.  I use iShowU which is an iTunes computer application for which I paid $23.00.  Two PC equivalents are Camtasia ($100 for the commercial version, here's a link for the free one!) and Fraps ($40).  I am planning to record the processes required in the practical applications as well.  During class, I will record while I am working through a response to a question.

Each week I post the week's Activities which include a combination of those listed above.  The students take on the responsibility to work through these and check their worked exercises against the solutions.  Next, I plan to start them on a vlog, one they can keep on their phones.  They are to record a reflection on their understanding - to think about their thinking; that is, become metacognitive.  They will need to come back into the classroom, share their progress and ask a predetermined question to clarify their understanding.   Previously, I would laboriously mark their homework, then in whatever time was left, progress to the next step.  Now the lesson will commence with their reflection followed by either teacher or peer-led conferencing to clarify understanding. 

What this has meant for us in the classroom is that I still go over the concepts, principles and rules but now it is in the context of the practical work where I am engaged in modelling the process and the students are engaged in doing.  Students are also mentoring one another, they work collaboratively and I have more time to apply group work which includes them working together on the numerous whiteboards around the room.   Once, I would have some students who would not have checked the LMS for days; most now visit almost daily.  A good number of students are actively engaged in their own learning, they are taking responsibility for this and the variety of activities engage a variety of different learning styles.

In one of his TED talks, Salman Khan notes that flipping humanises the classroom.  In this talk he recounts how Khan Academy first came about.  He started tutoring his nephews in Maths and thought it might be convenient to video his explanations and load them on to YouTube so they could watch  them.  He points out that his nephews preferred the videoed tutorials to the live ones.  They could stop their uncle, replay, listen over and over without feeling like they were wasting his time.  This is another benefit of having such resources available online to students.  Their access to these resources through their laptops has meant that each student can personalise his learning experience at home to cater for his needs.



I do not believe this approach is the answer to engagement and development of higher-order thinking skills.  I do think, however, it plays a part in moving us in that direction.  As a learner, I often need exposure to new concepts from a variety of sources before I feel I understand.  Flipping allows me to expose my students to that variety, at home.  Then, in the classroom, we can start to use that knowledge.

What experience have you had in flipping your classroom?

Five reasons to check out Slide2Learn

This post details five reasons why you should check out an online resource relevant to mobile technology called Slide2Learn.

[One]  Slide2Learn is a ning compiled by a team of seven teachers from around Australia.  In essence it is an online resource provided by teachers for teachers.  Their common interest in the use of the iPad, iPod and iPhone in the classroom brought them together online.  Their ning provides teachers and administrators with access to a variety of resources contributed to by their members, which now number over 750 from around the world.  Not only does the ning offer resources but members can share their experiences and approaches.  One example is provided below of St Catherine's in Brisbane.   This prezi details the stages they worked through when planning the implementation of their iPod trial.   These resources can prove invaluable for schools who may also be considering such mobile adoption.

St Catherine's iPod Trial on Prezi

[Two]  Although Slide2Learn clearly have an Apple-focussed delivery of mobile technology in the classroom, their ethos is to minimise vendor presence at their events and on their ning.

[Three] Slide2Learn resources include the provision of videos and presentations which address, for example, usage policies and reflections of schools implementing mobile technology.  There's a Beginner's Guide provided which is supported by a video introduction (see below).  The guide takes teachers and administrators through the basics when considering the implementation of such mobile technology in their classrooms.

 

[Four]  The ning also supplies its members with access to a forum and to events held by Slide2Learn. 

[Five]  A few of the seven member team that established Slide2Learn have also set up their own blogs and they include:

Personalising Learning with the iPod Touch
Learning with the iPod
Epsom iPad Trial
Travelearning
uLearning Blog

If you or your school are considering the introduction of the iPod, iPad or iPhone for use in the classroom then this ning would be a good place to start.

Have you come across any other similar resources?  Please share links below.

It's Happening Now!

This section of the blog post is in response to the journal article Mobile Goes Mainstream written by Kurt Eisele-Dyrli. This online article details many example of how schools in America are implementing mobile media in the classroom, and the effects that it is having on students, teachers and the education system. The article also backs up its arguments by using not only evidence provided by schools, but also results from surveys, academic reports and interviews with experts in the area of ICT. While, this is an American article, it relates directly to Australian schools as mobile learning is becoming more and more common with the increase of technology in classrooms.

According to Eisele-Dyrli, there has been a change in perception regarding the use of mobile technologies for educational purposes. The article details the results of Speak Up 2010, a research project completed by the education organisation, Project Tomorrow. Interestingly, it found that the number of students who use smartphones has tripled since 2006. However, maybe this isn’t so extraordinary because smart technology has been on the increase for several years, this increased student use is a natural progression. Eisele-Dyrli (2011) argues that for many people, the shift toward embracing mobile technology in learning has had a feeling of inevitability.

Additionally, the report also found that 67 percent of parents said they would purchase a mobile device for their child to use for schoolwork if the school allowed it, and 61 percent said they liked the idea of students using mobile devices to access online textbooks (Project Tomorrow, 2011). The article uses these findings in its argument, and this demonstrates that the public are becoming more comfortable with the idea of using devices formerly thought of as entertainment, and seeing that with the correct application, they can have profound effect on the education of children.

With many schools banning mobile phones at school, it may come as a surprise that schools are now encouraging the use to mobile technology. According to research for the article, one American school’s board voted unanimously to allow students to use their smartphones in class for online research, assignment work, and for other educational purposes. It was up to the discretion of the classroom teacher to what extent smartphones were used. This may challenge some policies by many schools. For example, the Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students by Brisbane State High school regards the use of mobile phones and other hand held devices as unacceptable behaviour. One particular spokes person for a school detailed by Eisele-Dyrli (2011) suggested that:

“We realized that for us to continue helping students develop 21st-century skills, to help them learn how to access information in the way they will in the future, we were not going to be able to have the budget or capacity to add devices as rapidly as we wish we could.”

The school then decided to roll over their ban on mobile phones, and allow their use in the classroom. This would then offset the cost of buying new technology, when students already had it at their fingertips. The spokesperson said that they wanted to allow the students to use the technology that they had to enhance their education.

Mobile learning and technology is a reality in education. In the article, a spokesman for Blackboard, a learning platform developer, said that “Mobile technology in schools is not going to happen--it is happening.” Essentially, software developers have seen the increase of technology on schools from afar, so the sustained use of mobile learning by schools comes as no surprise.

Mobile technologies are not adaptable to the classroom, without the content being specific to education areas. For example, applications available on apple product such as iPods and iPhones are as valuable to students and teachers as the physical technological tools as well. For example, Google Earth, Google Maps, atlas applications, and other features of mobile technology are important classroom specific work. Dr. Patricia Wallace (2010) suggests that because of their special features, from cameras and camcorders to GPS capabilities, mobiles and iPods can be used in innovative ways, both in the classroom and outside of it. This idea backs up Eisele-Dyrli’s argument that mobile phones and other devices have and important place in classrooms and the education system, but their content must be usable and reflect the needs of students.

Eisele-Dyrli’s Mobile Goes Mainstream also discusses the positive benefits that mobile media in the classroom has on behaviour management. He discusses that teacher will be able to conduct immediate and ongoing assessment. Teachers are able to ask questions throughout class, with students answering on their devices while they worked or as they heard a lesson, enabling the teacher to adjust instruction based on this constant assessment. There are many applications like this available, for example Class Dojo (from an American company). This programme allows teachers to monitor behaviours throughout the school day and assign or remove points from students regarding their behaviour (see video below). Applications like this that are available to teachers further underline Eisele-Dyrli’s ideas that mobile learning has an extremely important place in the lives of educators.

Overall, this journal article was extremely insightful and highly relevant to Australian education, as much as American education. The ideas presented by the author are ones that many teachers in Australia are coming across as many classrooms are now using mobile media such as laptops and hand held devices. Eisele-Dyrli closes his argument by stating that instruction needs to be put first. As helpful as these tools are, they need to be used in conjunction is appropriate instruction methods. If teachers cannot incorporate technology such as this into their programme, students will not be able to demonstrate success in using it appropriately. This article has been successful in presenting a positive argument for the use of mobile media in education and provides much evidence to underpin its ideas. Mobile media is an ever evolving facet of education and one, if harnessed correctly, can be of major benefit to teachers, students and other stakeholders.

Class Dojo

References

Brisbane State High School. (no date). Responsible behaviour plan for students. Accesses 10/10/11 from

http://www.brisbaneshs.eq.edu.au/sites/default/files/bshs/PolicyDocuments/responsibleBehaviourPlan.pdf

Eisele-Dyrli, K. (2011) Mobile goes maintream. Accessed 10/10/11 from http://www.districtadministration.com/article/mobile-goes-mainstream/page/0/3

Project Tomorrow. (2010) Congressional briefing. Accessed 11/10/11 from http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/speakup_congress.html

Wallace, P. (2010) M-Learning: promises, perils, and challenges for K-12 education. Accessed 17/10/11 from http://education.jhu.edu/newhorizons/Journals/Winter2011/Wallace